Finding the One Point Lunch...

My culinary life revolves around points...

Regardless of which healthy eating program you pick, there is some metric that you have to measure against. I am one of those folks that picked Weight Watchers ~ therefore my food choices are 'points' based. Right now, I get 53 'points' per day (in addition to 49 weekly 'cheater' points). The theory is that, provided I do not exceed the point values provided to me (and exercise), I will loose weight. Given that I am down over 55 pounds since joining in January, I would say that it is working for me.

During this journey, I have gotten better about eating breakfast but, now that I am back in an office full time, lunch is a bit more problematic. I am apt to eat at my desk, between calls/meetings, and have found that my selections can leave me with a desire to snack later in the afternoon (I like to save my 'points' for those dinners that you typically see here). 

I had a flash of inspiration last night and figured out my Tuesday lunch as a result of things that were already sitting in the fridge.  Here is what you will need to make a 1 point, tasty, reasonably filling, healthy lunch;

• 1 Large, Peeled and Chopped Cucumber
• 1/4 Cup Chunk Light Tuna, drained (packed in water). I used a single serve pack for convenience but, you can use canned if you want.
• 1 Jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 Bunches of Italian Parsley, Chopped
• Flavor God 'Everything' Seasoning ~ if you don't have this (which I do not understand), then you can use salt/pepper.
• 1 Cup Sliced Strawberries
• 8 Ounces Blueberries
• 2 Plastic containers

Place the cucumbers, jalapeno, and parsley in one of your containers - add the Flavor God seasoning. If storing overnight in your fridge, I like to add a folded paper towel to the top, before closing the lid. I then store it inverted overnight and have found that this helps to keep moisture under control. I just add the tuna the next day and toss the contents to mix. The fruit salad is even easier, slice the strawberries and place in the other container with the blueberries. Like with the first container, I use a folded paper towel and store in the fridge inverted overnight.

This was a perfect fit to pull out and munch on at my desk and a combination that doesn't have me feel like I need to munch more at 3:30 and bonus that it was only a point...

Product Review | Wild Oats - Smoked Bacon Spinach Salad

My workday started from home but, shifted to needing to be in the office for a couple of meetings. I dashed out of the house before packing a lunch for myself so a stop to fresh and easy was in order.

If you haven't been in a while, then the evolution you will see in the store might be a bit jarring.  Personally, I find it handy for quick pit stops like I had this morning (even though I think the beverage cooler at the back of the store makes me think I am in a liquor store).  The grab and go stuff is all upfront, right by the register (exactly where it belongs) and there are a few new additions that you will want to pay attention to.  You will notice several organic offerings branded as "Wild Oats", you can only get the sandwiches, salads, and eggs (product review coming later this month) at your local fresh and easy store.  Each of these offerings is made to be sold within 24 hours. For example, the salad I had today, was made yesterday, delivered last night, and placed on the shelf this morning.  There is a limited supply, so swinging by the store during your morning drive time is perfect.  Right off the bat you will see a couple of differences between the Wild Oats products and the standard sandwiches/salads; the "eco-friendly packages and the slightly higher price. This morning, I picked the Smoked Bacon Spinach Salad for the brown bag lunch meeting I needed to be onsite for.  I will say, this was definitely fresh and and on par with what I would fix for myself at home. Contents were exactly as advertised and I was actually filled by the eight ounces of food.  Was it worth the extra money - in this instance yes. If I was on a restricted diet, had an urge to have organic food, and needed it in a grab and go format (which I have not seen anywhere else); then the slight up-charge is well worth it.

While I am on a product review rant, I am going to get on my soap box and complain about something I did see in the store at Kyrene and Baseline.  Back when the chain launched, they had a "clearance" cooler. You got used to walking in the store and checking the cooler before you started shopping. It was okay, but horribly inefficient for traffic flow.  After the Yucaipa buyout, these stores had switched to keeping clearance items in their original locations and doing away with the separate location.  So, if you were buying steak, you would see the marked down trays in with ones that weren't discounted - and could decide what worked well for you.  Clearly this store didn't get (or care about) that memo and are using a section that is clearly designed for something else (just look at the signage in the photo).  Since this is the store that is the easiest for me to swing into on my way home from the office, I hope it is something they correct in the short term future (especially since this looks like a section that is supposed to help me put together a complete meal quickly).

     

Lunch on the Go

Three Minute Service Time...Beat THAT Burger Doodle

Plans went a little haywire this morning and, as a result, I find myself working remotely from one of our North Phoenix centers today.  Fortunately I had packed a lunch.

I adore the "Eat Well" line from fresh and easy. Not only is it healthy but, I don't need to remember any of my High School Chem classes to understand what is in the food I am consuming.  Today was the Steak Fajita, vanilla Greek yogurt with granola, and a diet coke.

Three minutes in the microwave ..the only vending machine that was harmed during this lunch was the coke machine.  There is no way that you can put together a drive thru meal in three minutes.  Definitely not one that has steak and brown rice...