Lunch Recipes

Browse through healthy lunch recipes that are simple to make, mostly vegan and gluten-free. Lunch has never tasted so delicious!

Some of my favourite recipes include these Easy Vegan Tempeh Meatballs, this Japanese Salad Bowl with Miso Tahini Dressing and this All Seasons Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs.

Cold Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Green Beans

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A simple cold beet salad to welcome in the warmer months. I love the simplicity of this dish – only 5 ingredients and lightly seasoned with quality olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve this dish alongside any BBQ, or have it on its own for a light and nutritious lunch.

This dish was introduced to me by one of my good friends Sage. She made it over a summer weekend when we rented a house on the beach for a beautiful fun and friend-filled weekend in Tofino. The dish allows for the ingredients to speak for themselves. I love steaming my vegetables for maximum nutrient availability, but the beets and green beans can also be boiled for ease. Seasoned lightly with some fresh lemon, olive oil and salt this is a delicious cold beet salad is a must for any recipe repertoire.
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Almond & Tempeh Vegan Meatballs Recipe [GF]

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This almond and tempeh vegan meatballs recipe is a quick and delicious way to add some variety to dinner. Following a plant-based diet doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some of your favourite dishes. I love serving these tempeh meatballs with a pasta bolognese sauce, or on their own on a light salad. A simple and delicious fuss-free recipe, and it’s vegan and gluten-free!

Tempeh is a must in any plant-based foodies repertoire. Tempeh originated in Indonesia, and Indonesians enjoy it fried and spicy and often will add it to dishes such as Gado Gado (see my simplified recipe for Simple Peanut Sauce Indonesian Style), or enjoyed fried in a spicy sambal and served with rice. It is as versatile as tofu, but many prefer the firmer texture of tempeh over its soybean cousin. Here is my play on tempeh, and a good one to get you started on your tempeh journey – Easy Almond Tempeh Vegan Meatballs.
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Japanese Noodle Soup with Miso

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This quick and easy Japanese Noodle Soup with Miso can be made in less than 15 minutes! It is a great way to use leftover vegetables, and the protein options are versatile as well. Miso is not only a tasty broth, but it is also rich in beneficial live-active-cultures which are important for a healthy gut.

This is a regular dish in our household because it is super easy and adaptable. You can usually find some sort of leftover vegetable in your fridge that would work perfectly with this dish. Miso is a little bit of a ‘superfood’, I use Genmai Miso as its made of brown rice rather than white, so it still contains the bran making it even more nutritious. This Japanese Noodle Soup with Miso is sure to be a favourite in your house, as it is in mine!
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Healthy Coleslaw Recipe with Toasted Almonds [Mayo-Free ]

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Looking for the best Healthy Coleslaw Recipe? Well, look no further. Not only is this coleslaw recipe packed full of antioxidants from the red cabbage and fresh herbs, but the creamy dressing is also naturally mayo-free. Turn this salad into a main meal by adding some baked tofu or a few eggs.

The summer markets are bursting with berries, stone fruit, and fresh tomatoes. With the overload of delicious blueberries and wild blackberries, we sometimes forget about the more humble harvests. Cabbage springs into season in summer and has a lengthy season, lasting over 6 months depending on the climate. Cabbage is also packed full of antioxidants and is an easy addition to summer salads, BBQs and stir-fries.
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Hemp and Sunflower Seed Vegan Pate

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This easy, healthy and delicious Hemp and Sunflower Seed Vegan Pate is naturally gluten-free, free of processed ingredients, and contains 13 grams of protein per serving! This recipe is as simple as adding everything to a food processor and blending until smooth.

Hemp hearts are a superstar. They offer a wide nutrient profile including omega-3 fatty acids, healthy omega-6 fatty acids, magnesium and zinc. Generally, my focus is on breakfast as hemp is an easy way to bump up the protein at these carb-heavy meals. I am sharing this hemp pate recipe so hemp doesn’t get confined to only breakfast. Serve it with some seed crackers or cut up cucumber for a tasty afternoon treat or as a light lunch.
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Easy Moroccan Couscous Salad with Raisins

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This easy Moroccan Couscous Salad with Raisins recipe is one of my go-to crowd-pleasers. It is so simple to make, which is surprising given its complexity in flavour. A little orange zest, some fresh herbs and balancing of sweet, salty and citrus can go a long way!

This is one of my favourite autumn dishes. It makes a great side dish to accompany a big meal gathering, or it can also be had as a meal on its own with the addition of some chickpeas for protein. This recipe was one of the first recipes to appear on my website back in 2013 and was inspired by my cooking teacher(s) – the 1st season of Master Chef Australia. A variation of this recipe appeared in the winner, Julie Goodwin’s cookbook. I love how simple this Morrocan Couscous Salad is to make, despite the complexity in flavour!

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Smokey Moroccan Aubergine Dip

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This smokey Moroccan Aubergine Dip is straight from Morocco. The recipe was shared with me in a cooking class in Marakesh and is as authentic as it gets. This is a great healthy dip recipe that tastes great with flatbread, seedy crackers, or as a spread for sandwiches or wraps!

Moroccan really is the place to adventure if you are a foodie – from couscous Fridays to tagine breakfasts, just not enough days to try it all. I’ve shared my love for Moroccan cuisine with this Easy Moroccan Couscous Salad with Raisins. Now I want to share this Smokey Moroccan Aubergine Dip, also known as Zaalouk, which packs a whole lot of flavour with such simple ingredients.
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Japanese Salad Bowls with a Miso Tahini Dressing and Brown Rice

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This Japanese Salad Bowl with Miso Tahini Dressing is a favourite in our household. The miso tahini dressing is so easy to make, and really goes great on anything! Serve it on some wholesome brown rice topped with some fresh vegetables, or try quinoa with roasted vegetables for something different.

I love the shift of household staples with the changing season. As the weather warms up, in comes the salads and salad bowls. I’ve already shared Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing and then I followed that up with the lighter alternative Light Summer Salad with a Garlic and Tahini Dressing. Now my love of Asian flavours has inspired this Japanese Salad Bowl served with a Miso Tahini Dressing and Brown Rice, just in time to see summer to its end.
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Edible Flower Salad with Rose Petals, Chive Flowers and a Light Vinaigrette

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This recipe for edible flower salad features rose petals and chive petals, but really there are so many edible summer flowers that can be used. I love serving my flower salads with a light vinaigrette to as to not mask the delicate flavours of the flowers.

Floriphagia is the consumption of flowers as food. There are so many edible flours out there, and while the documented nutrition information is limited to ‘high source of vitamin C’ and ‘good source of antioxidants’, some may say that the benefits come from the energetics of eating flowers. I am sharing one of my favourite ways to eat flowers – a simple salad. A light vinaigrette helps to bring the salad together, without taking away from the delicateness of the flowers.

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No Fuss Healthy Baked Quinoa and Kale Patties

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Food is incredibly social and food is meant to be shared. The occasion of eating a meal with friends is more about nurturing the sole than nurturing the body. With spring in the air, BBQs and potlatches are in the foreseeable future – no better time to feed and nurture your favourite people! (like you need an excuse)
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How To Make Sprouts & Health Benefits of Sprouting Foods

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My top tips on how to make sprouts, and also why we should be including sprouts in our diet. The health benefits of sprouts include helping us to better access important minerals in nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. This is especially important for those following a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet.

I have been dabbling into sprouting foods since my early university days, but back then I was too poor to buy a proper sprouter. I’ve used everything from nut milk bags to glass jars and cheesecloth. If your a first-time sprouter, prepare to become addicted. Sprouting is one of the simplest things you will do in the kitchen -all you need to do is remember to water your sprouts, no green thumb required!…

Toasted Sandwich Mexicano [Torta]

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This toasted Sandwich Mexicano is a delicious spin on the Torta. Make your own homemade chipotle sauce at home to bring the sandwich to the next level. Top with fresh vegetables and melted cheese – doesn’t get any better than this!

Open-Faced Mexican Inspired Sandwich

Let me count the reasons why I love Mexican food so much:

AVOCADO – Creamy mouthfeel, mono-unsaturated fatty acid goodness,
CILANTRO – A favourite herb that brightens dishes from around the world,
LEGUMES – Delicious bundles of fibre, protein and other goodies.

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Lunch Recipes

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