Family friendly low fat recipes with lots of vegetables

Clddleopard

So far, I've established pretty healthy eating patterns for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I use breakfast to get a bunch of fiber and protein in, lunch is usually a salad with a little protein so I can get my leafy greens. Snack is another fiber/protein combo to keep me full. Dinner is tough though. The rest of my family (husband, 2 kids) can eat typical American food and be just fine. Both my kids are actually on the skinny side, to the point where their pediatrician has advised us to offer bread and butter and whole milk at every dinner for the extra calories. Obviously, I don't eat the bread and butter or drink the whole milk, but I think if I had more recipes where the rest of the family with their fast metabolisms/growing bodies can eat more of the carbs and fats while I serve myself more veggies and a lean protein, I'd reach my weight loss goals more comfortably (not as hungrily). For example, stir fry: I can load up on the veggies, a serving worth of chicken or lean beef, and skip the rice. The kids and the man with the fast metabolism can have all of that plus a nice size serving of rice.
So, any recipes you can share where maybe the carbs are separate from the rest of the meal, or any great side recipes for veggies (normally I just steam them) so that I can fill up on those and take smaller portions of the rest? Needs to be low fat, not keto, because I've had a heart attack and my cardiologist doesn't want me going the keto route.
I'm still learning to like vegetables, but I'm willing to try more of them. Currently, I like:
carrots
peas
sweet potatoes
green beans
broccoli
cauliflower/riced cauliflower
red/yellow/orange peppers (for some reason, I really don't like green bell peppers)

Dislike and I'm pretty sure I will never like:
mushrooms
olives

Any help you can give would be really appreciated!!

PremGandhi

Clddleopard wrote: »

So far, I've established pretty healthy eating patterns for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I use breakfast to get a bunch of fiber and protein in, lunch is usually a salad with a little protein so I can get my leafy greens. Snack is another fiber/protein combo to keep me full. Dinner is tough though. The rest of my family (husband, 2 kids) can eat typical American food and be just fine. Both my kids are actually on the skinny side, to the point where their pediatrician has advised us to offer bread and butter and whole milk at every dinner for the extra calories. Obviously, I don't eat the bread and butter or drink the whole milk, but I think if I had more recipes where the rest of the family with their fast metabolisms/growing bodies can eat more of the carbs and fats while I serve myself more veggies and a lean protein, I'd reach my weight loss goals more comfortably (not as hungrily). For example, stir fry: I can load up on the veggies, a serving worth of chicken or lean beef, and skip the rice. The kids and the man with the fast metabolism can have all of that plus a nice size serving of rice.
So, any recipes you can share where maybe the carbs are separate from the rest of the meal, or any great side recipes for veggies (normally I just steam them) so that I can fill up on those and take smaller portions of the rest? Needs to be low fat, not keto, because I've had a heart attack and my cardiologist doesn't want me going the keto route.
I'm still learning to like vegetables, but I'm willing to try more of them. Currently, I like:
carrots
peas
sweet potatoes
green beans
broccoli
cauliflower/riced cauliflower
red/yellow/orange peppers (for some reason, I really don't like green bell peppers)

Dislike and I'm pretty sure I will never like:
mushrooms
olives

Any help you can give would be really appreciated!!

What about spinach? There is a really simple spinach recipe that you can eat with bread or rice or any other base.
1. Cook spinach(100g) in water until it starts wilting.
2. Add 1 tomato (70g) , 70 g onion , 1 garlic cloves, and the wilted spinach to a blender. Blend them till it's a gravy.
3. In a vessel, add some oil (3-4 g should do it), let it heat (add cumin seeds if you like) and then add the gravy. Add some water. Add salt and paprika as per taste.
4. Add diced tofu (optional chopped boiled egg white)
5. Cover (but let steam escape from a side) and cook until most of the water is gone.
6. Let it cool down so that you can eat without scarring your tongue.
I generally have it with boiled rice (any kind) but you can eat with high fibre tortillas too.

PremGandhi

I also squeeze some lemon juice for tang and sometimes peas for variety.

MaltedTea

1. Ratatouille
2. Chili (vegetable 'n beans)
3. Soups
4. Veggie prominent pastas (like spaghetti with marinara sauce)
5. Crudités

🤷🏿‍♀️

Also, please give mushrooms another few tries 😩 They are so good sautéed (button/cremini), as burger bun replacements (portobello), stir-fry (shiitaki) or as a base for soups and stews (most any other common cultivation like oyster or chanterelle). Furthermore, they primarily take on the taste of whatever stock or sauce you use.

Please say you're convinced lol

AndreaTamira

In a pinch you can always make nearly anything + a nice colourrful mixed salad (I love spinach/kale, capsicum, cucumber, onions, and cherry tomatoes with some nice dressing, but you can play around with salad). You take a small piece of, say, lasagna, and a lot of salad, and the kids may eat a lot of lasagna and a bit of salad.

melaniedscott

It sounds like you are trying to reduce starch vs carbs (most veggies are carbs but more starch = larger totals). I love all the carbs and eating them works for me (when I stick to calories)...

Maybe try subbing out sweet potatoes for actual potatoes? Higher fiber, more beta carotene...yes, carbs but worth it. Mashed sweet potatoes are yum. Broiled, baked...all. As are mashed cauliflower and mashed turnips. Treat them as you would a potato.

You like cauliflower...try ricing it and subbing for rice.

Have you tried spiralized zucchini (zoodles)? Not really my thing but def edible. Or look for a lower carb/higher protien pasta and do a ziti/mostaccoli style bake?

I like stir-fry, too. Genuis kitchen has a beef and broccoli recipe that is easy and tasty (a little high sodium...I cut down on the soy sauce, sub the low sodium kind and increase the broth) but the coolest thing about the recipe is that you can switch out the protien (Chicken and Broccoli, Tofu and Broccoli, Pork and Broccoli, Shrimp and broccoli) or the veg (Beef and Green Bean, Beef and Carrot-this might need something...else?, Beef and Asparagus, Beef and Peppers, even Beef and Mixed Veg) or both switch out protiens and veg and you have up to/more than 24 different recipes...change up the seasonings a little...add some cumin and corriander instead of ginger, toss in a little red pepper flakes (or cayenne).

They've also got a Chinese Veg Stir-Fry that is similar--that could be combined with the other recipe for a veggie extravaganza. (warning: recipe includes mushroom...but I agree with a previous poster: give them another shot. Maybe try several types. I don't love them raw, but most can be pretty tasty sauted or baked. Not a huge fan of black ones...but dried and ground, they add a bit of umami...)

There is no shame in just cooking a chunk of protien, steaming some veg or making a salad (as suggested, you can get creative with different types of lettuce, kale, spinach, etc...one of my fav bagged options includes shaved brussel sprouts and cabbage) and cook a starch (potato, pasta, rice).

Try some ethnic options. Indian, ethiopian, thai. Mediterranian and italian are easy. Find some south American/Latin American recipes (authentic does not have nearly the cheese of American Mexican but they do go in for rice and carb-y stuff). Don't where geographically you are...some places are easier to do ethnic than others. And while some Indian is higher calorie, just avoid the recipes with heavy cream...

I'm done. Really.