Diet Recipes Only

SandyBVTN

#1 - Salad I have been eating the last few weeks for dinner (I live alone...and I am not bored by the same food... tend to find a recipe I like and eat it for a few weeks and then pick another one for dinner... same with lunch).

Warm Spinach Salad (This is one serving about 500 calories)




3 cups fresh spinach
3oz sweet potato
2 sliced of thin cut bacon
5-6oz of rotisserie chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red onion

1. Add 3 cups of spinach to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onion.
2. Pour over spinach... 1.5 tablespoon of balsamic and 1/2 tablespoon of olive and toss.
3. In a hot pan warm the bacon (I use Hormel precooked bacon because it is easy) until it gets crispy. Crumble and add to spinach.
4. Cut in fourths,and then thin;y slice sweet potatoes into triangles. I cook them in a ZIPLOC steamer bag for about 1 minute and then add them to a hot pan with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and some Salt and pepper. Cook until they get a little brown. Pour on top of spinach.
5. Cut up the chicken into small cubes and place in the same hot pan. Add salt and pepper to taste (I use red pepper because I like some spice)...Once a little browned pour over spinach and other ingredients. Toss and serve.

#2 - Dried Pineapple snack.

1. Take one large pineapple. Cut off outer shell. Cut in half and take out core. Cut in slices about 1/8" thick. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Don't let them touch. Bake at 185* F for 7 hours. THEY ARE AWESOME. Just did this for the first time yesterday and I am in heaven.

Those sound great - thank you!

While I understand the reasoning behind the "eat whatever you want and fit it into your macros/calories" mindset, I personally am looking to make some changes in the nutritional content of the food that I eat, and in the way that I cook. I have always been very into food and cooking and have gravitated toward very heavy and rich recipes. I don't want that to be my norm anymore and I'm very happy that OP has introduced this topic - thank you!

myrtille87

Can't work out how to add pictures, but a good dinner I did the other night was:

-Chicken breast, marinated in tandoori paste and low fat yoghurt - threaded onto skewers and cooked in the oven.
-Red rice salad based on this recipe but with radishes and red pepper as well as carrot.
-100g spinach, just wilted by tipping boiling water over it, then draining and squeezing water out.

The last couple of days I've done butternut squash and bean enchilladas (but discovered how high in calories tortilla wraps are, so had one really fat one with loads of filling, rather than splitting it between 2 wraps).

-1 butternut squash, cubed and roasted with garlic and olive oil
-Sauce made by frying onion in a little olive oil, then adding tinned chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika and cumin.
-Reserve a little sauce for topping the enchilladas, then add 2 tins beans (I used butterbeans and borlotti beans) and the roast squash to the pan.
-Wrap the filling in tortilla wraps, spoon over a little tomato sauce and add reduced fat grated cheddar, then bake until crispy/cheese is bubbly.

Tonight's dinner is:

-Home-made ratatouille (2 aubergines, 2 courgettes, 2 peppers, 2 onions, 5 cloves garlic, 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tins chopped tomatoes, salt, thyme, rosemary) - think it'll do a minimum of 6 portions, maybe more.
-Lightly smoked salmon fillet, pan fried with no added fat.
-Small baked potato.

SnuggleSmacks

Pinterest is an excellent place to find low calorie recipes with photos. Just go there and type in something like "low calorie meal" and you'll get tons of info.

ana3067

I am seeing a lot of pictures and recipes of foods/meals that are not diet recipes so I am creating this topic for people like me who are trying to lose a great deal of weight. Pictures would be great!

I figured I may get a reply such as this when writing it, but I just wanted to keep it as a general "diet". What I really meant was, I don't want to see recipes or pictures of cake, bacon, and/or other foods that are not considered weight loss food items. Basically, I am eating healthy foods which would obviously exclude most fast foods, fried foods (except in olive oil), sugary deserts, junk food, processed foods, pop, candy, non lean meats, full fat dairy products, etc. Anything considered healthy is fine, even if it is full fat items, as they can easily be changed for people like me who choose not to eat them right now.

I am so, so sorry for your loss.

And by that I of course mean your loss of all deliciousness within your diet.

You are embarking on what I refer to as a fad diet: something that will not provide you with sustainable results unless you eat this type of diet forever

I eat bacon, cake, donuts, cookies, kettle corn, oil and butter and fat, fatty pieces of meat, sugary cereal (well, sometimes. Not as many good gluten-free cereals as there are GF cookies and donuts and cakes), etc etc. I'm almost halfway to my goal, I don't demonize food anymore, and my diet is my long-term lifestyle. Of course, the only thing that will change is how much I eat as opposed to what I eat.

ana3067

Best Ever Blueberry Cobbler

http://wickedgoodkitchen.com/best-ever-blueberry-cobbler-gluten-free-option/


Chicken Pepper and Mushroom Fajitas with Refried Beans

No recipe. This was what I was talking about when I suggested picking a lean protein, learning to use spices and herbs, and piling on the extra veggies. Weigh everything. There's an awesome thread floating around with great ideas about weighing recipes so you can evenly divide portions.

The fajitas thing looks really good, do you just pan fry everything until it's cooked to your desired tenderness (and obviously thoroughly cook the chicken)? I'm gluten-free (not for weight loss) and GF tortilla/fajita wraps are usually pretty dry and blah. This looks worth eating on top of rice!

GiveMeCoffee

What's diet food? I've lost a little bit of weight eating things like this:









You can eat things you enjoy, you just need to fix them into your day. Hit your protein, fat and for me fiber goals, and the rest works itself out.

ana3067

What is this? I'm so conflicted as to whether that looks tasty or not because I can't tell what everything is lol.

GiveMeCoffee

What is this? I'm so conflicted as to whether that looks tasty or not because I can't tell what everything is lol.

That was a delicious Shrimp Po'Boy!

jasonmh630

I am seeing a lot of pictures and recipes of foods/meals that are not diet recipes so I am creating this topic for people like me who are trying to lose a great deal of weight. Pictures would be great!

I figured I may get a reply such as this when writing it, but I just wanted to keep it as a general "diet". What I really meant was, I don't want to see recipes or pictures of cake, bacon, and/or other foods that are not considered weight loss food items. Basically, I am eating healthy foods which would obviously exclude most fast foods, fried foods (except in olive oil), sugary deserts, junk food, processed foods, pop, candy, non lean meats, full fat dairy products, etc. Anything considered healthy is fine, even if it is full fat items, as they can easily be changed for people like me who choose not to eat them right now.

ANY food is a weight loss food, if it fits into your calorie allowance for the day. Full fat dairy products like cheese are actually good for you, because of the protein in it. In other words, EVERYTHING is fine in moderation and if it fits your macros.

rachelrb85

I've lost 25 lbs eating some of my favorite foods like this... PM for recipes!

rachelrb85

Oh and I also lost 25 lbs eating food like this. All in moderation. No recipes available for these.

merisaOct3

Chicken Pepper and Mushroom Fajitas with Refried Beans

No recipe. This was what I was talking about when I suggested picking a lean protein, learning to use spices and herbs, and piling on the extra veggies. Weigh everything. There's an awesome thread floating around with great ideas about weighing recipes so you can evenly divide portions.

The fajitas thing looks really good, do you just pan fry everything until it's cooked to your desired tenderness (and obviously thoroughly cook the chicken)? I'm gluten-free (not for weight loss) and GF tortilla/fajita wraps are usually pretty dry and blah. This looks worth eating on top of rice!
[/quote]

Yes, I use a cast iron skillet for most meals. I am gluten free too. Those are basic corn tortillas. Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds, or wrap in foil and heat in oven.

SandyBVTN

Best Ever Blueberry Cobbler

http://wickedgoodkitchen.com/best-ever-blueberry-cobbler-gluten-free-option/


Chicken Pepper and Mushroom Fajitas with Refried Beans

No recipe. This was what I was talking about when I suggested picking a lean protein, learning to use spices and herbs, and piling on the extra veggies. Weigh everything. There's an awesome thread floating around with great ideas about weighing recipes so you can evenly divide portions.

The fajitas thing looks really good, do you just pan fry everything until it's cooked to your desired tenderness (and obviously thoroughly cook the chicken)? I'm gluten-free (not for weight loss) and GF tortilla/fajita wraps are usually pretty dry and blah. This looks worth eating on top of rice!

Do you find corn tortillas dry? I know they are often not labelled GF, but most authentic straight up corn tortillas will be gluten free, and if you can find some that are freshly made they are incredibly tender when prepared properly. I do find that a little oil helps a lot with that. I just brush my hot cast iron frying pan with a slick of oil, then pan fry the tortillas 30-45 seconds on each side. My hubs is gluten free (also not for weight loss, he's not celiac but gets pretty sick when he eats wheat more than just a bit once every week or two).

merisaOct3

Also, if you decide to reduce carbs or just want to cut cals more, instead of rice or tortilla, put fajitas over fresh salad greens. Top with salsa instead of heavy salad dressing.

HeidiCooksSupper

Okay, the foods you consume are your diet. Your diet is more or less healthy depending on the mix of what you eat. One can increase or decrease the "macros" (and micros) of different foods by substituting ingredients. For example, tonight we will have summer squash oven fries which will be less calorie dense, less carbohydrate dense, and less fat dense. They will also have better micros than your basic fast food fries from the drive through. Oh, and they will taste delicious!!

I could, indeed, consider these "diet" food. I tend to just consider them good healthy FOOD and I plan to enjoy them tonight.

So, what characteristics are you hoping to change in the foods you cook: more or fewer calories? more or fewer carbohydrates? More or less sodium or potassium or calcium or ...

The answer to your question depends on what your nutritional goals are.

Here are your pictures. It's a "pizza" with a crust made of spinach and cheese.



It's good but I also make and eat real pizza.

SandyBVTN

This is another favorite meal of mine! I'm crazy about roasted broccoli. The only recipe change I've made since making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle is that I used to toss the broccoli in LOADS of olive oil. It was delicious, of course, but I find that there's barely a difference with this method.

Start with clean but bone dry broccoli, cut into very small pieces. I like super small bites here because they caramelize better.
Brush with olive oil, a couple of tablespoons should do if you take your time and try to get the oil on every part. I like some nice sea salt at this point too.
Spread out on a tray or two, and give the broccoli lots of room (don't crowd the trays).
Roast in a very hot oven - 425 - for 20 to 25 minutes, giving a little shake halfway somewhere, and switch the trays around while you are at it, if you are using multiple roasting pans.
Eat immediately with a dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other yummy hard italian cheese, Asiago or Grana Padano are great here too.

I find it's better to keep giving the broccoli room, not piling it all up in a serving bowl where it will steam and get mushy. It's nice and crispy and caramelized and just a touch burned - delicious.

Variations I have heard about: roasted broccoli and shrimp (I think it's an Ina Garten thing), or with lemon, garlic, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar.

This technique is also fantastic with cauliflower (I always use lemon instead of cheese though) and brussel sprouts (roasted with a little bacon lardon and finished with balsamic).

Serah87

Oh and I also lost 25 lbs eating food like this. All in moderation. No recipes available for these.

Bumping......just cause.

SandyBVTN

Okay, the foods you consume are your diet. Your diet is more or less healthy depending on the mix of what you eat. One can increase or decrease the "macros" (and micros) of different foods by substituting ingredients. For example, tonight we will have summer squash oven fries which will be less calorie dense, less carbohydrate dense, and less fat dense. They will also have better micros than your basic fast food fries from the drive through. Oh, and they will taste delicious!!

I could, indeed, consider these "diet" food. I tend to just consider them good healthy FOOD and I plan to enjoy them tonight.

So, what characteristics are you hoping to change in the foods you cook: more or fewer calories? more or fewer carbohydrates? More or less sodium or potassium or calcium or ...

The answer to your question depends on what your nutritional goals are.

Those oven fries sound awesome! I think the OP is just looking for folks to contribute some food ideas that are on the healthier side (lower in cals, fats or carbs, whatever works for them) and recipes to go along with it. We don't need to nitpick the "diet" aspect of the question too much, I think:)

HeidiCooksSupper

Those oven fries sound awesome!

I made the fries tonight after being inspired by the recipe posted on today's MFP blog: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/08/baked-zucchini-sticks/

I cut the summer squash into sticks, salted and drained them for about 30 minutes, and then wiped them dry. I coated them with a whole beaten egg (because I hate to waste the yolk) and tossed 'em in some seasoned bread crumbs and freshly grated parmesan. Then I scattered them on an old baking sheet I covered with parchment paper and baked them for 35 minutes at 425F.

On the other shelf of the oven were a couple boneless loin pork chops, cooking in some homemade ersatz marinara sauce in a brownie pan covered with foil. I sub butternut squash and roasted red peppers for the tomatoes in the sauce because we can't eat tomatoes. I try to make the sauce often enough so I always have some in the freezer to throw on a pizza or whatever.

ana3067

What is this? I'm so conflicted as to whether that looks tasty or not because I can't tell what everything is lol.

That was a delicious Shrimp Po'Boy!

OH, well then Not a shrimp person. But this picture REALLY makes me want a crispy chicken burger... and I totally need to figure out how to make this soon!