Need Some Serious Food Ideas Over Here

Oh, you poor thing. That is an awful lunch!! And not nutritious at all. Make your own soups!!

South of the Border Soup

1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground chicken
1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no salt diced tomatoes, pureed
1-1/4 cups water

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Crumble ground chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls.

In a large saucepan, brown meatballs; drain if necessary. Add the picante sauce, corn, beans, pureed tomatoes and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

1/2 large onion
1 jalepeno, seeded
1-2 cloves of garlic
splash of white wine
chicken broth (amt dependent on desire consistency)
touch of olive oil
can of black beans drained
sprig of fresh tyme
bayleaf
salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion, jalepeno, and garlic in a little olive oil. Add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Before serving remove tyme and bayleaf and pour half into a blender and puree. Add back to pot, stir together and serve.

Crock Pot Pepper Chicken with Stewed Tomatoes Recipe

Talk about an easy way to create a healthy lunch or dinner that has a balance of protein, fiber, fat and Carbs. All you need is a few ingredients and a crock pot and electricity. After a long day at work it is nice to arrive home with a hot meal ready to be served. This crock pot recipe is practical, proven and provided to save you time and energy. Enjoy!

Note: You may substitute 16 ounces of cubed tofu for the chicken breasts.

Ingredients:

4 - 4 oz skinless chicken breasts
2 green bell peppers, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 - 12 oz can Muir Glen organic stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup non-fat Italian dressing

Method:

Place chicken breasts, green bell peppers, carrots, stewed tomatoes and non-fat Italian dressing in the slow cooker or crock pot and cook all day on low.

Serves: 4

Approximate nutritional value per serving: 293 calories (39 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 4.4 grams of fat).

Super Fast Soup

Serves 2

1 can Progresso Hearty Tomato Soup
2 chicken breast fillet's
1/2 cup long grain, wild rice, uncooked
1/4 cup Mexican-style shredded cheese

Directions:

Cook rice according to directions on package. [This will make 1 cup of rice.] Cover and set aside.

Place chicken breast fillet's on a microwaveable plate, cover, and microwave about 4 minutes [or until no longer pink - time will vary with each microwave, so watch this closely!]. When done, place on cutting board and cube chicken into small pieces.

Pour can of soup into a medium sauce pan. Add 1/4 cup water to thin it somewhat [it will be too thick without adding the water]. Next add the chicken and rice. Heat thoroughly.

Ladle, dividing evenly, into two bowls.

Top with cheese.

Spinach and Bean Soup

I love this soup! I make a big batch of it. I can have 1 & 1/2 cups and I either add some chicken or shrimp as my protein. Of course, always a salad on the side with some kind of low fat dressing. I really like Bolthouse honey mustard dressing. It's yogurt based and delicious. Once we are done with our dinner, I let it cook then put 1 & 1/12 cups into individual Ziplocs and freeze them. I always have something to take out for lunch or dinner.

1 tsp evoo
1 lb leeks well rinsed, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup water
1 15 oz can no salt added navy beans (i have other beans already in the house i will be using)
14.5 can low sodium veg broth (don't have this so will use chicken)
14.5 can no salt added chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 9 oz package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, quartered (will not be using these)
6 oz firm textured rice pasta
3 tbsp freshly grated parm cheese

Portion size: 1 & 1/2 cups

Hope these help!

It seems that anything that comes in a can has high sodium. Here are some ideas for homemade soups. Perhaps you could make a batch and freeze individual portions to be pulled out, heated up and taken to work?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00498 - Creamy Asparagus Soup


http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00543 Potato Fennel Soup

http://www.drgourmet.com/recipes/soup/beefstew-ls.shtml - beef stew

http://www.chfpatients.com/rec/recS16.htm - turkey meatball soup - (when you look at the sodium count - that's for all 10 servings)
http://www.chfpatients.com/rec/recS4.htm - beef barley soup - same note as above regarding sodium count

I have not personally made these - but they're from some of my favorite places to look for low sodium recipes

I agree with the cooler idea...take a cooler with an ice pack that will allow you to take fruit and vegies (carrot and celery sticks) w/ organic ranch or cucumber yogurt. Also as for soups...since it is almost summer time you can take a fruit soup...I know it sounds weird, but blend watermelon and canteloup and you have an instant, yet cold soup...I also always enjoy a good tomatoe soup as well.

If you buy a cooler you can also take pita bread and hummus - this is very filling and it gives you protein that you need!!

For a cold soup there is Gazpacho, and also Carrot soup that is good both warm and cold. Don't have the recipes on hand sorry, but they are easy recipes to find. Good luck to you.

Also you can get some really easy togo containers at walmart for salads on the go. the brand is stayfit I believe, you won't need a fridge because the top freezes so it keeps everything fresh.

Gazpacho! It's meant to be served cold, and if you had it in your thermos all morning it would help the flavors get all nice and blended.

They have some lunch bags that have small ice paks you can use. Also...a wide mouth thermos could be used for hot or cold items. I think you have options....you just need some new "tools!"