Yvonne Offers Three Cures for Lunchbox Letdown

Do you brown bag it at lunchtime? Are you getting tired of the same old, PB&J or ham and cheese sandwiches? Well here are three fresh sandwiches ideas that will wake up your taste buds and make your Cafeteria Fry friends jealous.

Curried Chicken (makes 2 sandwiches)

*This one requires a little planning ahead in that you’ll need to cook chicken breasts or thighs (ideally skinless and boneless) in advance. I cook four or five at a time and freeze them to have meat on hand for several lunches.

1 cup cooked chicken, cubed*
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 tart apple or pear, cubed
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (or basil) *optional
1 tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts *optional
1-2 tbsp plain, low fat yogurt or mayonnaise
1-2 tsp curry powder
ground pepper to taste

Mix curry power and pepper with yogurt or mayonnaise and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Spoon mixture onto seven grain or whole wheat bread and enjoy!

*I like to prepare 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts with a tbsp of olive oil, combined with ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp regular paprika and about 1 tbsp of fresh chopped thyme or oregano, or 2 tsp. of either herb, dried. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes, until juices run clear.

Tuna Salad (makes 2 sandwiches)

1 tin of albacore tuna packed in water, drained
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 pickle, finely diced
½ - 1 tsp dried dill
1 tbsp pickle brine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 – 2 tbsp low fat yogurt or mayonnaise

Flake tuna with a fork. Add celery, pickle, brine and juice. Combine with yogurt or mayonnaise. Spoon mixture onto a spelt or whole wheat bagel or pita.
Avocado and Tomato

1/3 ripe avocado, sliced (the rest of the avocado will keep in fridge for at least a week)
Sliced tomatoes
Freshly ground pepper

Cover two pieces of grainy rye bread with the avocado slices and top with fresh ground pepper. Store tomato slices in a small airtight container and place on top of avocado just before eating. Delish!

*This combo is even better with a slice of cheese and a few arugula leaves.

These are just a few of my favorite concoctions. Use them as a jumping off point to create your own. And if you have a Panini press... I am so jealous!