Healthy Easter Lunch

Jonathan and I have both been eating a little healthier these days. I was starting to feel like an old woman what with all the aches and sluggishness. I couldn’t pinpoint whether it was caused by caffeine, artificial sweeteners, lack of vitamins, or a diet rich in fast food and chips and salsa, so I decided to cut out sodas and junk food, and take a vitamin regimen and see what happens. I’m about two weeks in, and I feel so much better. The achiness and sluggishness is gone. I’m not where I want to be yet, but already I feel so much better that it gives me the momentum to keep going.

And then comes Easter. and you know that in the Deep South southern food is our love language. We wouldn’t dare let a holiday pass by, certainly not the most important one of the year, without a huge Easter feast complete with baked ham, deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese, english peas, pineapple casserole, green bean casserole, field peas, Sister Shubert’s rolls, and about six choices for dessert.

But we’re eating healthier.

So I put together a menu that we were pleased with. We enjoyed it, and didn’t really cheat on our new eating lifestyle. Here’s what we had:

• Baked Ham: I cooked it overnight in the oven. This is the same way we would have done it in the days before our changeroo, but we limited the amount we ate to 5 ounces or about 300 calories.
• Peppered Green Beans: I had green beans in a restaurant last week that were so yummy, and all they had in them was a good bit of pepper. One serving = 20 calories.
• Roasted Mixed Veggies: I used broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, carrots and zucchini. I cut them into chunks, put them in a zip-lock bag and sprinkled on soy sauce, Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up salt, and a little cooking spray. I roasted them on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. We like our veggies pretty crunchy, so cook them longer if you like them more tender. One serving = 35-ish calories.
• Fruit Salad: We had cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, grapes, and a banana. I topped it with blueberry Greek yogurt, and a smidge of granola. Calorie count = about 125 calories.

So for roughly 480 calories, we had a lighter version of an Easter feast. Amazingly enough, we felt completely satisfied and weren’t groggy and sluggish for the afternoon Easter egg hunt.

What are your favorite holiday light dishes?