blaZest
After a short pause in the quick-lunch series – and a run of posts where the most-read recipes by day got their time in the spotlight – it’s time to open a new season. We’re going back to a simple, tried-and-tested formula: 7 lunches in under 30 minutes, the kind you can pull together without panic after work, after school or after a long day in the “industrial jungle”.
Every plate brings a bit of comfort, a bit of freshness and a lot of common sense – no drama in the kitchen, just clear steps, realistic ingredients and flavours that the whole family can get behind. A little meat, plenty of veg and one good one-pot meal – just how we like it.
🕒 All lunches are designed to be ready in around 30 minutes or less. No guilt, no stress – just a plan that makes the week easier.
🍋 Creamy lemon chicken strips with baby spinach
Monday calls for a lunch that’s quick, gentle and a bit of a “mini spa” for the soul. A creamy lemon sauce hugs tender chicken strips and gives you that feeling that you really took the time for lunch – even if you spent barely half an hour in the kitchen. Baby spinach brings freshness to the plate, and the lemon adds just the right brightness, so the day somehow feels easier after the first bite.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 350 g chicken breast, cut into strips
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 150 ml cooking cream
- juice of 1 lemon + a little zest (optional)
- 40 g grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Pat the chicken strips dry with kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper. This helps them brown nicely instead of steaming in the pan.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan. When the butter foams lightly, add the chicken strips and sear over medium–high heat until golden on all sides.
- Add the chopped garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant – don’t let it brown.
- Pour in the cream, add the lemon juice and a little zest. If you removed the chicken from the pan, return it to the sauce. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.
- Stir in the grated parmesan, taste, then adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
- In a separate pan – or in the same one once you remove the chicken – quickly sauté the baby spinach in a drop of oil until just wilted. Season lightly with salt.
- Serve the chicken in its sauce on plates and add the spinach on the side – or toss everything together, depending on your mood.
🍄 Creamy mushroom and thyme pasta
If there’s one dish that smells like autumn and a cosy bistro, it’s creamy mushroom pasta. Button mushrooms – or a mix of different ones – give the sauce depth, while thyme adds that aromatic “click” that lifts the whole plate from average to memorable. The method is simple, the ingredients are easy to find, and the result is a bowl of comfort you’ll want to blanket in extra parmesan.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 200 g pasta (penne, fusilli, spaghetti …)
- 250–300 g button or mixed mushrooms
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 100 ml cooking cream
- 30 g grated parmesan
- 1 sprig thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- oil, as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package instructions. Drain and reserve a small ladle of the starchy cooking water.
- Clean the mushrooms and slice them – thicker pieces if you want them “meatier”.
- Heat a little oil and the butter in a pan, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook for 8–10 minutes until they release their liquid, it evaporates and the mushrooms turn golden and intense in flavour.
- Add the chopped garlic and thyme, stir and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the cream, stir, add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce comes together.
- Stir in the parmesan, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan, toss well so every piece is coated in sauce, and serve immediately.
🫘 Chickpea and vegetable ragù
Chickpea ragù is one of those dishes that practically cooks itself, while you still get full credit for a “proper” meal. A warm bowl of thick sauce where chickpeas, peppers, tomatoes and a handful of spinach all meet is the perfect answer to the “what can I cook without meat?” question. It’s filling enough that nobody leaves the table hungry, yet simple enough to slot into a busy weekday.
Ingredients (serves 2–3)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 red pepper, sliced or diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pepper, season lightly with salt and cook for 3–4 minutes until it softens but still has a little bite.
- Tip in the drained chickpeas, chopped tomatoes with their juice, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well and let the ragù gently simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the flavours meld and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Right at the end, stir in the spinach and cook for about a minute until just wilted and bright green.
- Serve as it is in bowls, or with rice, couscous or a chunk of crusty bread to scoop up the sauce.
🍗 Turkey patties with honey–mustard glaze
Turkey patties are a great option when you want something lighter than classic beef but still juicy and satisfying. Minced turkey is soft and mild, happily taking on the flavour of onions and spices. A simple honey–mustard glaze brings that shiny finish and a gentle sweetness that makes the whole plate look like it came straight out of a little neighbourhood bistro.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 350 g minced turkey
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Glaze:
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- a little lemon juice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly grease it.
- In a bowl, mix the minced turkey, chopped onion, garlic, egg and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Use your hands to mix everything until the mixture comes together and feels slightly sticky. If it feels dry, add a splash of water; if too soft, a few more breadcrumbs.
- Shape small patties (about 8–10 pieces) and place them on the baking tray, leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until they firm up and begin to colour.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: mix the honey, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and pourable.
- Remove the tray from the oven, brush the patties generously with the glaze and return them to the oven for another 8–10 minutes until golden and slightly caramelised.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, roasted veg or a big bowl of salad.
🐟 Soy–sesame glazed salmon with rice
Friday just begs for fish – and salmon in a sweet–salty glaze is one of those dishes that looks far more complicated than it really is. Soy sauce, honey and sesame oil turn into a glossy sauce that caramelises gently as it bakes, wrapping the salmon in a fragrant coat. Fluffy rice makes the perfect base, and a handful of spring onions on top brings a fresh, crunchy finish.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- juice of ½ lime or lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- basmati or jasmine rice, for serving
- spring onion, sliced, for garnish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly grease it.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper, season lightly with salt and pepper and place on the tray, skin side down if there is skin.
- In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds and lime juice to make the glaze.
- Brush the salmon generously with the glaze and bake for 12–14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. You can brush them once more with the glaze from the tray halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions, then fluff with a fork before serving.
- Serve the salmon on a bed of rice, spoon over a little of the pan juices and finish with sliced spring onion.
🥔 Creamy potato and leek stew
Saturday is made for a cosy bowl of something creamy and comforting, even if it comes together quickly. Potatoes give the stew body and that familiar “home” feeling, while leeks bring a gentle sweetness and aroma. Blending part of the stew makes it silky, but there are still enough pieces left for your spoon to find in every mouthful.
Ingredients (serves 2–3)
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 1 leek, sliced into rings
- 2 cloves garlic
- 500 ml stock
(or water + 1 stock cube) - 50 ml cooking cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
- a little chopped parsley, for serving
Method
- Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the leek and cook gently over medium heat until soft and fragrant, but not browned.
- Add the roughly chopped garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the diced potatoes so they’re lightly coated in the buttery leek, then pour in the stock (or water plus stock cube).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender.
- Blend about half of the stew with a stick blender (or in a jug blender) and return it to the pot. This gives you a creamy texture with some chunks left for bite.
- Stir in the cream and cook for another 2–3 minutes so everything comes together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with bread or toasted slices on the side.
🥙 Tortilja bowl s piščančjim filejem, koruzo in fižolom
Sunday deserves something a bit more colourful and “party–style” – a tortilla bowl that brings together everything we love about burritos, only layered in a bowl. A crisp baked tortilla forms the base, topped with juicy chicken strips, corn, beans, fresh veg and a refreshing yoghurt dressing. It’s light but filling, and everyone can build their own bowl exactly the way they like it.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 250 g chicken breast
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 tomato or 5 cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ½ avocado, diced
- a handful lettuce or rocket
- 2 wheat tortillas
- Dressing:
- 3 tbsp plain yoghurt
- juice of ½ lime
- a pinch garlic granules
- salt, to taste
Method
- Slice the chicken into strips, season with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat a little oil in a pan and cook the chicken until nicely browned and cooked through.
- Lightly brush the tortillas with oil, drape them over oven–safe bowls (or press them inside bowls) to form a bowl shape and bake at 180 °C until crisp.
- Drain the corn and beans. Dice the tomato and avocado and tear the lettuce or rocket into bite–size pieces.
- For the dressing, mix yoghurt, lime juice, garlic granules and salt in a small bowl. It should be pourable so you can drizzle it over the bowl.
- Place a crisp tortilla bowl into a deep plate. Add the lettuce or rocket first, then top with chicken, corn, beans, tomato and avocado.
- Finish with a generous drizzle of yoghurt dressing and, if you like, sprinkle over fresh coriander or parsley.
👉 What’s next?
❓ Quick Q&A on 30–minute lunches
1. Are these lunches really ready in under 30 minutes?
Yes – the recipes are designed so you can reasonably go from fridge to plate in about half an hour without overthinking.
The first time might take a few minutes longer, but once you know the flow, it’s smooth sailing.
2. What if I don’t have all the ingredients?
No stress – the ingredients are written as a guide, not a law. You can swap potatoes for rice or pasta, spinach for another leafy green,
chickpeas for beans… The idea is there, you just adapt it to what’s in your kitchen.
3. Are these good for meal prep?
Yes, most of them are great reheated. The stew, chickpea ragù, pasta and turkey patties all work well the next day –
whether that’s at work, at home or straight from the container with a spoon.
4. How should I plan my shopping?
The easiest way is to do one main shop per week: base ingredients (potatoes, rice, pasta, onion, garlic, canned chickpeas/beans)
are always useful. Then you just add fresh veg and meat on top for that week.
5. What if I run out of ideas for the next week?
The quick–lunch series continues. Keep an eye on the blog, hop into the “quick menus” category or save this post as your starting “idea bank”.
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