Quick low carb lunch ideas

Quick low carb lunch ideas

A delectable low carb lunch can keep your midday hunger at bay and give you the energy you need to power through your afternoon. Here are a few quick and simple low carb recipe ideas for lunch. Basic calorie contents have been provided.

• Hard-cooked eggs are easy to tote to work or on picnics and provide the staying power of protein. They make excellent low carb snacks, too. If you need some crunch, partner eggs with low carb crackers or mix with mayonnaise and spread on a piece of low carb toast or tortilla. One large egg is about 80 calories.
• Tuna salad composed of mayonnaise, diced celery, shredded carrot, grape halves, fresh minced herbs and your favorite seasoning makes a satisfying meal with many textures and tastes. For a change, try cooked salmon or another fish instead of tuna. One (6-ounce) can of solid white albacore packed in water is about 170 calories.
• Cubes of cheese paired with toasted nuts and olives (or a modest serving of fruit) becomes a simple gourmet lunch, especially if you enjoy it with a small glass of wine. One ounce of hard cheese is about 100 calories, one ounce of nuts is about 160 calories, and four large olives have 25 calories.
• low carb wraps, using dark leafy greens or low carb tortillas to hold low carb fillings, are versatile and give you near endless variations. Try thinly sliced deli meats and cheese combinations, cream cheese spreads, and any number of vegetables or fruits (like avocados, tomatoes, or olives). Leafy greens have minimal calories and tortillas range from 60 to over 100 calories (read the labels).
• Cream cheese dips can be mixed with fresh herbs, garlic, roasted red peppers, and olives as well as berries or even smoked salmon for a flavorful array of dips or spreads that can be eaten with cut vegetables or low carb chips, crackers, or miniature toasts. One ounce of cream cheese has about 100 calories.

Give these low carb recipes a try when you have a little more time in the kitchen.

Low carb gazpacho with avocado

Serves 4

Gazpacho is a chilled soup that is especially satisfying on a hot summer day. It is naturally high in vitamins and minerals and low in carbohydrates. This entire low carb recipe has about 200 calories, not counting the avocado.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely diced peeled cucumber
• 1 cup finely chopped green peppers
• 1 cup finely diced, seeded tomato
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or more to taste
• Zest, minced and juice from a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Diced avocado

FRUGAL TIP: 

• Cook large amounts and freeze extra for busy nights.