My All Time Favorite Lunch: Tabbouleh Salad With Chicken

This dish is my favorite thing to make ahead for lunch during the week. I make it at least once a month. It is full of crisp, fresh vegetables and herbs, and is dressed in a lemony olive oil vinaigrette. The flavors of this salad are very bright, and, to me, it tastes like spring time in a bowl. I found this recipe a few years ago after watching the Barefoot Contessa make it on her show. I have adapted her recipe to my own taste and have included my recipe below. The only differences are that I cut down on the amount of salt, omitted the mint and pepper, and added chopped chicken breast and feta cheese. You can find her original recipe here. You can add the chicken breast and eat a larger serving for a satisfying lunch, or leave out the chicken and serve it as a side with some falafel. Don't be afraid of the bulgar wheat! You soak the wheat in boiling water to soften it up. It absorbs the flavor of the lemon juice and olive oil and ends up looking like tiny pieces of rice. It is a whole wheat with lots of fiber so you don't have to feel guilty about eating it. It is a little hard to find in stores, though. The only place I have had any luck finding it in the Keller area is at Albertson's. I have not checked at Central Market or Whole Foods, but I imagine you would not have a problem finding it either of these stores. I know that one of my Houston friends went to no less than four stores in search of this stuff a few months ago, so if you find it my advice would be stock up like squirrel hoarding nuts for winter. And good luck if you live in Houston.

Tabbouleh Salad with Chicken adapted from Ina Garten at Food Network

1 cup bulgar wheat

1 1/2 cups boiling water

Juice of two small lemons

1/4 olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 bunch of scallions, chopped

1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1 cucumber, seeded and diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups chopped chicken breast*

1 cup reduced fat feta cheese

Pour bulgar wheat into a large bowl and cover with the boiling water, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir a few times and cover with a tea towel. Let it set for one hour.

Meanwhile, chop vegetables and prepare chicken breast. After one hour, combine all the chopped stuff with the bulgar wheat and give it a good stir. Serve with about a 1/4 cup of feta cheese on each serving.

*If you are looking to save time buy a precooked rotisserie chicken, remove the skin, and cut the breast meat off of the bones. You can eat the the leg and thighs for dinner with some rice and vegetables or cut up that meat and toss with barbecue sauce for tasty sandwich! If you are looking to save money buy packaged chicken breasts and cook them yourself with a little salt and pepper.

Warm Up With a Spicy Homemade Soup on a Cold Day

Today was the perfect day for a spicy soup! I have made this soup once before and I really enjoyed it. I decided to make it again because it made a enough for several meals and I was able to freeze half of it. It tasted just as good after being defrosted. This recipe for Turkey Mole Soup is quick and easy. You only have to chop an onion and a bell pepper, brown the turkey, and the rest you dump in the pot from a can. One serving is low in calories but very filling. You can get creative with your garnishes on top, too! I like it with a squeeze of lime and some chopped cilantro. This would also be good with a little scoop of pico and sliced avocado. If you are not worried about counting calories you could add some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Be creative to your satisfy your own taste. Try this soup while it is still cold outside and enjoy it's warmth!

Not Your Ordinary Salad

Tired of having the same old salad for lunch everyday? I know I do. I was delighted to find a recipe for Vietnamese Chicken & Noodle Salad. There is a Vietnamese restaurant in Keller that we frequent when we are able to get away from school for lunch. We get the same noodle bowl very similar to this one every time! The difference here is that you don't have to feel guilty after you eat this one. The dish at the restaurant has deliciously thin, flavorful pork and two fried egg rolls so it packs way more calories than this lighter version. This recipe is light and filling. The basil adds tons of flavor while the cucumber and napa cabbage add crunch. This recipe makes four servings so I'll be having the rest for lunch throughout the week. It was a very simple meal to make! Since I will be enjoying this over several days, I packed everything in separate containers so that they dressing does not make the veggies soggy. Let me know if you try this recipe and enjoyed it as much as I did!

Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipe

This time of year everyone is looking to eat healthy and shed all of the holiday pounds. We can often find it very daunting to have three healthy meals a day. I know that I am rarely in the mood to cook a big meal when getting home at six. I like to have something in the fridge ready to heat up. I am also always looking for easy lunches to take to work. So, over the next month I want to share with you some of my favorite healthy recipes. They are all quick, easy, and delicious recipes to make our busy lives easier. I found a recipe for Salmon Salad Sandwiches yesterday and I made one for lunch today. It was fantastic! If you normally like salmon and also enjoy tuna sandwiches, you are sure to like this sandwich. The pumpernickel bread and low fat cream cheese make it a little more grown up and takes this sandwich up a notch! Of course, if you don't care for pumpernickel or are looking to pinch a few pennies, a whole grain bread would taste just as good. With very few ingredients and only a five minute prep time, it is the perfect make ahead lunch! Add your favorite fruit or veggies to round out a healthy meal. Click here for this quick recipe from Eating Well.