healthy lunch

Lentil Soup

olive oil

onion

carrot

celery

salt

lentils,

tomatoes

broth

coriander

toasted cumin

grains

Lentil Vegetable Soup

French green lentils

yellow onions (3 large onions)

garlic (3 cloves)

olive oil,

black pepper

thyme leaves

cumin

medium-diced celery (8 stalks)

medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)

chicken stock

tomato paste

red wine or red wine vinegar

Parmesan cheese

Turn up the stove for Sunny Anderson's healthy Honey-Glazed Carrots recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Honey Glazed Carrots

Salt

baby carrots

butter

honey

lemon juice

flat-leaf parsley

Honey Glazed Carrots: Food Network

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and then carrots and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the carrots and add back to pan with butter, honey and lemon juice. Cook until a glaze coats the carrots, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

Good but needs adjusting. First, recipe says to cook in water til TENDER.  It takes a while to get there, so I covered it to speed things along. But then at the end it says to cook 5 mins more with the honey and butter, making it TOO tender. So next time I'd cook in water, covered, BUT I'd cook til FIRM TENDER and then proceed with the butter and honey.  I don't like carrots to be TOO soft, they can feel like baby food that way. Glad I tested this one before Easter!

The only comment that I have is that an extremely talented Cordon Bleu chef that I worked for always said that “if it grows below the ground, start with cold water and if it grows above, start with boiling water.

This is a "keeper" recipe.  I served it with my Easter Dinner and the family just LOVED it!!!  I used carrots with the tops still attached, and I trimmed and peeled the whole carrots so that they looked just like the photo, and I must say, it makes for a beautiful presentation.  I cooked as directed and my carrots were PERFECTLY cooked, tender, but certainly not mushy.  They were beautiful and delicious.

Great easy recipe, husband says I can cook this every day! Thank you.

Very tasty and not too sweet because of the balanced flavors.<br />

jus made this tonite,im very pleased with the ease of this recipe yet so tasty

I loved this!  I used what I had at home, so I replaced the honey with agave syrup, butter with coconut butter, and omitted the parsley.  It came out great!

I have made these several times, always a hit.  Serving for Christmas dinner; standing rib roast and loaded baked potatoes.

I made this as a side for Thanksgiving. Everybody loved them.  I followed the recipe exactly that time but have made some slight tweaks since: I steam the carrots instead of boil them. It only takes a tiny bit more time and saves all the good nutritional content. Also, I leave the carrots slightly underdone at this stage before tossing them into the glaze mixture, as they will cook further in while in the glaze sauce and you don't want mushy carrots.  The second time I made it I also had the glaze sauce going while the carrots steamed. This way it thickened up quicker. If you wait to combine it when the carrots are done steaming then the glaze is too watery. Lastly, I also put in 1/3 less butter and it was just as good as the first time i made it. The important flavors to me were the sweetness of honey and tang of lemon.  I love this recipe 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/honey-glazed-carrots-0149069

Quick as a rabbit, these honey-glazed baby carrots are ready to serve.

Honey-Glazed Carrots

Greek-Style Stuffed Peppers

beef

zucchini, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)

small onion, minced (about 1 cup)

bulgur

egg, lightly beaten

oregano

red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cores and ribs removed

feta cheese

In a large bowl, combine the beef, spinach, zucchini, onion, bulgur, egg, oregano, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and fill each pepper half with the meat mixture. Pour the tomatoes over the peppers and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the meat mixture is completely cooked and the peppers are tender, about 25 minutes longer.

This recipe is good, and even better with some tweaks. The first time I made it I followed the instructions and thought it was delicious, but I had to cook for longer than the time stated because the peppers were still pretty crunchy. I probably cooked 1 hour with the foil on and another 20 with it off. The second time, I used an equal amount of uncooked rice instead of bulghur, I mixed in some mild Italian sausage with the ground beef, and I mixed some feta in with the meat in addition to adding feta on top. It was awesome like this! I also put the pepper halves in the oven to pre-bake while I prepped all the filling, and this reduced the cooking time to roughly what's stated in the recipe. Next time, I plan to use ground lamb instead of beef and maybe make some tzatziki sauce to go with!

Loved it. The bulgur was really a nice touch.I used lamb ground meat which a sauteed a little bit with the onions and the tomato i scooped before and then add them with the rest.I also added some more feta in the mixture.Delicious summer recipe and fullfilling.

Very good. Needed to add more salt and also would suggest mixing the feta cheese in with the meat filling.  Made way more filling than needed so I would buy an extra pepper to stuff.  Family loved them and they are healthy!

my family just loves this dish....however, i used other recipe reviewers suggestions and changed it up a tad. instead of bulgar, i use brown rice. i use italian seasoned ground turkey for a lighter taste and mix some feta and garlic into the stuffing mixture for extra taste.  italian seasoned stewed tomatoes are a great addition as well.  

So excited to see Ellie back.  Loved the stuffed pepper recipe.  Can’t wait to join her other classes.

Delicious. Love all the veggies and beautiful color. Because of limited time, I changed the cooking method to all skillet . I browned the meat, onions, 1tsp oregano and 1tsp cinammon (for the Mediterranean twist). I also added 3cloves of garlic. I used leftover cooked farro instead of bulghur. Dumped all the rest except cheese into the pan and let it simmer 10 minutes (red peppers also, cut into bitesize pieces). Laced it with cheese, stirred in.

This was delicious and a nice change from the usual stuffed pepper. I used leftover couscous instead of bulgar. Did not have the zucchini so omitted that also used diced tomatoes. Did not have feta cheese and substituted asiago cheese.  It was awesome and is a nice healthy and light dinner with a salad. Love it will make again. 

I've been looking for recipes that are healthy AND easy on the pocket. These greek-style stuffed bell peppers definitely fit the bill! Smelled great cooking and tasted great too. Thank you for sharing!

I think the recipe is very good, but needs some tweaking to make it great.  I made it with ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, but would stick to all ground beef next time, I added the equivalent amount of uncooked rice like others suggested and would do that again next time.  I cooked it for 60 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered which was perfect, but probably my biggest suggestion would be to add either a can of tomato sauce, tomato paste, or tomato soup because the juice was like water.  I think the watery juice was a great disappointment as we like to serve our stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes and the juice was too bland and too thin.

EXCELLENT! Instead of the ground beef however, my boyfriend and I used ground sausage. It was amazing and so filling!! 

Check out this easy recipe for the best Greek power bowls from Delish.com!

Greek Power Bowls

chicken breasts

kosher salt

c. cooked quinoa or brown rice

c. halved cherry or grape tomatoes

cucumber, chopped

avocado, thinly sliced

c. halved kalamata olives

c. crumbled feta

dill,

tbsp. red wine vinegar

lemon

c. extra-virgin olive oil

Just finished eating this for dinner!  My husband and I loved it.  I imagine I’ll be making this once a week.  I grilled the chicken, and began marinating it in about 1/4 EEVO and Greek Spice Seasoning yesterday.  Did everything as recipe said.  Added a little hummus to our my bowls too.  YUMMO!

I actually use both quinoa and brown rice and used black olives instead

This is delish!!  I do Keto so instead of rice/quinioa I just threw in a handful of romaine lettuce instead.  Everything else I followed exactly and I’m gonna make this again for sure!!

I'll give it a 3 since it has rice. Would love the nutritional value on it

My husband and I loved this meal!!  The combination of flavors is fantastic and it was so easy to make.  I love how healthy it is.  Definitely will become a regular meal around here!

This is delicious I make about ever other month use black olives and both brown rice and quinoa I also make extra dressing and marinade the chicken in it

This was one of the BEST things I've ever tried! 5/5 in my book!!!

https://streaming.hearstdigitalstudios.com/manual_upload/59302e4ee694aa545b21beff/mp4/Greek_Power_Bowls_-_YouTube_-_FINAL_1496329820_4000_hd_v3.mp4

Cut some carbs the fun way with this easy recipe for chicken bacon ranch lettuce wraps from Delish.com!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Lettuce Wrap

romaine

provolone

bacon

roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

Chips,

https://streaming.hearstdigitalstudios.com/manual_upload/59010f7ed55930319d887a95/mp4/Chicken_Bacon_Ranch_Lettuce_Wrap_FINAL_1493241752_4000_hd_v3.mp4

New Classic Meatloaf

small onion, diced (1 cup)

white button mushrooms, finely diced

carrot,

thyme

oats

eggs,

Worcestershire sauce

tomato sauce

Tablespoon mustard

unsulphered molasses

NEW CLASSIC MEATLOAF, Ellie Krieger, Food Network, Olive Oil, Onion, White ButtonMushrooms, Carrot, Tomato Paste, Dried Thyme, Garlic, Quick-Â­Cooking Oats, Eggs,Worcestershire Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Mustard, Unsulphered Molasses

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown about 8 minutes. Stir in the carrots, tomato paste, thyme and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. Allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl combine the beef, oats, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mushroom mixture, salt and pepper. Mix until just well combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high.

In a small bowl whisk the tomato sauce, molasses and mustard and pour over the meatloaf.

Cook the meatloaf until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees, about 55-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

One thing I would change about this is the olive oil.  You should never ever cook with olive oil.  It oxidizes the oil which changes the healthy unsaturated fats into the bad trans fats and the nutrients become carcinagenic as they are burnt along with the unsaturated fats holding them together.  I always use Grapeseed oil or Cold pressed organic refined coconut oil for my cooking and leave my olive oil for dipping sauce, dressing, and massage oil. :)

I am a meatloaf lover, but this was not something I will make again.  I followed the recipe, and it was moist enough, but I just didn't like the flavor.  I'll stick to my turkey veggie meatloaf, it blows this one out of the water.

I am not a very good cook and had never done meat loaf for that matter. I must say this is some GOOD STUFF! my fiancee and mother absolutely loved it. I was impressed, i did not use the molasses because i did not have any and since i was in a hurry i did not let the onion and mushroom mixture cool like the recipe calls for; however, the meat loaf came out awesome. defiantly recommend this recipe :D

I made this meatloaf one day and baked it the next,  I followed the recipe exactly. I took it to our Fellowship Group that night and they loved it.  It freezes beautifully and makes great sandwiches. Will definately make this again.  

Absolutely love this meatloaf!  Moist, flavorful and the glaze is the bomb.  The latter absolutely makes this dish.  I've made it twice now, and my only adjustment the second time was to get a lot more liberal with the salt and pepper on the meat itself.  Other than that, it's fabulous.  Make sure that you put it in that 9 x 13 pan because it allows the glaze to go over the sides.  My husband loves this so much, he wants me to make double the sauce, cook the extra on the stove to reduce it and serve it with the meatloaf.  Even my picky son loves this.  Best recipe that I've gotten in forever.

Love this recipe!  It's so easy to make, healthy and moist.  Have made this a few times now.  The first time, I prepared it ahead and baked it in the oven of our cabin during winter camping along with cornbread.  It was perfect!  Comforting and delicious.  Thanks Ellie for a fabulous recipe!

One of our favorites, especially when we add a few slices of bacon on top!  I always make two.  One for dinner and one for cold meatloaf sandwiches.

We absolutely adore this recipe. We made it for my family and the in-laws when we had a pre-wedding dinner, and everyone said it should be one of our signature dishes for family gatherings. Very significant compliment! Thanks Ellie!!

I am not a meatloaf lover. I only made meatloaf once and it went to waste no one in my family liked it, so I never made it again. That was until I came across this recipe. I made this the other night and needless to say I didn't have any left overs for the next day. This was the best meatloaf I have ever ate.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/trimmed-classic-meatloaf-0135367

With a few ingredient adjustments, Ellie makes a better-for-you meatloaf.

Ligtened-Up Classic Meatloaf

There's nothing dainty about this salad. With mounds of chili-spiced beef and sharp cheddar cheese over a bed of crisp greens, all doused with a chunky tomato lime dressing and topped with a shards of corn chips, it has high-impact flavor and heartiness to satisfy even the biggest appetites.

Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing

garlic,

black beans, drained and rinsed

chili powder

cayenne pepper,

water

tomatoes,

lime juice

hearts romaine lettuce, chopped

Cheddar

corn tortilla chips (about 32 chips)

Ellie Krieger's Beef Taco Salad as seen on Food Network

To prepare the meat, heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat up with the spoon. Add the garlic and beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chili powder, cayenne and water and stir until well combined and some but not all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Meat mixture may be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To make the tomato dressing, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes (with their juices), oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Dressing may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Place 2 cups of lettuce on each plate or in a lunch container. Top each serving with 1 cup of the beef mixture then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. If making to-go, pack 3/4 cup of the tomato mixture in a separate sealable container and put about 8 chips in a separate bag. Right before eating, pour a portion of the tomato mixture with the liquid on top of each salad, and crush tortilla chips on top.

Nutritional analysis per serving (Serving size: 2 cups lettuce, 1 cup beef mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 3/4 cup of tomato mixture, and about 8 crushed tortilla chips)

Calories 430; Total Fat 22 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 10 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 29 g; Carb 36 g; Fiber 9 g; Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 770 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc

Good source of: Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Manganese

Searched for a low carb taco salad and came across this.  Loved the idea of the dressing, but the meat sounded a bit bland and thought the salad could use more vegetables.  So I added a diced yellow onion and diced jalapeno to the meat as it cooked before adding the garlic and remaining ingredients.  Added diced green and red pepper as well as diced avocado and thinly sliced green onion to the salad.  Used Trader Joe's Longboard chips.  Husband and son LOVED the salad!!  And considering my son isn't a fan of raw tomatoes, he loved the dressing. I plan to check out this chef's other recipes.

I must say this recipe It was quick to make and I loved it. My husband loved it and went back to get more. Can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow for lunch. 

This was very simple to make.  Has great flavor and is a quick weekday meal.  Our day loved it and we will definitely be making this again!!

Pretty good. I made some modifications (of course, as follows: I used 93/7 ground turkey; I diced red onion and sauteed it with the garlic before adding the meat; I used more chili powder than called for, as well as some crushed red pepper, and habanero sauce, because I didn't have any cayenne; I liberally salted the meat, as well as added some bouillon granules; in a separate pan, sauteed the beans in a little bit of bacon fat and then roughly mashed them; I tore up corn tortillas and baked them; I added lime zest to the dressing; and I added a couple tablespoons of all-natural sour cream to the dressing. Overall it turned out pretty dang good. I like strong flavors, though, and thought the original recipe might be a bit bland--some other reviewers have mentioned that the meat didn't have a lot of flavor. 

I didn't love the taste of the dish -- although I loved the idea of a lime dressed ground beef salad. I found the beef bland (which may have been the fault of the lean beef. I'll try to make the beef next time adding cumin, cinnamon, jalapenos, more garlic and onions.  But although I didn't love this,  I think Ellie Krieger has a lot of great ideas and does a great job. And all without relying on butter and cream!

I added 2 avocados to the tomato salsa as well.  I don't care for tomatoes too much, but this dish was really excellent, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the fresh taste of the tomato/avocado salsa.  Please give this dish a try.

I substituted cooked and shredded chicken breast and it was wonderful! I will definitely make this again. . .and again!

Followed this recipe as written though added a little sour cream to the salad.  Really good, would make again.  

Loved it!  I substituted chicken for the beef and it was awesome!  My new go to.

Very satisfying for a low cal salad. Started eating a bit more healthy and this was a good choice.  I did use pepper jack cheese for an extra kick 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/beef-taco-salad-0125818

Ellie's taco salad has half the calories and fat of the fast-food variety.

Beef Taco Salad

This soup is just as good for dinner as it is for lunch -- it's warming and comforting and perfect for a rainy day.

Vegetable Noodle Soup

rib celery, sliced (about 1 cup)

medium carrot, sliced (about 3/4 cup)

onion,

orzo

chicken broth (1-quart box, or 2 cans)

parsley leaves, basil

lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)

Serving suggestion: Whole-wheat crackers and cheese sticks.

Food Network Kitchen's Vegetable Noodle Soup as seen on Food Network

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add all the vegetables, garlic and onion. Season with the salt, and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until slightly toasted and golden, about 2 minutes. Add broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, covered, until pasta is just tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in whatever herb suits you (or your young eater) and lemon juice. Season with pepper and additional salt, to taste. Fill thermos, pack in a lunch sack with crackers and cheese sticks and send off to school.

This is my go-to chicken soup recipe. Quick and comforting. I usually make a double batch! 

Awesome! Can also be a quick and easy lunch or dinner by adding chicken (rotisserie) and serving with a baguette.

You gotta add the lemon! Great vegetarian option 

So simple &amp; amazing.  Added herbs, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind.  Doubled all but lemon.

This is great! I used alphabet pasta and my kid loved it!

Unlike others reviewers, I thought the lemon destroyed this soup.  Not a flavor I enjoy in my soup, apparently.

Very simple and tasty. Me and my husband are not soup person but we loved this recipe!

This was quick and easy. Made with ingredients that are usually on hand. Tasted great. 

It as easy to make and delicious! - my mom "I  thought the same thing!"

Easy, Fast &amp; Delicious! 4-year old approved. 

Vegetable Paella

plum tomatoes

Kosher salt

extra-virgin olive oil,

paprika

cayenne pepper

saffron threads

fennel,

baby artichokes, trimmed and halved (see Cook's Note)

Japanese eggplant,

shiitake mushrooms,

dry white wine

short-grain paella rice

haricots verts

capers, drained

parsley,

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Core the tomatoes, cut into wedges and place in a medium bowl; season with salt, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss. Set aside.

Top 40 healthy lunch recipes from across the web

The most viewed healthy lunch recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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The most viewed healthy lunch recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine