5 Quick and Easy Grain-Free Lunches to Bring to Uni

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

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServings:1 servings

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 u0026 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

Instructions

1. Drain tofu and pat it dry with kitchen towels and cut tofu into small cubes (2 cm).
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.
3. Wash and clean all your vegetables. Cut bell peppers, mushrooms, and green beans in small strips.
4. Dice one medium-sized onion, chop two gloves of garlic, and the spring onion.
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.
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).
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

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 10 minutesServings:1 servings

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

Instructions

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).
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

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:1 servings

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

Instructions

1. Heat up your oven to 200° Celsius.
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.
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.
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 u0026 pumpkin seeds, and the quinoa.

Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium onion
• 2 strands spring onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbs olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• chili flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
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.
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.
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

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 15 minutesTotal time: 25 minutesServings:1 servings

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

Instructions

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.
2. To make your own homemade avocado pesto:ru003cbru003eotIn 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.
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.
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!

• < 20 Minutes
• Lunch