Healthy Lunches in a Pinch

Health

By Grace Azaula, 2020

Published 09/20/19

Left: BLT with avacado (Photo courtesy of gatherforbread.com); Right: oatmeal pancakes (Photo courtesy of modernhoney.com)

Option #1-Salad with homemade salad dressing

This is a super easy, super healthy meal that can be prepared way ahead of time. Pair it with some pretzels and a granola bar and you’re golden.

Ingredients (salad):

One head of romaine lettuce and/or other mixed greens

1/4 of a regular cucumber or 1/2 a pickling cucumber

Pre-sliced carrots

1/8 cup of a nut of choice

Any other toppings you want

Directions (salad):

  1. Wash one head of romaine lettuce and cut it up. Place it in the container (if opting to use other mixed greens, skip this step)

  2. Slice 1/4 of a regular cucumber or a 1/2 of a pickling cucumber up into small pieces. Add on top of lettuce

  3. Add pre-sliced carrots

  4. Take about 1/8 of a cup of your favorite nut and add it to the salad. Add any additional toppings you want (peppers, tomatoes, grilled chicken, etc.)


Ingredients (dressing):

1) Olive oil

2) Balsamic vinaigrette

3) 1 clove of garlic

4) 1 teaspoon of ground mustard

5) 1 pinch of salt

6) 1 pinch of ground black pepper

Directions (dressing, recipe from Allrecipes.com)

1) Whisk all ingredients together and enjoy!


Option #2-BLT with avocado

A classic sandwich with a healthy, satisfying twist

Ingredients:

  • 2 strips of bacon

  • Multigrain wrap

  • 1/4-1/2 an avocado

  • Half a heart of romaine lettuce

  • 1/2 a ripe tomato

Directions:

  1. Cook two strips of bacon (can microwave for about 2 minutes or can pan fry, bake, etc).

  2. As the bacon is cooking, lay out a medium sized multigrain wrap

  3. Cut an avocado in half. Remove pit. Take out 1/4-1/2 of the avocado and spread it across the wrap

  4. Once crispy, crumple up the bacon and put it over the avocado

  5. Cut up 1/2 a tomato into slices and add into the wrap

  6. Cut up about half a heart of romaine lettuce and add it into the wrap

  7. Roll up wrap and cut in half

  8. Secure each half with a toothpick and put in a sandwich container to go!


Option #3-Breakfast for lunch (Oatmeal pancakes)

This one is a little bit more time consuming, but great for meal prep and a sweet tooth!

(recipe from modernhoney.com)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of milk or almond milk

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 egg white

  • 1 banana

  • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

  • 1 1/2 cup of rolled oats

  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder

  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Optional: blueberries, chocolate chips, etc.

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth (not including the optional ingredients)

  2. Add optional ingredients to the batter

  3. Heat non-stick skillet to medium heat and add non-stick spray

  4. Add 1/4 cup of batter into pan to format 1 pancake. Flip once bubbles begin to form and pop

  5. Continue until all batter is gone