What did you make for dinner?

dlm4mom

I am finding it hard to make quick low calorie meals that do not leave me feeling hungry as soon as I am finished cleaning the kitchen. Tonight I made salmon on the george forman grill with baked sweet potatoes. Maybe some of you who do not find it so difficult can share your menus?

saralthrash

Baked chicken breast broccoli and wild rice with quinoa

saralthrash

I find planning ahead is key. There are easy to make quick meals but they take a little effort once a week. It's all about prep! Precook chicken and turkey breasts for easy salads, soups and wraps. Make a huge pot of broth based soups full of veggies and freeze for later.. I also like to make 100 calorie portions of nuts or cheese to take to work for a morning and afternoon snack.

socajam

I had 4.2 oz wild salmon (broiled) with 2 oz whole wheat pasta, 174 grams of mixed vegetables, red onions and 146 grams of portabella mushroom and it was very filling.

Triplestep

saralthrash wrote: »

I find planning ahead is key. There are easy to make quick meals but they take a little effort once a week. It's all about prep! Precook chicken and turkey breasts for easy salads, soups and wraps. Make a huge pot of broth based soups full of veggies and freeze for later.. I also like to make 100 calorie portions of nuts or cheese to take to work for a morning and afternoon snack.

This. Prepping takes time at first, but it gets faster and becomes second nature. I roasted chicken breasts and froze them two Sundays ago, and made a crock pot soup this past Sunday, and I will eat well for the rest of the week.

Also add some roughage to that dinner to make it more filling. I often have a protein and a sweet potato, but I'll have broccoli with them. I use a little butter on both the sweet potato and the brocc, and don't go over in calories. Fat is filling as well.

TripZeros

I made pulled pork tonight. It's just my husband, our 3 year old, and myself so we don't make huge amounts.
1 lb of Pork Loin
2 tsp Liquid Smoke
Garlic
Pepper
Salt
Set in crockpot on low for 6 hours.
Once it's done I shred it, and add the BBQ sauce. My husband likes more sauce than I do, so that's why I wait until after it's cooked to add sauce. You can do what works for you.

TripZeros

I also make beef stew a lot.

1 lb of stew meat
1 onion, chopped
2 cups carrots
2 cups celery
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups of red potatoes
2 Tbsp of corn starch
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 packet of beef stew seasoning
36 oz of Beef Broth
6 oz tomato paste
1 small can of tomato paste

I usually weigh everything out instead of relying on measuring cups, but you don't have to
For flavor, I brown the meat with half of the beef stew seasoning packet, half of the onion, and some olive oil. Then throw everything into a crockpot and set on low for about 10 hours. Makes about 5 servings and comes out to around 340 calories.


I know crockpots aren't quick, but It's nice to set it and forget it. I also usually double recipes, portion them out, and freeze for a quick pop-in-the-oven meal.

grinning_chick

First you have to define "low calorie". (:

My supper's are filling and work within my daily calorie goal but may be too high for yours.

jennamae102

I've been using a lot of Skinnytaste.com's recipes lately. She focuses on lower calorie meals, most seem to be under 400 cals per serving. I also meal plan before I go grocery shopping for the week, and try to make at least 1 pot of soup or a casserole so that I have easy leftovers for lunch/dinners. Here are a few I've liked lately:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/10/quinoa-fiesta-enchilada-bake.html
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/11/crock-pot-minestrone-soup.html
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2015/01/buffalo-chicken-meatballs.html

nineteentwenty

Eggs, man. They're loaded with protein. I scramble two whole eggs and three egg whites in a big pan, and eat them with a tall glass of skim milk.

eep223

I try to follow the guideline of 1/4 of my plate is protein, 1/4 carbs, 1/2 veg. Something like a steak, a baked potato, and roasted broccoli (that's a staple meal in my house). This also works for pasta or stirfry... 1/4 meat (or tofu), 1/4 rice or noodles, 1/2 vegetables (a bag of frozen stirfry veg is easy, or chop up some cabbage and peppers).

klallstar

Alaskan Cod (lightly breaded and baked)
Roasted Brussle Sprouts
Rice (for rest of family)

Less than 20 min, under $10.

dlm4mom

Boy I made a big mistake tonight- 2 hot dogs are over 500 calories. I had a plan for dinner but I was so tired when I got home from work. I won't do that again

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ValerieMartini2Olives

Cheesy scrambled eggs and toast

motterotter

Escarole and white bean soup

TamLam99

taco salad - used 93% lean ground beef with taco seasoning, crunched up a few tortilla chips, lettuce, salsa, and some low fat sour cream

Machka9

I've been playing with my new slow cooker.

On Monday night, I browned some chicken mince and onions, and while doing that I cut up a couple potatoes, 1 sweet potato, half a cauliflower, and a couple carrots and tossed them into the slow cooker. Then I added the chicken mince and onions. I have packets of McCormick's Slow Cooker recipe bases, so I mixed the Mild Chicken Curry one with light coconut milk and stirred it into the mix.

http://www.mccormick.com.au/Products/Recipe-Bases/Slow-Cookers/McCormick-Slow-Cookers-Mild-Chicken-Curry

It wasn't quite as done as I would have liked it when we served up the first helping of it on Tuesday. I had left it simmering for about 3 hours Monday evening and another couple hours on Tuesday after work and it probably needed another hour. But it was all right.

Last night, however, it was excellent!

Both nights we served it over brown rice.

cristalina95

Salmon burgers w/ grilled pineapple & avocado w/ lime, fresh spinach tossed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil & bacon wrapped asparagus

Linzon

I got a wok recently and have been making big stir fries - tons of veggies, two eggs scrambled in the wok for protein, served on rice if I have the calories for it. I'm not usually a fan of frozen veggies in anything but soup but have been enjoying frozen stir fry mixes, which cuts down on prep time. Stir fries are great because you can really just toss in whatever and tweak it to meet your calorie goals - more or less (or no!) oil, rice or not, some kind of sauce or just a few shakes of soy sauce and red pepper flakes, etc.

Tonight though was leftover slow cooker chicken chili served on a huge salad. I eat a lot of things on a bed of greens and veggies - chili, stew, basically anything that's not soup, since that gets a bit runny

dlm4mom

I have been looking at crock pot "dump" meals on Pinterest- meals that you prepare and put in freezer bag then thaw overnight when you are ready to use. Sounds like it might help with week nights- avoiding fast food and eating whatever because you are too tired and hungry to cook. Has anyone tried this?

ForeverSunshine09

My dinner wasn't low cal or probably hugely healthy but,it was incredibly filling and freaking fantastic. Crockpot Chicken pasta 663 cals per serving.

alp_19

I also find it challenging but I'm learning. Tonight I had a pasta primavera with whole wheat penne. Really simple: about 1/4 cup of olive oil, tablespoon of butter, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, a little bit of crushed red pepper, other spices to taste. Then a box of pasta and a ton of veggies (we did a frozen bag of mixed veggies, a half a frozen bag with broccoli, and a bag of fresh stringless snap peas).

tinaisstillwell

I try to pick one day a week when I have extra time, that I used to spend eating or watching TV and I cook. I'll bake chicken breasts with ribs and skin, and always make more than enough for extra meals. Then I have chicken cooked and can make a quick chicken salad, or a salad with chicken. Today, I used a leftover chicken breast, and made a pesto chicken dish. It was freakin amazing! I found the recipe on dietdoctor.com. I prefer a low carb diet. I don't get hungry, and don't have the need to graze, and I drop weight easier than any other way. It's a win win for me. The website I listed with the ingredients explains the benefits. Also, there is a great book that details the importance of a low carb, high fat diet. Yes, high fat! Your brain needs it. The book is: The Grain Brain. I recommend you check it out.

dlm4mom wrote: »

I am finding it hard to make quick low calorie meals that do not leave me feeling hungry as soon as I am finished cleaning the kitchen. Tonight I made salmon on the george forman grill with baked sweet potatoes. Maybe some of you who do not find it so difficult can share your menus?

sstrack123

Quinoa & green onions with grilled chicken, roasted mixed peppers and a homemade protein bar. It was actually my lunch but it was filing.

Lounmoun

It was a meatless night and I had tator tot nachos. I baked frozen tator tots and heated canned refried beans. Pretty minimal prep work on anything else. It was filling enough for me.
I pre-log things so I know when something fits my calorie goal and I adjust my other meals to accommodate. My dinners are usually 400-600 calories.

Get enough protein.
Add more vegetables. A simple salad with a vinaigrette dressing is pretty low calorie.
Drink a glass of water with your meal.

jacklifts

bunch of left overs

ReadyWillingEager

Eggplant and tofu stir fry over rice and mixed vegetables. Easy, about 400 cal.

dlm4mom

I took my college daughter out tonight. Pizza then auntie annes pretzels at the mall.
Obviously I don't handle these kinds of situations well.

Grrlonamission94

Last night was lentil soup with courgettes, hunk of fresh bread, baked jerk chicken. Altogether 750 calories. I save the bulk of my calories for my evening meal as I can easily stay through the day without eating but I just cannot sleep on an empty stomach.

puffbrat

Last night my husband made a vegetable soup. One large bowl served with 1 tablespoon pesto on top and a slice of bread on the side was less than 350 calories.