In praise of.. the easy hot lunch

Pre packaged microwave meal

pack of prawns (or seafood sticks in these budget conscious times), tin of mushy peas, condiment to suit - I like soy sauce but Worcs sauce also works.

Last friday's homemade chickpea and random veg curry leftovers bunged in the microwave.

Currently have a mild sweat on. Lush.

Cheese and ham omelette

Beans or scrambled eggs (or both) on toast, easy, cheap and relatively good for you, I think 🙂

Just had vegan sausage sandwich, frying the (very tasty) bangers in a little bit of veg oil and putting in seeded bread with red sauce, mustard and rocket salad.

I do love a hot lunch.

It's possible that I might have a problem...

Are you a student?

The only other rule apart from 'one appliance or pan only' is that a pre-packaged microwave meal doesn't count.

The only other rule apart from that is that last night's dinner reheated doesn't count either.

Fried egg on toast, loads of real butter, soft yolk, a bit of salt and pepper.  Natch, this being STW my eggs were laid this morning by my own ex battery rescue hens and the toast is artisan sourdough. Technically, the use of a toaster and frying pan breaks your somewhat arbitrary (and frankly unreasonable) 'rules'. If you are taking a hard line then dry frying the toast in the pan first or even downgrading the whole shebang to an egg banjo is compliant and still acceptable. I urge you though to soften your draconian stance on appliances and utensils. There is no place for fundamentalist puritanism at lunch time!

Ahh, a student staple:

Four slices of toast (white obvs), four fried eggs, one tin o beans, cover the lot with grated Red Leicester.

There is no place for fundamentalist puritanism at lunch time!

You need to get that a bit snappier if you're going to stick it on a placard.

However, I'm nothing if not a benign dictator who listens to the needs of his oiks people, so I'll grant the use of a second appliance or pan.

If I don't bring leftovers in (got some lovely spicy lentil rice today) then some couscous, veg stock and a selection of veg makes a very easy, quick & tasty lunch (only needs some boiling water and a bit of chopping)

Leftovers for the win today though 🙂

You need to get that a bit snappier if you’re going to stick it on a placard

'What do we want'? 'Toasters AND pans'! 'when do we want them? 'About 12:30 to 1pm. Ish'.

You even need to ask? You're never more than a hundred yards away from one...

I've actually just had one of Mrs Binners absolutely bloody delicious homemade sausage rolls (this isn't a euphemism) 🙂

In the spirit of the famous toasted sandwich thread that I started but Binners keeps getting the the credit for (not that I’m bitter), I thought we could have a “easy, tasty, hot lunch” thread.

In my defence I thought I was just getting the credit for my toastie maker recommendation (Salter) and my assertion that the best toastie is corned beef, onion, cheddar and Worcester sauce

Soup. Tomato or chicken.

Fresh lobster, in to boiling kettle...

Bulk cooked soup out of the freezer. I regularly use up random old veg to make a big pot and freeze in portions. Best if I've got stock from a roast.

Jacket potato FTW.

With a cheese toastie for dunking

The only other rule apart from the only other rules, is that 'buying a hot lunch' doesn't count.

In my defence I thought I was just getting the credit for my toastie maker recommendation (Salter) and my assertion that the best toastie is corned beef, onion, cheddar and Worcester sauce

Yeah, whatever

Cheese and ham omelette

+1

I still have half the meat and chips from last night's visit to the kebab shop. That is for this evening's meal with some nice salad.

i used to take a pack of Kippers. and do em in the microwave.

or 3 biled eggs, done inside a sock and dangled into the big hot water urn we had in the canteen.

The only other rule apart from that is that last night’s dinner reheated doesn’t count either.

Well that's just rude 🙁

I'll have you know that my veggie bean burrito was very pleasant thanks very much

i used to take a pack of Kippers. and do em in the microwave.

I bet you were popular? 😀

Bacon sandwich.

'3 biled eggs'. Blimey.

theres a book called love your lunchbox if you are looking for inspiration.  All really good stuff if you can bothered prepping the night before and can all be consumed in a typical office "kitchen" with nothing more than a kettle or microwave for heating. (not all are hot).

It’s possible that I might have a problem…

Too difficult to choose?

‘3 biled eggs’. Blimey.

That's obviously a typo.

It should say "billed."

Toasty of sorts made on the top of the Aga. No pan needed just bacoglide.

2 1/2 mins per side

Use whatever is in the fridge. Boom

3 biled eggs

Emperor penguin eggs poached in snow leopard bile with a side of sautéed ocelot spleens?

‘3 biled eggs’. Blimey.

That’s obviously a typo.

It should say “billed.”

You are Officer Crabtree and I claim my 50 Francs

Old fashioned eggy bread/french toast always reminds me of when I used to walk home from school for lunch.

Oh and great thread Binners, thanks for starting it.

2 rashers of bacon in to frying pan, leftover mashed potatoes in to same pan to soak up the salty goodness. Out on to a plate. 2 eggs in to same pan to fry. Split the lot between 2 plain wraps with plenty of brown sauce and wrap up burrito style. Back in to the pan, 1 min on each side to toast the wrap.
Less than 10 mins to make. Less than 5 mins to eat both.
One benefit of WHF is access to more than just a microwave and kettle in the office.

theres a book called love your lunchbox

Perhaps not one to Google on the work computer 😳

Oh and great thread Binners, thanks for starting it.

I googled "hot lunch" for some ideas and was quite surprised.

The only other rule apart from ‘one appliance or pan only’ is that a pre-packaged microwave meal doesn’t count.

The only other rule apart from that is that last night’s dinner reheated doesn’t count either.

what if they're the same thing?

IHN
Full Member

Oh and great thread Binners, thanks for starting it.

What if they're the same thing?

To kick us off, I’m currently enjoying Indian Bean Surprise – one tin of baked beans, tablespoon-ish of curry powder, half a teaspoon of chilli powder, mix it all in a bowl, microwave until hot, done.

Ha, Once fried up some mince and chucked in a tin of baked beans and some Worchester sauce, served with rice. Knowing my wife would turn up her nose if she knew how rudimentary the preparation was I called it "African bean stew" and claimed it was a family recipe (we're not African or of African descent). She thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂

Today, Span-ish omelette: leftover potatoes, three eggs from our hens, green pepper, grated cheese. One pan, 5 minutes.
Going to try shakshuka tomorrow. Currently eating at least 15 eggs a week, should probably get my cholesterol checked.

Span-ish omelette

Brilliant hyphenation 🙂

Today's lunch -  Throw wrap in toaster, add hummus, falafel, cherry tomatoes and cucumber

Takes about 2 mins, garlic breath for 6hrs. Result.

Fish Finger Sandwich with loads of butter on extra thick white bread. All of it purchased from a supermarket, we'll have none of this artisan nonsense in Sunderland.

Fish Fingers can be substituted for Fishless Fingers for vegans if you're into that sort of thing.

add hummus, falafel, cherry tomatoes and cucumber

In the toaster???

Fish Finger Sandwich with loads of butter on extra thick white bread. All of it purchased from a supermarket, we’ll have none of this artisan nonsense in Sunderland.

FTW

mama creamy tom yum noodles - yes there is more goodness in teh packet than the noodles but my god - they are tasty!

Go to local oriental supermarket.
Pick up pack of ramen that only has enough English written on it to allow you to cook it as intended, in your flavour of choice.

I’ve had some lush ones… (edit, including the ones @vanhalen mentions 😊)

Toasty of sorts made on the top of the Aga.

Aga?! A blummin Aga!?

I can see a lot of warehouse operatives agreeing with you there.

🙄 Wfh types... 😂

microwave until hot

oh good god no.....
one's heats gently in the pan, which is allowed

the best toastie is corned beef, onion, cheddar and Worcester sauce

Yes!

As for this thread, if you can't include cunning ways of using up leftovers that's most of my hot lunches excluded.

Pick up pack of ramen that only has enough English written on it to allow you to cook it as intended, in your flavour of choice.

Always some of these in the cupboard. Normally "hot" in both ways. Most have sone kind of oil sachet that make them work so well. Mmmm... fat...