Breakfast and Lunch

In my cookbooks I did not address the first 2 meals of the day, so here are some things to consider...

BREAKFAST

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast will give you the energy you need to begin the day. Toast is not a good breakfast unless you have some protein with it.

You want to limit the starches (sugars - white flour based foods, white bread, pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc.) as these give you only a short metabolic lift. If you do eat a starch make sure to eat some protein as well. Proteins - eggs, cheese, lean meats like ham, turkey based meats like turkey bacon, yogurt. 

Eggs: fried, scrambled, poached, soft-boiled, omelette 

Cream of Wheat 

Oatmeal - add some granola to give it crunch or fruit like blueberries or strawberries.

Cereals - look for cereals with some good fiber content. Cereals with oats and bran are best. Corn, wheat and rice based cereals are higher in starch (sugar/carbs). Even if a cereal has oats or bran in its name this doesn't mean it's the main ingredient so read the ingredients on the box. The main ingredient will be listed as the first ingredient. Often these "oat" cereals have more wheat or corn than oats. Create your own healthier cereal blend by mixing 2 or 3 boxes of different cereals like Crucnhy Bran Flakes, Oatmeal Squares and a Granola-type cereal in a large container. 

Breads: Whole grain or whole wheat English Muffins, bagels; oatmeal, blueberry or bran muffins. 

Fruit: melons, fruit added to cereal or oatmeal like bananas, apples, peaches, pears. (Bananas help reduce blood pressure due to their high potassium, unless you are, like me, banana intolerant, in which case they may cause stomach distress!) 

Meats: ham, trukey bacon, sausage (turkey based is better of course) 

Yogurt: best to buy a plain yogurt and add your own fruit, granola or honey. Honey is the traditional way Greeks eat their yogurt and it is delicious in a plain or vanilla yogurt.

LUNCH

TIP: If you are going to have a busy evening eat a larger lunch and a lighter supper. This will keep you from getting “drowsy” at a meeting! 

Sandwiches: grilled cheese on whole wheat; egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, pimento cheese salad, cold cuts: roast beef, turkey, chicken, ham, BLT with turkey bacon. Don’t overdo the mayo in sandwich spreads or use a lite mayo. (Recipes for sandwich spreads are in the cookbook.)

Soups: clear/broth based soups are generally healthier than cream soups. Any bean-based soup is good as it provides both protein and fiber. Look for whole wheat crackers if you like crackers with your soup. They are often more crisp than regular crackers, too. 

Salad with a light vinaigrette - add some protein: eggs, ham, chicken, beans, nuts. Mixed greens/Spring Mix or baby spinach have more nutritional value than iceberg lettuce. 

Fruit

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