Category Archives: Lunch

Turkey Panini

Turkey with a zesty cheese sauce is the perfect lunch !

Turkey Panini
Turkey Panini

4 servings
272 calories per serving

3 T lowfat mayonnaise
2 T nonfat plain yogurt
2 T shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese
2 T chopped basil
1 t lemon juice
Pepper to taste
8 slices light whole wheat bread
8 oz. thinly sliced deli turkey
8 slices tomato
2 t canola oil
ICBINB spray

Mix mayo, yogurt, cheese, basil, lemon juice and pepper. Spread 2 t of the mixture on each slice of bread and then fill the sandwiches with turkey and tomato. Heat 1 t oil in a large nonstick pan and put in 2 sandwiches. Use a Panini press to weight down the sandwiches. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Spray the top with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray and then flip the sandwich and cook until the second side is golden. Repeat with the 2 remaining sandwiches.

Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)

What a great appetizer or lunch. The sausage, beans and garlic make a perfect stew. Served with cheese toast, this makes a great dish to serve to guests. Even with the bread, this dish comes in under 400 calories !!

Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)
Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)

6 servings
350 calories per serving

2 t oil
3 t garlic, minced
4 2 oz. turkey sausages (any flavor you like, I used Italian hot) cut into chunks
1 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c baby spinach
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/8 t salt
½ t garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
6 T shredded provolone cheese
6 1 oz. slices French bread

Heat oil and cook sausage until almost done. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add water, broth to crock pot then add spinach. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add beans and then add sausage and garlic and any pan drippings to the top. Cook on low 3 hours. Add the splash of lemon during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with Cheese Toasts. To make toasts, sprinkle bread slices with cheese and broil 2 minutes to melt cheese.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can do this stove top is a soup pot – after cooking the sausage and combining all the ingredients, simmer on very low for 1 hour.

Warm Shrimp Cocktail

What a wonderful appetizer or lunch ! The marinade makes the shrimp nice and spicy. And the sauce is a great deviation from the typical ketchup and horseradish mixture…this one uses tomatoes and has a much fresher taste. Try dipping your avocado slices in the sauce too – the flavors go together perfectly.

8 servings
238 calories per serving

Warm Shrimp Cocktail
Warm Shrimp Cocktail

Cocktail Sauce
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 T cilantro
2 T lime juice
1 T prepared horseradish
1 T Worcestershire sauce
¼ t Kosher salt
¼ t pepper
(you can make this a day ahead)

Shrimp
24 fresh clean jumbo shrimp with tails on (if desired)
3 T lime juice
3 T chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t Kosher salt
1/8 t pepper

4 ripe avocados, sliced

Prepare sauce and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Place shrimp in a zip loc bag with the juice, sauce and garlic and place in the refrigerator 1 hour. Heat grill and spray a grill basket with Pam. Drain shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 7-8 minutes or until done. Serve with cocktail sauce and sliced avocados.

If you don’t have a grill, you can broil or pan fry the shrimp.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

When you add creamy avocado to a sandwich, there is no need for any other dressing. And avocado is a great MUFA for your diet. This grilled chicken sandwich is very tasty.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Grilled Chicken Sandwich

1 serving
390 calories per serving

3 oz. chicken breast
1 hoagie / sub roll
1 slice tomato
1 large slice lettuce
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
¼ c avocado slices

Heat grill. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and grill 3-4 minutes each side or until done. During the last minute, slice your roll and place face down on the grill to toast the bun. Make a sandwich of all the ingredients.

If you do not have a grill, you can toast the roll in a toaster oven and you can pan fry the chicken in a skillet sprayed with Pam.

Greek Pasta Salad

You’d think this one would be bland with just the balsamic as the dressing – but that is definitely not the case. All the flavors from the peppers, cheese, olives, prosciutto and basil mix in with the vinegar to create a divinely simple and delicious to prepare lunch salad. And this filling salad is only 301 calories !

Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad

3 servings
301 calories per serving

9 oz. package of fresh tortellini
1 quart boiling water
1/3 c jarred roasted red peppers cut into 1 inch strips
1 oz pepper jack cheese cut into 1/4 inch cubes (about 1/4 cup)
8 grape tomatoes
8 pitted kalamata olives
6 canned artichoke hearts
2 thin slices prosciutto cut into strips
1 T chopped fresh basil
3 T balsamic vinegar

Cook pasta 7 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down. Drain. Combine pepper and the rest of the ingredients other than the tortellini. Mix well. Then add tortellini and toss gently.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I’ve been making this chicken salad since the 80’s when a friend shared her recipe with me. Before then, I definitely was not a fan of the thought of apples and chicken together. But ever since that first bite all those years ago, I have never made traditional chicken salad again without apples ! If you’ve never tried, give it a shot !

Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chicken Salad Sandwiches

4 servings
290 calories per serving

12 oz. cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, in small chunks (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
1 granny smith apple, diced small
2 t lemon juice
¼ c low fat mayo
8 slices 45 calorie per slice wheat bread
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and let sit in refrigerator at least 1 hour so flavors combine well. Make sandwiches and enjoy !

BLT Salad

I’m not a big salad lover. That is always a tough part of ‘dieting’ for me. But once in a while I actually crave a big bowl of greens. Adding bacon and croutons makes this one a winner.

BLT Salad
BLT Salad

1 serving
280 calories per serving

3 c chopped romaine lettuce
6 slices turkey bacon
1 c halved grape tomatoes
1 slice 45 calorie bread
2 T dressing (70 calorie)

Toast bread and let it sit to harden (about 5 minutes) and then cut into cubes. Cook bacon according to instructions. When cool, crumble up. Put lettuce and tomatoes in a bowl. Top with bacon and croutons. Drizzle with dressing.

Light Potato Salad

At only 160 calories, make this one often ! The lite buttermilk, lemon and wine is a nice change from your typical mayo and vinegar dressing. The flavor is right on and this will definitely satisfy your potato salad craving.

Light Potato Salad
Light Potato Salad

12 servings
160 calories per serving

4 lb. small red potatoes, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c dry white wine
4 T lemon juice
½ c low fat buttermilk
¼ c low fat mayo
1 T Dijon mustard
1 c packed basil leaves sliced very thin
Cilantro for garnish

Add cold water to potatoes to cover them by 2 inches, cover and bring to a boil then add 1 t salt, recover and reduce heat to medium low and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Add wine and 1 T lemon juice them toss and cool to room temperature.

Whisk buttermilk, mayo, mustard, ¼ t salt, pepper and 3 T lemon juice. Blend well and then toss with potatoes and basil.

Sausage Soup

Minestrone meets Stracciatella in this soup full of beans, spinach, cheese and yummy sausage ! To make this a dinner serving instead, just add some pasta or rice to bring it up to 400 calories.

Sausage Soup
Sausage Soup

4 servings
264 calories per serving

10 oz. sweet sausage
Pam
1 c chopped shallot (onion will do if you do not have shallots)
2 t minced garlic
½ c water
15 oz. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
24 oz. can fat free chicken broth
2 c baby spinach
1 T fresh basil or parsley, chopped
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove casing from sausage (or buy it without the casing). Spray pan with Pam and cook sausage on high heat until brown stirring to break up the pieces well. Add shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in water, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper and cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 4 minutes or until it has thickened up a little bit. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and basil and then place in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Turkey Noodle Soup

Another super quick soup that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, but it’s just a ½ hour meal. Try using Perdue Shortcuts turkey strips if you don’t have any leftover turkey on hand.

Turkey Noodle Soup
Turkey Noodle Soup

2 servings
156 calories per serving

2 c water
¾ c cooked cubed turkey breast
1 rib celery, sliced
Leaves from top of celery
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt to taste
1/8 t marjoram flakes
1/8 t pepper
1 bay leaf
½ t onion powder
½ c canned diced potatoes
¼ c frozen peas and carrots mix
¼ c yolk free egg noodles
Dash Kitchen Bouquet

Mix water, turkey, celery, onion, garlic, salt, onion powder, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Then mix in the potatoes, peas and noodles. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

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