15 High-Protein Heart-Healthy Lunches in 15 Minutes
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
These lunches can help support heart health and keep you full in the process. Offering at least 15 grams of protein per serving from satisfying ingredients like tuna, chickpeas and yogurt, these meals can help with digestion, satiety and muscle recovery. Plus, each dish is made low in saturated fats and sodium to support a heart-healthy eating pattern. Quick and easy recipes like our Cucumber Salad Sandwich and Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl are delicious lunches ready to eat in only 15 minutes or less.
Cucumber Salad Sandwich
Who said you couldn't put a salad on a sandwich? Flavor this creamy cucumber filling with your favorite fresh herbs, tangy feta cheese and lemon. Salting the cucumber then patting it dry removes some of the moisture from the cucumber so the filling doesn't make the bread too soggy. If you like crispy bread, toast it first for extra crunch.
Chicken, Spinach & Feta Wraps
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco
This chicken, spinach and feta wrap recipe is elevated by the convenience of rotisserie chicken and the scrumptious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Whisk together the easy dressing, toss with the chicken, add spinach and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using rotisserie chicken speeds up the process, but you can also reach for this recipe if you have leftover cooked chicken on hand.
Mango-Almond Smoothie Bowl
For this healthy smoothie bowl recipe, be sure to use frozen fruit (not fresh) to keep the texture thick, creamy and frosty.
Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl
It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!
Green Goddess Tuna Salad
Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly while also offering an impressive punch of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines or mackerel would work just as well in this quick recipe. Use the remaining herb sauce as a dressing for salads or grain bowls, as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables. This recipe is easily doubled to make a big batch to meal-prep for the week. Serve on bread or in a wrap, over a bed of greens or scooped up with your favorite chips, crackers or cucumber slices.
Chicken & Cabbage Bowls with Sesame Dressing
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Prop stylist: Holly Dreesman, Food stylist: Gabriel Greco
Four convenience products are all you need to prepare these tasty bowls. A bag of shredded coleslaw serves as the base that’s topped with seasoned chicken strips, crunchy flavored almonds and a drizzle of sesame dressing. Leftover chicken can easily stand in for the chicken strips. Traditional cabbage coleslaw works well, as does broccoli slaw for a slightly different look and flavor.
Braised Lentils & Kale with Fried Eggs
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
These braised lentils are cooked with tender kale and bathed in a fire-roasted tomato broth with an egg on top to pack in the protein. Microwaveable lentils need just a short time in the pan to finish cooking. If you have cooked or canned lentils on hand, you can use them in their place, but you may have to shave a few minutes off the cooking time so they don't get too soft. We like how the soft, runny yolk coats the dish. If you want a harder yolk, cover the pan and add 2 or 3 minutes to the cooking time.
Green Goddess Sandwich
This green goddess sandwich is a fresh and satisfying sandwich. The dressing packs a flavorful punch with capers and lemon juice. The cucumber and sprouts add nice crunch, and the seasoned avocado brings in the creaminess.
Arugula & Cucumber Salad with Tuna
Spicy baby arugula pairs with crisp Persian cucumbers and celery in this refreshing salad. Italian Castelvetrano olives offer a mild, buttery flavor that doesn't compete with the flavor of the tuna. If you want more punch from your olives, Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives work well too.
Chicken & Cabbage Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressing
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Best known as a Vietnamese dipping sauce, nước chấm typically combines sugar, lime juice and fish sauce, striking the perfect balance between sweet, sour and salty. Here it ties together crunchy vegetables, tons of fresh herbs and cooked chicken breast for a refreshing chicken salad. Serve combined with glass noodles or inside a lettuce leaf. For a slightly different take, swap out the cooked chicken for thin slices of grilled steak.
Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich
In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.
Spinach & Fried Egg Grain Bowls
Wheat berries, a nutty-tasting whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, are the base of this hearty breakfast bowl recipe. The fiber-rich grain freezes very well, so cook up a batch to stash away for salads, bowls and more. Topped with spinach, peanuts and an egg, these bowls make for a satisfying breakfast. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper for extra heat.
3-Ingredient Salmon & Veggie Sandwich
Photographer: Carson Downing, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek
This 3-ingredient salmon sandwich recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked veggies and salmon (you can also use canned salmon). Pulling out the insides of the bread makes a nice pocket for the filling. Use those bread pieces to make breadcrumbs or croutons.
Copycat Arby's Chicken Salad Sandwich
This copycat Arby's chicken salad sandwich is simple to make at home. A creamy dressing coats the chicken, with the signature ingredients of apple, red grapes and chopped pecans adding flavor and crunch.
Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water—its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
