Healthy-Lunches

An iteresting point of view

2010-06-02T18:52:00.000-04:00

The premise: A blog where the writer is a great home cook with no formal training. Seems funny and I haven't read him until today, but he seems to get it....... SOOOOOOO he did a post about how the magazine Cooking Light basically sucks at giving directions in their recipes. I read Cooking Light but I also know how to read a recipe. Here is the blub that he wrote regarding a badly written one:

** Here's a poor instruction:

"Add onion. Saute 15 minutes or until almost tender. Reduce heat to medium low; cook until deep golden (about 20 minutes)."

Does that mean 15 minutes, plus another 20? Or does it mean 15 minutes, plus five more to total 20 minutes. Maybe because the 20 minute instruction is in parenthesis, it's throwing me. If it weren't, I'd clearly treat it as an additional 20 minutes, because it would be presented in a similar manner to the first timing instruction. I'm not trying to be too picky - but for a cook without a lot of confidence and experience in the kitchen, would he/she really know what to do? Do you?
BTW - the correct approach is 15+20. Carmelizing onions for a little over 30 minutes is the best way to get delicious, sweet flavor from them. They're awesome.

I got what the directions are saying the first time I read it, just as he did (see his BTW) but I can totally understand how it would throw someone normal who is not a classic cook per se. I never noticed that the recipe directions as written in the magazine as I just know what they are talking about. When I write out a recipe I have to be careful myself to make sure it can be understood by the most basic person. It is funny to me that others think that way too, that you just KNOW things...like how to caramelize an onion :)

Eat well :D

Mmmmmmmmmmmm

2010-04-14T20:20:00.000-04:00

Greek Salad with no dressing, I used mustard instead. I also had some homemade "Jambalaya" that I made this week.

Good food and good cals. :)

Serves 3

2 cups cooked rice
3 spicy chicken sausages, diced
6oz cooked shrimp
1 poblano pepper, chopped
4 Tablespoons hot salsa
1/2c black beans
4 scallions, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

In a non-stick saute pan cook sausages and pepper until cooked through. Add shrimp, beans, salsa, scallions and seasonings until warmed. Add rice and heat through.

Note: I realize this is not an authentic jambalaya, it is tasty and easy though :)

Eat well!

More Brown Food

2010-03-31T21:07:00.000-04:00

It was pointed out to me that I eat a lot of brown food. :) Know what? I do :D

Whole Wheat Pasta
Chicken Breast
Baingan Bhartaa

SO GOOD :D

Eat Well!

Salad today!

2010-03-30T17:59:00.000-04:00

Spinach salad with cheese, chicken breast, red beans, croutons and mustard/lime juice for dressing.

SUPER YUM!

Huzzah!

2010-03-23T19:21:00.001-04:00

So this is my lunch from today, I actually remembered to take a pic:)

Top big container has Light Kahari Chicken Masala
Top small container has tofu shirataki noodles with adobo and parm
Botton big container has mixed veggies with parm, the tiny container has spicy brown mustard
Bottom smaller container has more tofu shirataki noodles with adobo and parm

A note on the noodles...I LOVE THEM. I highly recommend them if you can find them. Whole Foods carries them so that is good. I sometimes also get them at the local asian market too.

I got the spice mix for the chicken at a local Indian Bazaar grocery near the bus station where I get off to go home. SUPER yummy. It smelled SOOOO good. I actually made my co-workers jealous.

I know I need to be better about posting. I sometimes feel my lunches aren't very interesting. I will get better about that :) It is all about habit at this point and less about content!

Eat Well!

Black Bean Soup!

2010-02-22T18:57:00.000-05:00

On a cold windy winter day, this was the perfect soup for lunch. I made it this weekend in my slow cooker. It is Black Bean with Turkey Sausage and Spinach. I topped it with cheddar mini rice cakes. SO GOOD!

Eat Well

another interesting lunch :)

2010-02-16T20:03:00.000-05:00

So this is chicken thighs, pasta, and veggies :) I am soooo interesting :)

Tomorrow's lunch (WHICH I ALREADY TOOK A PIC OF) is salmon with pasta and veggies :) oh and some grated cheese.

I am seeking interesting lunch ideas. I am so picky when it comes to eating and between that and my food allergies and diabetes I feel less and less inspired to cook and eat food. I am going to try making smaller meals so I can have more variety.

Eat Well

Two shots!

2010-01-25T19:46:00.000-05:00

This is my lunch from today! I took the top pic at lunch. I need to use a real camera one of these days!

Top:
Pasta with grated cheese, Tomato, Mozzarella and Poblano goopy stuff :)

Bottom:
Edamame beans, yogurt marinated chicken thighs

SO yummy and filling. I almost didn't finish, but I pushed through because I needed the calories :)

Eat well

Lunch on the go!

2010-01-22T05:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had to eat lunch on the run so instead of my usually yummy hot containered food, I had to have a sandwich.

2 mini pitas, 150g extra firm tofu, 2t spicy mustard, sf b&b, 1 light cheese wedge

SO YUMMY! I think next time I will marinate the tofu as it tasted kinda like.... well tofu :D

After I ate I went on a training walk at work (that is why I had to eat on the run) and burned 300 cals. The whole meal only had 305 so that was gone soon. I think I need higher cal lunches on days I do those walks!

Eat Well!

Dippy Broad

2010-01-20T18:43:00.000-05:00

So you see the empty container and the BIG PINK post-it on top? I see it too. It was SUPPOSED to be a reminder to TAKE A DAMN PICTURE of my lunch BEFORE I ate it.

I am a winner.

So in case anyone cares what yummys I ate today here we go:

30g All Bran Crackers, 2oz farmers cheese with herbs, 1/2c edamame, and 3 fish balls. Very yummy.

Too bad no one saw it :)

Eat well

Manga!

2010-01-04T18:44:00.000-05:00

Mmmmmm Pasta!

At some point I will remember to take a pic BEFORE I start eating. :D

So this is some chili mac pasta, also called Dilatini (or something like that) topped with my homemade tomato sauce, mixed veggies and a reduced fat string cheese. Oh and I mashed up a soy burger for some more protein. YUMMY!!!

You may also notice my chopsticks. I eat with them whenever I can as they really slow me down and let me enjoy and acknowledge my food. It keeps me focused on what I am eating so I don't just shovel it in. It really works! Did you know that it takes the average person 20 minutes for the brain to know you are full? So eating slow really helps with over eating. :D

Eat Well!

Mmmmmm Soup!

2009-12-23T18:50:00.000-05:00

This is Turkey Sausage with Barley Soup! I added some croutons for some crunch!

Eat Well

Quick Lunch

2009-12-16T20:08:00.000-05:00

So today we had our holiday decorating "party". We made a gingerbread house and some dreidles. It was fun. I needed to make a quick lunch so this is it!

Pasta
Turkey Thigh
Mixed Veggies
Shredded Cheese

Super yummy!

Eat well!

Another lunch

2009-12-15T20:50:00.001-05:00

Woohoo! I remembered to take a pic before I ate :D

Top Container:
Mixed Veggies

Bottom Container:
No-Yolk Noodles (yes, I can eat pasta)

Top Side/SmallContainer:
Clementine/Spicy Mustard

Botton Side Container:
Turkey Thighs

This was almost the same lunch that I had yesterday too. I had green beans yesterday though. And I forgot to take a pic :P

Tomorrow I am having a different lunch, I didn't want to wash this container so I am having everything in one container.

Eat Well

Look! A post! With a picture!

2009-12-11T18:37:00.000-05:00

Top container:
1 can tuna
1/2c edamame beans
1t adobo seasoning

Bottom container:
2 mini pitas

Side containers:
1c mixed veggies

Mini container:
1t mustard

On side:
2 clementines

Totals:
23g net carbs 370 calories

Not a bad pic considering I used my cell to take it. And I had eaten some of the tuna already before I remembered to take a picture!

I was talking with a woman that works in another department at my work and she has a blog and has written a book that was published! She has inspired me :)

Eat Well!

Fiber

2009-10-24T19:43:00.000-04:00

I eat a lot of fiber daily. It is part of my overall food plan (I hate the word diet) and this past week (and now) I have been sick. Just a virus/maybe strep. So my doctor has advised me to not have fiber this week until my body heals. I agreed to cut down the fiber, but the fact is, I can't cut it out totally. So instead of eating 35-40g a day, I have had like 5-10g today.

Normal: 10g breakfast, 5-10g snack, 5g lunch, 5g snack, 5g supper, and 5g snack

After seeing the doctor yesterday, I had to go to the grocery store next door as most of the food I had at home has high fiber in it. Due to my weakness/soreness, it took me over an hour to get $36 worth of food. On top of that my blood sugar was crashing, I hadn't eaten lunch (as I had nothing to eat now that I couldn't have my spinach salad) and all I had with me was an apple. Lots of fiber in apples.

I had been planning on making and having a variety of hummuses (hummai?) this coming week but that is out of the question. I eat salads almost every day for lunch and those are out for the near future. I don't know what to eat.

I eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies and beans in my food plan as this is a good way to eat all the fiber that I need to eat. Now I can't. I had a baked skinless apple earlier with 1T sunflower butter --yeah I know, fiber. I can't NOT eat it. I was rewarded with sick in the ladies room.

So I am at a loss as to what I can eat. Today has been hard. I feel gross and I feel that I can't eat my food. I feel logy and my carbs are over my limit. The doctor ordered me to RELAX AND EAT and it is just for a few days. I am trying to listen to her.

So that is my whinybuttness. I want to have a healthy lunch, I strive to have a healthy lunch. Know what I had for lunch? 2 slices of cheese pizza. Yeah.

Where I'm At

2009-10-12T14:57:00.000-04:00

I am here. I was in Colorado eating what I wanted and enjoying it. I had some medical issues but am okay now. Some were food related some were not.

So onto some healthy lunches. I now have a working camera and if I can get my (smaller) butt into gear and coordinate taking the pictures of said healthy lunches I could get this blog working for me. Ultimately, I would love to publish a cookbook.

So until then...

Today I had a great lunch:

1 sandwich thin (2 halves)
1 1/2 turkey meatloaf, crumbled
2T tomato sauce
1oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Calorie count 392
Carb count 26

Calories and carbs are the only counts that I am paying attention to right now but if this thing takes off the ground, I may add more to make it more rounded.

It was super tasty and it helped with my craving for a big meatball sub

--Shelly

More food!

2009-07-22T12:37:00.001-04:00

So I am going to be eating more. I have to, I was slowing down my metabolism by not eating as much as I should.

Today I had a Spinach Salad with Fresh Blueberries, Diced Lemon-Mustard Chicken, Shredded Cheese and Chipolte Hot Sauce for a dressing.

Cals: 285
Carbs: 19

I took a pic of it, but alas, I forgot the cord to my camera!

Shelly

Lunch with no worries

2009-06-13T19:30:00.000-04:00

So I haven't gotten my act together with the taking pictures of my lunch thing at work. So, I will start out by saying what I had and then add pics when I can get it together. :)

So yesterday I had a salad with mescalin lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, red onion, avocado, cheese and seafood. I topped it with a few croutons (yes, I can eat croutons) and a tiny bit of Caesar dressing for flava :) It was a good salad, it took me the whole hour to eat it, I am not a fast eater.

So at some point I will take a pic and post it :)

Still working on it!

2009-05-23T17:53:00.000-04:00

I am feeling uninspired by my lunches recently. I did take a crappy cellphone pic of a cute lunch that I had, but I couldn't post that crap pic. I need to remember to bring my camera to work or to take the pic when I pack it the night before :)

don't give up hope!

Ducks getting in order

2009-04-07T18:18:00.001-04:00

Not ready to go live, but I am getting there. I am designing the logo and other pictures now.

Test post

2009-03-15T17:49:00.000-04:00

Woohoo!