Low Fat Lunch Recipes

1. Salmon, Tomato and Cucumber Sandwiches

Combine salmon, cottage cheese or grated cheese and pepper. Spread the salmon mixture on the bread. Place a layer of sliced cherry tomatoes and the slices of cucumber on top of the salmon. Add the top slice of bread.

2. Chicken, Onion, Egg and Lettuce Sandwiches

Make sandwiches just before serving.

1 - 2 lean chicken breasts grilled or microwaved
Some low fat mayonaise
1 - 2 boiled eggs or poached egg whites
1/3 of an onion chopped finely
Some mustard powder to taste
Some curry powder to taste
Some lettuce leaves
4 slices wholemeal bread

Place all of the above ingredients into a mixing bowl or blender - except the bread and lettuce. When the mixture is completely combined spread a portion of it on the bottom slice of bread, add the lettuce then the top slice of bread.

3. Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich

. 16 slices whole wheat bread
. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
. 8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
. 1 to 2 teaspoons skim milk
. 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
. 1/4 teaspoon fresh course ground black pepper
. 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
. 1/4 teaspoon salt
. 8 leaves of green curly leaf lettuce

You may trim the crust from the bread if you prefer.

Mix the softened cream cheese with 1 teaspoon skim milk to make more speadable. Add the chopped parsley and spread on one side of the sandwich. Arrange the cucumber slices on top of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Arrange the thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the cucumber slices. Lightly salt tomato slices. Add lettuce leaves and top with second piece of bread. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Lobster Roll

This is a low fat version of the famous New England sandwich.

. 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops
. 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
. 1 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
. 1/2 teaspoon salt
. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
. Dash of Tabasco sauce
. 4 cups chopped cooked lobster meat
. Rolls or hot dog buns

Combine onions, mayonnaise, celery, lobstermeat and seasonings. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour to let flavors blend. Spoon into split rolls and serve.

5. Turkey Wraps

. 1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
. 1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
. 1 1/2 teaspoons chipped chipotle peppers, in adobo, include some sauce
. 4 - 8 inch low fat flour tortillas
. 1/2 pound shredded or sliced roast turkey or chicken
. 3/4 cup shredded romaine lettuce

Blend chipotles and mayonnaise in blender until smooth. Warm tortillas between plastic wrap in microwave for 30 to 40 seconds on high. Spread 1 tablespoon chile mayonnaise mixture on each warm tortilla. Place one fourth of the turkey, onion and lettuce across the middle of each tortilla, season with salt and pepper to taste and roll up. If you prefer cilantro to chipotle peppers, you can substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro for the pepper.

6. Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Basil

. 2 medium button mushrooms, sliced
. 1/2 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch round slices
. 1 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut in 1/2 inch lengthwise slices
. 1 large sweet red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
. 1 large sweet red bell pepper, sides cut in lengthwise slabs
. fresh ground black pepper to taste
. 4 slices crusty bread

Grilling Sauce:
. 1/2 cup basil leaves, minced
. 2 large cloves garlic
. 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Seasoned Mayonnaise:
. 1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
. 1/2 cup basil leaves, minced
. 1 large clove garlic, minced

Grilling Sauce: Combining basil, garlic and vinegar in a small bowl.

Heat barbeque grill to medium high and place eggplant, zucchini, onion and red bell pepper in a single layer on grate. Brush on grilling sauce and turn vegetables over. Brush other side with sauce. Turn vegetables to cook evenly, brushing generously with sauce. When vegetables are just tender but still intact, remove from grill. Brush on remaining sauce and season to taste with salt if desired and fresh ground pepper. For

Seasoned Mayonnaise: Combine fat free mayonnaise, basil and garlic in a small bowl. Spread mayonnaise on bread slices. Divide vegetables evenly and layer on two slices of bread and top with remaining bread slices. If you like your sandwich toasted, grill sandwich lightly brown on grill sprayed with a small amount of cooking oil spray. Otherwise, wrap sandwich in foil and heat on grill until very warm.

7. Mexicali Shrimp Sandwiches

. 1 large ear of corn, husked
. 10 ounces bay shrimp (or tiny shrimp), cooked (about 1 1/2 cups)
. 1 cup diced red bell pepper
. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
. 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
. 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
. 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
. 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
. 2 teaspoons fat-free mayonnaise
. 6 - 4 inch Kaiser rolls or low fat hamburger buns, cut horizontally in half

Cook corn in a pot of boiling salted water for three minutes. Drain and cool. Cut kernels off cob. Place corn kernels in a medium bowl. Add shrimp, bell pepper, cilantro, green onion, lime juice, lime peel and hot pepper sauce and toss to blend. Mix in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Chill. (May be made one day in advance and stored in refrigerator) Pull out a small amount of the bread on the low half of the bun to hollow out to form a slight indention or bowl effect. Scoop salad into roll indentions and top with other half of roll.

8. Spicy Tofu Wraps

. 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (just use fresh)
. 1 tablespoon canola oil
. 8 ounces firm tofu, drained, patted dry, crumbled
. 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
. 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, stems removed
. 1 clove garlic, minced
. 4 7- to 8-inch-diameter low fat flour tortillas
. 2 cups thinly sliced lettuce leaves
. 1 cup purchased spicy or mild salsa

Whisk 3 tablespoons lime juice and oil in medium bowl. Add tofu, onion, cilantro and garlic and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let marinate 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Place in oven until heated through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates. Place layer of lettuce down center of each tortilla. Top with tofu mixture, dividing equally. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa over each. Roll up tortillas. Serve, passing remaining salsa separately.

9. Honey Mustard Turkey Roll

. 4 Kaiser rolls
. Olive Oil Cooking Spray
. 1/2 cup fat-free cream cheese spread (in tub)
. 1 tablespoon honey
. 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
. 8 ounces smoked low-fat deli sliced turkey breast
. 4 very thin slices red onion

Mix fat-free cream cheese, honey and mustard together in small bowl.

Slice Kaiser rolls in two. Spray nonstick skillet lightly with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add Kaiser rolls, cut side down and toast until lightly browned. Spread both sides of rolls with honey mustard mixture. Top with turkey breast and sliced red onion. Serve with fresh green grapes and apple wedges.

10. California Turkey Wraps

. 1 pound turkey breast cutlets, 4 ounces each thawed and pounded thin
. 4 - 8 to 9 inch fat free flour tortillas
. Fat free ranch-style salad dressing
. 2 cups medium spinach leaves, stems removed
. 1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
. 1 cup alfalfa sprouts
. 1 large red bell pepper, cut in slices
. ½ cup pickled hot yellow banana peppers, cut in rings, drained

Broil thawed steaks 3 to 3-1/2 minutes per side, 3 to 4 inches from the flame to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Chill and cut into 1/4-inch strips. For each sandwich: spread the entire surface of tortilla with dressing.

Top with a layer of spinach leaves, then sliced cucumbers, then alfalfa sprouts, and then turkey strips. Place red pepper slices on top of the turkey along with the yellow pepper rings. Top with additional salad dressing and roll up burrito-style. Serve wrapped in sandwich paper to help hold together.

Recipe Numbers 3 - 10 source:
Low Fat Lifestyle.com