MADE IT: Pret A Manger Alfresco Chicken Salad

When it comes to eating out food on the mood can be the ultimate godsend. From its humble beginnings as a simple array of bland sandwich fillings came salads, soups and sushi to tantalise even the most monotonous of office desks.

I, for one do not work in an office, but I will quite frankly have nothing stand in the way of me getting a morish lunch. When a string of late shifts at my part-time work as a shop sales advisor came up, I needed something delicious to get me through a 3pm til 10pm shift. Why people need to buy clothes and general merchandise until 10pm is a factor even after five and half years working in a shop I will never understand; however my mission for a tasty break time treat beckoned.

I found this little number in a £3 bargain find by Pret a Manger - Food on the Move.

So I'm not going to lie this salad took a bit of effort. To make the renouned Pret seasoning, used on all their signature salads and sarnies, various spices had to be fried, cooled and stored for shaking over your salady creations. Another set back? The mildly spiced yoghurt dressing for the chicken. Slightly longwinded and not really adding a huge deal to the salad, but a welcome little hint of warmth nonetheless.

Still all in all a hearty and filling salad, ticking all the right boxes with my favourite ingredients. A fitting make at home tribute to a shop bought favourite.

FOUND IT: Best Sandwiches in London - Valentinos, N1 OHQ

I'm a sucker for a good sandwich. I came across sheer unadulterated sarnie heaven when I recently went up to London for the Graduate Jobs Fair. Alas, I found no jobs there, zilch, nada; nothing for a recently qualified Journalism graduate anyway. I was told by the media related stands I was over qualified for what they were offering and that they didn't have things 'suitable' in relation to my qualifications. 

I was utterly disheartened. I have applied for well over 200 odd jobs since graduating in November last year, and have never once been told the reason I can't get one is because 'you're too qualified' I felt slightly relieved that it wasn't just me. My fabulous bessie friend of 11 years, hugely brained, intelligent Chemistry extraordinaire from Oxford University, can't find a work either. It sickens me her intelligence is going unnoticed, so all in all we were pretty bummed by the whole trip.

But there are reasons why certain people are better friends to you than others. How someone can just know you and do something to lift your mood and lose your worries. So Emma, this one's for you. Gagging for grub, she pointed out a quaint sarnie bar across the road. So tottering over in our interview best, we entered ready made sandwich utopia. Every filling out? Salads, meats, dressings. THE-ABSOLUTE-WORKS.

Chicken, Bacon and Lettuce Roll. Hello lunchtime!

I made a decision in haste, and now can see I perhaps should have deliberated my deli decision more, but even a simple combination of Chicken Bacon and Lettuce came up trumps. Check out the size for starters! It set me back a measley £2.80 something? Bargain and not a salty ready made sarnie additive in sight!

When I was studying at University, I had to complete compulsory work experience. Living in sleepy Hampshire didn't offer much in relation to Journalism apart from the mundane local newspapers and free handout publications. So, searching for pastures greener, I commuted to London daily, to work at some of the countries top selling women's consumer glossies. Ok, so I'd be the first to admit it wasn't all glamour, and yes it was more Devil Wears than me wearing Prada, but I can vouch for one valuable skill I learnt; where to find the best delis, sandwich bars and eateries in the West End. There were numerous times I was sent out on a round. "Sophie can you please go across the road?" "Yeah sure" "I want one slice of wholemeal toast with marmite cut in half" "Ok...."

So in my time I'd been to some pretty good and pretty abysmal cafes, but this one topped them all, for sheer value for money and quality, not to mention gut busting sizes. I don't think I ate for at least three hours after this. A personal record.

Valentinos

345 Upper Street

Islington

London