Sandwiches are so easy that you probably never think of them as cooking. “My clients are very surprised when I tell them that sandwiches are real meals. They think a meal has to be hot to be good for you,” says Colleen Pierre, RD, a Baltimore-based nutritionist and co-author of Giant Book of Kitchen Counter Cures (American Master Products, 2001). Just don’t make the same less-than-healthy sandwich you once pulled out of your Barbie lunch box: white bread, bologna, and mayo. (And don’t reach for these 15 worst things for your lunch bag.) Stock grown-up sandwich staples such as the ones Pierre recommends to her clients to make every sandwich healthy and exciting. Each of our five yummy sandwich recipes (using Pierre’s tips) makes a complete, low-calorie dinner so quick and healthy, you’ll never know you cooked! But first… Breads and Spreads Best Breads Make a dent in your daily fiber needs by choosing hearty whole grain breads, which generally offer 2 g of fiber per slice. Pierre’s partial to whole wheat pitas, which expertly trap runaway foods such as crumbled feta cheese. Other picks: whole wheat sliced bread, whole wheat wraps, whole wheat sandwich rolls, sprouted whole wheat bread, and European rye bread (made with whole rye). Zingy Spreads Graduate from humdrum low-fat mayo and honey mustard to more adventurous sauces, but aim for no more than 7 g of fat per 2 tablespoons. Pierre’s picks for turkey sandwiches: sweet hot-chili mustard, creamy dill mustard, Thai peanut sauce, sundried tomato salad dressing, hummus, light ranch salad dressing, cranberry sauce, and (get this!) pumpkin butter. Try salsa with chicken sandwiches, applesauce with ham sandwiches, barbecue sauce with any meat, and chutney with anything. Pierre livens up low-fat mayo with a touch of Thai chili sauce. “But watch it, a little goes a long way,” she warns. More from Prevention: Build A 400-Calorie Sandwich [header = Greens, Cheeses and Meats] Greens, Cheeses and Meats Gourmet Greens Pile on 1/2 cup or more of dark leafy greens, “rich in carotenes that fight all sorts of chronic diseases while protecting your eyes to boot,” says Pierre. No more nutrient-challenged iceberg lettuce! Her picks: time-saving pre-washed bagged greens with big flavor power, such as baby spinach, arugula, and mesclun mix. Or try precut coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots). A must: veggies in every sandwich—and not just a token lettuce leaf. More from Prevention: Which Is Healthier: Kale or Spinach? Smart Cheeses An ounce of cheese (usually one slice) infuses your sandwich with up to 40% of your daily calcium requirement. Save calories with reduced-fat cheeses: Cabot Light 50% Cheddar singles, American cheese 2% singles, and Laughing Cow Light French Onion or Garlic & Herb spreadable cheese wedges. Full-fat choices? Spread 1 oz of Brie, or sprinkle feta cheese (buy crumbled feta in resealable containers). Pierre’s fave? “I have this problem,” she confesses. “I was raised on butter and love it, and provolone is the most buttery cheese I’ve found.” She recommends getting it sliced thin at the deli, so that two slices equal 1 oz. Top Meats You have a wealth of low-fat (3 g of fat or less per oz) lunchmeats to choose from: turkey, lean roast beef, lean ham. Two to three ounces should do just fine, says Pierre. She recommends getting in the habit of switching around. “You don’t want to be that person who eats turkey sandwiches for weeks, then gets so sick of them you start eating barbecued spare ribs.” Buy deli meats or preroasted chicken breast pieces such as Perdue Short Cuts Express Carved Chicken Breast. For a vegetarian spin, use hummus or black bean spread. More from Prevention: 9 Supercheap Sandwiches [header = Thai Peanut Chicken Sandwich] Thai Peanut Chicken Sandwich Toast 2 slices of whole grain bread. Spread 2 teaspoons of Thai peanut sauce on each slice. Top one of the slices with 1/3 cup of coleslaw mix, 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) of roasted chicken breast pieces (buy precooked to save time), and 1 chopped scallion (green and white parts). Top with the other sauce-covered slice. Cut in half. Per Serving: 347 cal, 31 g pro, 38 g carb, 5 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 50 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 1,141 mg sodium* * Higher in sodium. If you have high blood pressure, choose mostly lower-sodium foods the rest of the day. Feta ’n Red Pepper Pita Slice a regular-size whole wheat pita in half. Divide these evenly between the halves: 1 packed cup of mesclun mix, 2 teaspoons of sundried tomato dressing, 1/4 cup of drained, roasted red pepper from a jar (about 1 whole pepper), 2 tablespoons (1/2 oz) of crumbled feta cheese, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Per Serving:229 cal, 9 g pro, 37 g carb, 5 g fat, 2 g sat. fat, 8 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 910 mg sodium* * Higher in sodium. If you have high blood pressure, choose mostly lower-sodium foods the rest of the day. [header = Roast Beef and Brie] Roast Beef & Brie on a Bun recipe!) Slice 1 whole grain sandwich bun in half. Spread 1 tablespoon of Brie cheese on the bottom half. Top with 6 arugula leaves, 3 oz of deli-sliced lean roast beef, 1 small sliced tomato, and 2 teaspoons of light ranch dressing. Cover with the bun top. (Toss leftover brie into thisyummy mini cranberry-brie tarts Per Serving: 376 cal, 34 g pro, 31 g carb, 12 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 70 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 447 mg sodium Hummus Garden Wrap Spread a whole wheat wrap with 1/3 cup of hummus (store-bought is fine). Top with 8 thin slices of unpeeled cucumber, 1 loosely packed cup of baby spinach, a few pinches of Italian parsley, 2 thin slices of an unpeeled medium onion (peel slices after cutting), and 8 quartered cherry tomatoes. Roll, and enjoy. Per Serving: 332 cal, 15 g pro, 49 g carb, 10 g fat, 0 g sat. fat, 0 mg chol, 12 g fiber, 652 mg sodium
