Tag Archives: Lunch

Mushroom and Feta Salad

September 24, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This has sooooo much flavor in it that you just want to keep eating and eating ! It was just a perfect mix of ingredients and makes a great lunch serving.

2 servings
270 calories per serving

6 T Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing, divided
2 large Portobello mushroom caps
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
5 c mixed salad greens
½ c chopped roasted red peppers
½ c low fat crumbled feta cheese
2 T toasted pine nuts

Brush mushrooms and squash with oil and 2 T of the dressing, Grill or broil 3-4 minutes each side and then cut mushrooms into slices. Add mushrooms and squash to lettuce and peppers. Add the rest of the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts and serve immediately.

To toast nuts, heat a dry skillet and sauté nuts 5 minutes or so. You will know they are done because you will star to smell the nutty aroma 🙂

Dinner, Lunch, Sides, Vegetables

Breaded Tomatoes

September 23, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is high cal for a vegetable dish but served as a lunch alongside some tuna sprinkled with lemon, it’s a nice change. You don’t even need to wait for good summer tomatoes, because the cooking brings out the sweetness.

4 servings
285 calories per serving

Pam
1 1/2 c plain breadcrumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 T lemon zest
2 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with Pam. In a bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese, zest and oil. Add salt and pepper. Slice tomatoes and arrange in dish. Season with salt and pepper and top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Dinner, MUFAs, Pork, Salads, Summer

Grilled Pork Salad

September 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This tasted equally as good all nestled inside a wrap for easy portability…what a great brown bag lunch !

4 servings
400 calories per serving

¼ c oil
2 T lime juice
1 T Dijon mustard
½ t salt
1 lb. pork tenderloin
Raspberry Vinaigrette
3 bunches watercress torn into pieces
1 small peach, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ c raspberries

Mix oil, lime, mustard, and salt in a zip loc bag and add pork. Mix up and refrigerate in the sealed bag at least 1 hour. Heat grill and cook pork 10 minutes each side or until done. Cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices and set ½ of it aside for another meal. Arrange meat on watercress pieces and drizzle with vinaigrette then garnish with fruit.

Vinaigrette
¼ c oil
2 T raspberry vinegar
1 t honey
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard

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Kid Friendly, Lunch, Sandwiches

Grilled Cheese and Bacon

September 18, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Grilled cheese – only better… because bacon makes everything better ! And only 140 calories ! Go ahead – have 2 🙂

1 serving
140 calories per serving

2 slices 45 calorie bread
2 slices turkey bacon
2 slices Kraft fat free singles
10 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
Pam

Cook bacon according to package instructions. Spray pan with Pam and heat – make sure pan is good and hot on medium high heat. Make sandwich of the bread, bacon and cheese. Spray outsides of the sandwich with 5 sprays each of ICBINB. Place in pan and cook 1-2 minutes or so each side or until brown and cheese is melted.

Lunch, Salads, Vegetables

Chopped Salad

September 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The idea of a chopped salad is to get all the ingredients chopped uniformly and small – otherwise, it is just not a chopped salad ! And to me, prepping things in this fashion DOES make a difference in the flavor of the salad. There is something about getting a bunch of the ingredients in your mouth at the same time – it just makes for a flavor explosion !

6 servings
200 calories per serving

1/2 c white balsamic vinegar
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 large peach, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 c coarsely chopped arugula or spring mix or any other crisp greens
1 c thinly sliced napa cabbage
3 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oz. crumbed low fat goat cheese
½ c slivered almonds or pine nuts, toasted
1 large hard boiled egg, sliced
Smoked paprika

Mix together all the veggies with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and then add in cheese and almonds. Top with eggs and sprinkle with paprika.

To toast the almonds, simply place in a hot skillet and sauté until toasty and starting to brown.

Appetizers, Lunch, Vegetables

Quiche with Rice Crust

September 3, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is an excellent quiche – no one would ever know you never even opened the oven ! The Swiss cheese is just perfect with the spinach and mushrooms. And the crust is so much more flavorful than a regular crust. You’ll definitely make this one again and again.

8 servings
116 calories per serving

1 ½ c cooked brown rice
1 c shredded low fat swiss cheese
¾ c Egg Beaters
¼ t curry powder
10 oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed and pressed dry in a colander
¾ c evaporated skim milk
½ c sliced mushrooms
2 T chopped shallots
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper

Combine rice, ½ c cheese, ¼ c Egg Beaters and curry and press into the bottom of a 9” glass pie plate. Microwave 4 minutes or until firm. Combine spinach, milk, mushrooms, onion, spices, ½ c cheese and ½ c Egg Beaters and mix well then pour into the crust and microwave on 50% power 20 minutes (rotate it every 5 minutes or so if your microwave does not have a turntable) or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Chicken, Lunch, Salads

Chicken Salad with Artichokes

August 30, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Lunch salads don’t have to be the same boring thing day in and day out. This one has marinated grilled chicken and artichokes giving it a great Italian flavor.

2 servings
390 calories per serving

½ c lite Italian dressing
½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 c torn arugula
2 c torn romaine leaves or other greens
14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts
2 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 fresh basil leaves cut into strips

Pour ¼ c dressing over chicken and refrigerate ½ hour. Heat grill and cook chicken 6-8 minutes each side or until done then cut into strips. Combine arugula and lettuce and top with artichokes, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, basil and the rest of the dressing.

Chicken, Lunch, Mexican, Soups

Chicken Posole Soup

August 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I think this is the Mexican version of leftover soup – a bit of salsa, a bit of hominy, a bit of chicken, a bit of cilantro – – and all seasoned with cumin, that wonderful spice that makes it taste so rich.

4 servings
194 calories per serving

4 c fat free chicken broth
15.5 oz. can white hominy, drained
¾ c tomatillo salsa (often called salsa verde)
2 c shredded cooked chicken breast
1 ½ t cumin
½ c chopped fresh cilantro

Mix broth, hominy and salsa and bring to a boil. Toss chicken with cumin and add to broth and simmer 10 minutes. Place in bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Lunch, Pork, Sandwiches

Cuban Sandwich

August 20, 2010 admin 2 Comments

Add in some ham and this is a pretty authentic sandwich – it’s just on whole wheat slices rather than a roll. But for only 285 calories, I’ll give up a little authenticity – and you don’t have to give up on ANY of the flavor ! You can add some mustard if you like, but I like this one plain.

1 serving
285 calories per serving

2 oz. cooked leftover pork, sliced thin (slices from Grilled Pork Roast are great)
2 slices whole wheat lite bread (45 calories per slice)
1 slice light Swiss cheese (70 calories)
2 sandwich stacker pickles, patted dry
Pam
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray

Make a sandwich of the pork, cheese and pickles. Heat a grill pan or frying pan and spray with Pam. Spray one side of the sandwich with 5-10 spritzes of ICBINB spray and lay the sprayed side down. Grill 3 minutes pressing down on the sandwich lightly. Spray the top of the sandwich with ICBINB and flip then continue cooking 2-3 minutes.

Lunch, Mexican, Salads

Black Bean and Corn Salad

August 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Nutritious, full of fiber, satisfying, filling, extremely portable – this is a great lunch salad.

4 servings
350 calories per serving

1 c frozen corn
½ c French dressing
2 t chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
4 c chopped romaine lettuce
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
¼ c sliced green onions
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 c coarsely chopped blue tortilla chips
¼ c chopped cilantro

Cook corn according to package directions then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Combine dressing with chipotle chilies. Combine corn, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, beans and cheese then add dressing and mix well. Garnish with chips and cilantro.