As college students, we have an idea that cooking your lunch and bringing it to uni is either 1) too complicated or 2) too time-consuming, or both. As much as the cafeteria food may be convenient, quick, and easy, having a home cooked meal you made yourself can be such a refreshing change from your usual ham and cheese sandwich.

From time to time, it’s great to have a proper homecooked meal. I have put together five lunch recipes that I absolutely love and swear by, that are quick and easy to make (not to mention grain-free). These recipes will show you that not only is making your own lunch totally do-able, but also absolutely worth it.

Tofu and Veggie Stir-Fry

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:20 mins
  • Total Time:30 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 200 g firm tofu
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 200 g green beans
  • 150 g mushrooms
  • 1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1-2 strips spring onion
  • 2 tbs coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup water
  • Salt & pepper
  • Chili flakes or cayenne pepper
  • For the sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter or peanut sauce optional
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoon thyme
  • 2 teaspoon kurkuma or masala spice optional
fish, pork, pepper, sauce, chicken, meat, vegetable
Anteia Win
  • Step 1

    Drain tofu and pat it dry with kitchen towels and cut tofu into small cubes (2 cm).

  • Step 2

    Put 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a small pan and throw in the tofu cubes, at a medium-high heat, for about 7-10 minutes, flipping them regularly. Once browned on either side, remove pan from heat and set aside.

  • Step 3

    Wash and clean all your vegetables. Cut bell peppers, mushrooms, and green beans in small strips.

  • Step 4

    Dice one medium-sized onion, chop two gloves of garlic, and the spring onion.

  • Step 5

    In a large wok, with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, throw in the onion and stir regularly until slightly golden on medium heat. Add the garlic and spring onion and let it cook for 2 minutes.

  • Step 6

    Throw in the vegetables, seasons with salt and pepper, for about 4-5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water and cover it with a lid on high heat for 15-20 minutes (check on the veggies every 5-7 minutes). Once all the water has evaporated and the veggies are cooked, season with chili flakes or cayenne pepper, thyme, and korkuma or masala (optional).

  • Step 7

    Make the sauce by mixing 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or peanut sauce (optional), 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds together and add mixture to the vegetables. Add the tofu, stir well to distribute the sauce evenly.

Cucumber Rolls with Hummus

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:5 mins
  • Total Time:10 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 can chickpeas drained
  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt
  • 1-2 cloves garlic slightly roasted or raw
  • fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 teaspoon cumin optional
  • Sundried tomatoes optional
  • Note: **The hummus can also be store-bought
vegetable, dairy product, salmon, cream, fish, avocado, seafood
Nina Wang
  • Step 1

    Drain and rinse the chickpeas and blend in a food processor. Place 1-2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of tahini, salt (up to preference), 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and cumin (both optional). Finally, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1/3 of water (depending on the consistency you prefer) and the juice of one lemon (be careful to remove the seeds). Add 4 sundried tomatoes (optional). Add fresh chopped parsley (optional).

  • Step 2

    Peel the cucumber into strips with a vegetable peeler. Roll them up and place them in a container. Fill the rolls with the hummus and use a toothpick and poke through both sides, to keep the roll from unfolding.

Winter Quinoa Salad

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:25 mins
  • Total Time:35 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 medium-sized sweet potato pumpkin also works
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Baby spinach or arugula
  • Pumpkin and sesame seeds
  • Cinnamon optional
sweet
Julia Maguire
  • Step 1

    Heat up your oven to 200° Celsius.

  • Step 2

    Peel and cut 1 medium sweet potato into cubes and drizzle over them 1 tablespoon of olive oi and a pinch of salt. Place them in to a baking tray and let them cook for about 20-25 minutes.

  • Step 3

    Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a strainer with cool water. In a pot, with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place the rinsed quinoa on a medium-high heat. Stir regularly for about 2 minutes so the quinoa becomes slightly toasted. Add 1 cup of water and salt to taste and bring it to a boil. Lower down the heat, cover with a lid for 15 minutes. After that, remove the pot from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes, covered with a lid.

  • Step 4

    Take the sweet potato and drizzle it with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional). Cut up in cubes 80 g of feta and in a container add it with the sweet potato, arugula or baby spinach, sesame & pumpkin seeds, and the quinoa.

Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:20 mins
  • Total Time:30 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 cauliflower
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 strands spring onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • chili flakes
pepper, vegetable, red pepper, rice
Nina Wang
  • Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

  • Step 2

    Wash the cauliflower and cut it into florets, also removing the main stem. Place the florets in a strainer and place in a pot with 2 cups of water, covered with a lid. On a medium-high heat, let the water come to a boil and let the stem cook the cauliflower. Check every 10 minutes, poke the florets with a knife until florets soften. Once cooked, remove pot from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Put florets into a blender or food processor (using the pulsing function) and blend until cauliflower becomes similar to a couscous-like consistency.

  • Step 3

    While the cauliflower is cooking, wash and carve out two bell peppers and set aside. Using a wok or any other large saucepan, add 1 tbs of olive oil, with 1 chopped onion on a medium heat. Stirring regularly, once onions become slightly golden, add the finely chopped clove of garlic, spring onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook on a medium-high heat for 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and chilli flakes.

  • Step 4

    Remove cauliflower rice from heat. Drizzle some olive oil and salt inside the carved out bell peppers and then place the rice inside. Place the bell peppers on a baking tray and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Avocado Pesto Zoodles

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:15 mins
  • Total Time:25 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 2-3 zucchini
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 5 tablespoons pesto up to preference
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 50 g basil leaves
  • 50 g parmesan
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 15 g pine nuts
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • parmesan cheese optional
vegetable, pasta, egg, spaghetti, tagliatelle, spinach, sauce
#healthlif3
  • Step 1

    Wash zucchini and spiralizer it using a vegetable spiralizer. As you are spiralizing, break off some of the strands to avoid having never-ending noodles! Set aside the noodles on some paper towels (you may even want to pat them dry with some kitchen towels) due to the excess water.

  • Step 2

    To make your own homemade avocado pesto:
    o In a blender or food processor, place 1 clove of garlic, 50 g of basil leaves, 15 grams of pine nuts, lemon juice, 1 avocado, 1 tsp of salt. Once it becomes smooth, add 100 ml of extra-virgin olive oil.

  • Step 3

    In a large saucepan, add 1 tbs of olive oil at medium-high heat and add the noodles. Add 1 tsp of salt and let the noodle cook for about 7-10 minutes until softened. Add the avocado pesto to the noodles and mix well. Let it cook for about another 2 minutes.

  • Step 4

    Remove pan from heat, place noodles in a container and add a couple of pine nuts on the top (optional).

And voilà! Time to enjoy your delicious homemade lunch amidst all the uni stress and deadlines!