Working in a busy vet clinic setting, I’d say I get a proper lunch break only about 50-60% of the time. Usually we get blocked off lunch breaks every shift whether it’s half an hour or an hour, but you never know what’s going to fuck up your schedule. One delay can push your whole schedule back for the day. Sometimes surgeries and procedures just take longer than you think, unexpected complications arise, last minute emergencies walk in, or a simple 15 minute consultation turns into a 45 minute hospital admission running every test under the sun. The pandemic doesn’t help either, with more time required to do everything through contactless means. I love my job, but too many times I’ve gone without eating lunch or only had a spare second to shove some food in my mouth before greeting the next client because I’ve worked right through my lunch break trying to catch up. I’ve long given up on bringing warm food for lunch because it’s always cold by the time I get to it.
This section of my little website is dedicated to quick and easy meals suitable to eat on the go and won’t require heating up. I also aim for them to be filling so even if you can only afford a few bites of food throughout the day, it’ll hopefully be enough to get you through your shift, whatever your busy job may be!
Rule of thumb for packing ahead: separate your salad dressings or sauces in a separate container when packing your lunch and dress it when you’re ready to eat to prevent soggy salads or noodles. Always have a spare box of crackers at work or in your bag to have dips or mayo salads for a quick meal.
Smoked Salmon Spread
This is one of my all-time favourite dips. It’s full of delicious smoky goodness and also stretches out that expensive salmon to last longer. This dip is perfect to serve as a dip at a party served with some fancy crackers, or as a quick and easy snack or breakfast spread over a warm toasted…
Classic Hummus
A good classic hummus makes me so happy. Something about the classic flavours of the creamy tahini with cumin and chickpeas blended together with that kick of garlic makes it magical. This smooth creamy dip is so so good as a dip with some crackers or veggies and even better smeared in a warm wrap!…
Classic Greek Salad
I love Greek salad. It’s so refreshing and easy to make, perfect for a hot summer’s day or paired with a delicious roast lamb. The dressing only takes 3 ingredients to make and the salad components are easily adjustable to whatever proportion you like. This salad is healthy (if you don’t go crazy on the…
Blue Cheese Broccoli Salad
I’m not a huge fan of raw vegetables other than the basic salad ingredients, but this amazing salad was a game changer and now I’m all about team broccoli if this salad’s involved. The bold blue cheese is offset by the sweet and tart cranberries and juiciness of the red onions, then mellowed out with…
Apple Chicken Goat Cheese Salad
This is my ALL TIME FAVOURITE SALAD. Seriously. If you love goat cheese, this is the salad for you! The juicy crisp apple pairs so well with the warm nutty toasted pecans and the creaminess of the goat cheese all tied together in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve only ever eaten this salad as a…
Taiwanese Cold Noodles 涼麵 (Liang Mian)
The direct translation of “liang mian” is “chilled” or “cold” noodles and it’s served as a bowl of cold white noodles mixed with a savoury peanut sauce and topped with cucumber and carrot slices, occasionally a sliced egg. It’s delicious, filling and crazy easy to make! It’s also a great lunch to pack to eat…
Curry Tuna Salad
This is by far my favourite version of a tuna salad. The addition of dill and curry with the crunch of the pickle all infused into the creamy mayo brings this to the next level. You’ve got to try it. It’s packed with flavour and so easy and quick to put together for a quick…
Good For You Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola
Ohhh granohhhhla! I love making my own granola. I love the smell that fills the kitchen as it bakes and I love that I can put in whatever I want and feel good about it. This granola makes a wonderful quick breakfast on the go when topped with some fresh fruit, or a filling snack…
Tabbouleh (Mediterranean Quinoa Salad)
Tabbouleh (or tabbouli) is a simple mediterranean salad mainly comprised of whole grains, tomatoes and parsley. There are many versions of this salad out there but this one is by far my favourite and simplest. The freshness from the lemon juice and veg pairs really well with a heavy main dish such as a roast…
Smoked Salmon Salad with Roasted Sesame Dressing
Something magical happens when you combine smoked salmon with roasted sesame dressing. I came up with this salad one morning while trying to make a quick lunch for the fam – I never expected it to be so good! This salad is so flavourful and satisfying but best of all it’s quick and easy to…
Classic Simple Guacamole
I love guacamole. LOVE. Seriously. The creaminess of the avocados with the freshness of the tomatoes and lime juice is pure happiness in a bowl. I could easily devour a whole bowl of it myself binge-watching something. It’s quick and easy with no actual cooking required – just chop some ingredients and mix it all…
Spicy Asian Tuna Salad
This recipe has asian-inspired flavours. Some ingredients aren’t very traditionally asian (like the cranberries and raw carrots), but they have their role to play and I promise the overall flavour packs a punch! You end up with a mildly spicy, kinda sweet, crunchy, sesame tuna salad in the end. This recipe is easy and comes…
Polyphagic Abby 