The southwestern Black Bean mix sounds good! And so does the bruschetta. Have you tried the Cajun chicken salad recipe here at Sparks? It's so easy because you mix Salza with Blackened seasoning while you fry your chicken breast meat. Then you serve it on your green salad! I'm going to mix up a good size batch for lunches this week!
MAXMASCH 9/9/07 2:50 P
CAT6464--This is a great idea.
I made a Southwestern Corn and Black Bean mix and put it on everything to jazz it up. I added it to my eggs like an omelet...but it is good on a sandwich too! I'm going to try the BRUCHETTA.
CAT6464 9/9/07 2:37 P
My latest fave is an alternative to sandwiches.
On Sundays, I make a big batch of homemade BRUSCHETTA mix.....chopped tomatoes, onions, green peppers, basil, oregano, pepper, oil, and a bit of balsamic. I mix it together in a big tupperware and it's good for the week.
Then in the morning, I just grab 2 pieces of weight watchers bread, put some bruschetta mix in a smaller tupperware. I toast my bread at work and pour the mix over top.
Fast, easy and YUMMY.
MAXMASCH 9/3/07 7:58 P
Keep the ideas coming Heartolove......appreciate your willingness to share such great success ideas!
HEARTOLOVE 9/3/07 7:49 P
Thank you! I have eaten healthy most of the last 10 years. I use to be able to eat "anything" until I was about 36 and the ol' Metab slowed down! My hubby is a runner and that got me on the health track. I just wanted to share another easy cheap lunch idea.
Today we got two 12 inch subs at Subway. They are 2 for 8$. Hubby ate his for dinner! I cut mine up into 4 pieces and "bagged" them for lunches this week! I'll bring along pretzels and fruit!
PCOLABEACHBUM 9/3/07 2:11 P
My fave is Holiday chicken salad from allrecipes.com (ff mayo of course). I make it on Sunday and have leftovers for the week for lunch. I'll put it in a low-fat/carb wrap or on a nice salad. The protein keep you feeling full. I also like just tuna from the pouch and some fresh fruit.
MAXMASCH 8/25/07 11:09 A
Heartolove---thanks for the great ideas. You can tell you have put an honest effort to staying on track!
SJM2002 8/23/07 11:32 P
I'm a big fan of homemade lunchables, just cut up some low-fat cheese, bag up some deli turkey, and bring along some low-fat crackers. If you have a fridge at work bring in some full containers of cottage cheese and yogurt and bag salads that you could eat throughout the week. I usually try and give myself a treat throughout the day so I buy 100 calories packs whenever they go on sale.
LEARNINGDAILY 8/21/07 11:13 A
I'm very big on meal planning so on Sunday's I'll roast a whole chicken (or 2 - I have a 16 year old who eats HUGE volumes of food and is as skinny as a stick). For me meal planning DOES mean having "planned leftovers". And it IS cheap...a whole chicken is $.49/pound here while a roasted one from the grocery is $6.99, and KFC is @ $14 & chock full of bad things.
If you did a chicken, for the week, that would give you a couple of dinners for 2 (roast chicken with steamed veggies & salad, a large salad topped with chicken, strawberries, pine nuts and peppers, etc.) and at least a couple of quick & easy lunches (knock-off's of a McDonald's chicken wrap without the sauce, chicken quesidilla's, chicken & veggie soup, low cal chicken salad in a whole wheat pita).
The prep time for a roasted chicken is 15 minutes. The prep time for all the veggie's you'd use for hte week would be about 30 minutes. If you don't like that many chicken dishes in one week, freeze the meat already cubed or shredded for easy, quick, cheap meals in the future.
You can do the same thing with boiled turkey sausage links (philly style turkey sausage sandwiches, turkey sausage with pasta primavera, gumbo, sausage & potatoe egg scramble, etc.). Or lean ground sirloin/beef (lettuce wrap tacos, chili, stroganoff, tortilla soup, etc.). Or grilled salmon (veggie salad topped with chilled salmon, pasta de mer, salmon-salad in a whole wheat pita, salmon & spinach quiche, etc.).
Just my personal view...if you want to chat more, pm me.
TRAVELINGMEL27 8/20/07 11:38 P
I have gotten into the habit of making a couple pots of soup or stew on Sundays. This gets my husband and I through the week, as far as lunches are concerned. We just throw the soup into ziploc containers and throw together a simple salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, olive oil/balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
When I don't have time to cook, I rely on Amy's Organics canned soups. There are "about 2" servings per can, but most are low in calories, so the whole can is about 200 calories. This goes well with any bagged salad. Soup and salad is a great lunch option regarding of the season! good luck!
HEARTOLOVE 8/20/07 8:28 P
10 lunches you can make in 10 minutes or less!
It only takes 10 minutes to pack lunch at my house!
#1 idea, Make extra salad or entree for dinner the night before and pack it for your lunch! #2 Idea, Mini bagels are great! I take a kraft single and tomatoe slice for each sandwich, two are about right. #3, Hummus and baby carrots or various pre cut veggies. #4, You can grab what you need and assemble it at work. I sometimes take my lunch meat right in the package and grab two pieces of bread etc. #5. Lunch doesn't have to be a sandwhich, Cottage cheese, an apple, Tortilla chips, south beach diet cookies, string cheese, All make up a lunch. Single serving yogurts are great too. #6. Saltine crackers are easy to carry and it only takes a few secs to put some p-nut butter in a baggie to spread on top. #7. Fresh fruit carries well in a baggie.Grapes are great! apples are already wrapped! #8. If work has a toaster Eggos can be easily made! or bring them with you toasted. #9.Morning star has great veggie corn dogs that can be nuked. "Trust me" sounds yuckie but... They R good! #10.I have even made a morning star veggie sausage and egg muffin from scratch at work. How long does that take to put that in a lunch box? And your co workers will want one!
RULE # 11. REISIST THE URGE TO GO THRU THE DRIVE THRU!
BONNEYBLUE 8/17/07 9:37 P
Hormel Compleats makes a great hot lunch and only between 200-250 cal. if you have access to a microwave.
SHAPS777 8/17/07 9:05 P
Do you have a refrigerator at work and a place like a countertop to fix a meal? If so, just once a week bring a bag with you with a couple of tomatoes, some packaged coleslaw or salad, perhaps a cucumber or onion or carrots or boiled eggs. Then if you keep cans of tuna, salmon, crabmeat or shrimp in your desk drawer you can always fix a salad with some protein. I keep a can operner and a sharp knife to cut up food, a fork and paper plates plus plastic containers to store leftovers and fix my own meals which are tastier and cheaper than any takeout. If you have a mcrowave as well, the possibilities are endless. It doesn't take any more time to do this than it would do go to a takeout place to order a meal.
CBMCROBE 8/17/07 5:32 P
I am in the same boat. I work 9 to 9 every day and I don't have time for preparation work or long cook time. I need healthy, quick, inexpensive ideas for lunch and or dinner. Today I had breakfast food. Egg beaters, bacon, and cut up cucumbers and tomatoes. It was filling, low calorie, and healthy. But I can't eat it everyday! I need ideas!
BABYNESS 8/17/07 5:01 P
I know that's asking a lot! Any ideas?
I saw a recipe a while ago for like a veggie spread and a bread to go with it? I'm not exactly sure what they were but it looks good. If you have an idea of what I'm talking about can you please post the recipe?
thanks in advance.
ALso. I'm not really a picky eater. I eat just about everything but olives, spinach, and green beans.
