Low Calorie Lunch #3

Today's low calorie lunch is one of my absolute favorites --Homemade Hummus and Tabbouleh Salad! I love that they are both so fresh, flavorful, and filling! Raw veggies and olives with this meal make it so yummy and healthy! Hummus is made from chick peas, also called garbanzo beans, and they are low calorie and full of fiber and protein. Also, offering the benefit of high fiber, low calorie, and high protein is bulgar wheat, which is the main ingredient of tabbouleh salad. The other ingredients for this meal are all vegetables, spices, herbs, and lemon juice. 

Low Calorie Lunch #3

Homemade Hummus

2 15.5 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB fresh parsely

1 lemon, juiced

10 medium black olives

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. coriander, optional

1/2 t. seasoned salt

1 cup water

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Chill for at least one hour, serve with your favorite pita bread and raw vegetables. 

Tabbouleh Salad

2 cups bulgar wheat, cooked and cooled to room temperature (follow package directions) 

1 t. salt

2 lemons, juiced

1 pt. cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, finely chopped

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 TB olive oil

Mix all ingredients well. Add more salt or lemon juice to reach desired flavor. 

This meal does take a lot more time to prepare than some of the other low calorie lunches I have posted, but it is the type of meal that tastes great a couple of days after it is made. I would recommend making several options for healthy lunches on a Sunday afternoon to be prepared for the week. After all, If you open the refrigerator in the middle of the day, you're busy and  already hungry, and find nothing =not good!  It is more likely you will go for something fast and maybe less healthy like chips, cookies, candy, cheese burger, or mac and cheese. But if you have fresh, whole-food, healthy options just waiting for you, then it is easier to make a good choice when you are busy and hunger strikes!

I'll be posting another Low Calorie Lunch next week, so check back in a few days! 

Low Calorie Lunch #2

I like finding ways to eat super delicious food for a filling, satisfying meal that also leads to weight loss and the goal of balanced wellness. I am sharing my "Low Calorie Lunches" with you, because there are so many yummy foods we can eat that taste good while promoting good health habits. Eating foods in their natural state is so much healthier than processed foods with added preservatives and added chemicals. I love this Black Bean Plate, because it is healthy, so simple, and so good!  

Low Calorie Lunch #2

Black Bean Plate

Brown rice

Black beans

Corn

Avocado

Tomatoes

Light sprinkle of salt

This is so delicious for lunch! There are very few calories in this meal, but it is so filling. You will get some great fiber from the brown rice, beans, and corn! The veggies are packed with nutrients, too. The avocado offers the body a healthy type of fat and is considered a super food because of its high-levels of folate, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium. Enjoy this one!  I eat this for lunch as often as I can, because I love it so much!   

I'll be posting another Low Calorie Lunch next week, so check back in a few days! 

Low Calorie Lunch #1

I like finding ways to eat super delicious food for a filling, satisfying meal that also leads to weight loss and the goal of balanced wellness. I am sharing my "Low Calorie Lunches" with you, because there are so many yummy foods we can eat that taste good while promoting good health habits. We don't need to feel hungry all the time or eat things that don't taste good in order to experience weight loss or better health. God gave us taste buds so we can enjoy the wonderful flavors of the foods He created! The first Low Calorie Lunch I'm sharing is something I'm sure you have had before. It is so simple, but so delicious! Try it this week!

Low Calorie Lunch #1 

Simple Tostadas
Corn tostadas
Fat Free refried beans
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced black olives
Corn
Sliced avocado or simple guacamole (smashed avocado, salt, lemon juice)
Salsa
Cheese (lightly sprinkled), optional
Sour Cream (light), optional

So, eating 2-3 of these will fill you up! These crunchy discs of delicious flavor include healthy fiber from the corn tostadas and beans, as well as the benefits of a variety of vegetables.

I do not like the phrase "I'm on a diet." I think it is really cliche and seems like a self-deprecating statement that basically says "hey I'm fat and I'm trying to lose this flab so I can fit back into my favorite jeans." I don't want to say that even if it is true. I do think, however, that it is important to recognize when we need to lose some weight. Instead of putting myself on a diet, I think making small changes towards an improved lifestyle is a better. We need to be doing things like eating more foods in their original condition--more whole foods, less processed foods. Exercising, getting enough sleep. Drinking water. Praying for God's help to balance and excell in all areas of our lives including our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

I can admit that I do have some extra weight, and, yes, I aim to lose some of it. But, I am not on a diet and I am not doing any specific program or anything like that to restrain and restrict myself. I believe that the ultimate goal any of us should have is to be healthy, balanced, and growing stronger every day.

Age has a way of weakening a person, but with continued effort towards wellness, a person can do a lot to combat the natural progression of fat cells that are migrating and clumping up everywhere you don't want them to clump. And, there are definitely things we can do to help generate more energy and better circulation which leads to better metabolism and a better immune system. After all when more blood is pumping through the body, there is more life-giving power spreading to each area.

But, I digress. I am not a nutritionist nor a doctor. I do have an interest in health and have learned much through the years of my life as I have lived as a vegetarian and as a member of a protestant denomination known globally for their healthful lifestyle--Seventh-day Adventists.

A side note: Seventh-day Adventists are featured in a National Geographic study headed up by Dan Buettner and the world's best longevity researchers to identify pockets around the world where people live measurably longer, which they termed Blue Zones. In Blue Zones the study found that people reach age 100 at a rate 10 times greater than anywhere else in the world. You can read more about it here: https://www.bluezones.com/2014/03/loma-linda-exploration-backgrounds/ and also at this link: https://www.bluezones.com/2014/03/loma-linda-exploration-lessons/.

I'll be posting another Low Calorie Lunch next week, so check back in a few days!