IS THIS A THING, OR HAVE I JUST INVENTED IT?

One of the things we got talking about at today's UK Health Bloggers event at the fabulous Primal Roost in Bagshot (which sells the best coffee for miles around BTW) was the lack of luscious-looking recipes for savoury foods.

We're all trying to eat less or no sugar, fewer or no grains and maybe little or no dairy, but the foods that are most drool-worth are the glossy-looking cupcakes and bakes that abound all over Instagram.

So I thought I'd share something that I've been living off for a while in case it's useful to someone else. It stemmed from this: you know how there's a fad for overnight oats in pretty pots or mason jars? Well this is the lunchtime version. I just need to find a name for it...  Do chip in with your ideas. How about Protein Lunch Pot for now?

Here's how you make one: 

Cottage cheese, tuna, pine nuts, tomatoes

Layer a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese in the bottom of your lunch box. I use a brand called Arla because it's higher in protein. 
Then add a layer of tuna - the no drain version with basil is good, but you could also add cooked, shredded chicken or turkey, tofu or salmon. 

Quinoa, cucumber and other veggies

You might want to add some cooked wholegrain rice or quinoa for texture next, to include some roughage and vitamin B in your meal. There are plenty of varieties of the pre-packed stuff around now or you might have some leftovers. You could also add chunks of feta or goat's cheese. You could also add cooked roasted peppers, aubergine, chick peas, black beans - whatever floats your boat!

Then decorate with halved cherry tomatoes, grated carrot, lettuce and maybe some flaked almonds or pine nuts. I've just gone for carrot and cucumber with tuna here, because my fridge was bare! Drizzle some vinaigrette over the top - home-made of course! And there you go. Just keep it chilled until 10 minutes before you need to eat it and voila!  

The finished product!