Quick, easily portable and a great lunch. If you gotta have mayo instead of mustard, then use low or no fat and reduce the light ranch dressing.
1 serving
305 calories per serving
2 slices 45 calories wheat bread
5 slices deli turkey
1 slice tomato
1 lettuce leaf
mustard
1/2 c baby carrots
1/2 c celery sticks or broccoli florets
1/4 c light ranch dressing for dipping (or onion dip made with no fat sour cream)
Make your sandwich and enjoy !
These make a great appetizer or side on a lunch platter.
6 servings
50 calories per serving
1 English cucumber, peeled (if you use a regular cucumber, be sure to scoop out the seeds)
1/4 c Philadelphia 1/3 less fat cream cheese, chive and onion flavor
Fresh dill sprigs (optional)
12 little strips sundried tomatoes (blot off oil)
Cut cucumber into 12 slices. Scoop out a bit if the middle of each to make a little ‘cup’ to hold the cheese. Fill each with cheese. Top each with a sprig of dill and a strip of sundried tomato.
I like my meatballs very spicy, so I add a good amount of red pepper flakes to this one. Prep time is 5 minutes – that’s it !
1 serving
365 calories per serving
1 whole wheat pita (140 calorie version)
3 vegetable meatballs
1 T shredded parmesan cheese (shredded, not grated)
3 T marinara sauce
Spices to taste: pepper, oregano flakes, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder
Slit open the pita. Slice meatballs in thirds and heat meatballs, spices and sauce for 30 seconds in the microwave. Fill the pita with the meatballs, sauce and cheese.
This is one of those really filling quesadillas. Between the whole wheat wrap, the beans, chicken, AND cheese, it really makes for a great lunch. The salsa verde is a nice twist, but if you don’t like the taste, feel free to substitute regular salsa 🙂
2 servings
358 calories per serving
1 c cooked shredded or diced chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts are a great time saver!)
1/3 c salsa verde, divided
1/2 c black beans
1/2 c kidney beans
2 9 inch whole wheat tortillas (80 calorie version)
1/2 c shredded low fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
Pam
Extra salsa verde for dipping (at only 10 calories for 2 tablespoons, don’t be shy !)
Combine cooked chicken and half the salsa verde in a skillet and heat through . Combine beans and the other half of the salsa, lightly mashing some of the beans with a fork. Microwave for 30 seconds to heat. Spread the bean mix over each tortilla and then the chicken mix and then sprinkle with 1/4 c cheese. Fold in half. Spray skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Add quesadillas and cook 2-3 minutes each side or until lightly browned. Serve with additional salsa.
The cucumbers really make this a juicy sandwich without having to use any mustard or mayo. But if you can’t live without them, no worries, there are plenty of calories to spare in this satisfying lunch sandwich.
1 serving
240 calories per serving
2 slices 45 calories wheat bread
5 slices lean deli ham
1 slice low fat swiss cheese (70 calories)
1 slice tomato
5 very thin slices cucumber
Make a sandwich and enjoy 🙂
I make this one up the night before and let refrigerate overnight. The pesto and cheese make a rich sauce and all the flavors here just combine really well.
1 serving
288 calories per serving
1/4 c cooked FiberGourmet* pasta (regular whole wheat pasta will certainly do, it will just raise the calorie count)
1 T pesto
3 oz. diced cooked chicken (Perdue Shortcuts)
1 c halved grape tomatoes
3/4 c shredded carrots
2 T shredded parmesan
Mix all together and refrigerate a couple of hours before eating.
*FiberGourmet is this awesome pasta that has way fewer calories than even whole wheat pasta and other specialty pastas. I buy it online at Amazon and use it in soups, salads, dinner sides, mac and cheese, etc. By using it instead of other types, I can really increase the amount I can eat and that’s good because I LOVE PASTA !! 🙂
Look at all that cheese, and bacon ! This is great as a breakfast or lunch. There’s lots of strong flavors here but they combine well together.
1 serving
340 calories per serving
1 whole wheat English muffin
2 T black olive spread (tapenade) – or just chopped black olives
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light cheese, regular flavor
1/4 c sliced cucumber
3 sundried tomatoes diced up
3 large romaine leaves
2 slices cooked turkey bacon
Toast muffin. Spread cheese on both sides. Spread olive tapendade on one half. Pile up the rest of the stuff and dig in 🙂
When you are using shrimp in a shrimp cocktail, splurge and get them at a fish market or a food market that has a good fish department – they are just fresher and better suited to cocktail. I like my cocktail sauce very zesty – if you cannot find a spicy enough one at the food store or fish market, just stir in some extra prepared horseradish.
1 serving
179 calories per serving
4 large shrimp, cleaned and cooked
4 T cocktail sauce
1/2 lemon, cut in wedges
2 c field greens
1/2 c sliced cucumber
2 T low fat dressing
Spritz the shrimp with lemon and put on a plate with cocktail sauce for dipping.
Mix cucumber, salad and dressing.
This one is satisfying, packed with protein, yet so low fat and low cal that you can have an extra latte today 🙂
This is a great appetizer or lunch portion – for dinner, add a nice salad or fruit mix on the side.
4 servings
230 calories per serving
1 lb. chicken tenders cut in half
1/2 t cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
3 T cayenne pepper sauce (Frank’s Hot Sauce)
1 T water
1 T buttery spread, melted
1/3 c low fat sour cream
1/4 c crumbled blue cheese
2 T low fat mayonnaise
2 T skim milk
1/4 t Worcestershire sauce
Carrot and celery slices
Preheat broiler. Spray baking sheet with Pam. Toss chicken with cayenne pepper and 1/4 t salt. Place chicken on pan and broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Microwave cayenne sauce, water and butter 10 seconds. Brush onto chicken and broil 2 minutes longer, then flip chicken, coat with more sauce and broil another minute or until chicken is done.
Make dip by combining sour cream, cheese, mayonnaise, milk and Worcestershire. Serve chicken with dip, carrots and celery sticks.
This is a filling, creamy soup packed with iron – get your Popeye on ! Serve with whole wheat garlic toast for a great lunch meal.
3 servings
262 calories per serving
4 oz. dry cheese tortellini
8 oz. fat free chicken broth
1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 oz diced cooked chicken (Purdue Shortcuts strips save time here)
1 c skim milk
1 c water
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil water and cook tortellini according to instructions. Heat all other ingredients and bring to boil and heat thoroughly. Add tortellini. Heat for another few minutes.
