If you’ve read my recent grilled tuna recipe, you’ll know that I’ve recently become quite a big fan of alternative grains. For years and years rice has been the only one on our radar, with the occasional bit of cous cous. I’m still a big fan of rice, risotto being one of my staple midweek dinners, however there are so many alternatives available to us now it’s nice to change things up a bit. Many of these ‘new’ grains have great added health benefits as well, many being lower in carbs, calories and higher in fibre/protein etc.
I haven’t posted a lunchbox idea in absolutely ages mainly because I don’t want to bore you all with my same old things every day, however since I’ve been trying out all these new grains, things have finally been shaken up a bit in the lunchbox department. I find grains, when tossed into a light salad or an otherwise quite leafy meal, bulk it up a bit and make it more substantial.
Every few weeks I’ll stock up on a few jars of antipasti style ingredients to add to packed lunches to up the taste factor a bit. Often you’ll find a jar of artichokes, roasted red peppers and olives lurking about in the back of my fridge. A few of these, thrown in with some leaves, cooked ham or chicken and a scattering of cheese makes a really tasty lunchbox that’s exciting enough and substantial enough to get you looking forward to your packed lunch.
Ingredients
1 marinated roasted red pepper, sliced
small handful marinated artichokes
1 or 2 sun dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
Thick slice stilton, cut into cubes
2 slices deli ham, shredded
1/2 pack Merchant Gourmet mixed grains
handful cooked spinach
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