Stuffed Pita Pizza

People pretty much want pizza all the time. Here's a way to get your pizza on in a healthier way.

1 Pita bread cut in half

1/2 ripe Tomato or 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatos

3 Eggplant slivers

1/3 cup sautéed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons Pesto

Parmesan to taste.

Trail Mix

Its always a party with this yummy trail mix, oh and it definitely keeps you going.

Almonds

Walnuts

Dried Cranberries

Dark Chocolate… that's right!

Hot or Cold Salad

I love this salad because you can eat it hot or cold. Its great uncooked and … well you get it.

1 Can Black Beans

2 small Carrots

1 handful of Spinach

1/2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Seasoning Salt

2 tablespoons of Walnut Oil (if cold) or Olive Oil (if cooked)

Rinse beans in a colander. Chop veggies. Toss together and add seasonings. If serving cold toss with Walnut Oil. If cooking sauté with Olive Oil.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Mambo Italiano with this delectable salad. With Pesto our super secret ingredient.. shhhhh!

2 Cups pasta design of your choice

1/2 Cup of Basil or Sage Pesto

3/4 Cups of Cherry Tomatoes

1 Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Enjoy!

Egg Salad Sandwhich

Confession- I hate mayonaise. Thus I learned to make this classic sans the white creamy goo. This recipe has surprised most and gotten rave reviews. Give it a whirl and tell me what you think!

2 Slices of hearty Whole Grain Bread

2 Eggs hardboiled

2 tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard

1 tablespoon chopped Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Hard-boil and de- shell the eggs once cooled. Mash into tiny bits and add mustard and parsley. Mix well and sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.

Veggie Wrap

I love the ease and yumminess of a wrap. Put anything in a tortilla and call it a day. This is my standard go to wrap, which is basically a big salad with a tortilla around it. More variations to come..

1 Burrito sized tortilla

Lettuce (I usually go with romaine)

Carrots (slivered)

Cucumbers (slivered)

Olives

Feta or Blue Cheese (optional)

Watch someone at your favorite burrito shop and copy what they do. The olives add enough flavor for me, but if you must have dressing do not apply it until it is ready for consumption as any other method would soggy the beloved tortilla, who's working so hard for this wraps success!

Pasta Salad

My dear mother sent me off to school with this in my lunch at least once a week. The marinated veggies mean no dressing necessary. I guess she was lucky to have a kid who loved veggies at a young age and would do ANYTHING for an artichoke!

2 Cups of multi-colored spiral pasta aka Rotini (google to the rescue!)

1/2 Cup grated Carrots

1 jar of Marinated ARTICHOKES

1/2 jar Marinated Mushrooms

Cook the pasta. Rinse in cold water. Toss in veggies and keep in the fridge till your ready to pack your lunchbox.

Granola!

Packaged granola was the health food racket of the naughtys. It is so easy to make granola yourself, that once you start you'll never buy packaged again!

3 cups of oats

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup maple syrup

4 tbsp butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, seeds, and spices. Melt the butter and syrup in a pot and pour over the dry mixture. Stir well. Pour into a clear baking vessel, sheet pan, or oven safe cooking pan and bake for 10 to 20 minuets stirring halfway between cooking time.

Hummus Dippers

Hummus is such a wonderful ingredient. Whether featured or just a spread, it adds a kick much needed to some less than exciting recipes. Now that it comes in all kinds of tasty combinations it makes it even more fun to play with hummus!

Use Hummus as a dip and go to town with carrots, celery, bell peppers, crisps or whatever floats your fancy!

Black Bean Salad

Beans Beans, good for your heart! The more you eat 'em, the more you.. Its a fun rhyme but its no argument for denying the healing and yummy power of the mighty Frijole Negro. There are many ways you can make a black bean salad, but this is my favorite because.. it has mango in it.

1 Can of Black Beans (15 oz)

1 Mango :)

1/2 chopped Red Onion

1/2 chopped Green Bell Pepper

1/3 cup Cilantro (optional)

1 Lime (juiced)

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Rinse the beans in a colander. Cut up the mango in to bits. Dice the onion and pepper. In a bowl put the beans and veggies and toss in the lime juice and olive oil. Espero que te guste!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwhich

I know its so obvious! Yet there is a HUGE reason its been an American standard for so long. Filling, sweet, and delicious this meal always brings a smile to ones face and keeps you going whether on a hike or running around the office. So assemble, take a bite and smile!

2 Slices of Bread (multigrain or sprouted wheat)

1 Slab of Natural Peanut Butter (Sunbutter is a good alternative for those with nut allergies)

1 Slab of Jelly

Quinoa Salad

We all know Quinoa is a power grain but it doesn't just have to be a healthy rice substitute. You can make very tasty salads and sides from this nutty flavorful grain and here is one of my favorite recipes for Kee-No-Waaaayyyy :)… ENJOY!

1/2 cup Quinoa (cooked ratio 2 to 1)

1 Carrot (chopped)

2 shoots of Scallions

3 tbsp Sunflower Seeds

3 tbsp Sesame Oil

salt to taste

Make the Quinoa and let it stand until it cools. Chop veggies and add to the quinoa, along with the sunflower seeds. If eating the entire salad that day add in the sesame oil. HOWEVER if you plan on taking it for lunch a few days in a row, I would not add the oil until the day you plan on eating it, as it tends to change the taste and consistency of the vegetables.