It’s not easy to adapt a low carb diet to our convenience food mentality. Most of us want to grab and go when it comes to lunch and breakfast, but few foods offer the level of easy packaging and shelf life that carbs do.

I’m on a mission to provide a few quick and easy, store cupboard, brunch/lunch/supper options that don’t break the Dissident rules.

Here’s one that has become an instant, repeatable favourite from the first taste. It’s a completely delicious combination that works on so many levels.

Ingredients (for 4)

• 1 pouch Merchant Gourmet Beluga lentils
• 4 (or 8) free range eggs
• 1 (double) packet of Waitrose Pulled Ham Hock (no rude jokes please)

Optional (for the posh/supper) version)

• one small onion
• 2 tomatoes
• finely chopped curly kale of cavolo nero
• fresh herbs (or dried)
• balsamic vinegar

Method

• Warm the whole pouch of lentils in the microwave (or, if you prefer, add a little water and warm them in a saucepan). Then divide evenly among four bowls.
• Divide the ham between the bowls, tossing with the lentils.
• Fry the eggs gently in butter over a medium heat then turn them out on top of the lentil and ham.
• Season with ground black pepper.
• Enjoy.

The Posh Version

To give this dish a bit more gravitas for supper you can do more with the lentils. For example, cook an onion and a couple of chopped tomatoes in olive oil, add the chopped greens and the pouch of lentils together with some fresh herbs and cook until heated thoroughly, then drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on top before dividing among the bowls.

Continue by adding the ham and eggs as above.