Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused Diets Healthy High-Protein Recipes High Protein, Low-Carb Recipes 16 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunches that Follow the Mediterranean Diet By Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor is EatingWell's editorial apprentice. She attends Iowa State University, where she is a junior studying journalism, political science and history. During her time at college, she has worked as an editor and reporter at the campus newspaper, the Iowa State Daily, where she wrote about culture and lifestyle. She is an editorial director at TREND Magazine, an on-campus fashion publication. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 16, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos The Mediterranean diet is known to be one of the healthiest ways to eat, and has been U.S. News & World Report's best diet of the year for 6 years running. These Mediterranean diet-friendly lunches are filled with fresh vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains so you can follow the eating pattern deliciously. Not only are they super nutritious, but they also contain less than 14 grams of carbohydrates and pack more than 15 grams of protein, following our low-carb and high-protein guidelines. Recipes like Chicken White Bean Soup and Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken are satisfying, packable lunches that can help you meet your health goals. 01 of 16 Chicken & White Bean Soup View Recipe Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine. 02 of 16 Cauliflower & Kale Frittata View Recipe Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner. 03 of 16 Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken View Recipe These healthy Greek-inspired cauliflower rice bowls topped with feta, olives, veggies and grilled chicken are impressive yet take just 30 minutes to make. 04 of 16 Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken View Recipe This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers. 05 of 16 One-Pot Turkey Vegetable Soup View Recipe Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee Got leftover turkey? Use it in this turkey vegetable soup for a satisfying main dish that's full of bright flavors thanks to the use of lemon juice and lemon zest. 06 of 16 Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh View Recipe Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart. 07 of 16 Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing View Recipe We've replaced chicken with shrimp in this delicious and easy spin on the classic Cobb salad. This satisfying salad takes just 20 minutes to make, so it's perfect for weeknight dinners, but it's elegant enough to serve to guests. 08 of 16 Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad View Recipe Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, it's easy to make your own to have on hand for quick and easy recipes like this chicken tender-topped salad that's ready in just 25 minutes. 09 of 16 Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens View Recipe For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch. 10 of 16 Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms View Recipe Photographer: Dera Burreson, Food stylist: Josh Hake This healthy and nourishing chicken and vegetable soup is the perfect winter meal. 11 of 16 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados View Recipe Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. 12 of 16 Chopped Power Salad with Chicken View Recipe Jason Donnelly Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor. 13 of 16 Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice View Recipe These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time. 14 of 16 Avocado Tuna Salad View Recipe Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless Jazz up a can of tuna with this easy avocado tuna salad recipe. Silky avocado adds creaminess that's cut with a hit of acidity from lemon and a briny punch from feta cheese. Romaine hearts and cucumber offer refreshing crunch. 15 of 16 Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing View Recipe Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. 16 of 16 Tuna Salad with Egg View Recipe Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis This simple tuna salad with egg has a clean and balanced flavor. The capers and lemon bring acidity to help everything come together and chopped arugula adds a peppery kick. Enjoy it with greens or on a slice of your favorite whole-grain bread. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit