Each day is different…. our schedule is different…. we may have time to make a home cooked lunch or we may be pressed for time and need something quick or prepped…. and the time we eat may be different too…. In the summertime, I do not have a tight schedule and I am home more…. therefore, I have time to prepare a nice lunch because I enjoy doing that for myself…. there is nothing wrong with treating yourself well…..
I really enjoy sitting down for each meal but lunch is just as important as breakfast for me…. It gives me the boost I need to continue my day with good energy and steady blood sugar…. I thought I would share what I have for lunch and maybe give you some healthy, energy boosting, lunch ideas!
SALAD:
Cranberry chicken and avocado salad:
This is a go to year round for me! It is fairly light, but satisfying and refreshing and doesn’t leave you feeling too full…. it includes: a bed of spring mix greens, grilled chicken breast slices, avocado chunks, dried cranberries (I use lower sugar cranberries), sliced almonds, feta cheese crumbles, and dressed with a homemade orange poppyseed vinaigrette….
Orange Poppyseed Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- zest of an orange
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp fish squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp poppyseeds
- pinch of salt
Strawberry + Orange Salad with grilled chicken
In this salad I use the same orange poppyseed vinaigrette…. This salad is very similar to the cranberry chicken salad, but it has fresh strawberries and oranges! Very refreshing on a hot summer afternoon! The salad includes: spring mix + spinach greens, fresh strawberry slices, fresh orange slices, avocado chunks, grilled chicken breast slices, and dressed with the orange poppyseed vinaigrette (recipe above).
Red White + Blue salad:
This is probably may favorite / go-to summer salad…. it is sweet and salty and hits the spot! It includes: spring mix greens for a base, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, grilled chicken breast slices, chopped pecans, feta cheese crumbles, and a homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette…
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- pinch of salt and pepper
Shrimp + Rice salad
Rice on a salad? Yes! it is delicious! I love leftovers for lunch and when ever I have leftover brown rice, I throw some on my salad. Whether it is cold pasta, rice, oats or sweet potatoes, when starches are cooked and then cooled, “resistance starch” forms and produces longer lasting energy burn…. On this salad I had leftover shrimp from dinner the night before and then some cilantro lime brown rice in the fridge…. I added them to a bed of spinach with some cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado and a homemade honey lime vinaigrette…. this is a refreshing, easy to make, vinaigrette….
Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1/2 clove of fresh garlic, minced
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Crispy Chickpea salad:
Another salad with rice, but I also love cold quinoa on my salad… I just happened to be having more brown rice lately… both carbs are great on this plant based salad… This salad has a base of spinach and baby kale and is topped with leftover Greek lemon rice, cucumber slices, red bell pepper, avocado, crispy chickpeas, hemp seeds, and a simple lemon vinaigrette that I usually just eyeball and add in whatever fresh herbs I have on hand or dried herbs I feel like using….
Simple lemon vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- fresh minced garlic to taste
- fresh or dried herbs of choice (I love oregano and basil)
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
SANDWICH:
Rainbow Veggie Sandwich
I love a good veggie sandwich… it is a great way to get your veggies in and boost your vitamin intake… I use different veggies depending on what is in season, or what I already have in my fridge… This is my current favorite veggie sandwich: 2 slices of low sodium Ezekiel bread (I love my bread lightly toasted) , plain hummus spread on each slice, lettuce, carrot ribbons, cucumber slices, sliced radishes, red bell pepper, and 1/2 and avocado sliced… I usually have some fresh fruit with my sandwich and lately that fruit is red grapes (my favorite fruit to snack on) yum!!
Eat well and take care of yourself as best you can…. it is not about perfection because there is no such thing….
XOXO Katherine Grace