Low-Calorie Dinner Recipes – If you had a long day at work, you are most likely going to be tempted to buy takeouts or heat frozen food instead of cooking dinner when you get home.
On weeknights, you might even think you do not have the time, or you are too tired to cook a meal from start to finish, not to talk about doing the dishes.
If you often feel this way, we have the perfect solution! These low-calorie dinner recipes are not only delicious and healthy, but they also help you to lose weight throughout the day.
Truthfully, we understand how you feel about coming home at night to make dinner. However, you must realize that home cooking is usually healthier than ordering food or having a microwave dinner.
Home-cooked meals allow you to have control over sodium, fat, sugar, and calories than you are consuming in your diet. This way, you can keep up with your fitness goal and spice your food with fat-burning ingredients that are also healthy using low-calorie dinner recipes.
Apart from the content, homemade meals also help you to save more money. This means that you do not have to pay for the sometimes overpriced plate you get at most restaurants.
Therefore, cooking your dinner is a priority if you are willing to eat healthy to lose weight sustainably while also saving money.
According to a 2017 study, meals prepared at home lowers the risk of being overweight. So, if you are willing to lose excess weight in using a healthy eating diet, here are five low-calorie dinner recipes that are healthy and quick to prepare.
These recipes reduce some of the stress in your weeknights using minimal ingredients such as lean protein and fiber-filled vegetables while taking little time to make.
Nearly all of these recipes contain less than 500 calories per meal and can help you shed weight if eaten all month long.
5 Low-Calorie Dinner Recipes to Help You Lose Weight
In your attempt to lose weight, your choice of food makes a great deal of difference. This means that you cannot expect to lose weight if you continuously feed on junks and processed foods.
Some of our best tips for enjoying the most out of your meals include eating whole grain at breakfast and eating soups and salads before dinner.
Continue reading for our best selection of low-calorie dinner recipes that are healthy and easy to make for losing weight throughout the day.
1. Quick Broccoli Slaw Recipe
With this recipe, you can find a use for leftover broccoli stems instead of the packaged slaw you will find on the market.
This recipe contains 84 calories per serving, making it first on our list of best low-calorie dinner recipes. It takes 20 minutes to prepare and another 20 minutes to cook.
Ingredients:
- One 12-ounce bag broccoli slaw or matchstick-cut stems from 1 large head broccoli ( check direction for how to make cut stems)
- One medium carrot, shredded
- 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup of low-fat plain yogurt
- Three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- One teaspoon of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
- Two chopped scallions which should make 1/4 cup
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
Directions:
- To make matchstick-cut stems of broccoli, trim and peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler and cut 3 cups of matchsticks with the julienne blade on a mandoline or by hand.
- Then, whisk yogurt, sugar, pepper, mayonnaise, vinegar, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add broccoli slaw (or hand-cut stems), carrot, scallions, cabbage, and cranberries.
- Toss to coat.
2. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Recipe
For vegetarians, this recipe is the bomb! It is packed full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and each serving contains 365 calories. For a richer experience, it can be served with warm corn tortillas and tossed salad with orange segments and avocado.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups of water
- One small sweet potato- peeled and diced
- One 15-ounce can black beans- rinsed
- Two teaspoons of lime juice
- Two cloves of minced garlic
- One tablespoon of chili powder
- One small finely diced onion
- Two teaspoons of ground cumin
- Two teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground chipotle chile
- Two tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt to taste
Directions:
- To start, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Then, add onion and potato and cook while often stirring, until the onion is slightly softened (this should take about 4 minutes).
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle chile, and salt and cook, continually stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Now, add water and bring it to a simmer.
- Cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Allow cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes until the potato is soft before adding beans, tomatoes, and lime juice.
- Then, increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often.
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 4 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Lastly, remove from heat and mix in cilantro.
3. Bow Ties With Spring Vegetables Recipe
This is one recipe that is full of fiber and will help you fill up faster and stay full for longer. That way, you only eat a little, and you do not get hungry enough to indulge in midnight snacking, which is an unhealthy habit.
Also, this recipe contains a total of 370 calories, which makes it healthy.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz of dry whole-grain farfalle pasta
- One tablespoon of fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
- Two teaspoons of olive oil
- 1/4 cup peas
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
Directions:
- Cook pasta as directed on the pasta pack.
- Then, stir in oil, vegetables, and mint and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wrap Recipe
The Buffalo Chicken Lettuce wrap recipe is also one of the low-calorie dinner recipes you can treat your family to.
This recipe helps you prepare spicy buffaloed oven-fried chicken bites that are wrapped in buttery lettuce leaves with tomatoes, avocado, quinoa, and blue cheese dressing.
The Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wrap recipe helps you create a healthy and filling dinner which your whole family will love.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce
- 1/2 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breast that are cut into bite-size pieces
- 4-6 large soft leaves of lettuce
- 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of diced avocado
- 2 cups of plain panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- Blue cheese dressing and scallions to garnish
Direction:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- Then, place the chicken in the buffalo sauce, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Empty the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl.
- Evenly coat each chicken piece before placing them on the prepared baking sheet(it’s okay if the baking sheet gets crowded).
- Place in the oven and allow to bake for 30 minutes; if you like, you can toss the baked chicken with extra buffalo sauce.
- Assemble the wraps by filling each leaf of lettuce with tomatoes, avocado, and quinoa.
- Then, top with crispy baked buffalo chicken and drizzle with the blue cheese before sprinkling with green onions.
5. Chicken With Cheesy Broccoli Soup Recipe
Although clear soups can help fill you up, they are not as satiating as pureed ones. Pureed soups such as this Chicken with Cheesy Broccoli soup are more filling because they taste richer.
This soup contains a total of 360 calories, making it perfect for helping you lose weight fast.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- 3/4 cup of nonfat chicken stock
- 1 cup of chopped broccoli
- One teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of chopped parsnips
- One tablespoon of sliced almonds
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Direction:
- To start, steam broccoli and parsnips.
- Then puree with stock, cheddar and sprinkle with nuts.
- Bake chicken, top with lemon juice, and then season to taste.
Conclusion
Your fitness and weight loss journey just got easier with these super delicious low-calorie dinner recipes! Not only are you guaranteed a sensational delicacy, but these recipes also afford you health and much more!
Have you tried any? Do you know another recipe not listed here? Let us know in the comment section below as we would love to hear from you!
