Shake and Serve!

Maybe it’s the thought of going back to work, sending the children back to school with their lunch or planning ahead for picnic style eating, but I’ve been inundated this week with requests for simple lunch box salad offerings that will suit the WLS patient and their families.

 

Well here’s one that should fit the bill. It’s easily made with cooked chicken, pasta, a bag of sweet and crunchy salad leaves, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and a fat-free dressing. Tossing the pasta with a little pesto sauce gives it a great depth of flavour but can be replaced with a sun-dried tomato paste if preferred (and it will reduce the fat levels).

 

Simply layer into lunch boxes then shake the box to mix the ingredients together just before eating. Simple!

 

SHAKE AND SERVE CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

Metric/US

100g/1/4 lb orchiette or other dried pasta shapes

2 tbsp pesto sauce

4 tbsp fat-free Italian dressing

2 skinless and boneless cooked chicken breasts, torn into strips

100g/1/4 lb cucumber, chopped

100g/1/4 lb cherry tomatoes, halved

1 x 130g/4 oz bag sweet and crunchy salad leaves

 

 

Method

1.  Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, about 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and toss in the pesto sauce.

2.  Divide the dressing between between 4 lidded lunch boxes then top with the pasta, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes and finally the salad leaves. Top with firmly fitting lids and chill until required.

3.  Just before serving, shake the lunch box to mix all the ingredients together.

 

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: 1/2

 

CALORIES PER PORTION:  190

PROTEIN:  15g

CARBOHYDRATE:  21.8g

FAT:  4.4g

 

Image courtesy of www.bringonthesalads.com