Healthy Lunch in a bad economy

Eating healthy can be expensive- that's a fact! Just compare organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables the next time you're at the grocery store. Or a bag of potato chips to a bag of apples. And how can you possibly make a healthy meal for your family for under the price of a Ten-Dollar pizza? Not to mention, the price of groceries is rising and will continue to do so if something doesn't drastically happen with our economy. I have much more to blog about this topic but will do so at a later date.

Today I want to tell you how you can have a healthy, quick lunch for under $4. It's pretty simple actually. Just follow the steps below:

Step One:  run to the nearest Jason's Deli (JD for short) and order their salad bar to go.

Step Two: pile your salad container as full as possible with lettuce and veggies. The more greens the better- spinach, broccoli. Don't forget your protein source- The Incredible edible EGG- you will want to get about 4-8 eggs. But, LEAVE THE PASTA, BREADS AND PUDDING ON THE SALAD BAR. 

As far as your dressing is concerned, if you don't make your own dressing put some balsalmic vinegar and a little olive oil in the small dressing container and spice it up with some sea salt and pepper. If you MUST have ranch or another dressing only put 2 scoops into your container.

If you would like, you can fill the medium sized container with fresh fruit from the salad bar- Be sure to LEAVE THE FRUIT SALAD ON THE SALAD BAR.

Step 3: when you get home place half of the contents that's in the salad, dressing and fruit containers into two of your own containers- glass, rubber made, tupperware even ziplock.

And there you have it! 2 Lunches or 1 lunch and a dinner for under $4.... you just can't hardly beat a deal like that :) In the morning on your way out the door for work, grab your containers put them in that cute little cooler and go :)

Quick Lunch in a bag

on Sunday's I cook several chicken breasts & make a big pot of brown rice, quinoa or couscous for the week. On a day when I don't have a lot of time to prepare my lunch, like today. I make what I call my 'quick lunch in a bag'. It goes a little someth'n like this:

1 cup broccoli*
1/2 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa or couscous
3 oz. cooked chicken breast cut into cubes
1 garlic glove, minced
1tsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste
1 ziplock steam bag

I throw all ingredients in the ziplock steam bag, shake it and microwave for 2 1/2- 3 minutes. Open & dump into bowl. And there you have it! "quick lunch in a bag"!

On days I have to go into the office , I throw all ingredients except for olive oil in ziplock steam bag the night before and refrigerate. In the morning on my way out, I put it in my insulated lunch bag. When lunch time rolls around, I add olive oil & pop in the microwave. You'll be finished eating by the time everyone else is still microwaving their processed frozen weight loss cuisine's ;)

*you can also use frozen broccoli- just place frozen broccoli in ziplock steam bag and microwave for 1 minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients and microwave for 2 additional minutes.