The Working Lunch #51

I pitta the fool who doesn’t stop for lunch

Hey you,

Hungry? It’s nearly lunchtime.

If you need a little reminder to take a lunch break, you’re in the right place. We all need reminding sometimes. There’s just that thing we need to do, and just catch up on this, and I’ll do it on my lunch break…

We can skip through the day fuelled on coffee and chocolate digestives without taking a proper break, let alone pausing long enough to make, eat and digest food that we know will set us up to be at our best for the rest of the day.

I love preparing food and eating it. There are days I still need to remind myself that lunch breaks are vital, especially if I’m home alone. Take last Tuesday, for example. Organised me prepped up a tuna sandwich while I was making packed lunch for my daughter. Great idea! I took my sandwich from the fridge and ate it while I was at my desk. Bad idea! I got to the end of the day feeling frazzled, less decisive, less able to prioritise what needed to be done. I just ran out of steam. It’s not effective or sustainable.

Of course, sometimes it’s unavoidable. You really do have to power through.

This week’s lunch ticks all the boxes. It can be something you make on the day or something you prep up the day before so it’s ready for lunch on the go.

I’ve had a few new subscribers in January. If that’s you, welcome! Grab your lunch, you can sit with us.

Rustle up….

Pitta chips & dips

Is it a snack? Is it a lunch? These pitta chips are good any time of the day

This snacky lunch is seriously satisfying because of all that crunch. And I think it’s a nice little twist on the usual, sometimes a bit boring, houmous & pitta.

Supermarket pitta bread are cheap and cheerful. These pitta chips are what you can do with the two left in the pack that you threw into the freezer a few weeks ago.

I made these the night before knowing that I’d be out the next morning meeting a friend for coffee and I’d want something quick and snacky as I headed back to my desk at lunchtime. I baked them when the oven was on for dinner anyway. Who can justify turning the oven on to cook one thing?

They’ll keep in an airtight tub for a couple of days, but I bet they don’t last that long.

I’ve used this recipe on The Kitchn as a guide.

Ingredients:

• 2 Pitta bread

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

To make:

Slice the pitta through their pockets and cut into wedges. Brush with oil. Season and bake. That’s it.

It made sense to me to brush the pitta bread with the oil before cutting them into small chipped pieces. It just seemed less faff that way around.

Simple swaps:

• Go for any dip of your choice really. I’ve gone with houmous and some carrot sticks

• Spice up your chips with some chilli flakes

• Make it more of a meal by adding the pitta chips to a houmous bowl or falafel bowl

• Don’t have any houmous? Try this easiest-ever microwave aubergine dip.

Lunch chat

On the other days last week, I polished off the last of the sweet potato soup; a packed-lunch style tuna salad sandwich; a freshly cooked sausage & egg sandwich; and a bowl of five bean chilli (love love love leftovers for lunch especially chilli as it tastes even better).

What about you? What’s your go-to lunch right now?

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If you’re not feeling the lunchtime love with this week’s idea, don’t forget that you can tuck into the archives at any time.

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