A picture tells a thousand words when it comes to composing a meal. Combine leafy greens and salad vegetables with leftover roasted root vegetables, lentils, hummus, veggie burgers, falafels, or other protein source (eg. cooked fish, seafood, egg or other animal-protein, particularly if on a legume-free diet). Add a dip or condiment (eg. beetroot condiment, baba ganoush), avocado, a handful of nuts and/or sprinkling of seeds. A dollop of fermented vegetables adds some probiotic goodness, whilst a drizzle of olive oil with vinegar provides essential fatty acids. The colour pigments in vegetables, fruits and berries are rich sources of antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Eating a variety of foods and colours provides a diversity of phytonutrients with diverse properties to support overall health.
Let these images provide inspiration. This is my style of lunch, but feel free to substitute elements to suit your own tastes.
Roasted aubergine and sweet potato with a kidney bean cilli, humus, beetroot condiment, falafels and salad.
Puy lentils, hummus, sour red cabbage, roast butternut squash, beetroot condiment, rawa salad, pomegranate seeds and avocado.
Leafy salad: rocket, fresh basil, sugar snaps, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, beetroot, celery, raw mushroom, broccoli, avocado, and cooked green lentils. Dressed with olive oil, linseed oil and white balsamic vinegar.
Leafy salad with home-made lentil & root veggie burgers, beetroot condiment and pickled red onion.