Name: Quick Mushroom, Zucchini & Thyme Sauté with Fried Egg Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 clove garlic (minced); 3/4 cup finely diced zucchini; 3/4 cup finely diced mushrooms; 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper; 1 large egg; salt and pepper (if desired)

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During my health and weight loss journey, I learned a little trick that helped get me to the end of the day with my skinny jean hopes still intact. Really, it was a state of mind. If I focused on what I should be eating first rather than what I shouldn't be eating, I found that I packed myself full of veggies, fruit, whole grains and lean protein. By the time I reached the danger zone (that's mid-afternoon for me), I was fiber-filled and all of the usual cravings subsided. Take that, Doritos!

For lunch, there were definitely a fair share of salads on the menu, though I often turned to my go-to Low-Fat Salmon Salad Sandwich with Capers. Whatever I chose, there had to be lots of flavor so that I didn't feel deprived. No flavor meant instant cravings...and not the good kind.

This vegetable sauté melds mushrooms, zucchini and thyme with a little shot of minced garlic. After plating the vegetables, top them with a fried egg, egg whites set and the yellow yolk beautiful soft and runny. Fiber, protein and flavor. Done!

The recipe makes enough for one serving, but it's easily double or even quadrupled to feed your family. If you wish, serve this along side some whole wheat toast that is lightly brushed with olive oil.

The recipe:

Heat the olive in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the zucchini, mushrooms and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.

Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and spoon onto a plate.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat the skillet with cooking spray.

Crack the egg into the pan and cook just until the egg white is set, but the yolk is still soft.

Slide the egg out of the pan, on top of the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve.

Other easy and healthy lunch recipes:

Cookin' Canuck's Low-Fat Salmon Salad Sandwich with Capers
Cookin' Canuck's Chicken Pinwheel Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olives & Herb Yogurt
The Kitchn's Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts & Herbs
Two Peas and Their Pod's Smashed Chickpea Greek Salad Sandwich
Rachel Cooks' Shortcut Squash Soup