The weather’s warming up, and we’re taking our midday meals from our desks to outdoors. There’s nothing like basking in the sunshine with a gorgeous quiche or chicken salad at the end of your fork. The best part is that these humble recipes are nourishing and easy to make, especially when you have the right kitchen tools on hand to streamline the cooking process.
Take OXO’s tools and gadgets, for example, which make these vegetable-packed recipes even more enjoyable to create. There’s practical peelers, slicers and spiralizers to handle every variety of vegie. Here we share 10 delicious spring dishes that will save you from the temptations of lunchtime takeout.
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Broad bean and ricotta orecchiette
If you’re looking for a nourishing dish to kickstart your working week, this is it. Aside from the zesty lemon juice or the creaminess of the crumbled ricotta, the major drawcard is you can whip up this vegetarian pasta bowl in under 30 minutes.
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The hero of this mouth-watering pho is the fragrant beef broth, lending a heady flavour to the fresh vegetables and seasoned beef strips. Created by Sydney chef Tom Walton, this tasty recipe replaces rice noodles with thin strands of vegetables, so ensure you have a peeler on hand to shave carrot and zucchini into noodle-like strips.
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The phrase ‘healthy burgers’ is no longer an oxymoron with this amazing low-carb option. Simply roast mushrooms to transform them into appetising buns, and load with a juicy eggplant patty, grilled fetta slices and vegetables. Drizzle with homemade rocket and walnut pesto for the finishing touch.
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Whole roast teriyaki chicken with cucumber salad
This uplifting meal by Tom Walton gets its finger-licking good flavour from the chicken roasted with onions underneath to create a light teriyaki onion gravy. Pair with crispy cucumber salad and soft steamed rice for the ultimate combination of texture and taste.
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Poached chicken and quinoa salad
Colourful and vibrant, this refreshing salad will lift your spirits and satisfy your tastebuds. Poached chicken, bright watermelon radishes, watercress and tri-coloured quinoa with an amazing balsamic dressing that ties the salad together.
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Crispy skin snapper with blood orange and fennel salad
Another masterpiece by Chef Tom Walton, this fresh fish dish promises to make your lunch hour a memorable event. It’s a surprising combination of salty snapper and delicate fennel with the added subtle tanginess of blood orange and a kick from green olives. Save time and use a mandolin slicer to cut the fennel.
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Zucchini spaghetti with tomato and fetta
We’ve swapped regular pasta with spaghetti-like strands of zucchini for an extra dose of vegies. The sweet burst of blistered cherry tomatoes offsets the creaminess of the baked fetta, creating a lunch to look forward to. The zucchini spaghetti makes this meal a great gluten-free option.
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Veggie lasagne with mushroom and lentil bolognese
Layers of vegetables like zucchini and eggplant replace the traditional pasta sheets in this tasty lasagne, while mince is swapped for rich lentil and mushroom bolognese. Created by Tom Walton, this is the ideal comfort food, and is perfect for cooking in bulk to save and reheat throughout the week.
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Save time and make this crowd-pleasing dish with frozen shortcrust pastry. Rindless bacon brings a salty crunch, while green onion, zucchini, peas and mint deliver your vegetable fix. Topped with crumbled fetta, these slices are perfect to savour in the sunshine.
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Delcado avocado, potato and snow pea salad
On the table in under 30 minutes, this fresh take on the potato salad by Tom Walton is as healthy as it is appetising. Delcado Hass avocados, snow peas and fennel bring shades of green to your plate, while the punchy dressing and savoury olives add flavour contrast.
Brought to you by OXO.
