ISO Easy and Tasty Packed Lunches

[growlingbelly]

I always pack a lunch. Other than leftovers from successful dinner recipes, I am running out of ideas. I am sick of lunch meat (even the too-pricey Sara Lee stuff) and I don't have time for fancy schmancy. I refuse to do the frozen entree thing. Lately, it's been slices of muenster and tomatoes on good bread with a little olive oil/bals. vineg., a yogurt, bottle of water and an apple.
What do you pack for lunch?
-melissa (growlingbelly)

[ama47369]

How about your favorite soups or red beans and rice wraps.

[This message has been edited by ama47369 (edited 05-30-2001).]

[kwormann]

I love bean salads with white or garbanzo beans, feta, tomaotes and basil http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Ill have some pita with it, or add a grain to the salad. Ill also have a green salad and usually a fig newton http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Kim

[This message has been edited by kwormann (edited 06-03-2001).]

[Mamasue]

I love to make Pita Pizzas for lunch. I put them together in the morning and cook in my toaster oven for about 5-6 minutes, cut in four wedges, wrap and pack. This is what I do.....take a low fat pita bread and rub about 1/2 tsp. oil over; add whatever toppings that I have, such as, cooked onion, sauted mushrooms, leftover broccoli, chopped meatball, chopped chicken sausage, sliced tomatoe, etc. I top with two toppings and then sprinkle about 1/4 cup of 2% milk mozzarella cheese and bake. If I make a tomatoe and cheese pizza, I will add some chopped fresh basil, if available, otherwise dried. Oh, and salt and pepper to taste. These pita pizzas are not only very good but satisfying and filling. Depending on the toppings this pizza addes to WW points of 6 or 7.

[AD]

Do you like peanut butter? That always works well for a packed lunch, especially if you don't have a refrigerator handy. You can have it in a sandwich or with crackers. I always ate dry cereal for lunch when I was in school. You can also have baked tortilla chips with beans and/or cheese. Bagels are also a good alternative, perhaps with cream cheese.

[Jewel]

Originally posted by Mamasue:
I love to make Pita Pizzas for lunch.

Mamasue this sounds great! Do you fill the Pitas or use them as a crust? I'm thinking if you fill them they could be like a healthy homemade Hot Pocket! I'm a big fan of Turkey Pepperoni and Pineapple with lowfat mozzarella, so this could be a really great lowfat lunch for me! Thanks! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[growlingbelly]

Thank you everyone for the great suggestions. I am going to print out all of them and stick 'em on the fridge.
-melissa

[Mamasue]

Jewel....I use the pita as a crust. They are so good. I must make one just about every other day. I was thinking also that this would be a great appetizer and cut into smaller triangles. Setting up a pita bar type thing for company....such as get together for football game, etc. would be great too. Everyone could just make their own creation and just pop in the oven. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[ewatkins]

We're on a hummus kick at my house-- the kids love dipping carrot and red pepper sticks, along with whole wheat pita bread.

[Grace]

Melissa, here is what I wrote on another post asking a similar question:

The Herb-Marinated Mozzarella wraps are absolutely wonderful, and the recipe only makes 4 (and they're only 230 cals each, and I used whole wheat tortillas for extra fiber!). Make up the ingredients, and then assemble one sandwich in the morning to take with you. Or, the Spring Tortellini Salad is FANTASTIC! I put this in a little tupperware bowl, along with a fruit salad or piece of fruit and coolie pack to keep it all cool, and voila! A FABULOUS lunch! I could think of some more ideas if those don't sound good to you. Oh, and I agree that couscous salads are wonderful too. I like the Chickpea and Nectarine Couscous salad (sounds weird, but someone made it for our supper club and it is outstanding!) Oh, and the Confetti Chicken Salad is perfect take along lunch food too!
Thought of something else - one of my all-time favorite CL recipes is the Ginger-Peanut Chicken Salad Wraps! You could make the filling, put it in a tupperware, bring whole wheat tortillas and lettuce wrapped separately, and then assemble your wrap right before you eat it (the filling is a tad juicy, and would make the wrap really soggy if you assembled it in advance). But these are to die for. I make them for dinner a lot, and I send the leftovers just as I described with my husband for lunch. He loves it.

[olive101]

I usually make a big batch of something on Sunday and take it all week. In the winter I make a big batch of soup or make baked potatoes and top with broccoli and low-fat cheese. I nuke at work and top with a mixture of low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese. In the summer I make pasta salad or green salads. Often I use Gladware containers and assemble my 5 salads in them on Sunday, so I don't have to do much in the AM. They stay pretty fresh if you don't use soggy things. For examle, I use grape tomatoes instead of cut up ones. It seams like I rarely repeat a lunch. When I am uncreative, I just bring a Gardenburger. I also pack my breakfast and eat it at work. Usually this is a Nutrigrain bar and yogurt.

[valeriek]

I usually have leftovers from a successful recipe, but I also love to make big batches of soup and then freeze individual portions for later. CL has a vegetable soup with orzo from the 1996 annual book (I guess that would make it a 1995 recipe) that freezes very well. Also, bean soups freeze quite well. This way, if a recipe doesn't turn out and the thought of leftovers turns my tummy, I just reach into the freezer where and individual portion of soup is frozen. Works perfectly!

[munchies]

Valerie -- could you post the recipe for the soup with orzo? TIA -- Heather

[browneye]

We get tired of the same thing, too..... One thing I do, is on the weekend, I get one of those fresh turkey breast halves, season it up real well with sage, garlic, s&p, thyme, etc, and roast it in the oven. After it cools, I slice it all up and wrap it in my Foodsaver in small amounts. Fresh turkey is sooo good and not at all as boring as the deli stuff.
THere are many ways to work with it, in addition to plain yummy fresh turkey sandwiches. I make it up like I would a chicken salad, with pecans,etc and stuff it into a pita, or I nuke it with some cheese and tomato for a "turkey melt" sandwich. Also, you can make a "gourmet" pita pizza with low-fat ranch dressing mixed with some fresh garlic, (instead of pizza sauce), turkey, fresh tomatoes, and a little cheese of your choice, then baked , reheat later if you like.
It is good tossed into a pasta salad, too.

It is usually gobbled up by everyone before I get to it, I think I'll cook two next time!

[Jewel]

Originally posted by browneye:


It is usually gobbled up by everyone before I get to it, I think I'll cook two next time!

....Gobbled..?...Turkey?...Gobble-Gobble...?
Oh, Browneye, you're funny... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[valeriek]

Heather,

I will be glad to post the recipe for the soup. I don't have a computer at home though, so it will have to wait until Monday (I actually get the weekend off - yeah!). I will definately post it on Monday though.

[crlykat]

We usually have leftovers; beans and rice (carry salsa seperately); couscous with lots of roasted veggies, garbanzos, and feta cheese; soups both canned and homemade. We also prepare steamed broccoli and red pepper the night before, bring red potatoes with, cook in microwave and top with cheese,salt pepper, and the steamed veggies.

For DH (that carnivore!) sometimes Ill make chicken salad sandwiches with tomato; steak salad (carry the salad and steak seperately, then add together); meat lasagne; and recipes like the Spicy Chicken with Lime couscous that was in April issue (I think).

[Sarahsmile]

The thai chicken wrap sounds great. Is the recipe in the finder?Thanks

[makedah]

olive -- when you take your gardenburger to work, is it still frozen by the time you cook it? or do you cook it at home and reheat it at work??? I've been asking this question all over BBs and never get a straight answer!!!

mamasue -- how do you transport your pita pizzas without getting them messed up? Or is it just a matter of holding them right-side-up all the time?

growlingbelly - When I was a student working two jobs last year, I didn't have much time to pack lunches, either. I would most often eat leftovers. One thing I really liked for lunch was this: For dinner, I cook the filling ONLY for Barbecued Chicken Potpie and carry to school enough of this to heat and put in a warmed pita. I have gotten oohs and ahhs for the smell of this thing. I have read here several times that this recipe freezes well, so that's a bonus, too. I would also bring in a leftover baked sweet potato with my lunch. Wrap it in plastic and heat it in the microwave.

[clairea]

Originally posted by makedah:
olive -- when you take your gardenburger to work, is it still frozen by the time you cook it? or do you cook it at home and reheat it at work??? I've been asking this question all over BBs and never get a straight answer!!!



makedah,

I'm not Olive (obviously), but maybe I can answer your question. DH takes garden burgers to work for lunch several times a week. He packs the frozen garden burger and a bun separately. At lunch time the garden burger is thawed but still cold, and he puts it in the toaster (I believe the pop-up kind) at work. I have never actually tried this, but he seems quite happy with the result. Hope this helps.

[Mamasue]

makedah.....I let the pita pizza cool slightly and then take my pizza cutter and cut the pizza in forths. I then lay the four pieces on a piece of foil (like the pizza was still together) and wrap gently. I then just lay the foil package flat in my canvas lunchbox. If you don't have a lunch box then you could use a ziploc disposable container and stack the four pieces with wax paper or foil between layers. Most of the time I don't zap in the microwave at work....just eat it room temperature.....that way the edges still have a little crunch whereas the microwave softens up the whole pizza. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[valeriek]

Heather,

Below is the recipe for Chunky Vegetable Soup I was telling you about.

Vegetable Cooking Spray
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water
1 tablespoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1- inch pieces
1/2 pound carrots, diced
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 10-oz pkg. frozen lima beans
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese

1. Coat large dutch oven with cooking spray. Add oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped onion and garlic. Saute 5 min. or until onion is tender. Add water and next 9 ingredients (water through lima beans). Bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

2. Add orzo. Cook uncovered over medium heat an additional 10 minutes. Ladle soup into individual bowal & sprinkle with cheese.

Note: Refrigerate remaining soup in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freez it up to three months.

I always freeze individual servings so I have something on hand for lunch. I never add the mozzarella if I am going to freeze it though. I add that after I've thawed it and put it in the microwave. This is a quick and easy soup that makes a large batch, making it ideal for planned leftovers.