Brian Short, Corporate Affairs Intern

During lunch three to four times a week, I visit my local beach in Kilcoole Co. Wicklow. It is around a three minute drive down where a friend and I swim for five to 10 minutes. I find the swims incredibly refreshing and I feel reset for the second half of the day. The swims became a habit this year following a ‘Freezebury’ (sea swimming for 1 minute on February 1st and +1 minute every subsequent day in February) challenge I took part in for charity. Following the challenge I found myself craving a swim as often as possible. I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who is close to a beach to give the lunchtime dip a go!

Gwen Gould, Senior Marketing Manager – Glanbia Ireland Ingredients

I like to use my lunch hour to take a proper break from the working day. Much of my day is spent on the computer, whether on Teams meetings or writing reports so a proper break for me means a digital break. At the moment, I take the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine while also enjoying a few chapters of a book.

This year, I have found myself enjoying books that have a food or travel angle to them. Right now, I am enjoying ‘My last Supper’ by Jay Rayner, a restaurant critic who regularly appears on MasterChef UK. This book is all about the impact that food has had on his life from an early age as he creates his last supper. It is in part a food tour, but also a memoir of his life.

Other books I have enjoyed this year include ‘Eating up Italy’ by Matthew Fort, ‘Normal People’ by Sally Rooney (the book was much better than the TV show) and ‘The Cows’ by Dawn O’Porter (a guilty pleasure).

Lunchtime is of course about the main event – eating lunch! With home kitchens at the ready, you could be creating something delicious every day. Glanbia Ireland’s Lead Product Development Chef, Barry Foley, leads the R&D department for Soups and Desserts. He joined Glanbia Consumer Foods in 2006, having formerly worked as a professional chef in industry for over 11 years.

In his role, Barry brings chef and culinary insights into the business, driven by a love of food and how food is made. Here, he has shared some sumptuous summer recipes for us all to try over the coming months.

Potato & French bean salad (serves 4)

Ingredients
1 small bag baby potatoes
1 chicken stock cube
1 bunch French beans
1 shallot finely diced
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method
Add the potatoes to a saucepan, cover with water, add the chicken stock cube and cook for 20-30 minutes until soft through.

Remove from the water and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, cut the French beans in two and blanch in boiling salted water for 5 minutes and then refresh in a pot of iced water.

Remove from the water and pat dry.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.

Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cherry Vine Tomato & Watermelon skewers

Ingredients
1 wedge of ripe watermelon
A few bunches of small cherry vine tomatoes
Medium sized wooden skewers
A few sprigs of fresh chopped mint & basil

Method
Remove the tomatoes from their vines. Using the tip of your knife, make small cross shaped incision on the bottom of each tomato.

Add the tomatoes to a pot of boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes until the skin is starting to come off.

Plunge the tomatoes into a container of iced water and leave for 1 minute.

Remove the tomatoes from the iced water and with your knife, take off any of the remaining skin.

Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and refrigerate.
Cut the melon into bite-sized pieces or alternatively, use a parisienne knife to cut the melon into neat balls.

Thread a single tomato followed by a piece of melon onto each skewer.

Repeat until there are 3 of each on each skewer.

Sprinkle with the chopped herbs and refrigerate in a suitable container.

Easy Tiramisu (serves 4)

Note: You can easily substitute the boudoir biscuits with sponge or almond biscuits or be creative! No Tia Maria? No problem. Try some Baileys or whiskey or just leave the alcohol out altogether, it all works….

Ingredients
150 ml Avonmore pouring cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
250g mascarpone cheese
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp Tia Maria
200ml espresso coffee, cooled to room temperature
Approx 20 boudoir biscuits (Ladyfingers)
Cocoa powder

Method
Add 3 tbsp icing sugar to the cream. Whip until stiff, then beat in the mascarpone, vanilla and 1 tbsp of the Tia Maria.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp of icing sugar to the espresso, stir to dissolve, then add the rest of the Tia Maria.

Dip 4 boudoir biscuits in the coffee mixture and use them to line the bases of 4 medium wide bottomed serving glasses (breaking them into shorter lengths if necessary to fit the glasses).

Spoon or pipe over a thick layer of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the glasses.

Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Just before serving, spoon any remaining coffee mixture over the top of each glass and dust with sifted cocoa powder.

Mango & Yoghurt Fool (serves 6)

Ingredients
600g Greek yoghurt
2 peeled mangoes
½ tsp grated ginger
150 ml cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence

Method
Mix the yoghurt and ginger together.

Cut one of the mangoes into small dice.

Puree the other mango in a food processor.

Add the diced mango and the puree to the yoghurt mix.

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.

In a large bowl fold the cream into the mango yoghurt mix.

Spoon the mix onto serving glasses and refrigerate until required

Oreo Cheesecake Trifle

Ingredients
1 pack Oreo cookies, crushed
1 tub Avonmore Summer Whipped Cream
250g mascarpone
50g icing sugar
Dark chocolate shavings
Chocolate sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Whisk together mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla and 4 tbsp Avonmore Summer Whipped Cream. Mix through 3 tbsp crushed Oreos.

Spoon 1-2 tbsp cheesecake mixture into the glass, top with crushed Oreos and 1 tbsp chocolate sauce.

Spoon 1-2 tbsp Avonmore Summer Whipped Cream on top, top with some more crushed Oreos.

Repeat until the glass is full, finishing with a cream layer.
Top with dark chocolate flakes.

No matter how you choose to spend your lunch break, the most important thing is that you move away from your desk and from the online world too if possible. Do something which you enjoy and which will allow you to clear your head. It’s your lunch break so make the most of it and you may be surprised how much you can achieve in an hour.