Healthy Guide to Life: Lunch

I would like to start by saying how pleased I was to hear that my series has already helped someone! Jillian, I was sooo excited to hear that you were looking for this kind of article!
So here comes the second most important meal of the day: Lunch!

So here is a basic list of what you body needs about 1/3 of the way through your day;

• Greens! I can't express how crucial natural greens are for you body! And there are so many fun ways to eat them every day!
• Veggies! I will list some veggies that not only contain a great source of fiber but also some extremely beneficial nutrients for your inner and outer self!
• Power fruits! Fruit isn't just great at breakfast! For a list of power fruits, check out my last post (Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast).
• Whole Wheats! If you didn't have a breakfast that contained your whole wheats, lunch is the best time to make up for it!
• Essential Fatty Acids and Omega-3's! You may be saying "What on earth are those!" Don't worry, I will explain!

Now that you know what you need to eat, I will break down different ways for you to enjoy these foods in simple and healthy ways!

• Lets start with greens. So if you have ever read a health magazine or had a conversation with a health nut like me, you will know that greens are a term for, well, green vegetables! Greens can be any veggie that is green and the reason why they are so important is that greens are one of the healthiest veggies for you and you can get them in so many ways! The easiest way is a big bowl of salad! Now don't you dare grab that ceasar salad bag mix! That stuff is not what I am talking about! I mean the deep dark greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, cucumbers, broccoli, uncooked green beans, snap peas, etc... If you are going to eat a salad, you want it to have as many health benefits as possible! Here is my recipe for one of the most simple and healthy salads ever:

What you'll need is:

1. Romain Lettuce (the greenest you can find in your local grocery store)
2. Uncooked Spinach (you can get this in a bag if you like)
3. Cucumbers *Note: Cucumbers lose their nutrients in a matter of hours after being cut into! So try to use the whole cucumber in two days!)*
4. Uncooked snap peas or green beans.
5. Berries: You can use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or any other berry you enjoy! All make your salad have an extra sweet tangy flavor!
6. Essential Fatty Acids! You are probably thinking that I made this term up but here is one essential fatty acid that everyone will recognize: Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Adding one tablespoon to a meal every day is great for your skins moisture and for your hair! Not to mention its great benefit in preventing heart disease!
7. Omega-3's are found in walnuts!
8. Antioxidants (look at the list of high antioxidant foods a few paragraphs down).

Now you know how to make an extremely healthy salad that contains everything you should eat at lunch! If you are still hungry after eating this salad (which is more likely if you are a growing guy) then make yourself a great whole wheat sandwich with some lean meats like chicken or turkey! Here is my fave sandwich:

1. Whole Wheat high fiber bread
2. Chicken or Turkey lunch meat (sometimes ham if its Boar's Head Meats)
3. Mucky Duck Mustard (soooo yummy!!!!)
4. Two leaves of Romaine Lettuce
5. One Slice of monterey jack or colby jack cheese

This sandwich will keep you full and happy throughout the afternoon and when you eat my fave salad and sandwich, you will be filled with joy and health knowing you ate an incredibly healthy lunch!

Now if you don't have much time at lunch, here is a quick little meal you can throw together in a matter of two minutes:

1. 1 cup of carrots
2. 2 ounces of almonds
3. 1 medium sized apple (health benefits are in my last post Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast)
4. 1/2 -1 cup Sun Chips, healthy Potato Chips, or Sweet Potato Chips (if you have none of these in your pantry, grab some next time your at the grocers because they are great snack items!)
5. 1-2 leaves of romaine lettuce or 1 cup of spinach with honey mustard or ranch dressing
6. 1 cup of lunch meat

This is easy to throw together into lunch baggies for a healthy and fun lunch that is full of nutrition! You can take this with you to a picnic, a car ride, or to eat at home!

Now for antioxidants!

Best Sources of High Antioxidants Foods:

1. Fruits: Berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit.
2. Vegetables: Kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, brussel sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets.
3. Dry Fruits high in antioxidants: Apricots, prunes, dates.
4. Legumes: beans, pinto beans, soybeans.
5. Nuts and seeds: Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, ground nut, sunflower seeds.
6. Cereals: Barley, millet, oats, corn.
7. Spices: cloves, cinnamon, oregano

Another great way to get your antioxidants is by drinking them! Green Tea is not only delicious but also high in antioxidants! I drink a 1-3 cups of green tea at least 2-3 times a week! Try drinking green tea with flavors like honey, berry, or if you have a green tea that is strong, add 1 tbsp of natural honey.

Well I can't wait to hear from you all! The next post in this series is Healthy Guide to Life: Snacking!

See you all soon,

Butterfly