
Leek, Mushroom & Pesto Pasta (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Due to my apparent habit of bulk-buying 'free from' items I like when I find somewhere that stocks them, I discovered several forgotten boxes of red lentil pasta in the cupboard and decided it should be the base for a quick lunch. After rummaging around in the fridge I opted to saute leeks and chestnut mushrooms, then once softened I added in green pesto (Sacla's is my top pick!) and a little Oatly cream to make a sauce. I topped the pasta with a drizzle of my favourite cold pressed garlic oil from Norfolk brand Crush.

Lentil Soup (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
I've tried making a few different kinds of soup in the past with varying degrees of success so it's not exactly my usual go-to lunch option. To make this not-so-photogenic lentil soup I sauteed onion, potato, carrot, courgette and garlic, seasoned with black pepper and salt. Once softened I added in vegetable stock along with dried rosemary, a bay leaf and dried green lentils and left to simmer. Before serving I stirred through some cashew milk to give it a creamier texture and it actually turned out to be pretty tasty, which is lucky as I made enough for a second portion and popped it in the freezer for a quick lunch option another day.

Peanut Butter Stir Fry (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Even though half of my gluten free pastas are actually made of rice, this dish was my attempt to not eat yet another pasta lunch. Using water instead of oil, I added green beans, peppers and spring onion to the stir fry along with a couple of grilled vegetable patties (an inexpensive freezer staple!) chopped into small chunks. To give it some flavour I added a spoonful of peanut butter (Pip & Nut is my favourite) and a very generous helping of tamari!
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