Fast and easy low-cal dinner bowl: very filling!

walleymama

So I'm back on the wagon after falling off a few months ago...it has been a great first few days and I wanted to share something I "discovered" that has made a big difference for me for not only sticking to my goals but even coming in under it!

I've started buying frozen dinners and what I do is add a huge pile of veggies. It really bulks up the meal with hardly any extra calories! I end up with a huge bowl of food, and it is very filling and satisfying - and super easy!

The other night I had a Lean Cuisine sweet and sour chicken with rice (260 cal), and I added a huge bunch of sauteed kale, which only added about 40 calories.

The next night, I had a PC Blue Menu chicken masala (290 cal), which was awesome with roasted cauliflower! I can roast the veggies while cooking the dish and it all comes out at the same time.

Easy to prepare, solid calorie count, around 400 calories, and I'm stuffed when I'm done...what's not to like? :-)

wizzybeth

Love easy and low cal. I do this kind of thing sometimes too.

MaryCS62

Yeah -- I always have to add veggies to those types of meals -- never enough volume for me. I bought a couple of cafe steamers when they were on sale -- I stashed them in the freezer of the refrigerator in the staff lounge at work -- will be having one tomorrow for dinner when I have to work a double, so will have to see if that provides enough food -- they look bigger than lean cuisines.

walleymama

Yes, Mary, in the past that was my problem. Such a small amount of food! I was always hungry and felt deprived. Adding the veggies not only adds bulk but since the sauces are already there, the whole bowl becomes one tasty dish. Now I feel like I've stuffed myself. :-)

jcook0716

I love taking the metaluna ravioli lean cuisine and adding a bunch of sauted mushrooms and zuchini (sauted in garlic and a tiny bit of olive oil and black pepper). It made so much i couldn't eat it all lol.