1/2 Mozzarella Pesto Tomato Sandwich w/ Salad

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 8

This sandwich is great on almost any kind of bread. I personally like how a rustic roll tastes with the pesto.

Ingredients:
1 roll of your choice
4 slices of tomato
4 med-thick slices of mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons of pesto spread from your local grocery store or deli
A handful of lettuce mix or spring mix
Drizzle of oil/vinegar

Directions:
Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto spread on each side of your roll. Layer with tomatoes, cheese and lettuce mix. Cut in half and save half for later. Put half of the sandwich and salad mix on a plate and drizzle the salad with oil and vinegar.

376 Cals, Fat (good fat) 19g, Protein 10g, Carb 36g, Fiber 4g
Prep time: 5 min, Assembly Time: 2 min, Ready in: 7 min

Rice & Lentil Salad

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 5

This salad is really easy especially if you have the ingredients left around from another dish. It's a great way to use up leftovers and it keeps for 3 days in the fridge. If I don’t have leftover rice or lentils then I like to buy pre-made lentils and use pre-cooked brown rice or cook it ahead of time.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 15-ounce can lentils, rinsed, or 1 1/3 cups cooked lentils
1 carrot, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Recipe Makes:
4 servings, each serving is 1 cup

Directions:
Whisk oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add rice, lentils, carrot and parsley; stir to combine.

Tips:
Make ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Cals 250, Fat 8g, Protein 8g, Carbs 36g, Fiber 8g
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Assembly: 3 min, Ready in: 18 min

Ham and Swiss on Rye

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 8 (with low fat Swiss)

As you may I have noticed, I love a great sandwich for lunch. Here is another one of my favorites.

Ingredients:
2 slices wheat or rye bread
4 oz of lean ham
1 slice of Swiss cheese
lettuce
sliced tomatoes
2 teaspoons of mustard on each slice of bread

Cals 420, Fat 10g (this drops by 4g with low fat cheese), Protein 31g, Carbs 28g, Fiber 5g
Prep: 5 min Assembly: 5 min Ready in: 10 min

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 4

This can be made in bulk and eaten over the course of a few days. It’s great for cold or warm weather.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
2 ears fresh corn if available or canned corn
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, sliced

Directions:
Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

222 Cals, Fat 6g, Protein 20g, Carb 22g, Fiber 6g
Prep Time 10 min Cook Time: 25 min Ready In: 35 min

Classic Turkey Sandwich

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 7 (with light mayo)

This week alternate between a classic turkey sandwich and pasta w/ veggies, protein and a light marinara sauce. Notice that each choice has 1 serving of each food group. Both lunches will power you through to dinner without adding to your waistline.

Ingredients:
2 Slices of whole grain bread
4-6oz of turkey meat
2-3 veggies of your choice
1 slice of low fat cheese
1/2 tablespoon of your choice of condiments on each side of bread.

Cals 340, Carbs 27g, Protein 17g, Fat 6g, Fiber 6g

Pasta with Veggies, Protein, Marinara Sauce

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ 6

This week alternate between a classic turkey sandwich and pasta w/ veggies, protein and a light marinara sauce. Notice that each choice has 1 serving of each food group. Both lunches will power you through to dinner without adding to your waistline.

Ingredients:
1 cup Cooked Penne Pasta
1 cup cooked veggies of your choice
1 cup diced cooked protein of your choice
1/3 cup Marinara Sauce.

Cals 320, Carbs 22g, Protein 26g, Fat 9g, Fiber 6g
(using tofu as the protein source lowers the protein to 9g)