What's For Lunch Wednesday: Healthier Egg Salad

I used to love having egg salad sandwiches for lunch when I was a kid.  I didn't love how it smelled up my locker and everyone looked at me funny when I pulled out the stinky sandwich, but it was worth it. This recipe still uses mayonnaise but at least it packs a little more healthiness with the greek yogurt. It was very tasty, although I may have pulsed the eggs a little too much, so next time I will do one or 2 less so that I have bigger chunks of eggs

What's For Lunch Wednesday: Healthier Egg Salad 
From: The Yummy Life
Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:
6-8 Hard Boiled Eggs
Plain Greek Yogurt
Mayonnaise,
Dill
Salt and Pepper
Lettuce
Wheat Pita Pocket (or other roll)

Directions:
1. Place hard boiled eggs in food processor and give them a few quick pulses (7-12) until chopped (you don't want them pureed.

2. Mince the dill (not stalks). Combine in a bowl with some yogurt, mayo, salt and pepper (all ingredients to taste)

3. Add chopped eggs and stir with a fort, using a light touch.

4. In a pita, roll, or some bread and fill with some egg salad and lettuce if desired.

BBQ Chopped Chicken, Chick Pea, and Avocado Salad

I saw this salad on Pinterest and was intrigued by the use of BBQ sauce as a dressing.  It includes all the toppings I really like to use in my salads and the BBQ gave it a bit of a different flavor than my usual dressing.  The recipe called for goat cheese, but we used feta because Bill isn't a fan of goat cheese (although I love it and would have preferred to use goat cheese).  This was good to make for dinner and then have the leftovers for lunch the next day, you just need to keep the bbq sauce on the side.

What's for Lunch Wednesday:
BBQ Chopped Chicken, Chick Pea, and Avocado Salad
From: Ambitious Kitchen
Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:
Romain Lettuce Hearts, washed and chopped
1 cup pulled cooked chicken
1 (15oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3/4 cup sweet corn (I used canned)
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
1/3 cup cilantro, washed and chopped
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 cup BBQ dressing/sauce, if desired

Directions:
1. In a large bowl and lettuce, top with all ingredients except for avocado and bbq sauce.  Toss salad gently

2.  Place into salad bowls.  Garnish with diced avocado and drizzle with bbq sauce. Serve with tortilla chips if desired.

Tempeh Strips with Peanut Sauce and Broccoli

I know this seems like it doesn't fit wit some of my other recipes, and it doesn't.  But I'm trying to eat healthier and sometimes I like to branch out a little bit, outside my comfort zone and try something I wouldn't even suspect of myself.  I got this from my T25 nutrition guide which has a lot of healthy ideas.  T25 is a BeachBody program that I have been enjoying lately, and with it I've been trying to eat cleaner.

This recipe appealed to me because I always like peanut sauce and broccoli.  When I had a week off before starting my current job, I decided to try some of the ideas in the book.  It took me a bit to find some Tofu section at the grocery store (did you know it is near the produce?  At least it is in my grocery store). My Grocery store didn't have Tempeh so I used extra firm Tofu instead. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this lunch and how filling it was.  I even made it again the next day.  The only thing I didn't like about it was that it isn't very practical for anyone who is at work all day.  I'm glad I tried something new though, and maybe I'll be a little more adventures and try some more tofu dishes in the future.

Tempeh Strips with Peanut Sauce and Broccoli
From: T25 Nutrition
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 13 min

Ingredients:
2 tsp all natural almond (or peanut) butter
2 tsp rice vinegar (divided)
1 1/2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce (divided)
4 oz tempeh, cut into thin strips
1 cup broccoli

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.  cover baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly coat with spray.

2. Combine almond butter, 1 1/2 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Combine tempeh strips with remaining 1/2 tsp vinegar, and remaining 1/2 tsp soy sauce in a medium bowl.

4. Place tempeh on prepared baking pan.  Bake for 8 minutes, turn and bake fore 5 more minutes or until golden.

5.  Steam broccoli until desired tenderness.

6. Serve tempeh strips with steamed broccoli and almond/peanut sauce.

What's For Lunch Wednesday: Turkey, Goat Cheese, Peppers, and Avocado Roll Up

It is pretty well documented on this blog and with anyone who knows me that I don't really like bread (with a couple exceptions).  This idea from my Beach Body T25 nutrition book appealed to me since it is basically a sandwich without bread.. but I did change it up a little bit.  It was a nice combination of smooth in the goat cheese and avocado, salty in the turkey, and crunch in the peppers.  It was super easy to put together and filling (and easy to bring to work). You could easily add any veggies to this, but I liked this combo, although some red/yellow/orange peppers would make it a little more colorful! 

What's for Lunch Wednesday: Turkey, Goat Cheese, Peppers, and Avocado Roll Up
From: Elizabeth - inspired by BB T25
Prep time: 5 min

Ingredients:
Sliced Turkey (preferably nitrate free)
Goat Cheese
Sliced Peppers (Any Color)
Avocado slices

Directions:
1. Lay Turkey slices flat, spread a thin layer of coat cheese on turkey.

2. Place avocado and pepper on turkey and roll up turkey around them. Enjoy!

What's for Lunch Wednesday: Greek Yogurt with Strawberries, Raw Honey, and Almonds

I've been trying to cut out sugar except for natural sugars like fruit and raw honey.  So when someone in my beachbody challenge group suggested the combo of greek yogurt, strawberries, almonds, and honey, I was all over it.  It is really tasty and sweet, plus it is really filling.  You can eat this with your lunch or as a snack in the morning or afternoon.  It keeps the craving for candy in the afternoon at bay!


What's for Lunch Wednesday: Greek Yogurt with Strawberries, Raw Honey, and Almonds
From: Elizabeth's Dutch Oven
Prep time: 5 min

Ingredients:
1 cup (or one small container) plain greek yogurt
5-7 large strawberries, sliced
handful of almonds
1-2 Tbsp Raw Honey

Directions:
1. Clean and slice strawberries

2. Place greek yogurt in a bowl and top with strawberries, almonds, and drizzle with honey.  Enjoy!

What's For Lunch Wednesday: Veggie Hummus Pita

I decided to try something new, as you can probably tell from the name of the post, it is called What's For Lunch Wednesday.  I struggle with coming up with healthy lunches (or snacks) for work.  So I am going to start doing What's For Lunch Wednesday to share some of the things I'm coming up with to eat at work, and I'm hoping you will share in the comments what you are eating to give me some more ideas.  I don't promise I will post every Wednesday but I'm going to try to do it at least 2 times a month.  Also, since I will be at work, I won't have any pictures of the ingredients and most of my pictures will be taken at my desk with my iphone.

When I lived in Holland there was a place called Nature's Market that I used to like to go to get a sandwich.  I'm not really a fan of a traditional sandwich but this place had really good whole grain bread and I would get the hummus and veggie sandwich. I decided to try to make my own to bring for lunch. The beauty of this is you can use whatever veggies you want (or whatever you have on hand) and as many as you want.  I just cut up a bunch of veggies and threw them in a small Tupperware and assembled the sandwich at work.  It turned out to be really good and filling!

Please let me know in the comments what you are having today (or what some of your favorites are)!  I could use more ideas!

What's For Lunch Wednesday: Veggie Hummus Pita
From: Elizabeth's Dutch Oven
Prep time: 10 min
 
Ingredients:
Hummus (homemade or store bought - I used Athenos Original)
Whole Wheat Pita Pockets
Assorted veggies I used:
- Lettuce
- Cucumbers, sliced
- Tomatoes, sliced (or halved if you use grape)
- Red, Yellow, Orange, or Green Peppers (sliced)
- Edamame
Use any veggies you like (other suggestions: spinach, shredded carrots, alpha sprouts, red or green onion, corn, avocado, etc)

Directions:
1. Open pita and slather on a good amount of hummus along one side of the pita (try to spread it all the way to the edges).

2. Fill pocket with assorted veggies.  Enjoy!