Lunch Ideas

I take leftovers most of the time. When we don't have leftovers, I typically have my favorite lunch: 2 slices of proscuitto each stuffed with one Laughing Cow light cheese wedge, an apple cut up, 2T of peanut butter to dip it in, and 2 light Babybel cheese wedges. YUM!

When I'm sick of eating sandwiches, I eat a combination of 2-3 of the following things: can of tuna, Greek yogurt, apple/banana with peanut butter, strawberries, low fat string cheese.

Soup - this week it's tuscan bean with kale (and ground turkey) and sourdough crisps (bought at costco). Beef stew, veggie soup (i.e. throw it all in a crock pot and cook!), and chicken noodle are all good too.

Tuna - will mash with greek yogurt and ripe avocado and put on multigrain bread with whatever toppings you like (1 can lasts two days)

Pasta/rice - I made chicken breasts with quinoa pasta and veggie sauce the week before. Quinoa pasta is filling for me. I divide it up into 2 oz portions after I make it and then it's just grab and go.

4-6 oz meat with veggie - like pork loin with apple sauce, and sauteed spinach (very easy to make!) on the side. Oven fried sweet potatoes are good too.

Veggie pizza - I use whole wheat lavash and bake with sauce (or boursin as white "sauce"), tomatoes, spinach, mushroom, artichokes, (whatever veggies I have on hand), and a bit of parmesan/romano and cheddar.

BLT salad (higher in fat) - mash avocado with chopped tomatoes and cooked bacon. Roll in cheese slices (can get at deli so thinner slices). Seriously good.

If all else fails (I get lazy!), sunflower butter and jelly on multigrain bread with carrot sticks and an apple.

Snacks - green smoothie, yogurt (I sweeten my own and put my own toppings in), hard boiled egg, 1 oz of cheddar, apples, kiwi, carrot sticks, cinnamon almonds. Snacks are just as important as the meal to me...if I have enough, I won't wander to the vending machine.

I like having leftovers. Sometimes I specifically make a big batch of something just for lunches too. Today I have stir fried veggies (bagged oriental mixed veggies + sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger) with chicken potstickers. One of my favorites is a turkey burger with guacamole on it though. I like the trader joe's turkey burgers (cook them in the morning, night before or weekend before), heated up and then topped with Wholly Guacamole (they have 100 calorie packs now too).