As we get deeper into the world of technology in the 21st century, our lives are getting busier and more stressful. To cope with the demands of the world, our jobs, and life in general, we need to have nutritious meals that fulfill the requirements of our bodies and keep us healthy enough to live life in the best way.
Some people believe that nutritious meals are too much of a hassle and just prefer eating outside. However, there are tons of healthy office lunch box recipes out there, so whatever you want to take as food for office lunch is healthy as well as tasty. In this blog, we will share the top healthy and tasty office lunch box ideas that your taste buds and body are sure to appreciate!
Top 5 Healthy & Tasty Office Lunch Box Recipes That You Will Love
1) Quinoa Upma
For this lunchbox recipe, rinse ½ cup quinoa in running water twice or three times and then set it aside. Fry spices like mustard seeds in 1.5 tablespoons of hot oil keeping the pan on low or medium-low heat. Add half a teaspoon each of urad dal and moong dal, keeping the pan on low heat after the mustard seeds start crackling. Then add ½ teaspoon of finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies, 1 dry red chilli (halved or broken with seeds removed) – you can omit to add dry red chilli and 1 pinch of asafoetida (optional). Next, add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions and 7 to 8 curry leaves. Stir and sauté on low to medium heat till the onions become translucent.
You can add equal amounts of veggies like carrots, french beans, etc. to a pan and sauté them, and later add in the quinoa and sauté again for a minute or two on low heat. If using green peas, cook them or steam them separately and add them at the end. Add salt as needed. After adding quinoa, add water that is double the amount of quinoa, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on low heat until the quinoa seeds are cooked.
Stir the quinoa a few times while it simmers to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is well-cooked which will be after 20 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
2) Moong Dal Chilla
Rinse a cup of moong dal a couple of times with water, and then soak it in 2 to 3 cups of water. Then discard the water and add the moong to the blender for a fine and smooth batter. Add equal amounts of turmeric, red chilli powder, and cumin powder. Add salt as needed, mix well, and set aside along with a mixture of coriander leaves, onion, green chilies, and ginger. Add all these ingredients to the moong dal batter and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The onions will leave moisture and the consistency of the batter will change slightly. The batter should be of a medium-pouring consistency, neither too thick nor too thin.
Use a hot cast iron pan, spread with half a teaspoon of oil, and then add a scoopful of batter on the center of the pan. Spread the batter into a round shape and cook it on medium heat. After a minute or so, they will look crisp and brown. Drizzle some oil on top of the chilla. You can check out Nestasia's collection of oil dispensers with fine spouts for seamless drizzling. Flip the chilla and cook the other side for a minute or till golden brown and crisp. Once the chilla appears crisp and brown, fold it again into triangles.
Serve the Moong Dal Chilla hot or warm with tomato ketchup or chutney. Since these chillas stay soft, they make great lunches for your office.
3) Instant Dosa Recipe
Add some rolled oats to a blender or grinder and make into a fine flour. Add this and ¼ cup of fine rava (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina) and ¼ cup of rice flour to a mixing bowl. As a healthy option, you can opt for brown rice flour. Add the same amount of yoghurt to your bowl and water as needed. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Add in ¼ chopped onions, 1 teaspoon each of finely chopped green chillies, coriander leaves, and 7 to 8 finely chopped curry leaves. Add in onion and ginger and mix well along with onion, ginger, coriander leaves, and curry leaves. Give a final stir to the batter and set it aside for 10 minutes. Wait for the water to float on top and the flour to settle down. The consistency should be thin and runny like Rava Dosa batter.
Heat a cast iron skillet/tawa or a nonstick frying pan on medium to medium-high heat. If using a cast-iron skillet, sprinkle some water carefully to check the temperature before adding the oil. If the water droplets sizzle and evaporate, add the dosa batter to the pan. Do not spread the batter. Just fill in the gaps wherever needed. Now cook the dosa on medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until you can see the edges crisping up.
This is when the base crisps up, and you flip the dosa to cook the other side. Fold the dosa and remove it from the tawa to store it in your tiffin box. Even though they won’t be crisp until lunchtime, they will be absolutely delicious.
4) Vegetable Appam
To make this breakfast recipe, you need to create a consistent, flowing batter of the following ingredients- semolina, yogurt, water, onions, green chillies, carrots, coriander leaves, and salt as needed. Now add fruit salt (ENO powder) and mix and whisk the batter. Heat the cups of an appam or paniyaram pan over a medium flame, and then lightly grease them with refined oil before adding in the batter.
Place the appam pan with the batter over medium heat and cover with a lid. Let them roast for a couple of minutes before they become golden brown. Flip the appams and brush with refined oil. Roast the other side too by covering the lid for a few minutes. Pack them in your office lunchbox along with coconut chutney to enjoy!
5) Brown Rice Pulao
To make this healthy brown rice pulao office lunchbox recipe, wash and rinse the rice for some time. Meanwhile, heat some ghee in a pressure cooker over medium heat and add cumin seeds. Saute till they sputter and then follow with cloves, green chilies, and cinnamon sticks. Add in onions and garlic and stir fry till they are a little brown. Now you can add in your brown rice and veggies, such as carrots, beans, cooked green peas, etc. Add the garam masala and salt as per your taste. Mix them well.
Pour 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker and cook the rice for 4 whistles. Garnish with coriander leaves and pack into your office tiffin box for a scrumptious lunch!
Conclusion
Now that you know all about the best healthy lunch box recipes, you can combine your tasty lunch box ideas with some sweet treats like overnight oats or healthy fruit salads you can prepare with sweet curd or green yogurt and thus have wholesome, fulfilling meals every single day, even at work!
If you ever feel peckish after your office lunch, add in some delectable snacks too by referring to the following recipes!
Keep your kitchen spick and span with Nestasia's collection of kitchen organizers. A tidy kitchen ensures a hassle-free and convenient cooking experience, whether you are fixing yourself a quick breakfast for following your meal prep routine. You can also explore our kitchen tools section for whisks, ladles, oil pots, and more.
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