Recently, a client came to me with a dilemma: how do you eat healthy when you’re on the go? It was a good question – and it’s an issue that can be challenging for many of us.
We thought it would be helpful to share a few ideas for self-contained meals that you can whip up in a few minutes, throw in a Tupperware, and bring to work. A good place to start is a nice big salad with a piece of protein like meat or fish. Even if you don’t have time to make it yourself, you’re never far from salad!
And when we say salad, we’re not just talking about a bowl of green leafy stuff. A can of tuna, some shredded red cabbage and dressing is one of my go-to’s, and I jazz it up a lot of different ways. Another thing to remember: real mayo is not the enemy! The same thing goes for olive oil. Fat, in other words, doesn’t make you fat. In fact, it may do just the opposite.
OK, enough talking. Onto some recipes!
Bill’s Salad Fun
– Choose one or more from each column
Note: one can of tuna or 4-5 ounces chicken serves one person. Pile on as much of the rest of the stuff as you like. I usually choose tuna, cabbage, carrots, lemon, mustard, mayo and garlic.
Protein
Canned tuna (I like oil-packed)
Cooked chicken
Canned salmon
Vegetables
Shredded cabbage
Broccoli slaw
Shredded carrots
Celery
Radishes
Olives
Sliced red peppers
Cucumbers
Capers
Fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, basil, dill)
Garlic
Dressing
Mayo
Mustard
Lemon juice
Vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Amanda Hesser’s chicken salad
4 cups cubed roasted chicken
3 tablespoons slivered peppadew peppers (you can get these at most olive bars.)
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
¼ cup roughly chopped almonds
2teaspoons chopped thyme
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste. Don’t be stingy.
Juice from 1 lemon
In a large bowl, mix chicken, peppers, artichokes and almonds. In a small bowl or lidded glass jar, whip or shake together thyme, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and oil. Pour dressing over chicken and toss to combine. Squeeze the lemon on top and give it another stir.
Here are some more ideas via Robb Wolf, one of the savviest people I know on nutrition.
Tuna Avocado Salad
www.myaimistrue.com
12 oz. solid white tuna, drained
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 small avocado
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 celery rib
10-12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Chop celery and onion into small, uniformly-sized pieces and place into a large bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them. Then add the tuna.
In a separate bowl, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, avocado flesh, salt, and pepper and mix together well. How mushed you make the avocado is up to you. I still like a bit of texture.
Combine the dressing with the tuna and veggies. Mix well. I like to use my (clean) hands for this, it makes it easier to mix them without totally smushing the tuna into paste, so you still get some chunks in there. Refrigerate or serve immediately.
Salmon with Tomato and Cucumber Salad
www.primal-palate.com
1 lb wild caught salmon, cut into 4-6 oz portions
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil, dried
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Salad:
2 cups cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup kalamata olives
1 tablespoon fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and cut into 4-6 oz portions. In a glass jar, combine the next 7 ingredients and shake vigorously. Place salmon in a gallon Ziploc bag pour marinade over salmon, seal and toss to ensure the salmon is fully coated in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours prior to grilling.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill salmon 4 minutes a side over medium-high heat.
Toss all salad ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Spring Slaw with Smoked Shrimp
www.primal-palate.com
1.5 – 2 lbs uncooked shrimp
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Slaw:
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup carrots, shredded
2/3 cup celery, chopped
2/3 cup red radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Clean and prepare all vegetables, set aside. In a large bowl, toss shrimp, olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper and minced garlic.
Preheat a large nonstick frying pan to medium heat. Sauté shrimp until they turn pink and are opaque. Remove from heat.
Cook 4 strips of bacon over medium-low heat until crispy. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping.
Toss shrimp with slaw until evenly combined. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and serve.
Jicama Salad w/ Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
www.jensgonepaleo.blogspot.com
Jicama, peeled and sliced
1 T. Chopped Cilantro, for garnish
Pinch of Smoked Paprika, for garnish
Vinaigrette:
Juice of One Lime
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. Roasted Hazelnut Oil (If you don’t have it, just use more olive oil)
Pinch of Sea Salt
Pinch of Smoked Paprika
Pinch of Ancho Chile Powder
1-2 T. Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Protein of your choice (chicken, etc.)
Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together and adjust to taste. Toss jicama with vinaigrette in bowl. Garnish with cilantro and paprika. Top with protein and serve.
Chopped Broccoli Salad
www.everydaypaleo.com
3 cups broccoli, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups of carrots, diced
1 apple, diced
9 strips of bacon, cooked and diced
3 green onions, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Black pepper to taste
Cooked chicken or canned tuna
Mix all ingredients together and serve!!
Spinach and Bacon Frittata
www.everydaypaleo.com
8 strips of diced cooked bacon
1 carton of sliced mushrooms
1 bag of fresh spinach
1 dozen eggs
Lots of olive oil
In a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté mushrooms in olive oil until beginning to brown. Remove to a bowl. Add spinach to skillet and toss until it cooks down. Return the mushrooms to the skillet, add the crumbled bacon and spread out evenly in the pan.
Whisk together the eggs with some salt. Pour over the bacon and veggie mixture. Turn the heat down to low and cover until the eggs are almost set.
Take the lid off and finish the frittata in the oven under the broiler until the eggs become firm. Slice and serve. You can eat this hot or at room temperature. It even works the next day.
