Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

I love Caeser Salad for it's simplicity and yet bold taste. I have not yet made my own dressing from scratch but as I was preparing this wrap I decided I must do so and soon. It is so simple to assemble your own salad and now you can buy a kit and add your own chicken. All of these reasons is why it's such a great idea for a lunch box.

Chicken Caeser Salad Wrap

• romaine lettuce
• parmesan cheese
• chicken, diced or sliced
• caesar dressing
• Flat Out

Layer each ingredient in the middle of the wrap and roll and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Hawaiian Sandwich

Aloha!

(that is a lonely pineapple piece at the bottom of the bread on the left)

I just polished off one of these sandwiches and it is a keeper! The cream cheese (pineapple flavored) makes it perfect for a lunch box. It prevents soggy bread which between the pineapple and bbq sauce, is bound to happen otherwise.

I do add spinach to the sandwich because I add it to everything. Except maybe a pb&j.

Hawaiian Sandwich

what you need:

• Sandwich Thins
• grilled chicken breast, cut into strips
• bbq sauce
• provolone cheese
• pineapple cream cheese (you can make your own using this recipe)
• spinach (optional)

what you do:

Spread cream cheese on both slices of bread. Sandwich Thins work best but it's worth a try with your favorite bread choice. Place spinach, if using, on one side. Add provolone. Toss chicken in bbq sauce, use just enough to coat chicken, but not too much. About 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Top with other bread slice that has also been spread with pineapple cream cheese. Wrap it up.

 (I like to wrap these types of busier sandwiches with plastic wrap and then foil) and toss it in the lunch box.

Wild West Sandwich Wrap

I am always on the look out for sandwich recipes and there are sandwich recipes everywhere. I recently was grocery shopping at Kroger and saw this recipe that came along with a coupon. You can click on this link to see the original but I'll be sharing the changes that I made here.

The main change I wanted to make to the recipe was to add black beans because  1) black beans make sense with this sandwich especially because of the spice and 2) black beans are so healthy. Black beans are high in antioxidants and fiber and B6 and magnesium. Magnesium helps to maintain healthy blood pressure and healthy iron.

Wild West Sandwich Wrap

serves about 4

• 1/2 cup thawed frozen corn
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup red onion diced finely
• 3 T Chipotle flavored mayo**
• 4 Spinach Flat Out wraps
• spinach
• grilled chicken breast, about 1 each
• 1 sandwich cheese slice per wrap, your fave

Combine corn, beans, onion and mayo in bowl. Top wrap with spinach, cheese, chicken and corn mixture. Roll up and wrap in plastic wrap and add to lunch box.

** Queso Fresco & Chipotle Laughing Cow triangle can be used instead of Chipotle mayo

*** Worried this is too spicey for your young lunch box carrier? Use regular mayo (or Laughing Cow Cheese) instead!

Banh Mi

Banh Mi is a flavorful and texture full Vietnamese styled sandwich that is usually served on a baguette and with pâté, two things that I felt I had to change to make it healthier for the lunch box. So I skipped the pâté (and other substitutes) altogether and replaced the baguette with a sandwich thin. A whole wheat hot dog bun would work nicely too. I used this recipe from Food Network's site by Anthony Nguyen as inspiration and actually used his exact slaw recipe.

The daicon, which is in the slaw, is high in vitamin C and folacin. It is yet another cancer protecting food. The texture and ever so slight bite it adds to this sandwich is perfect.

Banh Mi

for the slaw

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup juliened carrot
• 1/2 cup juliened daicon
• a pinch of salt

for the meat

• about 6 ounces pork (I used leftover pork roast, leftover shredded pork will work)
• chicken, a couple of sandwich meat slices (or leftover chicken will work)
• a sprinkle of Chinese 5 spice (if using shredded meat, this can be stirred in)

for the sandwich

• sandwich thins
• Mayonaise
• English cucumber, 1/4, juliened
• a couple of sprigs of cilantro

Directions:

Make the slaw: (this can be done the night before and stored in the refridgerator) In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Transfer the vinegar mixture to a bowl and cool. Add the carrot and daikon, mix well, and season with salt. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

To assemble the sandwich, add mayonaise to sandwich thin, then add pork and then chicken. Top with slaw and then add cucumber and cilantro.

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

My all time favorite pizza in the whole wide world is the Barbeque Chicken Pizza. Oh boy, do I love it! Every ingredient go together so perfectly for me. That is what has inspired this sandwich. I think I am going to look for every possible way to put chicken, bbq sauce, cilantro, red onion and cheese together. (have you seen my recipe for BBQ Chicken Quesadilla's?)

Red onion has many health benefits. They can keep blood sugar in check, they are good for your bones, they are a natural anti-inflammatory and the B6 and chromium in onions helps to increase cardiovascular health. What a bargain!

Here is the lowdown on this flavorful sandwich-

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

serves 1

• 2 slices of bread (I used sandwich thins)
• 1 grilled chicken breast
• your favorite bbq sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
• a few slivers of red onion
• 1 Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss wedge
• 1/4 tsp. Gourmet Garden cilantro

Mix cheese wedge and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside. Slice or shred chicken and add to 1 slice of bread. Top with bbq sauce (to your liking) and add red onion. Spread the cheese mix over the other slice of bread and add to top the sandwich.

Honey & Chicken Salad

Honey can be a great immune system booster and also possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumor properties. Besides all that, it's sweet and tastes great. (It certainly kicks chicken salad up a notch.)

Honey & Chicken Salad

• 2 13 oz cans of Chicken Breast (or about 2 cups cubes or shredded chicken)
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup of honey
• salt and pepper, to taste** (salt is not needed if using canned chicken)

Drain canned chicken and add chicken to bowl. Add celery, cranberries and pecan. Fold in yogurt and honey. Can be served as a wrap with spinach (as pictured above) or would also be great on hot dog bun or rolls.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

I heard a rumor- I heard that there is a big football game Sunday. I also heard that people like to eat Buffalo Wings on game day. That is the inspiration for this wrap that only my high schooler was brave enough to take to lunch. Your family may also enjoy this wrap while being all wrapped up in the Super Bowl.

Buffalo Wings go with celery and celery (hold the phone!) comes with potassium, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, iron, phosphorus and vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C. Not including plenty of essential amino acids.

 And we thought celery was only good for being negative calories. 

Ready for a taste of Super Bowl? Here is the lowdown-  

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

serves 1, easily multiplied

1 chicken breast, grilled or baked

1/2 T. Hot Buffalo Sauce (or to taste)

2 T. Blue Cheese salad dressing (or Ranch)

1 T. Mayo

1 celery stem, diced

1 slice of cheese (I used provolone)

spinach

1 wrap

Slice chicken breast and toss with hot sauce.  In separate bowl mix salad dressing, mayo and diced celery. Smear dressing and celery mixture in the middle of wrap. Add cheese, then chicken. Top with spinach. Roll into a wrap and cover with plastic wrap.

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

This is a great lunch box recipe when you have leftover chicken, baked or grilled or rotisseried.

The hummus adds iron, vitamin C and B6, manganese, and copper to the wrap. I like to add spinach instead of lettuce. Spinach has lutein, vitamins A & C, calcium, folic acid, and magnesium. In other words, this wrap packs a pretty nutritional punch and it's tasty on top of that.

So here is the lowdown-

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

makes 1

• chicken, about 3/4 of a chicken breast, cut into sliced
• 1 T. hummus
• 1 t. Italian salad dressing
• 1 T. Feta
• spinach (to taste)
• diced tomato (to taste), or tomato wedges
• 1 wrap (I used Toufayan Tomato Wraps)

Spread hummus in the middle of the wrap then add sliced chicken, spinach, tomato, and cheese. Drizzle Italian dressing. Roll wrap tight. Wrap in plastic wrap.

School's Out: BBQ Chicken Quesadilla's

When school is out, it's the perfect time to make a delicious lunch that wouldn't keep in a lunch box. May as well take advantage of that situation.

This one is a definite favorite for me and the rest of my family. My all time favorite pizza is BBQ Chicken, which is very obviously the inspiration for this lunch.

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

• shredded or chopped chicken
• bbq sauce (I used Baby Ray's)
• quesadilla cheese (or your favorite cheese for quesadillas)
• red onion
• cilantro
• tortillas

Place tortilla on hot griddle, add bbq sauce, chicken (to taste), cheese, onion and cilantro. Top with the other tortilla and cook until it starts to brown. Flip to cook other side. Slice into quarters and skip the sour cream and salsa this time. The extra condiments and not necessary and would possibly clash.



Mini Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla Roll Ups

These are so delicious that I made an extra for my breakfast.

This Roll Up has a spicy kick that will wake up your child's taste buds.

Mini Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla Roll Ups

• Grilled chicken, chopped
• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Quesadilla Cheese (or any shredded cheese you think fits)
• Fresh baby spinach
• fajita sized tortilla (I used whole wheat)

Spread Chipotle Mayo on tortilla, add cheese, spinach and chicken. Roll up and wrap and it's ready to go. Kraft makes Chipotle Mayonnaise or you can make your own.

Bobby Flay's recipe is:

Chipotle Mayonnaise

• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in abodo sauce
• 1 T. abodo sauce
• juice from half a lime
• salt and pepper

Grilled Lime Chicken Snackers

Leftovers.......My, what nice lunch possibilities they make.

Last night we had Rice Bowls with Lime Chicken for dinner and I had leftover dinner rolls in the freezer from weeks ago that I saved for such a occasion. The leftovers made for tasty Snackers the following day.

Grilled Lime Chicken Snackers

• Grilled Chicken, cubed & tossed in fresh lime juice
• Lettuce
• Mayo, or favorite sandwich spread
• Dinner rolls

If this was my lunch, I would have added cilantro and black beans (yes, beans...) to the sandwich. I would like to brag about my children's sophisticated palates, and I certainly added cilantro and black beans to the table for the Rice Bowls last night but cilantro is a love or hate herb and my kids don't love it. And if I had added beans to their sandwich, my name would be mud.