Lunch foods that ground for unsettled days

introduction

Amid the chaos of hectic days, our lunchtime choices hold the power to provide not just sustenance but a grounding sanctuary. Join us on a journey through the world of lunch foods that go beyond the plate, offering comfort and stability in the midst of unsettled moments. From hearty classics to mindful indulgences, explore the transformative potential of lunch as a source of solace during challenging times.

Warm beetroot, ricotta and walnut salad

• 12 baby beetroot, scrubbed
• 1 red onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 400 g fresh ricotta
• 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
• 150 g baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons pepitas
• 50 g walnuts
• 60 g green Sicilian olives
• 2 tablespoons verjuice
• 2 teaspoons grated horseradish, from a jar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Put the beetroot and onion into a baking dish, drizzle over half the olive oil and toss to coat. Put the ricotta on the prepared tray, sprinkle with the ras el hanout and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Place the baking dish and baking tray in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the beetroot is soft and the ricotta is golden. When cool enough to handle, halve the beetroot and cut the ricotta into four wedges.

Arrange the spinach leaves on serving plates and top with the beetroot, onion, baked ricotta, pepitas, walnuts and olives.

Whisk together the verjuice, horseradish and extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle over the salad and serve.Serves 4

 Roast sweet potato and carrot with sesame and maple

• 8 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 12 baby carrots, scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Put the sweet potatoes and carrots on the prepared tray and roast for 30–40 minutes, until soft.

Split the sweet potatoes in half lengthways and smear the ghee along the cut sides. Top with the carrots. Drizzle with the maple syrup, tamari and sesame oil, sprinkle with the sesame seeds.Serves 4–6

 Pumpkin, feta and smoky onion tart

• 150 g (1 cup) quinoa flour
• 100 g (⅔ cup) chickpea flour (besan)
• 75 g (½ cup) black sesame seeds
• pinch of sea salt
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 250 g roast pumpkin (see Tip)
• 75 g goat’s feta, broken into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place baking tray in the oven to heat.

Put the flours, sesame seeds and salt in a heatproof bowl.

Combine the olive oil and 100 ml of water in a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together – it may be a little crumbly.

Press the dough into a 24 cm fluted tart tin, line with baking paper and pour in some baking beads or uncooked rice. Place the tart tin on the heated baking tray (this helps the pastry base cook evenly) and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the paper and weights and bake for 15 minutes more, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the onion is sticky and caramelised. Keep an eye on the onion to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Allow to cool slightly.

Line the cooked pastry base with the onion, then top with scoops of the roast pumpkin, large chunks of the feta and scatter on the rosemary leaves. Pour over the egg and bake for 20 minutes, until the egg is set and the tart is golden.Serves 4–6TIP: Take a whole pumpkin in its skin, pop it onto a baking tray and bake in the oven at 180°C until it is really soft, then simply scoop out the flesh.

Super seed crackers

These are the most amazing crackers. I change what I add to them each time I cook them. They can be made into a sweet snack by adding a little maple syrup with the water

• 75 g (½ cup) linseeds (flaxseeds)
• 75 g (½ cup) mixed pepitas and sunflower seeds
• 75 g (½ cup) sesame seeds
• 70 g (½ cup) chia seeds
• 50 g (½ cup) almond meal
• sea salt, to sprinkle
• 1 nori sheet
• 1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
• Yoghurt cheese, to serve
• Hazelnut dukkah, to serve

extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Put the linseeds, mixed seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds and almond meal into a bowl and mix to combine. Add 250 ml (1 cup) of water and stir until the mixture comes together.

Spread the mixture on the prepared tray (as thickly or thinly as you wish), gently press the salt, nori and pink peppercorns on top and bake for 40 minutes, until crisp. Cut the large cracker in half and turn to cook the other side for 15 minutes, until crisp and dry. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray. Break into bite-sized crackers.

Spoon the yoghurt cheese into a bowl, sprinkle over the dukkah, then drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Serve with the crackers.Serves 4–6

Yoghurt cheese

Straining yoghurt overnight removes a large amount of moisture and leaves you with a thick yoghurt cream that makes a perfect tart filling. The longer you leave it hanging, the thicker it will become. You can roll balls of the thickened yoghurt in chopped nuts and serve them as a simple snack

• 500 g organic Greek-style yoghurt

Suspend a fine sieve over a bowl. Line the sieve with a double layer of muslin or a clean tea towel, spoon in the yoghurt and twist to enclose, tying the top with kitchen string or an elastic band. Refrigerate overnight. Leave in the muslin for a few days if you want your yoghurt cheese to be really dry, otherwise store it in some olive oil with some spices or just keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.Makes 450 g

Kasoundi

This is my all-time favourite Indian pickle. I vary the recipe, using onions, capsicums, tomatoes and even apple and mango I have lying around. It’s amazing with Super seed crackers and delicious as a base for vegetable curry with coconut milk

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 red onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh or 2 teaspoons dried turmeric
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 6 small red capsicums, chopped
• 2 kg ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 250 ml (1 cup) apple cider vinegar
• 250 g (1 cup) coconut sugar

Preheat the oven to 100°C. Wash four 500 ml (2 cup) glass preserving jars in hot, soapy water, then rinse. Place the jars upside down on a baking tray and transfer to the oven to dry. After 10 minutes, invert and continue to heat until the jars are completely dry.

Heat the oil in a large stockpot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft. Stir in the spices and cook for 3 minutes, until they start to pop. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the capsicum, tomato and salt and cook, stirring now and then, over low heat for 30 minutes, until soft but still chunky. Stir in the vinegar and sugar and cook for 30 minutes more, until the pickle is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. You can check if it is ready by dragging a large wooden spoon through the middle, if no liquid runs into the line created, it is ready to bottle.

Remove the kasoundi from the heat and pour into the jars. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 12 months. Refrigerate after opening.Makes 4 × 500 ml (2 cup) jars

Yoghurt-spiced beetroot dip

• 2 small beetroot, scrubbed
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ras el hanout
• 130 g (½ cup) Greek-style yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Wrap the beetroot in foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender. Allow to cool, then peel and coarsely chop.

Place the beetroot, garlic, ras el hanout and yoghurt in a food processor and whiz until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and serve.Makes 260 g (1 cup)

Hazelnut dukkah

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic sea salt
• 60 g (½ cup) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

Put the coriander seeds into a frying pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, until the seeds start to pop and move around in the pan. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Add the cumin seeds and sesame seeds to the pan and toast over medium heat for 3 minutes, until they begin to pop. Tip into the mortar and pestle or spice grinder and lightly crush to a coarse powder. Stir in the paprika and salt. Add the chopped nuts and mix to combine.

Store the dukkah in an airtight container for up to 1 month.Makes 110 g (1 cup)

Herbed paneer

• 500 ml (2 cups) unhomogenised organic milk
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives

Put the milk and garlic into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the milk is just about to boil. Stir in the lemon juice and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until the milk separates into curds and whey.

Place a sieve lined with muslin or a clean tea towel over a bowl, pour in the paneer mixture, add the herbs and mix to combine. Bring the corners of the cloth together and twist to remove any excess liquid. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how firm you prefer your paneer to be. (Whey from unflavoured paneer is rich in protein and can be used in smoothies or cakes.)

Use the paneer in curries or soups or cook with spinach to make palak paneer.Serves 4

Savoury pumpkin, pepita and pepper scones

These scones are great served with soup as a substitute for bread

• 75 g (½ cup) gluten-free plain flour
• 160 g (1 cup) brown rice flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 50 g (¼ cup) fine polenta (cornmeal)
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• a good pinch of sea salt
• 250 g pumpkin, steamed and mashed
• 130 g (½ cup) Greek-style yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 50 g parmesan, very finely grated
• 1 tablespoon pepitas
• cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Sift the flours and baking powder into a bowl, stir in the polenta, spring onion and salt. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, yoghurt and olive oil. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a knife until the dough comes together.

Pat the dough out to a thickness of 2 cm on a lightly floured surface and evenly sprinkle on the parmesan, pepitas and pepper. Transfer to the baking tray and, using a lightly floured knife, cut the dough into 9 squares. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until risen and golden. Serve warm.Makes 9

Pumpkin and fennel soup with black quinoa

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 500 g roast pumpkin (see Tip)
• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
• Black quinoa topping
• 50 g (¼ cup) black quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced preserved lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon Hazelnut dukkah
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the fennel and onion and cook for 10 minutes, until the fennel and onion are soft and golden. Stir in the pumpkin, then pour in the stock and cook for 20 minutes, until the soup is thick and creamy. Blend until smooth.

To make the black quinoa topping, rinse the quinoa under cold running water and put into a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 25 minutes, until white tails appear; drain. Transfer to a bowl, add the preserved lemon, coriander, dukkah, cinnamon and olive oil and mix to combine.

Serve the pumpkin and fennel soup with the black quinoa topping.Serves 4
TIP: Take a whole pumpkin in its skin, pop it onto a baking tray and bake in the oven at 180°C until it is really soft, then simply scoop out the flesh.

Adzuki bean and pumpkin stew

• ½ small kent pumpkin (about 750 g), unpeeled
• 220 g (1 cup) dried adzuki beans, soaked overnight in water, then drained
• 1 piece of kombu
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• sea salt

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Put the pumpkin into a roasting tin and roast for 50 minutes, until very soft and golden.

Combine the adzuki beans and 750 ml (3 cups) of water in a very large saucepan, add the kombu and ginger and cook for 1 hour, until the beans are just tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the pumpkin and tamari to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, until thick. Season with salt and serve.Serves 4One of the most grounding things you can do for yourself is to walk barefoot on dewy morning grass

Caramelised onion, kale and sweet potato frittata

• 300 g sweet potato, sliced
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 red onions, thinly sliced
• 8 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 100 g baby kale, wilted
• 3 tablespoons Herbed hummus
• 50 g (scant ⅓ cup) pitted kalamata olives
• 6 lemon thyme sprigs

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place the sweet potato and cherry tomatoes on the prepared tray and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and return the sweet potato to the oven for 15 minutes, until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and stir occasionally for 15 minutes, until caramelised. Remove from the pan.

Add the remaining oil to the pan to ensure the eggs don’t stick. Pour in the eggs, top with the caramelised onion, sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, wilted kale, hummus and olives and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the edge starts to set.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the top of the frittata is puffed and golden. Scatter on the lemon thyme and serve.Serves 4–6

Nori with pumpkin and smoked tofu

• 1 nori sheet
• 200 g roast pumpkin, sliced
• 100 g smoked tofu, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 30 g alfalfa sprouts
• 2 tablespoons fried onions

Cut the nori sheet into three equal pieces.

Place one nori piece on a work surface and arrange a little of the pumpkin at one end, then top with some tofu, sesame seeds, sprouts and onion. Roll up to enclose the filling and cut into bite-sized pieces. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients.Makes about 12

To delve deeper, watch the video.

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