It can get boring having the same meal for lunch every day. Don’t forget that there are a variety of meals that can provide the energy that you need to feel full and energized. It’s possible to find meals with similar nutritional values that provide a variety of flavors and presentations to keep you excited about your lunch. The key to finding recipes that fit into your daily needs is to remember that you’re looking for meals similar amounts of grain, protein, vegetables, and fat sources, but they can be prepped and mixed any way that you like. Here are some examples to get you started! For more ideas, be sure to reach out to a Registered Dietitian!
Greek Chicken Pita:
Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat pita, cut into two to make pockets
2 oz. chicken breast, shredded
¼ cup diced tomato
¼ cup cucumber
1 Tablespoon chopped red onion
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup mixed greens
2 Tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
Directions:
Mix chicken, vegetables, feta, lemon juice, and oregano
Toast pita (if desired)
Fill pita with the mixture and enjoy!
Nutritional Info:
333 Calories
35 g CHO
28 g Pro
9 g Fat
Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
3 oz. grilled chicken
2 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup mixed vegetables
1 medium sized apple, chopped on salad
1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Nutritional Info:
386 Calories
40 g CHO
25 g Pro
14 g Fat
Chicken and Vegetable Lemon Stir-fry (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
1 pound Chicken breast
½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
6 cloves chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bunch asparagus
2 cups brown rice
Directions:
Combine chicken broth and soy sauce in a bowl
In a separate bowl, combine water and cornstarch and stir
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, when hot add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the asparagus and cook until tender (about 3-4 minutes)
Add the garlic and the ginger and cook until golden (about 1 minute) and set aside
Increase the heat to high, then add 2 teaspoons of oil and cook chicken until browned and cooked through. Set chicken aside.
Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture and stir well.
When it simmers, return the asparagus and chicken to the pan and stir.
Remove from heat and serve over brown rice.
Nutritional Info (per serving):
372 Calories
42 g CHO
33 g Pro
8 g Fat
School lunch: Turkey and Swiss Sandwich, Banana and Peanut butter
Ingredients:
2 oz. turkey breast
2 pieces of 100% whole wheat bread
1 slice Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon mustard
1 medium sized banana
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
Nutritional Info:
343 Calories
36 g CHO
25 g Pro
11 g fat
Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Soup
Ingredients: (prepares about 6 servings)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (raw)
1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium onion)
1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry quinoa
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (7 cups)
1 (15.5 oz) can Great Northern or Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups packed kale, roughly chopped (thick ribs chopped and discarded)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Add chicken to a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker, then add onions, celery and garlic, then drizzle with olive oil.
Add quinoa (for a more firm textured quinoa add during last 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking, per reviewers comments), thyme, rosemary and pour in chicken broth.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3 1/2 – 4 hours or LOW 7 – 8 hours.
Remove chicken, let rest 10 minutes then cut into bite size pieces and return to soup. Meanwhile, add in beans, kale, parsley and lemon juice, then cover and continue to cook on HIGH heat another 10 – 20 minutes until kale has reached desired doneness.
Serve warm
Nutritional Information (per 1 cup):
378 Calories
41 g Carbohydrates
31 g Protein
10 g Fat
Chicken Avocado Caprese Wrap
Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat tortilla wrap
2 oz. grilled chicken
1 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 tomato, sliced
1/4 avocado, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup fresh arugula
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Layer slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese, grilled and avocado on the tortilla
Add chicken and arugula
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
Season with salt and pepper
Fold the tortilla and enjoy!
Nutritional Info:
442 Calories
44 g CHO
35 g Pro
14 g Fat
Add a Comment