Lunchtime ideas - you'll thank us later!

Anyone will know when you return from any length of time away from work you’ll most likely be faced with 100’s of emails and for the next week you’ll probably be eating your lunch at your desk. Hopefully the image below isn’t a regular occurrence for many of us but sometimes it can’t be helped.

Unhealthly lunch at work (image credit – www.thegrindstone.com)

I really try not to do this but sometimes it really can’t be helped. I’d rather eat at my desk than miss lunch altogether. Thankfully the lovely people at Furniture at work have come up with a healthy desk lunch ebook. Whilst eating at your desk is a quick fix, it doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Within the ebook there are lots of quick, simple and healthy recipes, even Mr E who isn’t the most experienced in the kitchen could whip up the recipes the night before and then quickly grab it out of the fridge on his way to work the following morning. Your working lunch break doesn’t have to be unhealthy, these recipes combine speed, flavour & goodness to keep you going throughout the day, whether they are prepared the day before or on your break (if you work at home).

Our favourite recipe from the ebook is Penne Tuna Pasta Bake With Cheddar Cheese Goodness. All the recipes in the ebook have been provided by fellow food bloggers, our favourite recipe is from Peachy Tales.

Ingredients

250g dry penne pasta
200g tinned tomato
1 canned tuna chunks
1 cup of finely diced white onions
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 fresh basil leaves
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
Salt/pepper
Vegetable oil

Method

1. In a saucepan,pre boil the water with 1 tsp of salt and throw in your dry penne.
2. Cook the penne half way through because the cooking process will continue once in the oven.
3. Strain and sprinkle 1/2 a tsp of dry herbs along with 1 tsp of oil.
4. In a non stick pan, sweat the onions along with the cloves of garlic for 5 mins.
5. When the onions have gone soft, add the tomato puree and mixed altogether.
6. Salt/Pepper along with the remaining 1/2 tsp of dry herbs and leave to simmer for 15 mins more.
7. When the tomato sauce has reduced to a paste, add in the tuna chunk and stir all in generously.
8. Note: I threw in the tuna chunks along with its oil because I love how beautifully they all come together in terms of flavours. But then if you want,you can not add the oil from the canned tuna.
9. Now add the penne and throw in the basil leaves and mix everything thoroughly for 5 mins more.
10. Bake in a pre heated oven at 250°C for 25 mins.
11. Serve hot along with a nice crunchy salad on the side