This guest blog is by Kaylie Chrismon. To read Kaylie’s earlier blog, Healthify Your Breakfast, click here.
A healthier lunch is easy when you swap this for that:
iceberg lettuce salad →spinach and mixed baby greens salad
ranch dressing →balsamic vinegar and olive oil
white wrap →lettuce wrap
creamy corn chowder →creamy potato soup
cheeseburger →turkey burger
chicken salad made with mayo →chicken salad made with greek yogurt
sandwich with mayonnaise →sandwich with hummus
side of chips →side of pretzels or veggie chips
pasta salad →quinoa salad
soda →sparkling water or water with fresh fruit and mint leaves
Here are some recipes to get you started!
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Recipe from Pop Sugar
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached
¼ c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/3 c diced celery
1/3 c diced apple
1/3 c halved grapes
¼ c slivered almonds
Dice chicken breasts and combine chicken with remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until use.
Greek Kale Salad
Adapted slightly from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
4 stems of kale, leaves ripped off and washed
1/8 tsp garlic pepper
1/8 tsp lemon pepper
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1/3 c kalamata olives, rinsed and sliced into thirds
1/3 c crumbled feta
1/4 c olives oil
1/4 c raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
In a medium sized bowl, massage 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic pepper, and lemon pepper into kale
leaves until they turn dark and softer. Add zucchini, kalamata olives, and feta into the bowl of
kale. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, ¼ c apple cider vinegar, thyme, and
oregano, and drizzle over salad.
How will you Healthify Your Lunch?
Kaylie Chrismon is a registered dietitian intern at UNC-Greensboro in North Carolina. Her blog is skinnymuffinrecipes.com.