Lunch Lady on a Diet

Like everyone else in America, I am currently battling a few "holiday pounds".  Which means, like everyone else in America, I am currently on a diet/cutting back/counting calories.  Which means, like everyone else in America, I am hungry and cranky.

So, if you're in the same boat as I am here is a couple of lunch ideas that I have been rotating lately.  The first is a yummy spinach and fruit salad.

Heids McGhee Winter Fruit Salad

• spinach 
• grapefruit (cut into chunks)
• orange (cut into chunks)
• pomegranate seeds (a VERY fun project for the minis....removing pomegranate seeds)
• walnuts
• crumbled feta cheese
• salad dressing of your choice
• salt and pepper

1.  Combine all the ingredients.

This salad is very delish.  Super healthy too!

My other favorite lunch is turkey roll-ups.  My disclaimer is that this is a very processed meal, but it is convenient and would be the perfect lunch to pack to take with you to work.

Turkey Roll-up

• tortillas
• cream cheese, I used garlic and herb Laughing Cow (when I make these for the minis, I use hummus
• turkey slices (I get sliced oven roasted turkey breast from my local deli)
• pepper slices (I also like to add cucumber)

1.  Slather your cheese or hummus on your tortilla.

2.  Add your turkey and veggies and roll.

I love these.  THey're quick to make and convenient to pack.  They'll make all your coworkers with their lame diet lunches feel like a schmuck.  And that will ease your on a diet/counting calories/cutting back crankiness.

Pesto Pizza

I apologize, but I can't stop talking about my garden.  It is gorgeous and overflowing.  And whenever I am out working in my garden, I can't stop the "OMG, I am actually good at this" train of thought in my head.  My basil was overflowing, so I had to cut it all down and whip up a batch of pesto.  (I also saved a small amount of my basil, in order to make basil cocktails.  All for the sake of this blog, of course.  See what I do for my readers.)

Pesto

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Directions

1.  Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. 

2.  Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

3.  If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.  (I freeze mine in an ice-cube tray.)

The possibilities of pesto are endless.....pasta, pesto grilled cheese, pesto chicken, pesto sandwich spread, and my favorite....pesto pizza!

Pesto Pizza

• pizza crust (cauliflower pizza crust, no knead-focaccia, or store-bought premade crust)
• pesto
• fresh grated mozzarella cheese (you must buy a chunk of mozz and grate it yourself.  No pre-shredded, please!)
• sliced tomatoes

1.  Prepare your crust.

2.  Slather crust with pesto.

3.  Top with cheese.

4.  Arrange sliced tomatoes.

5.  Bake according to the directions based on your crust.

Crust, slathered with pesto.  Resist temptation to lick the crust.  

Load up with cheese.  Shove handfuls of cheese in your mouth and then yell at the minis when they try to do the same.

Layer with gorgeous tomatoes from your garden.  Don't have a garden?  Go to a farmer's market.  Don't put crappy store-bought tomatoes on this pizza.

Bake to perfection.

Now I am a girl that is known for being to pack away the food.  Seriously.  I could have eaten this entire pizza myself.  But, I am a selfless mother that remembers to feed my minis, so I did share.  Next time, I'm making two.

Grilled Veggies, Take Two

Have you tried my grilled veggies yet?  If you haven't, I am going to be honest...I'm sort of angry with you.  Because, once you do try them, you're going to have an "Oh my gawd, Heids McGhee, you have rocked my world" moment.  And then, you will email to tell me about your OMGHEYHRMW moment.  So, by you not making my veggies, I suffer because my inbox could always use more "you are the best thing that has ever happened to me" emails.


So, try my veggies.  And make a triple batch.  Because you are going to eat twice the amount you ever thought you would and you will need the leftovers for lunch the next day.


Heids McGhee's Grilled Veggie Sandwich

• grilled veggies (cold, left-over)
• naan (or pita)
• hummus (I used my own, but I think a roasted red pepper would be fabulous)
• feta cheese

1.  Smear the hummus on your naan or pita.

2.  Layer as many grilled veggies as you can on the pita.

3  Sprinkle with feta cheese.

I cheated and bought naan at Whole Foods.  It was 105 degrees where I live the day I made these.  I wasn't turning my oven on for anything!  My friend Astrid shares a recipe for naan, if you prefer homemade (which, of course, incredibly awesome people do.  I chose not to be incredibly awesome on that particular day).

Layer those veggies on as high as you can.  If you're feeling a little crazy, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.

Fold in half and eat.  Make one for the minis too.  Because if you don't, they're going to do that annoying hover that they do when they want a bite of what you're eating.  And you won't want to share this.

And, please email me and let me know when I give you a moment.  And, if you love me, please pin me on pinterest.  (I've always wanted to say that).