This past two weeks have been ruled by final assignments for one of my degree modules. I’ve been reading, highlighting my heart out and trying to plan mammoth essays and although there’s been plenty of coffee, there hasn’t been many real breaks. It’s daft really, because I know that they boost overall productivity- it was drilled in to me in the run up to my GCSEs- and yet I still don’t take them when it matters most.
Over the next week or so, I’ll be taking part in the #liveyourlunchbreak challenge and sharing a 5 day diary with some really easy lunch time recipes that I adore, simply because I seem to have forgotten how important it is to catch a break in the middle of my day and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Almost all of my lunches are eaten at home, which gives me the privilege of a full kitchen to knock something up in, but even the smallest office kitchen tends to have a toaster, so let’s start with something you could make at work; avocado & rye bread toasts.
This is a tasty lunch that you can knock up in five minutes, but it’s often my breakfast, a mid day snack and sometimes even supper too. Avocado’s high oil content makes it a pretty unusual fruit but all these fats are fantastic for heart health and can actually speed up your basal metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest).
The only tricky part of this is catching an avocado at it’s best. They seem to jump from just right to over ripe in the blink of an eye. To stall a ripening avocado, store it in the fridge. Keep it on the counter to let it ripen more readily, or to super speed the process keep it alongside bananas.
All you need is:
A few slices of good brown bread – rye is best in my opinion 1 Avocado, mashed A generous glug of hot sauceSlice your bread generously and toast. This is Tesco’s Rye loaf but I’ve since discovered the awesomeness that is Morrison’s pumpernickel loaf which beats it hands down. If you have a Morrison’s near you, go and try it!
Layer on the mashed avocado and season. Add some hot sauce, like Frank’s original to liven it up.
Eat! Take a break. Read something. Listen to some music. Have a lunch break. It certainly makes me happier when I’ve taken some time to myself in the middle of the day. Do you notice a change in your mood if you manage to take time out for lunch?
Thanks to Flexioffices for setting me the #liveyourlunchbreak challenge. They have some really cool offices for rent in Soho at the moment. Maybe one day I’ll be typing to you from somewhere like that but for now, I’m on my sofa, cup of tea in hand, a Springer Spaniel at my feet and I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m looking forward to sharing tomorrow’s lunch and maybe some anecdotes from my business start up years. I don’t think we’ve ever talked about that.
Persephone (@girlandherwhisk) says
Yum! I normally tuck into an avocado on toast for breakfast as I find it fills me up for the morning – I love how good it is for your hair as well!
Bethan says
I’d go one step further and add some anchovies!
Candy says
I had some amazing avocado toast on Portobello road yesterday! What a coincidence! I really love avocado and I totally get what you mean about the ripeness! I always want to eat my avos straight away – I don’t want to wait for them to ripen!!!
Owl Girl | A London lifestyle blog
lydiawarren says
You can neeever have enough avocado toast! It’s best with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chilli flakes, in my opinion.
Gorgeous pictures xx