I must admit, I’m a pushover for salads. They truly are one of my favorite meals, especially when it’s made with fresh spinach and lots of healthy goodies tossed in – such as chicken, shrimp, eggs, nuts, tomatoes, citrus and other endless options. So having a salad when eating Paleo is actually pretty easy for me. But there is more to lunch choices than just salads, right? Check out the Paleo recipe suggestions below that perfect for lunch. I’ve included just one salad must-have and other options – all delish!

Almond Flax Crust Pizza
Heat oven to 425° F. Combine flaxseed 1-1/4 cups flaxseed meal, 1 cup almond flour/meal, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoon natural baking powder and 1 teaspoon Italian mixed dried herbs together until lump-free. Beat together 3 omega-3 eggs, 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture. Blend well until smooth. Press into desired shape. Place on a pre-greased or non-stick pizza pan or sit on a silicon baking mat. Bake for 15 minutes in the center of the oven until cooked. Add favorite toppings of choice – such as grilled chicken, green peppers, red onions and marina sauce – and then return to the oven to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Yum!

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Perfect for a chilly day! In a large pot, sauté 1 diced onion, 2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms and 1 diced celery stalk in 1 tablespoon of organic butter or coconut oil for 5 minutes until translucent and tender. Add 6 to 8 cups of homemade chicken stock or 2 quart of organic chicken broth and 15 to 20 chopped asparagus spears, 2 cups of chopped chicken. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach, 1 can of coconut milk and turn heat up to return to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Salad Wraps
This recipe is super easy! Mix 1/2 cup chopped grilled chicken, 3 tablespoon chopped Fuji apples, 2 tablespoon chopped red grapes, 2 teaspoon honey, and 2 tablespoon almond butter together in a bowl. Place filling onto individual Romaine leaves and wrap around close. That’s it!

Spinach and Salmon Salad with Arugula Pesto
In a food processor, blend 2 cups packed fresh arugula, 1 clove garlic and 1/4 cup walnuts until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the 1/2 cup olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer pesto to bowl and stir in salt and pepper to taste. A quick side note, the pesto can be made a couple days in advance, just cover and refrigerate! For the salad, combine 3 cups spinach, 2 cups micro greens, 1 cup shredded cabbage, 1 carrot shredded. 1 cup chopped steamed green beans, and 1/2 cup pepitas in a bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of pesto and toss greens until well combined. Place in refrigerator or set aside while you prepare fish. Finally, for the salmon, salt and pepper both sides of 2 freshwater salmon filets and lay on baking sheet. Top each filet with 1 tablespoon of arugula pesto and spread over the top. Cook the fish under a broiler for approximately 5 minutes, depending on how thick filet is, or until fish is flaking and opaque. Top salad with fish.

Turkey Sliders
In a large bowl, combine the 8 to 10 ounce ground lean turkey meat, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano and 2 minced garlic cloves, and mix with your hands until fully combined. Form into two patties and set aside. Heat a grill to medium high heat. Spray 4 thick slices of zucchini (or eggplant, summer squash, etc.) on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill zucchini 2 to 3 minutes each side until there are nice grill marks and the zucchini still holds its shape. Add the turkey burgers to the grill, cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked. Serve between zucchini slices and add your preferred toppings (sliced tomato, avocado, etc.). Serves 2. Enjoy!

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana