Lunch Box Series 4: Homemade Granola & Vietnamese Salad

Lunch Box Series 

Welcome back, Lunch Lovers! We're thrilled to bring you another edit of our Ela & Earth Lunch Box Series. This week, we’re bringing you another work lunch edition with two new recipes that pack a flavourful punch and are super easy to prep ahead. 

What’s on the menu? A crispy and sweet Homemade Granola and a refreshing, crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad. These dishes are to help make your mornings smoother and your lunches more satisfying.

Don’t forget to check out our Instagram and TikTok @elaandearth for more recipe ideas and all the delicious (and hilarious) moments that go on behind the scenes!

 

Homemade Granola

Sticky, crunchy and sweet clusters of yummy goodness! Our homemade granola is quick and easy - simply serve over Greek yoghurt with fresh berries, and you’ve got a fast and filling breakfast on the go.

Finding the perfect store-bought granola can be a difficult task (and not to mention expensive!). Tap into your creative side and perfect a homemade granola, completely tailored to your favourite combinations and never worry about buying again. Another bonus is you know exactly what's going into it, with no nasties. See our go-to homemade granola recipe below. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup chopped almonds
• ½ cup coconut flakes
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp runny almond/peanut butter
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup cacao nibs or dark choc chips
• Pinch of sea salt

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven & prep a baking tray with baking paper
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon and salt
3. Drizzle in coconut oil, maple syrup and peanut butter
4. Stir well until all ingredients are coated
5. Spread granola onto baking tray, pressing down with the back of a spoon
6. Bake for 15mins, rotate the tray and gently break into clusters with a fork. We also drizzle some additional maple syrup here for some extra sweetness!
7. Bake for another 15-20 mins or until golden brown & crispy 
8. Once cooled, stir through cranberries and cacao nibs
9. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

We’re calling it - this will be your favourite go-to summer salad! This easy meal prep salad is full of fresh ingredients, punchy herbs, tangy limes and crunchy veggies - what’s not to love? 

Our Vietnamese salad will leave you feeling full, satisfied and everyone else in the office feeling jealous. This salad not only packs well but also keeps its crunch, making it a reliable (and delicious) choice for your weekly meal prep!

 

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

• 500g chicken thigh
• Juice from 1 lime 
• 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce 
• ½ tbsp fish sauce 
• 2 tbsp brown sugar 
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp coriander chopped finely 

Salad:

• ½ wombok cabbage 
• ½ red onion
• 1 red capsicum
• 2 cucumbers 
• 1 large carrot ribboned
• 1 large red chilli 
• 1 cup mint leaves 
• 1 cup coriander
• ¼ crushed peanuts

Dressing:

• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar 
• ¼ cup fish sauce 
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 2 tsp red chilli chopped finely  

Method:

1. Trim pieces of fat from around the chicken thigh
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl with chicken and coat well. Cover with foil or in an airtight container
3. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours - overnight would be ideal
4. Place all dressing ingredients in a jar together and shake to combine. Set aside
5. Place salad ingredients in a large bowl, toss with ¼ of the dressing to soften the vegetables slightly. Divide over 4 containers for the week. 
6. Grill the marinated chicken on a grill or BBQ & allow to cool slightly
7. Slice the chicken and place evenly over the prepared salads
8. Top with crushed peanuts. Save the dressing and drizzle over your salad in the morning, or alternatively, take some dressing in a small container and finish at work!

Pack Lunch With Us

Pack a day of meals with us to head into the office using our famous Tote Bag in Biscuit! In our largest Nesting Container (set of 4), we’ve packed our Greek yoghurt with fresh berries and topped with our yummy homemade granola for breaky on the run. 

For lunch, we’ve used our 1400ml Bento Lunch Box which features 3 separate leak-proof compartments, making it so easy to portion a balanced serving. We have popped our Vietnamese salad in the large section, some sliced chicken in another compartment and stored the salad dressing separately in our smallest Nesting Container which fits perfectly into the remaining section of the Bento Box. This ensures everything stays fresh and crunchy until lunch time! 

Breakfast and lunch are going into our insulated Biscuit Tote Bag, along with our 1L Water Bottle in Shiraz and the Biscuit Pouch to match! There is still ample space for your daily personal items, a 13inch laptop and of course, our 7 Piece Cutlery Set in Gold.

You can explore our full lunch range here and don’t forget to keep an eye on our socials to watch funny behind the scenes moments and the recipe reels! See you next time on the Journal.