Lunch envy: 10 easy and tasty portable meals

1 Chicken, avo and pesto salad wrap

Serves: 1 | Time to make: 5 mins

• diabetes friendly, low-Kj, high protein, low sodium, high fibre, 1 ½ vegie serves

Roll up 100g shredded, cooked chicken breast, ¼ sliced avocado, 1 cup salad leaves, 1 small sliced tomato and 2 teaspoons pesto in a toasted wholegrain wrap.

Per serve:
1694kJ/405cal
Protein 39.5g
Fat 13.2g
Sat fat 2.9g
Carbs 21.6g
Sugars 3.7g
Fibre 20.4g
Sodium 327mg
Calcium 84mg
Iron 2.2mg

2 Chicken and bacon toasted club sandwiches

Serves: 2 | Time to make: 20 mins

Preheat oven grill to high. Line a baking tray with foil and place a roasting rack on top. Brush 150g chicken tenders with olive oil and place on rack with 2 lean bacon rashers. Grill for 3–4 min each side until the chicken is cooked through, removing the bacon rashers once crisp. Set aside to cool a little.

Toast 6 slices wholemeal bread until golden. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayo and 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt with 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard. Spread half the mustard mayo on 2 slices of toast, then top with the sliced chicken and a small handful rocket. Spread 2 more slices of toast with the remaining mustard mayo, then put them on top of the rocket, mayo side up, to form 2 sandwiches.

Top with the bacon and sliced tomato, then finish with the remaining 2 pieces of toast. Secure with cocktail sticks, then cut each sandwich in half diagonally to pack or serve.

3 Rainbow salad with tuna

Serves: 1 | Time to make: 10 mins

• dairy free, gluten free, high protein, high fibre, 4 vegie serves

Toss 2 cups store-bought rainbow salad or coleslaw with 1 small diced cucumber, 75g roasted, diced sweet potato/kumara and a 95g can tuna in olive oil (drained). Drizzle with 2 teaspoons Kewpie mayo.

Per serve:
1829kJ/437cal
Protein 22.9g
Fat 26.1g
Sat fat 4.7g
Carbs 22.9g
Sugars 14.3g
Fibre 9.5g
Sodium 667mg
Calcium 83.7mg
Iron 1.1mg

4 Chicken and fennel sandwiches

Serves: 2 | Time to make: 10 mins

In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup finely chopped barbecued chicken breast, ¼ sliced medium fennel bulb, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 finely chopped celery stalk, 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste. Spread the chicken mixture on 2 slices wholegrain bread and top with cucumber slices and butter lettuce leaves. Sandwich with 2 more wholegrain bread slices.

5 Niçoise salad stack

Serves: 2 | Time to make: 12 mins

Blanch ¹⁄³ cup trimmed beans in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain well. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon mustard and a 110g can of tuna. Pile tuna mix onto 2 slices wholegrain bread or toast and add chopped lettuce, sliced tomato, blanched beans and 8 pitted olives. Top with 2 sliced hard-boiled eggs and a grind of black pepper.

6 Chilli bean baked potato

Serves: 1 | Time to make 15 mins

• diabetes friendly, gluten free, vegetarian, high fibre, high calcium, 2 vegie serves

Cook 1 scrubbed potato in the microwave for about 4 minutes or until cooked. Score the top and squeeze to open. Top with chopped spring onion, 1/2 a 400g can chilli beans and 1-2 tablespoons grated cheese. When ready to serve, pop in microwave for 2 more minutes to heat beans and melt cheese, and serve with baby spinach and chopped avocado or leftover veg.

Per serve:
1632kJ/390cal
Protein 18g
Fat 13g
Sat Fat 6g
Carbs 54g
Sugars 16g
Dietary Fibre 15g
Sodium 586mg
Calcium 265mg
Iron 3mg

7 Spicy lamb lunch bowl

Serves: 1 | Time to make: 10 mins

• dairy free, low sodium, high protein, 2 ½ vegie serves

Warm ½ cup cooked rice in microwave. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon tahini and ½ teaspoon mirin with 1 tablespoon hot water to make a dressing. Add 1 julienned or grated carrot to dressing and mix well to coat. In another small bowl mix 1 teaspoon gochujang with hot water until runny enough to drizzle. In a bowl place warm rice, 100g cold leftover lamb, sliced, 4 blanched, sliced asparagus spears, 4 halved cherry tomatoes and 1 cup rocket. Drizzle over gochujang and top with 1 teaspoon toasted pumpkin seeds.

Per serve:
2065kJ/494cal
Protein 31g
Fat 24g
Sat Fat 8.2g
Carbs 35g
Sugars 4.5g
Dietary Fibre 6g
Sodium 259mg
Calcium 165mg
Iron 3.9mg

8 Pita pocket with chilli beans, avocado and tomato

Serves: 1 | Time to make: 10 mins

• vegetarian, high fibre, 3 vegie serves

Mix ½ a 400g can chilli beans with a cubed ¼ avocado, 4 chopped cherry tomatoes and 1 chopped spring onion. Toast 1 pita bread, open it up and stuff bean mixture inside with a ½ cup baby spinach. Add 1 tablespoon beetroot hummus and a blob of reduced-fat Greek yoghurt.

9 Herby lentil salad

Serves: 4 | Time to make: 15 mins

In a small jar, combine 1 tablespoon EV olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons honey and 1 finely chopped red chilli (optional). In a large bowl place drained 400g can lentils, ½ finely chopped red onion, 2 cored and sliced red capsicums, 1 chopped avocado, 125g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved, and 1 cup chopped fresh herbs (eg, parsley, mint, basil, chives, oregano). Give a gentle stir to combine. Pour over dressing, tossing to coat. Crumble over 100g feta and sprinkle with a handful toasted almonds.

10 Sweet potato and beetroot frittata

Serves: 4 | Time to make: 30 mins

Cook 350g sweet potato/kumara in microwave on high for 3-4 minutes with 2 tablespoons water. Lightly beat 6 eggs and 3 tablespoon reduced-fat milk. In a large pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 sliced small onion and cook until softened. Add 1 diced medium beetroot and 1 teaspoon dried thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add sweet potato.

Pour over egg mixture and allow base to set slightly. Scrape the base and tilt the pan, allowing any uncooked egg to run underneath. Cook on gentle heat until edges begin to set and the centre has a slight wobble. Crumble over 75g feta. Place under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes until golden. Serve warm or cool for a packed lunch. Serve with a green salad.