Hello, dear readers! If you’re anything like me, you might sometimes find yourself caught in a bit of a lunch rut. Sandwich, salad, repeat, right? Well, I’ve stumbled across a delightful solution that I just can’t wait to share with you.
Our savior from the monotonous lunch cycle is a Northern Irish homecook named Nathan Anthony. He started an Instagram page called ‘Bored of Lunch’ during the 2020 lockdown, which has since blossomed into a community of over 1.2 million followers and even inspired a best-selling cookbook! I’m telling you, this man is a kitchen wizard.
And the good news doesn’t stop there. Nathan has now released a sequel to his first cookbook, aptly titled ‘Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook.’ This book is chock-full of innovative lunch recipes, all crafted to be made with the latest must-have kitchen gadget, the air fryer. This machine may be fast and energy-efficient, but it’s also versatile, whipping up a variety of dishes beyond the typical “fried” fare.
To celebrate his new book, Nathan was generous enough to share three sneak-peek recipes with Metro.co.uk, all of which can be prepped in advance or during your lunch break if you’re working from home.
Coconut Panko Prawns & Peanut Sauce
Firstly, let’s talk about the Coconut Panko Prawns & Peanut Sauce. These prawns are absolutely scrumptious and pair delightfully with a homemade peanut sauce. But if you’re not a peanut fan, you can always substitute it with a sweet chilli, honey, garlic, and soy sauce for a honey chilli dressing.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- 120g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 50g flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 400g raw prawns, peeled
- Low-calorie oil spray
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 150ml water
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
And the method is as follows:
- In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and coconut, and season with salt and pepper.
- Put the flour into one bowl and the beaten egg in another. Coat the prawns in the flour, then dip into the egg, shaking off any excess, then roll them in the breadcrumb mix to coat.
- Spray really well with a low-calorie spray and air-fry at 200°C for 10 minutes.
- While the prawns are cooking, whip up your peanut sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Add some more water if it looks too thick.
- Serve the prawns with the peanut sauce.
Harissa Chicken Gyros
Next up are the Harissa Chicken Gyros. This street food-inspired dish is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner – even when you have guests. They look so good that people will think you’ve spent ages cooking but the reality is, it’s all done in 15 minutes.
Ingredients (Serves 3)
- 2 tbsp harissa paste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 supermarket gyros, flatbreads or pitas
- Handful of rocket
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- Small handful of pickled red onions (shop-bought is fine!)
Sauce:
- 5 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Method
- Combine the harissa, lemon juice, paprika, Cajun seasoning, cumin and salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Coat the chicken with this mixture – if you can, preheat the air fryer for 2–3 minutes because adding the chicken to the hot drawer will give it an extra bit of char. Air-fry at 200°C for 12 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, combine the yogurt with the lemon juice and garlic.
- Heat the gyros or flatbreads and assemble, stuffing with the chicken and rocket and drizzling over the yogurt sauce, then top with the pomegranate seeds and pickled red onions.
Sweet Potato & Chorizo Hash
Finally, we have the Sweet Potato & Chorizo Hash. This dish is not only a quick lunch option but also an amazing breakfast or brunch. To make it more substantial, you can add a poached egg or two and a slice of toasted sourdough. The ingredients include sweet potatoes, oil or low-calorie oil spray, paprika, chorizo, light or half-fat butter, chilli flakes, a garlic clove, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, and fresh dill to sprinkle.
Ingredients (Serves 3)
- 600g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp oil or low-calorie oil spray
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 150g chorizo, sliced
- 1 tbsp light or half-fat butter
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill, to sprinkle
Method
- In a bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, oil and paprika.
- Air-fry the potatoes at 190°C for 14–15 minutes, and add the chorizo for the last 2–3 minutes.
- While the chorizo is cooking, put the butter, chilli and garlic in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 minute until the butter is melted.
- Season the yogurt with salt and pepper.
- Serve the hash drizzled with the yogurt, then top with the melted garlic chilli butter and sprinkle with fresh dill.
So, that’s it, folks! Let’s jazz up our lunchtime with these amazing air fryer recipes. I’ve tried them all, and I assure you, you won’t be disappointed. And to all the lunch places out there, you better watch out because we’re now self-sufficient, air-frying wizards.
Recommended Airfryer Oven: Ninja AF101 Air Fryer