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5 lunches you can prepare in less than 15 minutes

Homepage Articles 5 lunches you can prepare in less than 15 minutes

5 lunches you can prepare in less than 15 minutes

Due to the fast-paced lifestyle that we lead, we often lack the time to prepare a healthy meal. Many people do not have the opportunity to spend several hours in the kitchen to prepare a healthy and tasty dish. Buying pre-made meals from the store or ordering a dish from a restaurant might not be the healthiest option and can be expensive. Therefore, we will suggest a few ideas for quick and healthy lunches that can be prepared within 15 minutes or less.

Table of Contents

1. Pasta dish featuring tuna and corn in tomato sauce

Ingredients: 50 g of pasta, 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil/olive from olives, 1/2 onion, 1/2 can of tuna in water (in your own sauce), 2-3 tablespoons of corn, 125 ml of tomato passata, spices: oregano, Provence herbs, salt, pepper. Cook pasta according to package instructions. In the meantime, heat the vegetable oil (or olive oil) in a pan, dice the onion, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add corn, tomato passata, and spices, such as oregano or Provence herbs. The tuna is salty, so it's best to wait with adding salt until it's added. Once the pasta is done, add it to the rest of the ingredients and add the tuna. Mix everything well and taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pasta is quick to prepare – in most cases, it cooks in less than 10 minutes. The size of the pasta matters here, for example, orzo pasta only needs 6-7 minutes to cook. If you have an electric or gas stove and the water takes a long time to boil, you can heat the water in a kettle first and pour it into the pot. Remember that the water boils much faster if you cover the pot with a lid. You can replace the tuna in this recipe with high-quality ham, Parma ham, or chicken, it all depends on how much time you have.

2. Couscous with vegetables and eggs

Ingredients: 4 teaspoons couscous, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1⁄4 can cassava, 2 tomatoes, 1 leek (white part), 1 egg, spices: salt, pepper, coriander, parsley stalks, thyme. Preparation of couscous according to packaging instructions. Heating oil in a pan. Chopping tomatoes into large cubes and leeks into thin strips. Frying for a few minutes. Adding cassava and couscous and seasoning with salt, pepper, and spices such as coriander, parsley stems, and thyme. Addition of 2 teaspoons of water, stirring, and inserting the egg. Steaming under a lid until the egg white sets. Possible substitution of egg with ground beef and vegetables with frozen, pre-cooked vegetables. Option to prepare the egg separately poached and make a salad from the leek, cassava, and tomatoes.

3. Indian-style lentils with rice

Required ingredients: 50 g of white rice, 1⁄2 onion, 200 ml of tomato puree, 3 tablespoons of red or yellow lentils, 60 ml of coconut milk (about 6 teaspoons), spices: curry, garam masala, cumin, paprika. Add rice, onion, and lentils to a pot and cover with hot water, ensuring the water is about 1 cm above the ingredients. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then add tomato puree, coconut milk, and spices, and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Note: The rice can be cooked separately if time is limited, it should cook with the lentils. You can also add chopped chicken instead of some of the lentils. If you have more time, use brown rice. It has a higher nutritional value and a lower glycemic index, but takes longer to cook.

4. Spanish omelette, a potato dish in the zero-waste style

Ingredients: - 2 cooked potatoes, - 1½ tablespoons of rapeseed oil/olive oil, - 1 clove of garlic, - ½ red bell pepper, - 2 eggs, - a handful of shavings, - spices: salt, pepper, oregano, sweet paprika. Cut the potatoes into slices, the bell pepper into cubes and fry for about 7 minutes in heated fat, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, cut the shavings coarsely and add to a bowl with 2 eggs and crushed garlic. Add salt, pepper and favorite herbs such as oregano and sweet paprika and mix well. Then pour the mixture into the pan and cover with a lid until the eggs set. Note: You don't have to use potatoes. If you have leftover rice or bulgur from the day before, you can also prepare an omelette in a similar way. Corn or beans from a previously opened can are also a good option, which you can use to prepare this dish. A good side dish to this dish are pickled salads.

5. Baked chicken piece with vegetables

Ingredients: 1 chicken breast fillet, 1⁄2 potato or 2-3 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 parsley, 1 onion. Marinade: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon mild mustard, 1 tablespoon soy sauce (can be omitted and replaced with 1/3 teaspoon salt), 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon oregano. Mix the ingredients of the marinade and coat the chicken piece with it. Leave it overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C. While the oven is heating up, peel the vegetables and cut them into smaller pieces (e.g. cubes or strips like fries). Arrange the vegetables together with the chicken in a heat-resistant dish and bake it for 25-30 minutes. TipDespite appearances, baked dishes are not time-consuming. Preparing the marinade and vegetables takes less than 15 minutes, and while the dish is baking, you can do something else. You can prepare the marinade according to your own preferences, adding, for example, cumin, sweet paprika or Provencal herbs – depending on what you like. Remember, the smaller you cut the vegetables, the faster they will cook.
The author of the article is Dietspremium