Healthy Lunch Recipes

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

What do you do when you have a picky eater that is really hungry? He wants something delicious, something he didn’t eat the day before.  What do you make him for dinner? I think I may have the answer for you come take a look.

Before my husband got home from work I was helping my mother in law heat up some leftover meat. When he got home he started asking “what is there to eat? I’m hungry”. I didn’t know what I was going to make him so I started looking through the refrigerator for ideas on what to make, But nothing came to mind.

Thats when I remembered my husband said something that made me think.  He told me that his mom cooks simple foods but she makes them look pretty. So that’s when I decided to make some Stuffed Quesadillas. I made a regular cheese quesadilla but I added some more ingredients to make it look good.

He ate two of them and said they were delicious  If you ever want to eat something that is simple but looks fancy give this recipe a try.

Technorati Tags: cheese, healthy, lunch, quesadillas, recipes, stuffed

Chilaquiles are a true Mexican comfort food. This is where the stale tortillas come in hand so they don’t go to waste. Chilaquiles are basically corn tortilla pieces that are fried, cooked in salsa, and sprinkled  with cheese and some sour cream.

The name Lazy Chilaquiles came to me when I decided to cut the whole preparing and cooking time in half. What used to take me more then a hour to make took me just 30 mins to cook and serve.

I like eating mine with a  sunny side up egg on top to give it that Breakfast feeling. The good thing about Chilaquiles is that you can make it with either red or green salsa. I usually make mine with the red sauce because it is easier to make.

If you like Enchiladas, Chilaquiles are basically the same but with a lot less work.

Enjoy the recipe for the Lazy Chilaquiles I made this morning :)

Lazy Chilaquiles

Serving 5

Prep Time 30 min

Ingredient:

• 9 Tortillas
• 1 TBSP Cooking Oil
• 2 Cups Salsa (any of your choice)
• 1 Cup Water
• 3-4 Leafs of  Epazote
• Sour Cream
• Cheese
• Chopped Onion

Directions:

1. First cut the tortillas into small 1 x 1 inch squares. In a frying pan add the oil and let heat to high (about 350º). When the oil is hot add the tortilla squares.
2. Fry tortillas until you see them lightly brown and crispy. Careful not to burn them .
3. When the tortillas are ready add the salsa, water, and epazote. Mix.
4. Lower heat to medium. Cover and let simmer.
5. After about 5 mins most of the salsa should be absorbed. Turn heat off.
6. Serve and top off with some sour cream, cheese, and onions.

Technorati Tags: chilaquiles, cooking, food, healthy, lazy, lunch, recipes

I was wondering what would be a great idea for a 4th of July celebration. So I decided to write some tips on having a simple  4th of July celebration. Here are some helpful tips and recipes to help make your 4th of July fun for you and the family.

Hot Dogs or Burgers would be best to cook because you don’t want to slave in the kitchen all day. So making something simple like that will help a lot. You can serve them with some chips and dip, or a Ham Macaroni Salad.

To drink you could have some watermelon juice and in the ice cubes maybe put some chopped blueberries to add  blue color to the drink. Or you could make some strawberry juice.

For dessert (which is the part I enjoy the most) you could make some Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Cups. For example use strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry ice cream and layer them. Leave them in the freezer until the family is ready to eat. Make some Pretzel Sparklers, Star Spangled Shortcake or the Patriotic Trifle Recipe. (Recipes are at the bottom)

At Taste of Home you can find some really great recipes for the 4th of July. They even give you a full list of July 4th Decorating and Entertaining Ideas with recipes and tips.

Here is the link if you want to take a look: July 4th Decorating and Entertaining Ideas

Here are the recipes for the desserts I listed above.

1. Pretzel Sparklers

Servings 12
Prep Time 30 min

Ingredients:
8 ounces white baking chocolate
1 package (10 ounces) pretzel rods
sprinkles or candy stars

Directions:
In a microwave-safe bowl; melt chocolate for about 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10 – 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Dip each pretzel rod about half way into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with stars. Place on waxed paper to dry.

2. Star Spangled Shortcake

Serving 6
Prep Time 30 min

Ingredients:
1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Vanilla ice cream

Directions:
Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions. Fill six greased star-shaped cups or muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the strawberries and blueberries; sprinkle with sugar and gently toss to coat.
Cool shortcakes for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pan to a wire rack. Drizzle vinegar over berries; toss to coat. Top each shortcake with a scoop of ice cream and berry mixture. Yield: 6 servings.

3. Patriotic Trifle Recipe

Serving 16 – 20
Prep Time 30 min + chilling.

Ingredients:
1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 cups cold whole milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered
1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:
In two small bowls, combine each gelatin flavor with 1 cup boiling water. Stir 1/2 cup cold water into each. Pour each into an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping.
Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup strawberries for garnish. Cut the gelatin into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or serving dish, layer the strawberry gelatin, half of the cake cubes, the remaining blueberries and half of the pudding mixture.
Top with blue gelatin and remaining cake cubes, strawberries and pudding mixture. Garnish with reserved berries and remaining whipped topping. Serve immediately.

You can find more great recipes here: Taste of Home
I really hope you enjoy them and have a great safe 4th of July weekend.

Technorati Tags: 4th of july, celebration, cookout, healthy, lunch, recipes

Today I decided to make a pasta using only five (5)  everyday ingredients. I got the idea from a family aunt who loves making salad with macaroni pasta.

I was thinking about making it yesterday but I made the Chicken Stir-Fry Noodles, and I thought to much pasta for one day.

The kids enjoyed it again which was really good. I served it with some beans and watermelon juice .

So here is the healthy lunch recipe hope you enjoy it 

Ingredients:

• 7 onz Package Shell Pasta
• 1/4 Onion
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1Tsp Olive Oil
• 8 Slices Ham
• 3 Slices Mozzarella Cheese
• 3 Tomatoes
• 5 Carrots
• 2 Tbsp Mayo

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in boiled water with butter and onion. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until tender. When done drain and set aside.
2. Mean while dice the tomato, mozzarella, and ham. Should make about 1 cup of cheese, ham, and tomatoes.
3. Peel carrots, then shred, and set aside.
4. In a frying pan add oil and ham. Fry until ham is lightly brown. When done set on a napkin to absorb the oil.
5. While you wait for the ham to get cool mix the pasta, carrots, mozzarella, tomato, and mayo in a large bowl. When the ham is cool add the ham and mix well.
6. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Technorati Tags: ham, healthy, lunch, pasta, recipes, salad

I had bought some frozen pre-made Stir-Fry and I didn’t’ know what to do with them. Last Tuesday my father-in-law made some seasoned chicken and we had some left over. So yesterday night it came to my mind “what about if I cut the chicken and mix it with the Stir-Fry, and then top it on some noodles?” So today I woke up early and decided to give it a try. Well let me tell you that the kids loved it. It was the first time they ate and didn’t talk because they were busy eating. When I asked if it was good they just nodded up and down like if they were eating something so good they didn’t want to stop eating. Down there is the recipe so you guy can give it a try and enjoy it with your family. Let me know if they enjoyed it and don’t forget to add your own ingredients if you like.

Ingredients:

• 7 onz. pack spaghetti, break in half
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 onion
• salt
• 6 cups of water
• 16 onz pre-pack stir-fry
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 chopped tomato
• 2 chicken breast (seasoned, cooked, and chopped)
• soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a cooking pot pour the water add the butter and onion. Bring to a boil.
2. When the water is boiling add the spaghetti and a pinch of salt, before putting it in break the spaghetti in half, cover and boil for 10-15 minutes.
3. When the spaghetti is ready drain and set to the side.
4. In a saute/skillet pan add 1 tsp of olive oil and the stir-fry cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes add the chopped chicken and tomato to the stir-fry and let in cook for a minute.
6. In a plate serve some spaghetti and top it off with the stir-fry.
7. Add some soy sauce for flavor.
8. Enjoy

Technorati Tags: chicken, healthy, lunch, noodles, recipes, stir-fry

Do you always have to be careful with what you eat even when you only workout for 20 – 30 minutes a day? If you are on a good healthy diet and eating enough calories then you really don’t need to. On the other hand if you are a lover of fast foo like me try these tips before you workout.

Tip # 1. Take in mind that size and time plays a big role on performance and energy during the workout, how well your body recovers and rebuilds itself, and whether the calories will be used or stored.

Tip # 2. Drink a lot of water. It is recommended to at least drink 16 to 20 ounces(1 – 2 hours) before your workout.

Tip # 3. Get to know your body well. This way you know if eating right before a workout will have a good or bad effect on you. If you decide to skip the meal and go straight to working out keep in mind that this can lead to over eating right after the workout.

Tip # 4. Eat food that are fast digesting carbohydrates and have little fat.

Tip # 5. Pre-exercise Snack
Snacks are 100 to 200 calories and can be eaten 30 minutes before a workout.

• Fruit Juice/Smoothie
• Pineapple
• Apple
• Apricot
• Banana
• Mango
• Watermelon
• Grapes
• Orange
• Yogurt
• Bagel (not whole grain because it tends to digest slowly)
• Water

Tip # 6. Pre-exercise Meals
Meals should be at least 300 calories  and can be eaten 2-3 hours before a workout. Or you can try eating half of what you are going to burn. (ie. eat 200 calories to burn 400)

• Yogurt Smoothie
• Fruits with Yogurt
• Cottage Cheese with Fruit
• Trail Mix with Fruit and Nuts
• Nuts (specially almonds)
• Oatmeal
• Cereals with Milk
• Crackers with cheese
• PB&J Sandwich
• Turkey/Chicken Sandwich
• Light Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Tip # 7. Try avoiding any fat food because it will take longer to digest and it will remain in your stomach for a while, causing you cramping and discomfort during your workout. Foods to be avoided are:

• Meats
• Chips
• Fries
• Candy
• Donuts

I hope these tips help you for a better  workout. Just remember experiment with the food to see how your body works best. Once you know when to eat you might start seeing results faster.

Technorati Tags: healthy, ideas, Snack, tips, workout



Emotional eating is a big issue for a lot of people. This is when people eat because they don’t want to face their feelings, so they numb out any pains with food. The more they eat the less pain, fear, stress, etc, they feel.  Eating becomes a pain killer and since it feels good they’ll eat until we cant feel anything no more.

There are situations and emotions that can trigger emotional eating:

• Emotional – We eat because we are bored, tired, tense, mad, lonely, stressed, or anxious. Food helps all these feeling go away.
• Thoughts – This can be caused when some one feels bad about themselves. When we have negative thought; negative self worth or scolding oneself for their appearance.
• Social – When we eat at parties or events there is a lot of food so we are somewhat encouraged to eat.
• Situational – When we see food commercials, news ads, or when we walk by a fast food place something triggers our mind to think we are hungry. Anything having to do with food can trigger that thought.
• Physiological – Eating because of physical cues ie. more hunger due to skipping meals, eating to cure a headache or other pains.

Identifying the triggers was the first step now you have to break the habit. Think of other things to do besides eating.

• Read a book to distract your thought of hunger.
• Take a bath to relax and just take a breather from life.
• Talk to a friend so you don’t feel lonely.
• Write a letter to yourself.

Try anything you can to distract yourself until you are not hungry any more. If distraction doesn’t work then try some relaxation exercises or meditation. If you try everything and nothing wants to work try getting help from a group or counseling. These will help you address emotional eating and teach you to cope in more effective healthier ways.

As you learn how to cope with why you emotionally eat make sure you reward yourself. Buy some clothes, go on a small vacation, get a message, do something special for yourself. By giving yourself rewards this will increase your self esteem and you will be more likely to keep doing you best.

Technorati Tags: eating, emotional, healthy, lunch. ideas, triggers

Most diets fail, as simple as that. They might work when you are doing them but as soon as you stop, all or most of the weight you lost comes back to haunt you. Maybe you have personally experienced this first hand and that is why you are reading this. You are searching for the next big weight loss plan. But how are you so sure that that one is it?

Most diets don’t teach. Diets tell us what we are “doing wrong” and how to “eat healthy”. They never teach us why something is good for us and how it will help our body. Diets don’t teach us how to shop right either. Some just say buy this and buy that but in the end we just did what we were told because “its good for us.” Another thing some don’t teach us is how to eat healthy when we dine out. We know that most of the food we eat is bad but we can’t stay away from it so what do we do when we go out? We just don’t eat or do we just eat a kid size salad with water.

Diets don’t last. After you finish the diet or think you are ready physically to stop the diet what happens afterwords. If you decide to look up the some people who went through a whole diet course you might see that once they stopped the diet, their old eating habits came back and they start to gain the weight again.  Like this one guy, no names for safety reasons, he was on a show where they lived at a place where they worked out hard and ate healthy. He did this for 6 months away from home. For one month he had to go back home too see how he would handle being back home. Well he went back to his old eating habits and gained some weight. Diets will  teach us how to do what’s right for now but they can’t fix what has been wrong for years.

How to handle cravings. Diets are all about don’t eat this and that. You can only eat what they tell you and some give you food, I don’t know how that one works. The downside is that when you tell us we can’t have it, its like a trigger that says we have to have it. The diets tell us no more burgers, fries, chips, soda, etc. And our mind asks why? For some people these restrictions don’t affect them and they just live on happy. For others they could react with bad side effects. Some people get diseases, have weird symptoms or get very ill and they have to rush to the hospital. One thing I have learned is: when you have a habit, good or bad, its not wise to just let go. It requires time and patience.

We know for sure that diets help us eat healthy and temporarily fix our problems. What we need to do is absorb everything we learn and finds ways to incorporate them into our everyday life ie. Counting Calories: Lets say you went out and ate a 500 calorie meal, what does this mean you don’t get to eat for the rest of the day? No! This just means that you eat smaller portions. Little details like this will really help out a lot. Take the time to really learn and take in all the tips, hints, and advice that diets give you. Learn how to make these tips and hints really benefit you.

Technorati Tags: diets, health, healthy

Tomato, Spinach, and Dill Quiche with a Shredded Potato Crust

I visited a website  called For the Love of Food and the first post I saw made me fall in love with the site. As I started looking for more recipes I saw that when you would click on a certain category it would post the full blogs and not just a list. Another thing I loved were the pictures, they show you exactly what you need for the recipe.Overall I really liked website and how it was set up. The link to the article that caught my eye is posted above check it out and give the recipe a try.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Technorati Tags: casserols, food, healthy, recipes

If you are looking for some easy to make appetizers why not try these delicious looking potato skins. The author uses simple everyday ingredients to make some Broccoli and Cheddar Skinny Potato Skins. I had never thought of using these ingredients together like this. Now that I know how I will be giving them a try to see how they come out. Check out the blog and let me know what you think of it. Thank You Gina.

Technorati Tags: appetizers, food, healthy, recipes