Tomato and Basil Houmous

This houmous from Sainsburys is a real winner. The combination of tomato and basil flavours works really well and is a nice change from traditional houmous. I used this in a couscous salad, on toast and with snacks. It is very versatile and tasty and most importantly labelled vegan. Sainsburys vegan range keeps getting better, they have a new range of vegan cheese out soon and lots of products in store labelled for your convenience. It is nice to see the vegan range gaining popularity and an increasing product list in supermarkets. 

Vegan Options at University

I was really impressed to find out that my University has vegan options in the cafe. They do a range of vegetarian and vegan food and I was lucky to get the last vegan sandwich (this shows how popular they are!) This houmous and Cajun roast mushrooms and veg was the perfect combination and full of flavour. University is definitely a vegan friendly environment, they had Nakd bars and a selection of herbal teas at the afternoon tea on my induction session and there is always a vegan option on the menu. It is good to see a big institution like a University catering for different diets and it also shows that veganism is popular with an educated crowd. There are other vegans on my course and lots of people seem open minded about it. I think I'm going to like it here! 

Vegan Falafel Wraps

This vegan classic is something you see in shops all over. However it is easy to recreate at home. This falafel wrap was served with roasted sweet potatoes and salad- this is the perfect quick and easy vegan lunch. 

Firstly you will need to chop some salad. Tomatoes and cucumber go well in this meal as they add flavour and are inexpensive ingredients. 

Homemade hummus really makes this dish. It is so simple to make although if you are in a rush the shop bought variety is just as good. To make this simply blend a can of chickpeas with a teaspoon of tahini sauce, add some garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and water. I add cumin to mine which gives it a nice flavour. Any left overs can be stored in a tub and used up within 2-3 days. 

Add the hummus to a wrap. These wholemeal wraps were shop bought, many wraps are vegan making them a great option for lunches, just check the ingredients. 

Now it's time to add falafel, you can either use homemade or shop bought versions like these cauldron falafels which were cooked in the oven for 10 minutes. 

I flattened the falafel to add it all over the wrap. Lunch is starting to come together! 

Now add salad. I added the tomato and cumcumber mixture as well as some avocado. The choices are endless as it really depends what salad you like. Spinach or lettuce would be a great addition as well as red cabbage or onions. 

Roll and wrap. This is harder than you think so make sure you don't overload the wrap, you can always come back for more but you don't want the wrap to fall apart. 

And done! Simple add your sides, I chose sweet potato as it is one of my favourite foods and is a great combination to the flavours of the wrap. I added some extra cucumber and of course a little sauce. This meal makes a delicious lunch or dinner, it is healthy, quick and tasty what more could you want. The wraps also make great packed lunch additions and save you money on the shop bought variety as all the ingredients don't cost much more than one shop bought pre-packaged meal. Ditch the expensive meal deals and try home made! 

Rice Dream Chocolate Milk

You can never have too much chocolate in your life. Either eating it or drinking it, the delicious taste of chocolate will never get old. This is why I love finding new products like this Rice Dream chocolate. It is Rice milk with added chocolate for a tasty drink. This is great for packed lunches or a chilled drink on a hot day. I liked the taste of it, rice milk is quite light and full of flavour. The chocolate adds a nice taste as plain rice milk doesn't have a particularly strong taste. I definitely recommend this product as a great snack. It is easy to take with you to work or school and has added calcium and is also low in fat. Bonus! 

Healthy Lunch

After trying and failing to do raw til 4 (What can I say I like cooked food) I am still determined to eat more raw food every day as it is full of nutrients and great for staying well and keeping healthy. I also love training at the gym and need good food to help my muscles recover. 

One way I have been eating more fruit is by eating it for lunch. It is easy to chop up different fruits, they are filling, full of natural flavour and make you feel good. This lunch I prepared was a banana, an apple an a pear eaten with some cashew nuts for a healthy source of fat and a home made ginger biscuit and a vanilla herbal tea. 

I love having a mix of flavours in a meal and fruit is naturally sweet making it a tasty lunch. Try swapping your daily sandwich for something more natural and try a raw lunch. 

Vegan Lunch Idea- Houmous, falafel bagels

It can be hard to think of new and exciting lunch ideas. This is one of my favourites. Toasted houmous bagels are lovely on their own, but it can be nice to add an extra flavour and these pre-made falafels from Cauldron foods take the hassle out of making your own. This is the ultimate fast food if you don't feel like preparing a big lunch. I am enjoying using the organic houmous, I haven't noticed any change in flavour but I prefer eating organic as I know it is healthier. The New York Backery Co are a company which labels their products vegan which is great and they have a great range of bagels. Try this quick, tasty lunch and save money on eating cafe versions of this meal. 

Raw Salad

For a quick and healthy lunch a raw salad is convenient and will leave you feeling great. For this easy meal idea follow these simple instructions: 

You will need: 

• Half a courgette 
• 1 carrot 
• Half a cucumber
• Half a red onion
• A handful of lettuce 
• Mixed seeds (eg. sunflower, pumpkin) 
• Organic cider vinegar and mixed herbs 

Simply chop all the ingredients apart from the carrot which should be peeled and grated and mix in with the vinegar and herbs (Around 1tbsp of vinegar and any herbs of your choice) 

This raw meal is so quick and simple, it is the ultimate vegan fast food. Raw food holds more nutrients and fills you up as vegetables hold a higher water content. It is perfect for a hot day or when you are bored of sandwiches. Try adding different vegetables each time and different herbs and spices which will change the flavour. The easiest way to stay healthy is to make your plate as colourful as possible as you know you are getting a range of vitamins and minerals in every meal. 

Veg Out Jumbo Sos Roll

If you need a quick lunch on the go this is one of my favourite go to foods. It is a vegan sausage roll, filled with a soya based filling. It is really tasty and filling and nice cold. It is once of the rare vegan convenience foods as not many places cater for vegans. It is not something I would eat all the time as I prefer whole foods and home made options but sometimes you need something quick and tasty, perhaps when you are out shopping or forget your lunch at work. This is available at Holland and Barrett which is great as they have stores on most UK high streets. Grab a quick vegan snack to go and if you try it let me know what you think in the comments. 

M&S Tomato and Basil Soup

Good news M&S have a vegan tomato and basil soup. This is perfect to have in the cupboard for a quick lunch option. 

The soup is delicious, it tastes really natural and is full of flavour. The basil is a nice touch as most tomato soups can be plain, the added herbs makes it taste authentic and gives it a natural Italian taste. 

This is a perfect option for when you don't feel like making a big meal or need something to eat quickly. I had this for lunch after a 5 mile walk- it cooks quickly, tastes amazing and fills you up, eat it with bread or crackers for an easy lunch. And keep a can in your cupboards for those days when you don't want to cook. 

Quick lunch idea- scrambled tofu and sausages

Who says scrambled tofu is only for breakfast, for a quick meal idea you could have Linda McCartney sausages (vegan) with scrambled tofu and salad. 

The scrambled tofu was made by frying red onion, adding garlic, paprika, mixed herbs and cumin to flavour. Adding the tofu broken into pieces. Chopped spinach and grated carrot were added for flavour. Yeast flakes added when cooked. 

This is a quick meal idea full of protein and vitamins. The sausages take 15-20 minutes giving you enough time to make the scramble. 

Raw food Lunch

Some days a sandwich just won't cut it. Having the same thing for lunch can get boring so if you are in a rush, want to be healthy or just want a change try a raw food lunch. 

A mixture of fruit and vegetables will make it interesting and having a variety of flavours will make lunch time exciting again. 

This picture shows raw organic carrots, grapes and nectarines. Eating raw foods whole as opposed to in smoothies helps keep you full longer and they are filled with essential nutrients and vitamins. 

Keep it healthy and simple this lunch time and step away from the boring bread! 

Quick Lunch Idea- Vegetable Pate from GranoVita

This Vegetable Pate makes a great vegan lunch. Made by GranoVita it is made from onions, herbs and spices, perfect on sandwiches or crackers it is full of flavour, easily spreadable and is in a resealable tin which you can keep in the fridge. It's perfect for those days when you need a quick lunch.