Light Lunches

August 27, 2019
Trying to eat better? Fast-food, vending machines and rushing out the door make healthy lunch one of the biggest challenges for many people. Dig into one of these easy, low-calorie lunches—all have just 350 calories or less and will keep you satisfied all afternoon. Download a FREE Healthy Lunch Cookbook!
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Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice

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Regular fried rice gets a protein boost when rice is swapped for quinoa in this healthy dinner recipe. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand-broccoli, green beans and mushrooms are all good options. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

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Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl

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Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.

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Southwest Bean Soup

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Chorizo, a spicy pork sausage seasoned with paprika and chiles, is originally from Spain and is often used in Mexican cooking. In this healthy bean soup recipe, we like the taste and texture of the raw ground chorizo--typically sold in sausage casings--versus smoked or cured chorizo. Look for it in well-stocked supermarkets near other sausages, and sauté it before using in this recipe.

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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chicken

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder.

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Italian Vegetable Hoagies

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This delightfully easy, and somewhat messy, sandwich packs a punch with sweet balsamic vinegar, artichoke hearts, red onion, provolone cheese and zesty pepperoncini. We love it for dinner as well as lunch. If you're packing the hoagies to take along, keep the ingredients separate and assemble right before eating to avoid soggy bread. Serve with tomato and cucumber salad.

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Parmesan Spinach Cakes

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If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.

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Rice & Lentil Salad

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A simple dressing of sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and paprika flavors this rice and lentil salad. It's a great way to use up leftovers.

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Tijuana Torta

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A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the “wrapper” is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla. Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole. Take this vegetarian version to another level (and add calcium) by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.

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Curried Chicken Pitas

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Cranberries and pear are sweet counterpoints in this tangy curried chicken salad. Toasted sliced almonds add a nutty crunch.

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Tuscan-Style Tuna Salad

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This streamlined version of a northern Italian idea is perfect for a summer evening: no-fuss, no-cook and big taste. You can even make it ahead and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. If you do, use it as a wrap filling for the next day's lunch.

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Soy-Lime Tofu & Rice Bento Lunch

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Tofu, rice and vegetables are classic bento ingredients. Make extra rice for dinner and roll leftovers into balls for lunch. To keep green veggies vibrant and crisp, cook them briefly and immediately dunk them into a bowl of ice water. You can also use cubed store-bought baked tofu in place of the roasted tofu.

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Mediterranean Tuna Panini

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For a great sandwich filling, spike canned tuna with salty olives and capers, bright lemon juice and tangy feta.

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Steak & Purple-Potato Salad

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This hearty steak and potato salad is inspired by salpicón, a favorite dish in Chile. The purple potatoes add vibrant color but you can substitute any young “new” potatoes that are harvested early in the season--even small fingerlings would work. Serve on a bed of spicy mesclun greens to round out the meal. This recipe can easily be doubled.

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Barbecue Portobello Quesadillas

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This smoky mushroom-filled quesadilla is reminiscent of pulled pork. A touch of chipotle chile pepper adds extra heat. Serve with coleslaw and guacamole.

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Smoked Trout Salad

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The fast of Yom Kippur is often broken with smoked fish as in this trout salad. This easy dinner, which can be made ahead, is great for any night, holiday or not. Serve it on a bed of greens to dress it up and add a whole-grain bagel to make it a substantial meal.

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Broccoli, Ham & Pasta Salad

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A great make-ahead entree, this lightened-up pasta salad is loaded with broccoli and peppers. Smoky ham and sweet raisins give it plenty of punch. Enjoy the leftovers for a fuss-free lunch. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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Garden-Fresh Asparagus Soup

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This lemony asparagus soup is spiced with a touch of curry and gets added richness from “lite” coconut milk and creamy red potatoes. Top it with a dollop of crème fraîche or plain yogurt and serve warm or chilled.

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Indian-Spiced Chicken Pitas

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Make a perfect summer supper: grill spice-rubbed chicken breasts and tuck them into whole-wheat pitas along with fresh vegetables and a tangy yogurt sauce. Serve with: Grilled vegetables and a pilsner.

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Country Potato Salad

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This updated picnic potato salad gets subtle flavor from smoked ham. If you can find them, small, thin-skinned early potatoes are best in this salad.

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Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup

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Pureed summer squash makes a delicious base for this summery squash and corn soup. Start your meal with the soup or enjoy it as a light lunch. Fresh thyme and briny feta cheese give it fabulous flavor. For a variation, try the soup with any herb you have on hand or goat cheese in place of feta.

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Roasted Pumpkin-Apple Soup

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Apples add just a hint of sweetness to this velvety pumpkin soup. Try it as a delightful first course for a special meal.

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Southwestern Cheese Panini

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Lots of colorful vegetables and salsa make this cheesy panini prettier than any grilled cheese you've ever seen. The small amount of Cheddar cheese in this sandwich goes a long way because it is shredded and sharp. Serve with a mixed salad and you've got a delightful lunch or light supper. If you happen to have a panini maker, go ahead and skip Step 3 and grill the panini according to the manufacturer's directions.

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Turkey Pastrami Sandwich

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If you're taking this sandwich to go, line one piece of bread with the pastrami and the other with Swiss cheese and tuck the sauerkraut and apple in the middle to keep the bread from becoming soggy.

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Garden Pasta Salad

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This lightly dressed pasta salad gets lots of flavor from Kalamata olives and basil. A colorful mix of diced bell pepper, shredded carrot and tomatoes adds vitamins and minerals. Serve on a crisp bed of greens. Toss in canned chunk light tuna, cooked chicken or flavored baked tofu to add protein and make it more substantial.

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Real-Man Quiche

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We've loaded this meaty pie with a whole pound of turkey sausage and given it a fabulous, flaky phyllo crust. Real men do eat quiche!

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Turkey, Corn & Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps

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Fresh corn kernels, tomatoes and lettuce fill these hearty turkey wraps. This wrap is great for picnics or when you need to have dinner on the run. Add some crumbled feta or shredded Cheddar for another layer of flavor. Serve with carrot sticks, sliced bell pepper or other crunchy vegetables plus your favorite creamy dressing.

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Broccoli-Cheese Pie

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If you want to give this a fancy name, call it a crustless quiche.

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Brown Rice & Goat Cheese Cakes

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Medium-grain brown rice has a toothsome texture and nutty flavor that complement creamy, earthy goat cheese in these elegant cakes. Serve over salad greens as a main course.

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Crispy Phyllo Spinach Tartlets

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Frilly layers of phyllo dough surround the festive spinach and sun-dried tomato filling in a dressed-up version of Greek spanakopita. Serve these as a main dish for supper and you're sure to please vegetarians and omnivores alike.

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Peanut Tofu Wrap

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Baked tofu tossed with storebought Thai peanut sauce makes a quick and healthy sandwich filling. Finish the sandwich with your favorite crunchy vegetables for added nutrients and fiber.

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