White bean hummus is delicious with batons of veggies, crackers or spread on a wrap.

With office life in full swing, I’m finding the ebb and flow of life al desko a little different than it was pre-pandemic and none more so than my eating habits. Following two years working at home, my body has settled into a rhythm around food that defies the “rules” of lunchtimes and tea breaks.

I have discovered that I am a grazer rather than a big meal eater, so when packing my lunch bag for days at the office I find myself thinking more about an array of nutrient-dense snack foods than one large meal. I pack small bags of nuts, some seed-based crackers, and lots of fruit, but this week I realised that I needed a hit of protein to maintain energy.

Enter : white bean hummus. Delicious with little batons of veggies, crackers, or spread on a wrap, it keeps well for up to four days in the fridge and can be flavoured with anything you like — I’m loving a drizzle of chipotle hot sauce in mine this week.

White bean hummus recipe by:Ciara McDonnell Delicious with little batons of vegetables, crackers or spread on a wrap. Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Total Time 10 mins Course Side Ingredients 1 tin of white beans (cannellini or butter beans) 1 glass very cold water 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 heaped tbsp light tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp ground cumin drizzle olive oil salt Method In a blender, add the beans, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and spices and blend until combined. Add the very cold water a little at a time until you achieve the consistency you want - a dropping consistency is my favourite. Blend again for at least two minutes until smooth and creamy. Drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt to taste. Store covered in the fridge with olive oil over the top to seal. Serve with your favourite crackers, vegetables or smeared on hot toast.

Delicious with little batons of vegetables, crackers or spread on a wrap.

1 tin of white beans (cannellini or butter beans)

In a blender, add the beans, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and spices and blend until combined.

Add the very cold water a little at a time until you achieve the consistency you want - a dropping consistency is my favourite.

Blend again for at least two minutes until smooth and creamy. Drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt to taste. Store covered in the fridge with olive oil over the top to seal.

Serve with your favourite crackers, vegetables or smeared on hot toast.

Stainless steel lunchboxes are all the rage and I am in love with the super cute and efficient boxes from Black Blum. Available from faerly.ie, these boxes offer a three-in-one food solution: they will securely transport your lunch, cook dishes in your oven, and even store pre-cooked meals in a freezer. 

For lunch purposes, they are leak-proof thanks to a silicone vacuum seal, a major bonus, and roomy enough to store multiple 'courses' within. They come with a proper-sized fork and are sturdy enough for adults and children. Built to last, these lunch boxes are an investment but from my own testing, will last the distance if you treat them well. 

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