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(use these in all phases)
On this page, you will find mostly salads. However, soup also makes a good lunch, as do leftovers from the previous evening's meal.
See Phase 1 Soups with Meat and Phase 1 Soups—Meatless for some soup recipes. Other Phase 1 salad recipes can be found on these pages: Bean Salads for all Phases, Phase 1 Salads—Side, Phase 1 Salads–Main
Make a lunch salad with any desired combination of the following. Use as many veggies as you want and 3 to 4 ounces of protein per serving.
Veggies: Romaine and/or other salad greens (except iceberg lettuce) Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes Cucumber (long seedless is best) Bell peppers (green, red, yellow, orange) Green onions (scallions) Red onion Radishes Red cabbage Broccoli or cauliflower Avocado
Condiments: Olives (green or black) Pepperoncini peppers (from jar) Marinated artichoke hearts in jar (or plain, canned) Marinated whole mushrooms Hearts of Palm Jalapeno peppers, sliced, from jar
Protein: Meat, 2 to 4 oz. (cooked beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna) See note* Boiled egg, cubed or sliced Beans (garbanzo/chick peas, kidney, pinto, black) Cheese cubes or shredded cheese Garbanzo beans (chick peas) or other beans (except pinto) Nuts (sunflower seeds, toasted pecans or walnuts, pine nuts)
Dressings: Oil and vinegar type dressing to taste. Vinegar helps to digest food, and some say it helps you to lose weight. Homemade is best, but if you buy bottled dressings, be sure that there are no added sugars of any kind. Ideally, the nutrient label should read 0 grams sugars. Creamy dressings can also be used; just follow the same guidelines—no added sugars. Especially watch out for corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup and avoid these.
*Note: You can use leftover meats if you have them. You can buy meats in pouches and cans, as well as precooked, packaged meats in the refrigerated and frozen section of most stores.
Some suggested salad combinations Use dressing guidelines above
Chicken or Turkey Chef Salad Romaine or mixed greens Tomato, cut into bite-size pieces, or halved cherry tomatoes Red onion, sliced or chopped (optional) or sliced green onions Cooked chicken or turkey, sliced or chopped 1 ounce low-fat cheddar cheese, cut into cubes 1 boiled egg, quartered or chopped Dressing of choice
Grilled Chicken Salad Romaine lettuce Tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces, or halved cherry tomatoes Cucumber and/or bell peppers Sliced green onions (or red onion) 1 oz low fat cheese, shredded or cubes Grilled chicken (use leftovers or purchased, precooked grilled chicken) Dressing of choice
Chicken Caesar Salad Romaine lettuce Chicken (grilled is good) Shredded parmesan cheese Caesar dressing
Note: Can have 100% whole wheat croutons in Phase 2. See Breads and Bread Products for crouton recipe.
Cajun Turkey Salad Romaine lettuce Cucumber Tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces, or halved cherry tomatoes Green bell pepper, chopped Cajun-style turkey, sliced and cut into strips* Marinated mushrooms or other condiment Dressing of choice
*I buy Jennie-O brand at Sam's Club.
Salad with Smoked Salmon Romaine lettuce or mixed greens Tomatoes, any kind Cucumber (seedless is best) Red onion or sliced green onions Smoked salmon* Top with 4 marinated whole mushrooms Dressing of choice (creamy dill or other creamy herb dressing goes good with salmon)
*I sometimes buy a 16-oz. package of Slow Roasted Salmon from Sam’s Club, which is very good. I also buy a large jar of marinated mushrooms there.
Salad with Tuna Romaine lettuce Radishes Diced tomatoes, any kind Celery Red onion Tuna, canned or from a pouch, rinsed and drained Dressing of choice (dill or herb dressing goes good)
Southwestern Style Chicken Salad Romaine lettuce Tomatoes, diced, or halved cherry tomatoes Red onion, diced or sliced (optional) Black olives, sliced or whole Sliced jalapenos from jar Avocado, cut in bite-sized pieces (optional) or substitute cucumber* Grilled chicken breast (leftover chicken grilled with southwestern seasonings)** Salsa-Ranch dressing (mix half ranch dressing and half salsa)
*Note: If using avocado, and not eating immediately, squeeze some fresh lime or lemon juice on avocado to prevent darkening, and store salad in air-tight container. **Can buy precooked, grilled chicken, fresh or frozen.
Salad with Beef Romaine lettuce or mixed greens Red onion, sliced Radishes, chopped Yellow bell pepper, diced (or any color) Tomatoes, diced (or halved cherry tomatoes) Cooked beef (leftover roast or steak is good) Peppercorn Ranch dressing
Fahita Beef Salad Romaine lettuce Bell peppers (any color, or mix colors) Green onions, sliced Chopped tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes Precooked fajita beef* Salsa-Ranch dressing (mix half ranch dressing and half salsa)
*I buy John Soules Foods Beef Fajitas, seasoned, grilled, and sliced. If you’re not taking the salad to work, you can heat the beef in a skillet and serve it hot over the rest of the salad.
Southwestern Style Bean Salad Romaine lettuce Tomato, cut in bite-sized chunks Red onion, sliced or chopped Black olives, whole or sliced 1/2 cup garbanzo, pinto, or black beans Avocado, cut in bite-sized pieces* (can substitute cucumber) Shredded low fat cheese for topping, if desired Fiesta dressing (mix half Ranch Dressing and half salsa, fresh or from a jar)
*If not eating immediately, squeeze some fresh lime or lemon juice on avocado to prevent darkening, and store salad in air-tight container.
Salad with Kidney Beans Romaine lettuce Cucumber Tomato or cherry tomatoes Red onion, chopped, or sliced green onions Marinated mushrooms or artichoke hearts 1 boiled egg 1 ounce low fat cheddar cheese, cut into cubes 1/3 to 1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained* Italian Dressing or other dressing of choice
*One 15-ounce can of kidney beans will make 2 or 3 salads.
Salad with Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas) Romaine lettuce Tomato or cherry tomatoes Green bell pepper, chopped Red onion, chopped, or sliced green onions Black olives (or green stuffed olives) Pepperoncini peppers 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas) rinsed and drained 1 ounce low fat cheese Dressing of choice (Greek or Mediterranean style is good)
Greek Salad Lettuce (romaine or mixed greens) Red onion Seedless European cucumber Tomatoes, chopped, or halved cherry tomatoes Greek olives or black olives, sliced Pepperoncini peppers (top salad with whole peppers) A few grinds of fresh pepper (optional) Feta cheese (or a substitute cheese if you don’t like feta) Greek Salad Dressing
Italian Salad (meatless) Romaine lettuce or mixed greens Tomato Red onion Black olives Pepperoncini peppers (whole) Parmesan cheese Italian dressing
Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Pimentos (meatless) Romaine lettuce or mixed greens Red onion Artichoke hearts (canned, not marinated) Diced pimentos or roasted red peppers from jar Grated Parmesan cheese Dressing of choice
Hearts of Palm Salad (meatless) Hearts of Palm, cut into bite-sized pieces White onion, sliced or chopped Tomatoes Black olives Italian dressing or Greek dressing Salt and pepper Serve over romaine lettuce, if desired
Fiesta Salad One serving. Recipe from Dr. Weil. A good low GI, high fiber salad, protein from the beans and cheese, and 3+ servings of veggies (lettuce, bell pepper, green onions, cucumber, salsa).
2 cups lettuce, torn into pieces 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1/2 small cucumber, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped) 1/2 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 to 2 oz low fat, shredded cheese of choice 2 tablespoons fresh salsa (found in refrigerated section of stores)
In a salad bowl, mix together the vegetables and pinto beans. Add the salsa and stir gently to blend.
You can warm the beans if you’d like. You can also add a little chopped, cooked chicken.
*Note: You can mix some ranch dressing with the salsa (2 tablespoons ranch dressing and 2 tablespoons of salsa) and use all of it on the salad.
Egg Salad on Salad Greens
4 large hardboiled eggs
Lunches on a Plate
NOTE: You can add unlimited amounts of raw veggies to any plate (tomatoes, bell peppers of any color, radishes, celery, cucumber, green onions, etc.).
Tuna Plate 1 can (6 ounces) fancy solid white Albacore tuna in water (or 1/2 to 1 cup tuna salad, recipes follow) 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 boiled egg, sliced Tomato, cut into bite-sized chunks, or halved cherry tomatoes (can be marinated)
Oriental-Style Tuna Plate 1 cup Oriental-Style Tuna Salad (recipe follows) Raw veggies of choice
Chicken Salad Plate 1/2 to 1 cup chicken salad (recipes follow) 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 boiled egg, sliced or quartered Tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes, halved (can be marinated)
Turkey, Chicken, or Beef Plate 3 or 4 ounces of turkey, chicken, or beef* Cole slaw or broccoli slaw (homemade with no sugar) Sliced tomatoes and/or other raw veggies
*Can be left over from last night’s dinner, or deli slices, or purchased cooked chicken or beef).
Recipes
Oriental-Style Tuna Salad Four servings. Recipe by MizFrog.
2 (6-oz) cans tuna (fancy solid white Albacore in water) 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped 1/2 to 2/3 cup mayonnaise (sugar free) 6 to 8 green onions, sliced 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste) 1 teaspoon Nature’s Seasons (or salt and pepper to taste)
Rinse and drain tuna. Put in bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Chill. Serve on plate atop lettuce leaves.
Note: Can experiment with various spices instead of salt and pepper.
Chicken Salad Three or four servings.
1 can (13 ounces) premium chunk chicken breast in water 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 to 1/3 cup finely diced celery 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash lemon pepper (salt free, sugar free) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)*
Drain chicken, place in mixing bowl, and flake with fork. Add mayonnaise, celery, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt if using. Mix well. Serve chilled.
*Note: The chicken and mayonnaise have enough salt without adding any more. If using another brand of lemon pepper that has salt in it, them omit the added salt.
Curry Chicken Salad Low fat. Six servings.
3 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 teaspoons curry powder
In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, and curry powder.
Serve on plate atop lettuce leaves.
Tuna Salad with Fresh Dill Two servings. Low fat. An easy to make tuna salad. Can be served inside of hollowed out tomatoes or over lettuce.
1 (6 ounce) can tuna (white albacore packed in water) 1/4 to 1/2 cup diced celery 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt 1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
Drain the tuna and place in a small bowl; flake with fork. Add celery, dill, parsley, green onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, and mustard; mix well.
Note: Can add about 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, if desired. Can also use 1/4 cup mayonnaise and omit the yogurt or sour cream.
Tuna Protein Salad
4 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces 2 hard boiled eggs, halved and then slice the halves 2 ripe tomatoes (medium size), chopped in bite-size pieces 1/2 cup low fat, shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces) 2 large dill pickle halves, sliced (of the type sold in refrigerated section of store) 1/2 cup of walnut halves 1/2 large red onion, cut in half-rings 1 (12-oz.) can fancy white Albacore tuna in water, drained
Toss it all together and top with your favorite sugar-free dressing.
Chicken, Turkey, or Tuna SaladOne large serving or two small servings.1 cup diced chicken or turkey, or 1 can (6 oz) albacore tuna packed in water, drained1/2 cup diced celery2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or to taste)1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped)1 tablespoon chopped green olives with pimento1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)Tabasco to taste (optional)2 tablespoons chopped green onions (scallions)Lettuce leaves (optional) Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Serve on lettuce leaves, if desired.
Oriental Chicken Salad Two servings.
Salad: 4 ounces cooked chicken, cut into julienne strips 2 cups bean sprouts 2 cups salad greens, torn into bite-size pieces 1/4 cup diced cucumber 1/4 cup slivered green bell pepper
Arrange as desired on two salad plates or bowls.
Dressing: 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 packet Splenda (or other sugar substitute) 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root (can use 1/8 tsp. powdered, but fresh is better) 2 tablespoons peanut oil
In bowl, combine vinegar & soy sauce with sugar and ginger; whisk in oil. Serve over salad.
Strawberry Romaine Salad One serving.
1 1/2 to 2 cups prepared Romaine lettuce 3 to 4 ounces fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced 1/4 cup shredded, low fat Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Muenster cheese 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped and toasted walnuts (about 1 ounce)
Dressing: 1/3 cup granular Splenda 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 cup olive oil
Whisk or blend Splenda, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add oil very slowly, until mixture is thick and smooth.
Toss lettuce, strawberries, cheese, and nuts. Drizzle 2 or 3 tablespoons of the dressing over top and mix. Serve immediately. Save remaining dressing for other salads.
Dannon’s Greek Salad (a “no-lettuce” salad) Makes four servings. A tangy Greek salad with cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes. Use a hot or mild pepperoncini, depending on your preference.
SALAD: 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced 1/2 red onion, chopped 1/2 seedless European cucumber, diced 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup pitted calamata black olives, chopped 1/2 pound feta cheese, diced 4 pepperoncini peppers, chopped (optional) Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl except salt and pepper, then add these to taste.
DRESSING: 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Combine yogurt with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, and ground cumin. Stir to combine. Add dressing to salad and toss.
In Phase 1, serve as is and eat with a fork. In Phases 2 and 3, can serve in warmed whole wheat pita bread for a sandwich meal.
Jalapeno Chicken Salad Two servings.1/3 cup diced celery 1/4 cup sliced or chopped green onions 1/4 cup sugar free mayonnaise 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 pickled jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine 1 small jar (2 ounces) diced pimentos 12 ounces of grilled chicken strips, chopped* 1 bag salad greens (or 4 cups torn romaine lettuce) Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the first seven ingredients (celery through pimentos) in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chicken strips. Cover and chill. Just before serving, top greens with chicken mixture.
*Note: Grill your own chicken (make extras when you grill, and freeze for later use) or for convenience, use precooked and packaged grilled chicken, fresh or frozen and thawed.
This page on-line September 10, 2003
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