Healthy Low-Calorie Recipes/Snacks/Etc.

[cru5h]

So, after becoming a little chubby from a combination of an underactive thyroid and being lazy and slightly gluttonous, I've come to see that the only way to change this is to change my eating habits.

The thing for me is that I really enjoy food, so it has to taste good. I can't do nuts and berries straight. You know what I mean? I also don't feel that starving yourself is beneficial in the long run since it's hard to maintain. So really, I have to find/create things that are healthier that I like and eat the things I can't go without or have a substitute (like chocolate) in moderation. I also have high cholesterol. So I should be doing this so I'm not dead by my 30th birthday. Exercising will come. That takes even more dedication for me because even when I was slender I never really exercised.

What are your favorite recipes? Tasty, tasty stuff that isn't bad for you and isn't 4 trillion calories? I'm sure I'm not the only one who will benefit from this. I subscribed to Cooking Light. Everything always looks soooo good in there. I've only done like 1 recipe though - vegetable lasagna. It was exquisite.

OK, so recipes - GO!

[labeadel]

I have this chicken and rice bake that I make that's not too bad for you if you use the lowfat soups and skim milk. And it's really easy. You need:

CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE
4 skinless chicken breasts
2 cups instant rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% fat free)
1 can cream of celery or cream of chicken soup (I use 98% fat free chicken, I don't think they make lowfat celery yet)
1 c. milk (I use skim)
1 pkg Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix

Combine rice, soups and milk in bowl. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Lay chicken over rice mixture. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over top. Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

You can also use bone-in chicken pieces, but then you need to cook it for 2-2 1/2 hours. I like the chicken breasts better. I even loved this meal as a kid. Good stuff.

[roseprincess]

um, I highly recommend you get this cookbook by Sally Schneider. Every one of her recipes that I've ever tried is sooooo good, sooooo tasty. No one ever thinks it's "healthy" food.

[labeadel]

Hmmm, thanks Rose. I am going to order that book!! Some of those recipes just sound too interesting!

[Chillchacha]

When I am dieting, like right now, I usually crave something crunchy so I make apple chips and tortilla chips.

RECIPE
Oven Dried Apple Chips

2 uncored apples, Ida Reds or Granny Smiths
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (when not on diet)

1. Heat oven to 200°. Cut off the bottoms of the apples. Using the mandoline, thinly slice the apples using even pressure. Make sure each slice is uniform in thickness. Frequently turn the apple to avoid torn skin.
If you don’t have a mandoline use a super sharp knife and try to cut the apple as thinly as possible.
2. Line baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Cover the Silpat with the apple slices in a single layer. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on the apple slices.
3. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Tortilla chips

OK this is something I made up years ago when I was on a diet. You may have to change it according to your microwave. It uses I Can’t Believe its Not Butter spray which has no calories, no fat, no cholesterol and no carbs, and it tastes good, yay! But it has to be the spray the other I Can’t Believe its Not Butter products do contain some of the listed things. It may also be hard to find low carb corn tortillas which are corn tortillas only thinner. I have not tried this with any other kind of tortillas so experiment at your own risk. I like these better than the baked chips because they taste like the warm tortilla chips you get in a restaurant (at least to me). Plus they are already in a small portion size and it takes a little effort to make so I don’t sit there staring at the bottom of an empty bag of family seized chips and say “hay who ate all the chips ?” while brushing the crumbs off my Jaba the Hut sized belly.

Tortilla chips

1 low carb corn tortilla cut in to 1/8 triangles
I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter spray
A good microwaveable plate ( it sticks to paper products)
Pot holder ( the plate gets really hot)

1.Spray one squirt of I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter spray on each side of the tortilla triangle. (one squirt front one squirt back)
2.Place on plate microwave on high for 30 seconds. (the chips will get hot so I pick them up with my nails)
3. Flip triangles over and microwave 30 seconds again.
4.Continues steps 2&3 till the crisp or till the very first sign of any brown shows.
5. let cool for 1 min. and place on paper towel
6.Sprinkle a pinch of salt or seasoning chips then roll them back and forth on paper towel.
7. Serve with salsa.

I know it’s a lot of drama for some chips but it has helped me to not blow it completely. You do what you can ya know.

[cru5h]

Sounds good chacha. I'd go as far as using the conventional oven for something that will taste like it came from a restaurant.

I do "slurpees" using the blender with water, ice and Crystal Light, add a little Splenda for more sweetness.

[Complicated Woman]

Rose, that book looks great. Mmmmm, makes me hungry. I'm going to pick that one up, too.

[555Ann555]

I like this recipe & surprisingly so does Mo (his mum is Italian and makes wonderful meatballs).

The quantities/caloiries are for one portion.

85g turkey mince
small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 slice bread, crumbed.

mix all of the above together really well so the spices mingle right through, add salt & pepper (the recipie says to taste but who is going to taste raw turkey?!). Make into little balls, it should make about 6 little ones. Bake in a HOT oven for 15 min.

Meanwhile simmer a can on chopped tomatoes (200g) with some chopped bell peppers, whichever colour you prefer and a little garlic.

Add the meatballs to the sauce & serve over 60g *dry weight* of boiled pasta.

This gives you 5g of fat & 350 calories. I find it quite filling! Moreno didn't realize it was a *diet* meal, he thought I was just trying out something new...


ETA: Most of the time what I do is make meals that I normally like but try to buy healthier versions, so instead of bacon I'll have turkey rashers(which are only 25cal a slice!), skimmed milk instead of full fat, clear stock based sauces instead of cream ones. I try to eat more vegetables than normal & drink lots of water. The time I'm most tepted is late at night when I'm tired & run out of steam! So what I do is try to stay really good all day long so I can have some chocolate when my will power runs low, that way I get something nice without feeling guilty about it!

[maroki13]

I have this chicken and rice bake that I make that's not too bad for you if you use the lowfat soups and skim milk. And it's really easy. You need:

CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE

I make that too!! I love it. I'll check out that cookbook too, I am always looking for new things to cook, especially healthy ones.