A little chicken, lotsa vegetables and lotsa flavor !
6 servings
289 calories per serving
2 c chopped cooked chicken breast
2/3 c thinly sliced red bell pepper
½ c thinly sliced English cucumbers
1/2 c sliced celery
1/2 c light ranch dressing
1/4 c crumbed goat cheese
4 c chopped romaine lettuce
6 8-inch fat free flour tortillas
Layer all the ingredients in tortillas, wrap and secure with a toothpick. Here’s my instructional video in how to secure a wrap so nothing leaks out the bottom.
This is so lemony and refreshing and is easy, easy to prepare. It’s a great addition to a lunch time wrap or sandwich.
2 servings
37 calories per serving
2 c chicken broth
3 t lemon juice
¼ t thyme
1/8 t salt
4 leaves spinach, torn
1 green onion (green part only) thinly sliced
Lemon slices for garnish
Combine all except spinach and onions and bring to a boil on high heat. Place spinach in bowls. Spoon soup over spinach and top with sliced green onions.
This is a wonderfully rich chowder that can easily be changed up just by changing some of the veggies you include. I just suggest keeping the corn – to me, it’s not chowder if it does not have corn ! Today I added some frozen broccoli florets.
6 servings
168 calories per serving
9 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
1 c carrots, sliced
½ c chopped onion
1 c corn
4.5 oz. sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t thyme leaves
14.5 oz. chicken broth
1 can cream of potato soup
1/3 c half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except the half and half in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low 5 hours or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Then stir in half and half and cook covered on high another 15-20 minutes.
Grilled cheesy sandwiches – they make it on this ‘diet’ plan of mine and I am so happy about it ! To make them more sensible, use low fat cheeses, add flavor in the way of herbs, and be sure to use Pam and buttery spray. And then off you go – the variations are endless and here is a great Italian inspired one.
6 servings
285 calories per serving
1/4 c low fat pesto
12 1 oz. slices sourdough bread
12 3/4 oz. slices part skim mozzarella cheese
6 1/4 inch thick slices tomato
18 large basil leaves
I can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray
Pam
Spread 1 t pesto on each slice of bread. Top 6 slices of bread with a cheese slice, a tomato slice, 3 basil leaves, and another cheese slice. Top with remaining bread slice. Spray outsides of sandwiches with at least 5 sprays per side. Heat skillet on medium heat and spray with Pam. Add sandwiches, as many as will fit in a batch. Cook 2-3 minutes each side or until cheese is melted. You can use a Panini press here and the cheese will melt even nicer 🙂
The hummus spread inside the pita before inserting the other ingredients makes every bite full of flavor. And when you eat something with lots of flavor, you are apt to feel more satisfied !
4 servings
280 calories per serving
2 c chopped romaine lettuce
1 c chopped roasted chicken breast
2/3 c diced English cucumber
½ c red bell pepper, chopped very small
1/4 c crumbled feta cheese
2 T lemon juice
2 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
6 T roasted red bell pepper hummus (in the refrigerator section at the food market)
2 6 inch whole wheat pitas slit at the top so you can fill it
Combine lettuce, chicken, cucumber and feta. Add lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Spread hummus inside pitas and then add the chicken mix.
Turning a regular sandwich into a Panini makes it much more special – and all you are doing is grilling it up and pressing it a bit to melt down all the contents really well. A have a Panini pan that goes right on the stovetop – I also have a George Foreman type grill, but I like doing it stovetop better.
4 servings
257 calories per serving
2 T fat free mayo
4 t pesto (get the prepared version from the refrigerator section of your grocer)
8 1 oz. slices sourdough bread
8 oz. deli turkey (low fat Sara Lee or Hormel prepackaged works great here)
2 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
8 slices tomato
Pam
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
Combine mayo and pesto and spread 1 T on each of 4 slices of bread. Top each slice with turkey, 1.2 oz. cheese, 2 tomato slices and the rest of the bread. Preheat grill pan and spray with Pam. Spray each sandwich with a few spritzes of the ICBINB Spray and add sandwiches and cook 3 minutes per side.
Lotsa different toppings can go on here to change it up. Anything that goes on a real pizza tastes good here. Extra veggies really don’t push up the calorie count much…mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.
4 servings
235 calories per serving
4 6-inch whole wheat pitas (Arnold’s Sahara are a good low cal choice)
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ green bell pepper in thin slices
½ c mushroom slices
1/2 T olive oil mixed with 1 t water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush oil on the pitas. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with oregano, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle cheese over the tops. Add mushrooms and peppers. Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
I like it extra spicy, so I also add some red pepper flakes right on top of the sauce.
For 400 calories you can have a hot dog on a bun with mustard and sauerkraut, a side of veggies and some dessert ! There is just no reason to feel deprived eating 400 calorie meals !
1 serving
260 calories per serving
1 hot dog (100 calorie light dog)
1 100 calorie bun
Mustard
1 Pickle (maybe a homemade one! )
1/2 c baby carrots
Cook the hotdog (either boil, grill or fry in a skillet sprayed with Pam). Place on bun (toasted, if you want). Top with mustard. On the side, have a pickle and a half cup of baby carrots.
This lunch is really quick and a great one to pack in a lunch bag and bring to work. Serve over lettuce if you wish, but I prefer to eat it next to a salad with a zesty low fat dressing.
1 serving
60 calories per serving
1/2 can white albacore tuna, drained well and flaked
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Put tuna on a plate and squeeze juice over it. Season with salt and pepper.
Very creamy and very yogurty – this is a very refreshing salad. The curry flavor is subtle – if you like more curry flavor, just up it to 2 t or more.
6 servings
337 calories per serving
Dressing:
1/3 c chopped cilantro
2 T oil
1 T lemon juice
1 ½ t curry powder
¾ t salt
½ t minced garlic
¼ t black pepper
8 oz. plain fat free yogurt
Salad:
2 c finely shredded carrot
1 ½ c thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
1 ½ c chopped plum tomato
¼ c finely chopped red onion
15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 c chopped romaine lettuce
Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to mix well. Combine salad ingredients and mix with ½ c dressing. Split salad between 6 plates and drizzle with 1 T more dressing each.
Try serving with a half of a toasted pita or a few packaged pita chips.
