Quick and Healthy Lunch Ideas

Pasta and Noodles:

Warm or cold, cooked pasta or noodles are a simple lunch idea that can be made quickly and easily. These can be made ahead of time and either served cold or warmed up before placing in an insulated container. Just choose something from each category, combine together and create a pasta meal in minutes.

Pasta or Noodles:

Cook according to package directions, drain and place in a bowl.

- small pasta shapes: elbow macaroni, farfalle, penne or rotini (or your favorite)

- long noodle varieties: thin spaghetti, fettucini, rice noodles or udon noodles

Sauces:

Depending on what you choose, warm the quantity of sauce you are using in a saucepan or simply add your choice of sauce to the warm, cooked pasta.

- marinara

- pasta sauce with vegetables

- Italian dressing

- peanut sauce

- non-fat sour cream (alone or mixed with dried herbs of choice)

- mustard and non-fat sour cream or mayonnaise combination

- salsa (your favorite variety)

- basil or roasted red pepper pesto mixed with non-fat sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt

Veggies:

Here is a suggested list of vegetables that you can use in any combination. Use any of these or your favorite combinations. If using frozen vegetables, cook according to package directions and if using fresh, use raw or lightly cooked until tender, whichever you prefer.

- artichoke hearts (frozen or marinated in jars (drain before using))

- asparagus spears (frozen or fresh) - cut into one-inch pieces

- broccoli (frozen or fresh) - cut into bite-sized pieces

- carrots - sliced or diced

- celery - sliced or diced

- mushrooms - sliced

- sweet bell peppers - chopped

- roasted sweet red peppers (jarred - drain before using) - cut into bite-sized pieces

- tomatoes - diced

- sweet onions - chopped

- peas (frozen or fresh)

- corn kernels (frozen or fresh)

- baby spinach leaves (fresh works best and the heat from the warm pasta will soften the leaves perfectly)

Extras:

These are just some simple flavor boosters that add a little something extra to pasta or noodle dishes. Use these ingredients alone or in any combination you prefer.

- pitted and chopped green or black olives

- chopped nuts

- grated or cubed low-fat cheese

- any canned beans (rinsed and drained before using) such as black, cannellini, garbanzo or kidney

- chopped sun-dried tomatoes

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