By Carolyn Malcoun [2], December 1, 2009 - 10:50am
My husband and I are fairly active people, but we’re always looking for more ways to shed a few pounds. (Who isn’t, right?) So when I read that adding more fiber to your diet can help you lose weight [6], I started to think about where I could sneak in some extra fiber during the day.
We already get a decent amount of fiber at breakfast and dinner, so lunch seemed like a good experiment. Especially when I realized I could turn some leftover dinner ingredients into high-fiber lunches [7].
Here are 4 easy ideas:
• One of my favorite quick lunch solutions is to make a big pot of soup over the weekend. Homemade soup tastes a lot better than canned and I can control what goes in it. One of my cold-weather favorites is Cumin-Scented Wheat Berry-Lentil Soup [8], packed with heart-healthy, fiber-rich wheat berries and lentils. We eat some for dinner, then I freeze the leftovers in individual containers. That way, it won’t go bad before I use it, and I can just grab a container from the freezer when I’m making my lunch.
• Rice & Lentil Salad [9]—Turn leftover cooked brown rice into a simple salad with canned cooked lentils and a delicious sherry vinaigrette.
• Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad [10]—Packed with protein and fiber, this tuna and bean salad is ready in a flash. Serve with warm, crusty bread or pack it in a pita for a sandwich. For an extra kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.
• Curried Chicken Pita [11]—Roasting a chicken for dinner is a pretty easy meal, and I always turn leftover meat into chicken salad. I like the sweet touch that cranberries and pear add to this tangy curried chicken salad. Toasted sliced almonds add a nutty crunch.
What are your favorite lunchbox recipes? Tell us what you think below.
TAGS: Carolyn Malcoun [2], Diet Blog [12], Diet [13], Lunch [14], Nutrition [15], Weight loss [16]
Carolyn Malcoun combines her love of food and writing as a recipe contributor for EatingWell. Carolyn has a culinary arts degree from New England Culinary Institute and a degree in journalism from University of Wisconsin—Madison. Carolyn lives in Portland, Maine, and enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking and running in her free time.
Links:
[1] http://www.eatingwell.com/eatingwell_rss_feeds
[2] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/carolyn-malcoun
[3] http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php
[4] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/diet_blog/add_this_ingredient_to_your_lunch_to_help_you_shed_pounds
[5] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/diet_blog/add_this_ingredient_to_your_lunch_to_help_you_shed_pounds?section=comments#tabs
[6] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/fiber_rich_recipes_to_help_you_lose_weight
[7] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/light_lunches
[8] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/15240?slide=17
[9] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/15240?slide=18
[10] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/15240?slide=19
[11] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/15240?slide=20
[12] http://www.eatingwell.com/category/blog_topics/diet_blog
[13] http://www.eatingwell.com/category/blog_tags/diet
[14] http://www.eatingwell.com/category/blog_tags/lunch
[15] http://www.eatingwell.com/category/blog_tags/nutrition
[16] http://www.eatingwell.com/category/blog_tags/weight_loss
[17] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/grab_go_high_fiber_breakfasts
[18] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/quick_light_lunches
[19] http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/100_calorie_snacks
[20] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_blog/meat_lover_s_quinoa_veggie_burger
[21] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/277288?section=comments#tabs
[22] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_blog/healthy_spring_salad_recipe_with_fresh_peas_and_crispy_fried_shallots
[23] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/277219?section=comments#tabs
[24] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_blog/vegetarian_thai_red_curry
[25] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/276919?section=comments#tabs
[26] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_blog/how_to_make_cream_sauce_without_cream
[27] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/276908?section=comments#tabs
[28] http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_blog/3_diy_tortilla_tricks_how_to_make_your_own_taco_shells_taco_bowls_and_tortilla_chips
[29] http://www.eatingwell.com/node/276907?section=comments#tabs
[30] http://www.eatingwell.com/user
[31] http://www.eatingwell.com/print/15260
[32] http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=/node/