Trying to stay healthy all the time can be hard, especially if you have don't have enough time to cook your meals or you're used to eating out during your luch-time.

Don't worry, we've got your back!

As we have discovered, it's not about the time it takes to MAKE things, but it's about the time it takes to THINK of what and how to do them. So, once you've learned the standard methods used for all of these recipes, we want you to be incouraged to try our lunch-basics by replacing the ingredients based on your personal taste and season. We bet you will enjoy cooking (and eating) healthy more than you can imagine!

1. PASTA

Pretty obvious, right?

Whether if fresh or dried, whole-wheat, durum, emmer or kamut, pasta is primarily a carbohydrate, but it also contains a good amount of fiber and some protein. It has a good mineral content including calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, as well as B vitamins.

Whole-wheat pasta contains almost twice as much fiber as the white one, with just one 90-100g serving providing about a third of the total recommended daily allowance of fiber for adults.

We like to have it for lunch toghether with vegetables and/or protein, as a full-meal. If we don’t have enough time to cook an elaborate sauce then we opt for a Pesto-style sauce, made with different ingredients to mix together right before the pasta is ready.

EVAH’S FAVOURITES

• SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON & ALMOND PESTO

Ingredients for the sauce: almonds, Parmigiano cheese, lemon peel, EVO oil,  garlic, cooking water, salt, pepper + EVAH | Elixir Maiko's Kiss (to be spread over the dish)

• PENNE WITH MEDITERRANEAN PESTO

Ingredients for the sauce: sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, raisins, almonds, EVO oil, cooking water, pepper, EVAH | Essentials Beetroot & Acerola

• RIGATONI WITH ZUCCHINI PESTO

Ingredients for the sauce:  roasted zucchini, aged goat cheese, pine nuts, EVO oil, cooking water, salt, pepper, EVAH | Essentials Pea & Hemp protein

 2. BUDDHA BOWL

The trend took off in a flash in many restaurants around the world and we couldn’t help to make the Buddha bowls a powerful component in our diet, too.

Born as a vegetarian alternative, it quickly became a popular everyday dish and chefs started adding fish or meat for a more creative combination (es. poke bowl).

The most important thing when composing this plate is the balance between the ingredients, that needs to guarantee you the right intake of nutritive elements.

The widely used proportion is:

• 70% vegetables (fresh or cooked)
• 15% cereal (quinoa, barley, millet, brown rice, bulgur, cous cous…)
• 15% protein (egg, fish, cheese, meat, legumes…)

Last but not least, the Buddha bowls have to be strictly prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients (and it’s a great idea when you don’t know how to recycle leftovers).

EVAH’S FAVORITES

• TERIYAKI SALMON BOWL

Brown rice, teriyaki salmon, zucchini, carrots, mango, avocado, sesame, almonds, lime dressing, EVAH | Elixir Bahama Mama

• LEBANESE VEGAN BOWL

Cous cous, pumpkin, kale, beetroot falafel, parsley, raisins, pomegranate, tahini dressing, EVAH | Essentials Beetroot & Acerola

• HERB CHICKEN GREEK BOWL

Bulgur, herb roasted chicken, red onions, roasted cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, tzatziki dressing, EVAH | Essentials Pea & Hemp protein

3. BURGERS

Quick, healthy and easy to make. We know you already love to use your mixer for smoothies and soup… so do we! That’s why we consider vegan burgers as an evergreen when we have no time to cook but want to indulge in a comfort food with no regrets.

The combinations are endless. You first need to chop the ingredients together, form the patties and cook them for a few minutes, pan-fried or, for a healthier version, roasted in the oven together with your vegetables.

When ready, you can combine them with some veggies of your choice (fresh or cooked) and an unmissable dip, to enjoy them at their best.

EVAH’S FAVOURITES

• CHICKPEA & SWEET POTATO BURGER

Chickpeas, cooked sweet potato, sweet onion, EVO oil, salt, pepper, paprika, EVAH | Essentials Turmeric & Cinnamon

Best match with: Avocado dip + fennel & orange salad

• BROCCOLI & CARROT BURGER

Broccoli, potato and carrots (cooked), garlic, EVO oil, salt, pepper, bread crumble, EVAH | Elixir Bahama Mama

Best match with: Herb and garlic yoghurt dip + tomato & onion salad

• BEETROOT & QUINOA BURGER

Quinoa, beetroot, goat cheese, parsley, EVO oil, salt, pepper, EVAH | Essentials Beetroot & Acerola

Best match with: Carrot hummus + mixed green salad

If you’ve found this article useful and you have already tried our recipes don’t forget to share it with the tag #myevahskitchen. We are dying to see all of your creative combinations!