Sandwich or Wrap Filling Options
Sandwiches have come a long way since peanut butter and jam or a classic BLT. Here are a few ways to liven up your lunch box. Serve these in whole grain pitas, on sprouted grain bread, on a multi grain bun, or atop a bed of mixed greens for a no-grain option.
Grilled Ratatouille
Barbeque eggplant, red onion, and peppers (lightly oiled) until tender. Take off the grill, dice, and stir in chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil and capers. Pile on a bun and top with shredded cheese.
Grape Chicken Salad
Mix 2 cups chopped leftover chicken in a large bowl with 1/3 cup sliced celery, 1/3 cup sliced peppers, 1 ¼ cup halved seedless grapes, and ¼ cup minced green onions or chives. Stir in ¼ cup natural yogurt or mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper. (Can be kept in fridge for 3 hours before use.) Before serving mix in ¼ cup raw sliced almonds. Place a bed of lettuce on a sprouted tortilla, spoon 1 cup of mixture across centre, roll tightly. Makes 4 servings.
Curried Tuna with Walnuts and Raisins
Place 2 tbsp mayo or yogurt, ½ tsp curry powder, and a few pinches of cayenne pepper in a bowl and stir. Mix in a can of drained tuna; mash with fork. Mix in 1 tbsp walnut pieces, 1 tbsp raisins, and 2 tbsp finely diced celery. Serve on bread topped with lettuce and thinly sliced onion.
Almond Cranberry Turkey Salad
Mix together 1 cup finely chopped turkey, 3 chopped green onions, ¼ cup chopped almonds, 2 tbsp dried cranberries, 1 chopped stalk of celery, 1 tbsp mayo, and 1 tsp lemon juice in a bowl. Serve any way you would like!
Adapted from Food & Drink Summer 2008, www.urbanharvest.ca, Food & Drink Autumn 2007, and Lunchbox Love, respectively.
Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients
Onions – Because they are high in sulfur, onions help lower cholesterol, inhibit cancerous tumor growth, help manage diabetes, and are an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal food that are also a blood tonic.
Celery – Eating 2 to 4 stalks of celery a day can lower blood pressure, especially if due to stress. It helps protect against cancer, is a mild diuretic, aids in weight loss and digestion, is a detoxifier, and can stimulate the sex drive. It is high in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
