The next in our series of monthly blog posts by the incredibly talented Jess Murphy of Kai Restaurant.

25 February 2025

Fresh & Feasty for Feb

Well we made it folks, here’s to the first days of spring and embracing the power of St Brigid’s Day and the special season of Imbolc; this means many things… Home, Hearth, Dawn and Spring… Now Nameste.

We’re going back to our roots and getting ourselves all revitalised, concentrating on office lunches and salads so glam they will get you directly reported to Linda from HR. Our office colleagues’ side eye and comments (“Like who is she? Where on earth did she get that from? I bet that was so expensive? Is she on more money than us? I wonder if she’s Aquarius? Absolute notions on her”, will leave you sitting on your swivel chair throne like Daenerys Targaryen when she found out her weird wedding presents were actually baby dragon eggs 🥚. You don’t often get a Game of Thrones reference in your food blog (you’re welcome!).

If there is one thing were famous for in Kai, it’s our cross grain salad-making action and with the help of a few little shop bought helpers from Galmere Foods’ The Galway Kitchen, in addition to some chonky, wonky roots and legumes, there’s nothing stopping us. We’re the Lola Young’s of our lunch box era… Own it, preach and slay and please share these amazing recipes with ya pals …. Be that pal.

1. Plant-based Office Power Salad:

Gochujang Sticky Tofu, Fair Trade Red and White Quinoa Bowl with energising Edamame, Sweet Chilli Houmous, Carrot and Miso

This makes enough for 4 lunches.

Ingredients

1 block of firm tofu (high protein)

Marinade

25g of Gochujang (red chilli paste)

40mls of tamari

20mls sesame oil

10g of white miso

20mls of maple syrup

1 clove of smashed garlic

5 grams of smashed ginger

 

Creamy dreamy lemon sauce

50g of high protein yogurt

Juice of half a lemon

 

1 packet of shop bought express quinoa ready to eat

70g of Edamame beans defrosted

1 tub of The Galway Kitchen Sweet Chilli Houmous

4 chopped lunch box cucumbers

2 carrots cut into ribbons

20g of chopped pecans

Juice of half a lemon

5g of white miso

20mls of cider vinegar

 

Method

Press the tofu overnight in a zip lock bag, then slice it into cubes and set aside.

Add the marinade ingredients of Gochujang, tamari, miso, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic and ginger to the zip lock bag and shake until it’s all well combined. Add the cubed tofu and leave overnight.

After 24 hours, dry off the tofu, toss it in rice flour and shallow fry until it’s crispy (this can also be zapped in the air fryer). This is the hardest part…

Mix your lemon juice with the high protein yogurt and set aside.

In lunch boxes or jars, layer up your delish bits like I have done in these photos; starting with sweet chilli houmous, Edamame beans, carrot shavings and cucumber. Cover with chopped pecans, stir in the cider vinegar and miso, pour the lemony yogurt sauce over your lunch and you’re good to go go.

 

2. HOTT HOT to Go

Indonesian Chickpea Indo Vibes

Serves 2-3.

This is more of a heat and eat, friends with benefits kind of recipe. It’s February after all and if you want something hot, but kind of need the health in a salad, this one’s for you.

Ingredients

½ a tub of Indonesian Chickpea or Sri Lankan Chicken soup (available in Lidl Ireland, heat as per instructions)

The warming rainbow bowl:

80g of warm, cooked buckwheat

50g of sunflower seeds

1 tin of red kidney beans, rinsed and washed

1/2 a cucumber, diced

1 small mild onion (white or red, if possible) diced small

1 blood orange, diced small

1 red pepper, diced small

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, mint, fresh coriander

1 tsp of flax seeds

For the dressing:

40mls of Olive oil

1 clove of garlic, grated

Juice of a lemon

A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Pop everything in a bowl, like you would making a tossed salad and cover with dressing and season to taste while it’s still warm. Heat your soup as instructed, pour in a bowl and top with your rainbow whole grains.

 

3. Sweet Potato Skins Stuffed with a Smokey High Protein Mac N Cheese

Makes 4 large, loaded sweet potato portions.

Last but not least – we all need a little love, a little Carb on Carb action this time of year and this, ladies and gentlemen, is the Carbasutra you have been waiting for.

Sweet potato skins stuffed with a Smokey High Protein Mac in Cheese. This is a quick office lunch or for a weekend watching sport, it’s a glass and a half pet nat classic. I add some really bougie cheese from Sheridans to this with a drizzle of basil pesto and bob’s your aunt, or fanny’s your uncle.

Ingredients

2 x large roasted sweet potatoes

3 x little pots of Smokey Mac N Cheese (available in Lidl Ireland)

2 x balls of mozzarella

1 x pot of basil pesto

Method

Pre heat your oven to 180, prick your sweet potatoes and roast until soft. Once cooked, cut them in half and season, drizzle a little pesto over the sweet potatoes and fill up with your Mac N Cheese. Add some cheese, then another drizzle of pesto and bake until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling on top.

I serve these with a peppery watercress or Rocket salad, perfect for an office reheat. Or crack an egg on top and you have a full brunch in the comfort of your own home.

Jess Murphy