Category Archives: Lunch

Asian Garden Salad

May 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Simple, low cal, nutritious and a nice change from your regular green salad!

6 servings
126 calories per serving

1/3 c thinly sliced scallions
4 T soy sauce
3 T water
2 c boiling water
1 ½ t sesame oil
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t red pepper flakes
1 3 oz. package low fat ramen noodle soup
2 c boiling water
2 c fresh pea pods, halved crosswise
1 c fresh bean sprouts
1 c sliced mushrooms
8 oz. can baby corn, drained and halved crosswise
1 red bell pepper cut into small strips
3 c shredded Chinese cabbage

Combine green onions, soy, water, oil, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and set aside. Break up ramen noodles and discard seasoning packet. Add peapods and pour 2 c boiling water over the mix and let stand 1 minute and then drain. Combine noodles, pea pods, bean sprouts, mushrooms, corn and peppers in a bowl. Shake dressing and toss with the noodle mix. Cover and chill 2 – 24 hours. Just before serving add cabbage.

Lunch, MUFAs, Sandwiches

ALT Sandwiches

May 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Take out the Bacon, replace it with avocado and you have an ALT instead of a BLT. You still have the bacon flavor since you have Bacos in here, but the main flavor is the avocado. So get your MUFA on and have a great sandwich for lunch today !

4 servings
290 calories per serving

Even though there are bacon bits here, the main star of this sandwich is the avocado, so I call it an ALT instead of a BLT.

¼ c low fat mayonnaise
2 T bacon flavored veggie bits (Bacos)
8 slices of toast
4 lettuce leaves
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
2 large tomato, sliced

Combine mayo and bacos and mix well then spread of 4 pieces of toast and layer with lettuce, avocado and tomato.

Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetables

Grilled Garden Sandwiches

May 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

For only 260 calories you get a big, beefy sandwich just packed with veggies that are sooooo flavorful. And the mozzarella cheese is just the ‘icing on the cake’ here !

4 servings
260 calories per serving

8 slices whole wheat bread
1 medium zucchini cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
1 small red bell pepper halved
½ small eggplant, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices
½ c fat free Italian dressing
¾ c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler. Brush one side of the veggies with dressing and broil dressing side up for 5 minutes. Turn, recoat and broil another 5 minutes. Then cut everything into bite sized pieces. Toast bread and sprinkle 4 pieces with cheese then top with the veggies and cover with the rest of the bread.

Asian, Lunch, Salads, Sides

Asian Salad

May 11, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Though the dish packs some calories, it is all good MUFA calories – olive oil, seeds, nuts. So I go ahead and eat it as a lunch instead of a side. The dressing is just superb – the soy added to the Italian dressing gives it such an Asian flair. And the added crunch from the ramen noodles make this a great salad !

12 servings
260 calories per serving

1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad dressing mix
1/3 c sugar
2 T soy sauce
2 3 oz. Packages of ramen noodles
2 16 oz. bags of coleslaw blend
4 green onions, sliced
½ c roasted sunflowers
½ c sliced almonds

Prepare salad dressing mix according to package instructions. Stir in sugar and soy. Break noodles and discard seasoning packet. Add coleslaw, onions, seeds and nuts, Mix and add dressing and toss to coat well.

Chicken, Lunch, Mexican

Chicken and Cheese Tostados

May 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I always find tostados a bit hard to eat – do you crack the tortilla and scoop? Do you pick it all up and eat it like a pizza? For this one, I folded the shell over like a taco 🙂 The flavors in this dish mix incredibly well and this is a GREAT lunch.

6 servings
280 calories per serving

6 6 inch flour tortillas
1 package (1.4 oz) taco seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts in bite sized pieces
½ c water
2 large tomatoes, chopped
7 oz. shredded non fat cheddar cheese
6 T low fat sour cream
¼ c chopped cilantro
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place tortillas on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam. Sprinkle with 1 t taco seasoning and bake 8 minutes or until tortillas are crisp and golden. Mix chicken with the rest of the seasoning mix and water and bring to a boil in a skillet then simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add 1 ½ c tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes them remove from heat and stir in 1 ¼ c cheese. Place the mix over the heated tortillas and then top with the rest of the tomatoes and cheese.

Asian, Lunch, Vegetables

Moo Shu Wraps

May 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is an excellent homemade version of vegetable moo shu that you can get at most Chinese restaurants. Hoisin sauce is available in the Asian section of most markets – be sure not to leave that out, it’s what makes this dish really authentic tasting.

8 wraps
150 calories per wrap

¼ c stir fry sauce
2 t cornstarch
3 c shredded Chinese cabbage / Napa cabbage
2 c fresh bean sprouts
1 c coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms
1/3 sliced green onions
2 medium carrots coarsely shredded
2 medium red bell pepper, in thin strips
16 t hoisin sauce
8 6 inch flour tortillas, heated
Pam

Combine stir fry sauce and cornstarch. Spray a skillet with Pam and heat to medium high then add cabbage, sprouts, mushrooms, onions, carrots and peppers and cook 5 minutes. Then add stir fry sauce and cook another 3 minutes. Spread 2 t hoisin sauce on each tortilla and then top each with veggie mix using a slotted spoon so liquid is left in the pan. Roll up each tortilla and serve with extra sauce and green onions.

Dinner, Lunch, Salads, Sides

Warm Potato Salad with Bacon Dressing

May 9, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Did somebody say BACON???? Hehehe The bacon in this dressing gives the dish a nice rich flavor. But mostly what you taste here is the ground mustard. If you’re a mustard fan, then you will love the taste of this potato salad.

6 servings
153 calories per serving

2 lb. red potatoes cut into large chunks
2 strips bacon chopped
1 shallot chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T cider vinegar
3 T apple juice
1 T stone ground mustard
¼ c parsley chopped
1/8 t salt
2 scallion, thinly sliced

Steam potatoes 20 minutes or until tender then cool for 10 minutes. Cook bacon 3 minutes and then add onion and garlic and cook until crisp then reduce heat to low and add vinegar, juice, mustard, parsley and salt and cook 2 minutes. Pour over the potatoes and toss well. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Fish, Lunch, Pasta, Salads

Pasta Salad with Tuna

May 7, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Always a favorite at BBQ’s, this pasta salad with tuna adds a healthy bed of spinach to the dish and the flavors mixed extraordinarily well.

4 servings
260 calories per serving

2 c uncooked Fibergourmet rotini pasta (using regular pasta, you add 80 calories per serving)
2 6 oz. cans fancy white albacore tuna canned in water, drained
¼ c finely chopped green onions
2/3 c frozen peas, thawed
2/3 c low fat creamy Italian salad dressing
1/8 t pepper
4 c fresh spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add flaked tuna, onions, peas, dressing and pepper and mix well the chill for at least 2 hours. To serve, place spinach on plates and top with pasta salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Kid Friendly, Lunch

Homemade Hot Pockets

May 6, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Even your kids won’t recognize the carrots inside so why not boost their veggie intake ?!? And for us adults, it just makes the meal more nutritious without sacrificing any of the flavor. This is definitely a great lunch paired with a side salad.

4 servings
265 calories per serving

10 oz. can refrigerated pizza dough
¼ c pizza sauce
¼ c finely shredded carrot
24 turkey pepperoni slices
1 T fat free grated parmesan
1 t garlic powder
1 t oregano flakes
2 slices fat free mozzarella cheese (1.5 oz), cut in half

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into a 12×12 square and then cut into 4 equal squares. Spread 1 T sauce on each square leaving about ½ inch border then top with carrot, pepperoni, garlic powder, oregano, and cheeses and fold each in half and press edges to seal them then bake 12-15 minutes on an ungreased sheet.

Breakfast, Lunch

Zucchini Frittata

May 6, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Frittatas make great breakfast, brunch and lunch fare. If you’ve never had one, they are basically crustless quiches. This one is has a great flavor and by using Egg Beaters, you end you with quite a low cal, low fat meal that still packs a very rich flavor.

6 servings
71 calories per serving

1 ½ c Egg Beaters
½ c shredded low fat swiss cheese
¼ c skim milk
½ t garlic powder
¼ t pepper
Pam
1 c shredded zucchini
1 medium tomato, chopped
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

Combine eggs, cheese, milk, garlic powder and pepper. Spray an oven safe skillet with Pam and on medium high heat cook the zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms until tender. Then put in egg mix and stir well. Cover and cook on low heat 15 minutes or until almost set. Remove the lid and place under a hot broiler for 2-3 minutes or until done. Cut into wedges like a pie and serve immediately.