Ideas for Anti-cancer brown bag lunches?

Fearless_One

Hope you don't mind, I wasn't sure where to put this.   Anyways, my diet is CRAP and I really need to buckle down.  I read Anti Cancer and loved it - but I don't want to eat salad 5 days a week for lunch - plus they don't really fill me up.  I mean, they are okay, but not every day.   I also don't want to have to use the microwave, but I guess at work that might be tough to avoid. 

Any suggestions welcome!  Thank you....

Anonymous

Best book - Anti-Cancer.  I stopped using the microwave at work by bringing my food in a stainless steel thermos.  My naturopath told me he wouldn't be in the same room with a microwave that is going.  So I also no longer eat in the work kitchen.  I often bring salads with turmeric, pepper, organic extra virgin olive oil, and organic raw apple cider vinegar - you develop a taste for the dressing.  I make veggie soups or bring dinner's leftovers.  You can make soups and add some organic green tea instead of water.  Also I sometimes add the turmeric mix to the soup.  Also make sandwiches with ezekiel bread and almond butter.  Plus fruit.  Good Luck!  You really develop a taste for the good foods! 

barbe1958

I find the vinaigrette and cider dressings upset my stomach, give me reflux. I, too, need to eat better! I try not to eat fast foods but sometimes will consume chocolate in enough calories to pass for lunch figuring I need the calories for energy anyway....

I need to lose 50 pounds!

lago

I do eat salads for lunch and make my own dressing. The trick to salad is putting things in it that will fill you up and are healthy. Small amounts of walnuts, lean turkey, low fat cheese (goat or feta) white meat turkey, fish or beans. The beans or walnuts will really help just watch the portion because they are high in calories… but good for you.

My favorite salad:
Romaine lettuce
Red Cabbage
peeled carrots (easier to eat when peeled)
crasins
goat cheese
walnuts
freezed dried corn niblets
1/2 avocado

Dressing:
Salsa, balsamic vinegar, little bit of olive oil, dijon mustard, basil blended together.

Fearless_One

Great ideas, ladies - especially the steel thermos, I didn't even think of that!   Interesting what your path said about microwaves.   I believe that.  

As for the dressings, I have just been using olive oil - you know, all the commercial dressings are just soybean oil with maybe a splash of olive oil.   But yeah, I need to try to make my own because plain olive oil is getting boring.

CrunchyPoodleMama

Great suggestions, and I agree with lago about loading it up with anti-cancer things that you enjoy... also, if you mix it up and make a totally different salad on different days, they don't get boring!

I am fortunate to work from home now, but if I still worked in an office, I'd bring in either a toaster oven or even a small convection oven and get permission to keep it in the break room or even at my desk if possible. That way you can bring leftovers in a Pyrex container and heat it up without having to use the microwave.

Of course, that takes more foresight because you can't just pop it in five minutes beforehand... leftovers might take 20-30 minutes to heat up... but it's something I would make myself get used to (e.g., set a reminder for 11:30 to pop it in, work for another half-hour or so, then enjoy a hot healthy meal for lunch).

The steel thermos idea is great! I have been cooking a lot of soups while the weather is cold... my favorite is a white bean soup with Italian sausage (made of local grass-fed beef, with no BHT or other preservatives). That would be so perfect in a thermos.

impositive

Julia, I would love that recipe. Sounds delicious!

Fearless_One

I didn't even think of toaster oven, great idea! 

Blundin2005

Hi Fearless,

I'm retired, but I remember the brown bags well.  I worked in a hospital so healthy food wasn't too hard to find in the cafeteria.  But I also liked to take my own to work with me. The thermos idea is a good one...soups are a healthy option.  I used to shop farmer's markets/cook on the weekends, freeze foods for both lunch and dinner for the week and in portion sizes.  

Here's a web site that might help http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/

Also we have a thread here "Healthy Recipes for Everyday Living".  Scroll down to Day to Day Matters.

Best wishes,

Marilyn 

cp418

I found these recipes and they looked interesting.  I have not tried any yet though.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=260255&id=177550385124

gutsy

Soups such as broccoli, carrot, bean. Sprouted breads with almond butter or walnut butter and some broccoli sprouts on top. Lentil stews. Once in a while free range omega 3 eggs make into an omelet or on a sandwich. Brown rice noodle pasta with tomato sauce and lots of vegetables. Ratitouille, (whole bunch of healthy vegetables sauteed with water) freeze it for several lunches or dinners.

barbe1958

I gotta get off this thread! All the lunches suggested won't work with my GOUT. I have 4 pages of foods I can't eat. I said just give me ONE page of food I can eat!! Nope.

Can't have broccoli, lentils, beans, walnuts, etc, etc....I eat that stuff anyway sometimes as life is too short.

misfit

Leftover grilled salmon with lemon and pepper. I just eat it cold, it's awesome. That and hummus with celery and carrot sticks.

althea

I've tweaked my diet in a number of different directions in the last 5 years, and the book that's given me the most success is the Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr Sandra Cabot.  I had already cleaned up my breakfast and lunches, but dinners were my final frontier.  My favorite dinners have a lot of butter, cheese, cream, sometimes all three.  In a nutshell, these recipes steer clear of red meat, dairy, and all processed foods.  I've been making lots of soup in recent months, both for myself and for my mom.  They're quite good and would work well for lunch also. 

barbe, what about asparagus?  potatoes?  celery?  The book I just mentioned has a recipe for asparagus soup with the ingredients I just listed.  

sdstarfish

OK, here's a few new ones you could try.Let me know if you have any q's:

Kale and Apple Salad

Cous Cous Salad

Sneaky Potato Salad

Millet with Apricot and Raisins

 Cucumber Confetti Salad

I also reccomend having almonds every day - about 2 tbsp. for a snack.

Have fun!

Lisa

http://pinkkitchen.info

Fearless_One

Oh man,  all of these suggestoins sound great!   Good thing I do love veggies and whole grains, etc.   I am not a vegetarian, but actually just don't like meat that much (maybe 2-3 times a week, a small portion).   I hate full-fat products, I just think they are gross (like whole milk).   I didn't even eat them before BC.

impositive

Sdstarfish, great website. I found the flourless peppermint brownies.....I think I'm in love.

I am/ WAS a chocolate fiend. I recently found a dish to satisfy that craving.

It's called Choc-a-mole'

2-3 ripe avacados

1/4 cacao powder

stevia to taste

blend it all together to make a wonderful rich "chocolate pudding".

I also top with (grass fed dairy) real whipping creme with a little stevia. I know some dont do dairy. It's just as good with out the creme.  

Not really great for brown bagging but thought I'd share.

Fearless_One

No, that sounds good - I do eat dairy, I just don't like the full fat stuff.   I buy non-fat or lowfat organic yogurt and milk, etc.    

i find grass fed beef hard to find where I live.