5 Minute Lunch Break
Don't sacrifice your health for your busy schedule. We show you some nutritious meals you can whip up in 5 minutes.
Just when we thought the hard yards were over. The most manic time of the year is almost upon us, and judging by how busy most salons and clinics around the country have been since reopening after COVID closures, the Christmas period is looking to be as crazy as ever - if not more-so! This being said, booked out schedules and waitlists up to our ears are no reason to sacrifice our mental or physical health. Often one of the first things that falls by the wayside when we’re busy is proper meal breaks.
We understand the burden of trying to cram in both our appointments and our lunches, and can all picture racing out to the back kitchen and stuffing something in our mouths with no more than 2 minutes to spare before our next client walks through the door. But no matter how bad we all know this is for us, we continue to do it.
So instead, this year we've asked for some wisdom from not one but two nutritionists, so we can instead learn to prepare balanced, nutritious meals at lightning speed - so we no longer have to sacrifice our health for our clients’ happiness. Georgie Gunn talks to Beaute Industrie to guide us through some quick 5 minute meals for the silly season.
"Fuelling your body with good, basic wholefoods during silly season is essential and does not have to be the headache it often is for many of us," says Georgie. "With all of the beautiful looking buddha bowls and sophisticated salads on social media, it’s easy to adopt the mindset that every meal has to be complex and difficult. They don’t! I’m here to bring it right back to basics for you. I’m talking the old school classics which allow you to put your own spin, flare, pimp-my-ride edge that keeps things interesting, easy and delicious in just 5 minutes. Why? To fuel your bodies with the energy it needs to socialise, dance (no more than 20 people please), work and flush out any excess toxins you may or may not have indulged in from the night before."
"With good food, comes good mood. Those happy hormones simply won’t be able to do their thing without the nutrients they require. You’ll find these in abundance in my recipes below."
Left-Over Chicken Wrap
120g left over chicken breast, shredded (see notes)
1 wholegrain wrap
1 cup cos lettuce leaves
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 avocado, sliced
1 tbsp mayo
Wedge of lemon
Salt and pepper
Spread mayo on wrap, top with 1/3 of the lettuce, chicken, ½ the cherry tomatoes, avocado; season with salt and pepper and wrap. Serve the remaining salad as a side with the wedge of lemon.
FLAVOUR KICKS Add a dash of paprika in the mayo to give it a spicy hit. Swap mayo for 2 tbsp of hummus Use any fresh veg or leaves you have in the fridge (no need to waste them!)
NOTES You can also get shredded chicken from the deli sections in major supermarkets.
Satay Tofu Bowl
150g Pre-marinated Satay Tofu (store bought)
1/2 cup microwave brown rice & quinoa (opt)
1/2 cup edamame beans (defrosted)
1.5 cups shredded cabbage (see notes)
1/2 cup shredded carrot (see notes)
1 tbsp kimchi (opt)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp salt reduced soy sauce
Slice tofu into bite size pieces; place in a microwave safe serving bowl with edamame and grains; warm in microwave for 1 min and 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients; toss with vinegar and soy sauce.
FLAVOUR KICKS Use any of your favourite pre-marinated tofu or tempeh. Omit brown rice and quinoa and replace with 1 tbsp of crushed wasabi peas
NOTES Use microwave brown rice and quinoa and a premade coleslaw mix to save time.
Classic Tuna Salad
95-150g tuna in spring water, drained, chunks
1 cup cos lettuce, washed, finely chopped
½ Lebanese cucumber, sliced
½ cup Roma cherry tomatoes, halved
1 baby beetroot, cooked, finely sliced (see notes)
50g crumbled Danish feta
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard (or Dijon)
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Place balsamic, olive oil, mustard in a jar; season with salt and pepper; shake well. Place remaining ingredients, besides feta in a bowl, toss with dressing. Leave in the bowl or transfer to a plate and top with crumbled feta and serve.
FLAVOUR KICKS Omit olive oil from dressing and add 5-7 pitted and chopped olives into salad Add ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley leaves for some herby goodness. Add ½ cup canned and drained chickpeas for some added flavour and energy
NOTES Make a 5 x quantity of the dressing to have in the refrigerator for the weeks lunches. I don’t precook beetroot, it’s such a hassle during a time poor week! I buy freshly cooked, peeled and packaged in the fresh produce section at supermarkets, it’s about $3 for 250g.
