Heart-Healthy Lunches: Pasta Salad Bowl

If you missed this post last month, we talked a little about heart healthy lunches to pack for work that are high in heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

Knowing it may take some time before packing your lunch becomes the new routine, don't forget it's one simple step you can make towards a healthier diet as well as savings. This month we'll focus on another component of a healthy diet: eating a variety of foods. 

Why focus on variety? These foods contain a combination of nutrients and other healthy substances. No single food can supply all the nutrients in the amounts you need. For example, cheese contains calcium but no vitamin C, tomatoes provide vitamin C but no calcium. Focus on eating the recommended servings from the five major food groups found in the Food Guide Pyramid (grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein). You will also eliminate the need of a multivitamin by eating this way. Consuming a wide variety of foods increases the likelihood that you will be exposed to sufficient quantities of all essential nutrients, which vary in amount and combination among different foods. This will help to improve your health and may help prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as help you maintain your weight. 

Here are some examples of balanced snacks to pack for work:

• Hardboiled egg and whole grain crackers (protein and grains)

• Greek yogurt with fruit and granola (dairy, fruit and grains)

• Dry whole grain cereal with dried cranberries (grains and fruit)

• Raw veggies and hummus (vegetable and protein)

• Mini bagel with peanut butter and banana (grains, protein and fruit)

For meal planning, I’d suggest aiming to eat at least 3 food groups per meal. The more the better!

Consider Variety for Lunch

This is a perfect example of a quick, throw-together, one-dish meal that contains a variety of food groups: grains, protein, vegetables and dairy! The incorporation of a heart-healthy unsaturated fat such as olive oil (used in the dressing) has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease. Paired with the pasta, vegetables and chicken, which are all low in saturated fat, this is the perfect heart-healthy lunch.

Light on the pasta, heavy on chicken and veggies, this dish is satisfying, easy to make the night before and tasty. I always have cooked pasta in the fridge for the kids (lightly dressed with olive oil & garlic salt), as well as rotisserie chicken. Veggies are another staple in our refrigerator. With so many different options, you won’t get bored easily with this one!

Heart-Healthy Lunch Option

Pasta Salad Bowl

Fresh Peach

Greek Yogurt

Pasta Salad Bowl

1 cup pasta, cooked according to directions
1 cup raw spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup black beans
handful of grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 shakes of: garlic powder, coriander and cumin
dash of salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium size bowl (one that you plan on taking to work), toss the pasta with the next 6 ingredients (through cilantro). In a separate small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and stir well. Pour dressing on pasta salad and stir to combine.

Options: For the protein you can substitute any leftover meat (grilled chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, pork). Instead of Mexican-inspired flavors you could try Italian-inspired flavors by substituting basil for the cilantro and fresh mozzarella for the feta. Switch the spices in the dressing to Italian seasoning. If you prefer you can even use your favorite bottled dressing to toss with the pasta salad.

All you need is a piece of fruit (and some yogurt for an extra filling meal) and you have every food group covered with this easy, balanced, heart-healthy lunch!