STILL
GETTING ORGANIZED IN ORDER TO STAY HEALTHY - THIS WEEK: LUNCH (PART ONE)
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
What does your daily lunch look like?
Healthy eating is always good; but it isn’t
always easy. This week it is my goal to
make eating a healthy lunch easy, delicious and nutritious for you.
What we put into our bodies can really matter
over the long haul of life. Ann Wigmore
once said; “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of
medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
I’m hoping in these next several blog posts that we accomplish the
former and not the later!
Organizing our daily food intake will cause
our lives to be a lot less stressful and we are also hoping to make that weekly
task a lot less time consuming.
Since many health experts have noted the
reason most people tend to stray from a healthy diet is they do not have enough
time to plan and prepare; we have been careful to take simplicity into
consideration; The same experts noted that people become bored eating the same
foods over and over again until eventually they stop eating healthy altogether. That is why we have been sure to give great
variety to our menus. Solving these two well
established problems can be easy with just a little upfront organization and
planning. We want this to be an eating
plan that will work for a long period of time.
Cooking this healthier way should become a very familiar habit to us;
the same as brushing our teeth and making our beds each morning. The whole process should eventually begin to feel
completely uncomplicated and natural.
With all of the above in mind, over the past
few weeks in this AN APPLE A DAY blog column, we have begun taking progressive
baby steps toward the goal of thinking of better ways to organize and prepare
our daily meals.
The section today, which is about preparing healthy
lunches, will be divided into two 2-Week sessions; this one for this week, and another
one to be published in AN APPLE A DAY next
week (the blog column is published each Thursday.) After we have tackled breakfast and lunch, we
will discuss organizing healthy dinners.
You will notice that I have included in a lot
of the lunch recipes, the comment that you should keep the extras in your lunch
preparation for a side dish for the next night’s dinner. We will follow-up on that fact when we get to
the dinner part of the discussion in a few weeks; but for now just incorporate
any leftovers into your regular dinner meals on the same day that you use them
for lunches. Since that food will be
prepared in advance of dinner time, it should already be helping to save you more
time.
So on with our healthy planning!
Below I have mapped out 30 days worth of lunch
menus that are healthy and nutritious, yet tasty and satisfying.
After the menus is a handy grocery list for
these particular recipes as well as the recipes Just print and shop. No stress, no planning, no worries.
What could be more convenient?
I’ve also re-listed the kitchen items that
you will need, this time adding the lunch items to the kitchen items that you
might already have on hand from last week’s discussion on breakfast.
KITCHEN
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR PREPARING ALL MENUS
Food Processor: buy one that will process food and mix smoothies
too according to the setting you use. If
you have a smoothie blender, and want to chop your other food by hand, that
will work too.
5 old fashioned Ice trays
1 large roll parchment paper
1 large roll of aluminum foil
3 large cooking trays that will fit inside
your freezer, about 1 inch in depth (not flat, but with a short section around
the sides.)
Plastic spatula
Wooden spoon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray
12 small canning jars with lids that seal
Muffin Tin that makes 24 mini muffins
Muffin Tin that makes 12 regular sized
muffins
Pepper grinder
Cheese grater (if your food
processor doesn’t do this for you)
Sharp knives in different sizes
for cutting, slicing and chopping
2 boxes of gallon sized freezer bags (zip-lock is good)
1 box pint sized zip-lock baggies
1 large biscuit cutter
1 skillet (any type you like)
Muffin/cupcake liners (regular size and
mini-sized)
Waffle Iron
1 large mixing bowl
1 medium sized mixing bowl
1 small mixing bowl
Set of Measuring cups
Set of Measuring spoons
1 gallon sized glass measuring cup with a
pour spout
Tote bag for carrying food on the go (if you
can get one that is insulated that might be nice.)
Black permanent marker
Whisk
Pastry brush
Chopping board
Bakers wire cooling racks
Thermos with detachable cup to drink and
serve soup from.
Pizza wheel for slicing
Small insulated zip-up lunch box that will
hold ice packs
Small ice packs for keeping things cold in
insulated lunch box
1 Salad Spinner – the size that will
conveniently fit your refrigerator shelves.
Please don’t be overwhelmed with the list of
equipment. Chances are you already have
most of it; but if not – they will vastly improve your life and give you a
lifetime of happy kitchen organization.
Trust me. This will be worth the
extra up-front effort in the long run.
MENUS
– FOR WEEK ONE
Day 1 -
Fast Day: Mozzarella and Tomato Salad (When preparing separate
out one mason jar full of salad for lunch and cover other salad for dinner on
the next night. You have accomplished
one less step for preparing a healthy dinner while preparing a healthy lunch!)
Day 2 -
Moderate Day:
Chicken and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Day 3 –
Fast Day:
3 Bean Minestrone Soup (Freeze extra soup leftover)
Day 4 –
Moderate Day
: Roast Beef and Horseradish Wrap (freeze extras)
Day 5 –
Fast Day:
Celery Salad (Make extra and have some for dinner.)
Day 6 –
Moderate Day:
Spicy Sundried Tomato Broccoli Pasta (Make extra and store the leftovers for dinner.)
Day 7 –
FEAST DAY!
–Ham, sliced Pears and Swiss Sandwich with Cherry Compote over Goat Cheese (OR
EAT OUT IF YOU WISH – IT IS YOUR FEAST DAY!)
GROCERY
LIST FOR WEEK ONE:
1 pint box Red cherry tomatoes
1 pint box Orange cherry tomatoes
2 avocados
8 ounces small mozzarella cheese balls
1 pkg. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 bunch fresh basil
1 quart extra virgin pure olive oil
1 bottle white balsamic vinegar
1 bottle regular balsamic vinegar
Locally grown organic honey
Sea salt
Black pepper corns
2 yellow onion
9 celery sticks
Garlic powder
Bunch fresh thyme
1 pkg. frozen spinach
1 14 ounce can red kidney beans
1 14 ounce can great northern beans
1 14 ounce can pinto beans
Vegetable broth
Ditalini noodles
Goat cheese (2 pkg. whole 1 pkg. crumbled)
Monterrey Jack cheese (block)
Yellow corn kernels(frozen pkg.)
Fresh batch of cilantro
1 batch fresh parsley
1 batch fresh mint
Bag of eight corn tortillas (6 inch)
Small package boneless, skinless chicken
breast
1 jar mayonnaise
1 small jar prepared horseradish
1 head romaine lettuce
½ lb. deli sliced roast beef
2 regular sized tomatoes
1 English Cucumber
1 box whole wheat bow tie pasta
Minced garlic
Crushed red pepper flakes
2 large bunches fresh broccoli
Oil packed Sun-dried Tomatoes
15 Kalamata olives
1 large lemon
1 container plain Greek yogurt
Organic dried dill
Pumpernickel bread loaf
Lean sliced deli ham
1 pear
Sliced Swiss cheese
1 lb. fresh or canned Bing cherries
Pkg. brown sugar
RECIPES
FOR WEEK ONE:
MOZZARELLA
AND TOMATO SALAD
Salad Ingredients:
2 cups
red cherry tomatoes halved
2 cups
yellow cherry tomatoes halved
2
avocados peeled and diced
8
ounces of small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
½ cup
fresh basic, chopped
Dressing
ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey (warmed)
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to
taste
Directions:
Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl
except for mozzarella cheese balls. Set
them aside until time for serving and mix in with the rest then. Combine all dressing ingredients together in
a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Pour dressing over salad and toss well.
Add mozzarella cheese balls and toss again just before serving.
CHICKEN
AND GOAT CHEESE QUESADILLAS:
(Makes 2 quesadillas)
Ingredients:
½ ounce goat cheese softened to room
temperature
2 Tablespoons Monterrey Jack Cheese, Shredded
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup onion, chopped
½ cup corn kernels
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
½ cup cooked chicken, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
4-6 inch corn tortillas
Directions:
Combine cheeses and set aside in a small
bowl. Heat olive oil in a skillet over
low heat. Saute onion in oil for two
minutes. Add corn and pepper and cook
one more minute, then add chicken and cook for one more minute. Remove all from heat and stir cilantro into
the chicken mixture. Set aside.
Lay out two tortillas on a cutting board or
flat surface and sprinkle one half of the cheeses on top of each. Divide ½ of the chicken mix onto each
tortilla on top of the cheeses. Top with
the remaining tortillas.
Spray a skillet with cooking spray and warm
the quesadillas until cheeses are melted into chicken filling (about 5 minutes
on each side.)
Remove from skillet and let cool. Divide the tortillas into quarters with a
pizza wheel. Place each inside a
zip-lock plastic bag and store one in
refrigerator until time needed for lunch, and freeze the other one for later
use during Week Three. (If you want to make extras and freeze ahead for reuse later; it is a good idea, but just increase your ingredients.)
3
BEAN MINESTRONE SOUP
Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery sticks diced
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 cup frozen spinach
1-14 ounce can pinto beans
1-14 ounce can dark red kidney beans
1-14 ounce can great northern beans
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cups Ditalini noodles
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over
medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and
carrots and saute. Stir in garlic
powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
Add beans, frozen spinach and vegetable broth and bring all to a
boil. Add Ditalini and lower heat,
simmer for 25 minutes.
Pour into a thermos for lunch later. Store remainder of soup inside pot with lid
secured in the refrigerator until tomorrow’s dinner and reheat.
ROAST
BEEF AND HORSERADISH WRAP
Ingredients:
2 tsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. prepared horseradish
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 large romaine lettuce leaf
3 slices lean roast beef
¼ cup chopped tomato
Directions:
Mix mayonnaise and prepared horseradish
together and spread over whole wheat tortilla.
Lay lettuce leaf down then roast beef slices, then top with tomato
bits. Roll up the wrap and cover with
wax paper and store in a plastic bag in refrigerator until needed for
lunch. (You can make these in bulk if
you desire and freeze them for up to 4 months)
ICE
COLD CELERY SALAD:
Ingredients:
6 celery sticks thinly diced
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly
sliced
1 diced tomato
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground fresh black pepper to
taste
Directions:
Dice and slice vegetables and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mix in
extra virgin olive oil and coat all well.
Put inside a sealed mason jar in the refrigerator until time to pack in
insulated lunch box with an ice pack.
Save the leftovers in a sealed container in refrigerator for tomorrow
night’s dinner.
SPICY
SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND BROCCOLI PASTA
Ingredients:
½ pound dried whole wheat bow-tie pasta
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 pounds broccoli chopped into small
bite-sized pieces
Sea salt
½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
and chopped
2 to 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled while
still cold (1/2 cup after crumbled)
½ cup coarsely grated Parmesan
15 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
½ small lemon, juiced
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain in a
colander. Set aside. In a skillet on the stove heat the olive oil
over medium low heat. Then add the red
pepper flakes and garlic and cook as you stir. Add the sun-dried tomatoes next,
then add the broccoli and season with
the salt while cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add drained pasta and
more oil. Stir well and add goat cheese
and Parmesan, then the chopped olives and lemon juice. If needed add in more olive oil.
Store what you need for lunch in the
refrigerator in a sealed mason jar until needed. Pack in insulated lunchbox with ice pack to
keep cold. Store the rest in the
refrigerator for tomorrow night’s dinner.
HAM SLICED
PEARS AND SWISS SANDWICH
Ingredients:
1Tablespoon Plain Greek Yogurt
¼ Teaspoon Dried Dill
2 Slices pumpernickel bread
1 ounce lean sliced ham
1 small pear, thinly sliced
1-1 ounce slice Swiss cheese
Directions:
Combine yogurt and dill in a small bowl and
blend. Spread over bread slices. Top one slice of bread with ham, half of the
pear slices, cheese and remaining bread slice.
Serve with remaining pear slices on the side.
CHERRY
COMPOTE OVER GOAT CHEESE
Ingredients:
1 lb sweet cherries, pitted (Bing cherries
will work well)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
4 ounces goat cheese
Directions:
Cook cherries and sugar over medium high heat
in a skillet, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle on vinegar and thyme. Cook 1 minutes more. Slice goat cheese into rounds and top with
warm compote. (This will be good cold or
hot and will keep in the refrigerator in a mason jar for lunches. Use insulated lunch box with ice pack to keep
cold during transport.)
MENUS
- FOR WEEK TWO
Day 8 –
Fast Day:
Curried Chicken and Rice Soup (Extra soup freezes well)
Day 9 –
Moderate Day:
Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich
Day 10
– Fast Day:
Cobb Salad
Day 11
– Moderate Day: Peanut butter and Banana Wraps
Day 12
– Fast Day:
Avocado and Pineapple Salad
Day 13-
Moderate Day:
.Curried Egg Salad Sandwich
Day 14
– FEAST DAY!:
Veggie Sandwich and Chocolate Brownie – OR YOU MAY EAT OUT AND HAVE WHATEVER
YOU DESIRE. THIS IS YOUR FEAST DAY.
GROCERY
LIST FOR WEEK TWO:
2 bone-in chicken breast. (Cook ahead on
cooking day and store in refrigerator)
1 package bacon (cook ahead on cooking
day and crumble and store in refrigerator)
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked
and diced (prepare
on cooking day and store)
2 carrots
4 ripe avocados
2 white onions
2 red onions
2 red bell peppers
1 lemon
1 orange
1 zucchini
2 tomatoes
1 head lettuce
1 bag romaine lettuce
1 bag curly endive (frisee)
1 bag baby spinach leafs
1 bag watercress
1 bag Boston lettuce
2 bananas
1-2-1/2 pound pineapple
1 quart extra virgin olive oil
1 Bunch fresh mint (Chop and freeze into ice
cubes to keep fresh)
1 Bunch fresh dill (Chop and freeze into ice
cubes to keep fresh)
Chives
Bay leaf
Poppy Seeds
cumin
Curry Powder
Sea salt
Pepper corns
2 Quarts Low sodium chicken broth
Jasmine rice
1 Loaf of whole wheat bread (freeze what you
don’t use)
1 bag whole wheat pita pockets (freeze what
you don’t use)
Mayonnaise
Raisins
1 dozen organic cage-free eggs (hard boil 2 and chop
ahead on cooking day)
1 bottle red wine vinegar
Dijon-style mustard
Grated Roquefort
Creamy peanut butter
Whole wheat tortillas (1 bag 8 – 10 inch) (1
bag 6 inch) (freeze
what is leftover)
Honey
miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Minced garlic
Brown sugar
Lime juice
Lemon juice
Plain Greek Yogurt (1 pint)
Sliced cheese (any flavor)
1 pkg Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate (4 oz.)
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
vanilla
flour
chopped pecans
RECIPES
FOR WEEK TWO:
CURRIED
CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP:
Ingredients:
2 bone-in chicken breast
2 medium carrots, diced
1 bay leaf
Sea salt
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion sliced thin
1-1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1/3 cup jasmine rice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 lemon cut into wedges
Directions:
Combine the chicken, carrots, bay leaf and a
pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan.
Add 3 cups broth and bring to a boil.
Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is just
firm about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the oil in another saucepan
over medium low heat. Add the onion, one
teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes.) Add the curry powder and cook for one
minute. Add the rice and the remaining 3
cups of broth. Increase the heat to
medium and cover and comer until the rice falls apart (15 – 20 minutes.) Remove the chicken from its broth; discard
the skin and shred the meat into pieces.
Return the shredded chicken to the same broth. Puree the rice mixture with a blender until smooth, then return to the pan. Pour in the shredded chicken and broth,
stirring gently to combine; bring to a simmer.
Toss in the chopped herbs and serve the soup with lemon wedges. (Whatever is leftover can be frozen and reused later)
SONOMA
CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH
Ingredients:
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. poppy seeds
¼ cup raisins
2 slices tomato
3 leaves organic lettuce
Directions:
In a bowl combine mayonnaise, poppy seeds,
raisins (plump them first) and diced chicken. Stir until well combined. Place this into one small air-tight container
inside your insulated lunch box. Wrap
two slices of bread with wax paper and store in lunch box. Place lettuce and sliced tomato inside
another air-tight container and store in lunch box. When lunch time comes; pull out all three
pre-packed ingredients and cover the first slice of bread with already made
chicken salad. Top with lettuce and
sliced tomato. Complete sandwich with
the second slice of bread and enjoy.
COBB
SALAD:
Ingredients:
½ head romaine
½ head Boston lettuce
1 small bunch of frisee (curly endive)
½ bunch watercress (stems discarded)
6 slices bacon
2 ripe avocados, seed removed, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 tomato seeded and chopped fine
1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast
halved, cooked and diced.
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2/3 cup olive oil
½ cup finely grated Roquefort
Directions:
Pre-cook the bacon on cooking day and crumble
into a plastic bag until time to prepare this salad. Also on cooking day wash and shred the
lettuce leafs and de-stem the watercress.
Store the watercress in a plastic bag with a damp cloth inside the
refrigerator until time to use and store the prepared lettuce leaves inside you
salad spinner in the refrigerator. On lunch day toss the watercress with the
other lettuces and place in a medium sized plastic air-tight container in your
insulated lunch box with the ice pack. Place
the bacon, diced chicken, diced tomato, diced avocado, chopped chives,and diced
eggs into separate baggies on top of the lettuce container.
At
lunch time compose the salad by arranging the chicken, the bacon, the tomato,
the avocado decoratively over the container of greens and garnish the salad
with the grated egg and the chives.
On cooking day prepare the dressing ahead and
store inside a small air-tight container until time to pack your lunch. To prepare dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar,
the mustard, the salt and pepper to taste.
Add the oil in a slow stream while whisking, and whisk the dressing
until it is emulsified. Stir in the
Roquefort. Whisk once more. Keep refrigerated in a proper storage
container until time to use.
PEANUT BUTTER
AND BANANA WRAPS
Ingredients
½ cup creamy peanut butter
4 whole wheat regular flour tortillas (8 – 10
inch)
¼ cup honey
2 small bananas, sliced
¼ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (if
desired)
Directions:
Spread 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter
evenly over each tortilla. Drizzle one
tablespoon of the honey over each tortilla.
Top with banana slices and chocolate chips. Roll up tortillas. Secure with toothpicks. Place inside plastic bags until time to
use. Pack in insulated lunch box with
ice pack on day of lunch. (These can be made ahead and frozen. They are handy to keep in the freezer for healthy snacks for the grand kids.)
AVOCADO
WATERCRESS AND PINEAPPLE SALAD
(Prepare the element of this salad ahead on cooking day and combine everything the day you use it.)
Ingredients:
2 bunches watercress
1 (2-1/2 lb.) pineapple, peeled, cored, and
cut into four 1 inch slices.
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado
1 small red onion thinly slivered lengthwise
Directions:
For the Watercress:
On cooking day place the watercress in a
colander and wash under cold water. Remove the stems. Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate.
For the Pineapple:
Prepare the pineapple on cooking day. Preheat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a baking pan
and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of them. Broil about 3 inches from the heat source,
turning once for 10 minutes on each side.
Let cool then cut into 1-inch cubes. (Refrigerate these until lunch day
inside a plastic bag on top of the watercress for this salad.)
For the Dressing:
Place the garlic, olive oil, lime juice,
cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside in an air-tight container until
time to carry in lunch. Place next to
watercress and pineapple in refrigerator.
For the Avocado:
Cut the avocado lengthwise in half around the
pit and remove the pit. Place the
avocado halves cut side down on the work surface and slice lengthwise into 1
inch wide wedges. Peel each segment by
hand or with a paring knife and cut into 1 inch cubes. Cut this up on the day you are taking the
lunch and place inside a plastic bag on top of the watercress container.
To Assemble The Salad:
When you have placed everything separately
into your insulated lunch box with an ice pack, take it all out at lunch time
and toss the watercress in its larger container
with half the dressing. Add the pineapple and avocado to the same
container and toss with the rest of the dressing. Mound the pineapple and avocado over the bed
of watercress. Garnish with the slivers
of red onion. Enjoy! (Don’t forget to pack a plastic fork every
day.)
If you have leftover ingredients; place all
on a platter for dinner with the watercress on the bottom of the platter and
the pineapple and avocado in mounds on the top of the platter. Looks nice scooped out like ice cream with
the red onion pieces sprinkled as a garnish.
CURRIED
EGG SALAD SANDWICH
Ingredients:
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons plain Greek style yogurt
2 Tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
¼ teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 slices whole wheat bread
½ cup fresh spinach
1 orange
Directions:
Combine eggs (boil these ahead on cooking
day), yogurt, bell pepper, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and
stir well. (Mix this ahead on cooking day and store in an air-tight container in refrigerator until time to use.) Place spinach in a
plastic bag and wrap up the bread in wax paper until time to eat lunch. Store all inside insulated lunch box with an
ice pack. When lunch time comes top the
bread with the spinach and egg salad, then place the top slice of bread over all. Peel and slice the orange for a side
dish.
VEGGIE
SANDWICH
Ingredients:
1 small medium zucchini, thinly sliced
½ medium onion peeled and sliced
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Whole Grain Pita pocket
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup baby spinach
1 medium red roasted red bell pepper cut into
strips
½ avocado, sliced and drizzled with 2
teaspoons of lemon juice
4 slices of your favorite cheese
Directions:
Place all the vegetables inside a baking dish
or rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive
oil. Bake on 375 degrees for 20 minutes
until vegetables are soft, but still a little crunchy. Place veggies in bowl with mayonnaise mixture
and coat. Place cheese slices inside
pita bread pocket and then stuff it with the vegetables. Heat the whole sandwich in the oven just long
enough to get the cheese to melt. Cook these sandwiches ahead on cooking day,
then wrap up and store in refrigerator until time to pack for lunch. They are good either hot or cold.
CHOCOLATE
BROWNIE
Ingredients:
1 pkg Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate (4 oz.)
¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large
microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until
chocolate is completely melted. Stir in
sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and nuts and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick
inserted in center comes out with fudge crumbs.
Do not over-bake. Cool. (These can be frozen in bulk – but NO EATING
EXCEPT ON FEAST DAYS!) It is your FEAST DAY today; so if you would rather eat out or have something else; don't feel guilty. The Veggie Sandwich and the brownie will keep for another Feast Day when you are not able to go out; or want to be lazy and stay home in your pajamas all day! You decide; you deserve it.
I hope you enjoy the first two weeks of the
grocery menus, recipes and grocery lists for lunches. I will continue on the subject of organizing
a healthy lunch next Friday in AN APPLE
A DAY – 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. We will complete the processing of organizing our lunches at that
time. Just two more weeks of lunches to
organize and we will be done with lunch.
I am excited about these new lunch menus!
I truly hope they make your lunch planning
and grocery shopping easier and healthier.
Hopefully, getting our food organized will
cut down on the amount of stress involved in preparing daily meals and grocery
shopping. By the time we have walked-out
all of these progressive baby steps to food prep we will be making three great
improvements toward living a healthier lifestyle:
1) We
will be getting our kitchens, cooking, meal plans and grocery shopping
organized.
2) We
will be eating healthier.
3) We
will be eliminating a lot of daily stress by having a good, efficient plan.
Won’t that be a great accomplishment?
Not only will we be more organized and less
stressed, but the icing on the cake will be that our plan for better health
will be well attended in the course of our daily meals. We will all be feeling much better when we
make it so much easier to prepare our daily meals in a healthy and nutritious
way.
