5 meals that are con-juice-ive to busy lives

It can be hard to find the time to eat healthily when you’re always on the go. But eating well can be conducive to a busy lifestyle.

As January comes to a close, new year’s resolutions begin to fall by the wayside and temptation kicks in.
But don’t give in to fast food and microwave meals. Here are some quick and healthy meals to take you through to February.

Breakfast of business champions

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But if you’re a busy professional, you can find yourself short on time in the mornings. But don’t skip breakfast; this has been linked with an increased risk of obesity and diabetes.
Overnight oats are a quick, nutritious breakfast and the ingredients can be adjusted to suit all tastes.
You simply take your normal portion of porridge and top it up with yoghurt. Then you throw in your favourite toppings – berries or other chopped up fruit, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, honey, cocoa, vanilla or juice. The list goes on.
Mix up all your ingredients, cover them and leave in the fridge overnight. By morning, the porridge will have absorbed the yoghurt and your breakfast will be ready to eat.
If your new year resolution is to shed a couple of pounds, Operation Transformation has a recipe here.
The best thing about overnight oats is you can prepare them well ahead of time. Another top tip is to prep them in a lunch box, so if you do end up running out the door in the morning, you can grab them and go.

Midday energy boost

When the afternoon slump sets in it’s important to stay hydrated, but steer clear of energy drinks. It’s also advisable to avoid binging on sugar or caffeine, though it can be more than tempting to give into a caramel latte.
So what’s the alternative? Freshly made juices improve your energy levels. Because they give your body the nutrition it needs to perform at it’s best, you’ll feel energised without crashing later.
You can invest in a juicer and simply lash in your fruit and veg each morning before work. Or you can stop off at a juice bar when you’re on the go – it’s definitely better than picking up donuts.
Simple energy boosting juice includes carrot, apple and ginseng or melon and ginger.

Love a good lunch

Finding time to make a healthy lunch can be tough if you’re a busy go-getter.
Beware of processed foods, it’s hard to know what goes into pre-made lunches.
Often it’s best to make your own lunch – that way, you know exactly what’s going into it and if you get stuck at your desk, you can always eat what you brought with you.
We recommend a tuna salad. There’s no cooking involved in the preparation and the protein will sustain you until the end of the work day.
Mix a tin of tuna with avocado, tomato and baby leaf greens. Dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon, instead of the usual processed mayonnaise.

Dinner delight

After a long day at work, it can be tempting to grab a takeaway. But your main meal of the day can be made just as quickly at home.

The talented team at Suesey Street, which is on-site at our Dublin location, shared their recipe for pan-seared mackerel with a cucumber and soy dressing.
This only takes minutes to prepare, but it’s sophisticated and doesn’t compromise on flavour.

For two servings you’ll need:
3 fillets of smoked mackerel (boned)
1 cucumber
Handful of coriander
100ml soy sauce
Teaspoon of honey
Juice of two limes

How to make it:
Mix one mackerel fillet (flaked and seasoned) with the coriander and a sprinkle of lime juice.
Using a peeler, slice the cucumber lengthways to form long strips and wrap the cucumber slices around the mackerel mixture.
For the dressing, mix the soy sauce, honey and lime juice.
Place the other mackerel fillets skin-side down on a hot pan and cook for two minutes. Add some of the dressing, and cook on the reverse side for one minute.
Spoon the remaining dressing onto a plate. Place the cucumber-wrapped mackerel mixture and seared mackerel fillets on top of the dressing, serve and enjoy.
Suesey Street promises great food from the kitchen and a relaxed vibe on the terrace.

Snack happy

Invest in some grab and go snacks for the office. Nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, pumpkin seeds, protein bars, apples, rice cakes and dark chocolate (the really dark stuff) can all be kept in your desk drawer. That way if you have to work late, you won’t go hungry or be tempted by the biscuit tin.
But try not to eat while you work, take a couple of minutes away from your computer to relax and enjoy your snack.

Eating well can be part of a busy lifestyle. It will keep your energy up throughout the work day and help get your creative juices flowing.

Hopefully you’ll enjoy our meal suggestions. If you try any of them, let us know on Twitter @GlandoreNetwork or share a snap of your culinary skills with us on Instagram @glandorenetwork

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