Healthy Lunches

As I mentioned before, I am a social worker.  I regularly find myself in the car all day, or having emergencies when i expect to be in the office all day.   I don't make lunch too often for myself because I know myself, and if my lunch sits in the car with me all day,  I am not going to want it when it comes time to eat.  

Here are some meals I have found at some fast food placed that are actually pretty good for you!

 Wendys Mandarin Chicken Salad
This is a grilled chicken salad with mandarin oranges.   It comes with sliced almonds and wonton noodles, and a oriental sesame dressing.

I use only the almonds, and throw away the noodles. Like that the salad is only 330 calories!  Now of course you need dressing!  I usually used honey mustard and only use a very small amount. So it probably adds about 60 calories.   This I used to eat constantly when I did South Beach diet.   Although mandarin oranges are fruit and therefore carbs, citric fruits don't raise your blood sugar as much or as fast as other fruits.

 Wendy's Taco Salad

I LOVE spicy food.  This salad is great because its made with chili.  
Again i customize this, and throw away the tortilla strips, I only use half the dressing, and half the sour cream.  So it ends up being around 500 calories. 

I also like spicy foods because they cause you to drink more water! 

I also love Wendy's becuase their website allows you to customize what  toppings you eat on the salad, and it will tell you an exact calorie count and nutrition information

McDonalds Southwest Salad with grilled chicken.

This is so yummy.  Its grilled chicken, oven-roasted tomatoes, fire-roasted corn, savory black beans, poblano peppers, shredded cheddar and jack cheeses, chili lime tortilla strips and a fresh-sliced lime wedge on the side.
Again, I scrape off the tortilla strips and only use half the dressing.  So it ends up being around 375 calories. 

Bottom Line, Its all about portion control and making the right choices.   Obviously fast food is not the best option for lunch, but when you make the right choices you can get a decent meal that wont ruin your diet!

Healthy Recipe - Pesto Tilapia

This is one of my favorite quick, easy, and healthy dinners!  I love fish, and I love pesto, so its a great combination.  I usually serve this with some vegetable on the side, like green beans, or asparagus. 

The pesto is made with just basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and olive oil. The recipe states to grind it in a mortar and pestle. I dont own one, so what I do is grind it in a mini food processor (the magic bullet from the informercial)I have a real food processor as well, but the pesto sauce is so small that it fits better in the magic bullet.   This is what it looks like












Heres the recipe!


Ingredients:

Tilapia with Homemade Pesto

* 1 1/2 bunches fresh basil (about 1 1/2 cups lightly packed)
* 4 ounces toasted pine nuts
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 pieces (6 ounces each) fresh tilapia
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Preheat broiler. Grind the basil, pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese with a mortar and pestle (or magic bullet) until a smooth paste forms. Slowly add 1/4 cup of olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor instead.

Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and cook the fish for 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side or until it turns light golden brown. Flip the fish over and spoon the pesto generously over the fish.

Transfer pan to the broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Remove fish from broiler and allow to rest on a plate. Serve fish hot.

Another Yummy Breakfast!

I LOVE breakfast/brunch foods.   Unfortunately, they are not all so healthy!  One of my favorite things to make on the weekend when I have more time, is omelette's!  My old obsession was an omelet with green and red peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese.  My NEW obsession is even easier!

I buy 100 calorie packs of guacamole

and fresh salsa (ingredients - tomato, cucumber, green pepper, red pepper, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, tomato juice, garlic, poblano pepper, serrano pepper)

I cook 2 eggs as if i was making a regular omelet, when its about done, cut a small hole in the guacamole packet (i used half)  squeeze out half the packed onto the omelet, fold it in half, then dump some salsa on top!

this is what it looks like

my favorite breakfast

On my quest to eat healthy, I have found this to be one of my favorite yummy/but also good for you options.   I use organic greek yogurt, whatever berries I have at home at the moment, and granola with flax seeds. I think yogurt is one of the best things you can eat, but alot of the more popular ones (light and fit, yoplait) have so many chemicals and articicial things in them they loose all nutritional benefit.  When you read the label on the yogurt, it should also say "contains active cultures" such as acidopholis, bifidis, casei.   If it doesnt list active cultures there is no point in eating it!   I also am allergic to splenda so I couldnt eat light and fit anyway!

What I REALLY want is a yogurt maker - but i am think i might be afraid to try my own yogurt if i did make it!  

What are some of your favorite breakfasts?