Main dishes that wont break the bank or calorie bank

Options
24

Replies

  • moonlightturk
    moonlightturk Posts: 398
    Options
    Eggs with veggies loaded in them. Guess that's called omelette or something, but those are good!
  • Csitri
    Csitri Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    bump
    Always looking for new recipes for me to stay on track.
  • Uxorial
    Uxorial Posts: 38
    Options
    Oh, fritatta is good as well. It is just eggs and veggies baked in the oven. You can use less egg yolks to lower the calories.
    Use frozen veggies and it is pretty cheap.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Options
    This is great! And only 300cals

    Cajun chicken with sweet potato wedges & avocado salad 300cals
    • Serves 2
    • 10 min
    • 45 min
    • 300 Cal
    • 3/5
    Spices are such a great way to add flavour and variety to dishes, without adding unnecessary calories. A simple chicken breast can taste so different just by varying the spices used. Say goodbye to bland, tough old chooks, spice things up…in the kitchen I mean!!!
    Here I use the powerful cajun spice, which goes beautifully with chicken and sweet potato. Enjoy!
    Method
    Preheat oven to 200C.(392 F)
    Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place the sweet potato wedges on one tray and lightly spray with oil spray.
    Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp.
    Coat the chicken breast in the spice mix. Place the chicken breast on the remaining tray.
    Lightly spray with oil spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and just cooked through.
    Meanwhile, combine the cherry tomatoes, avocado and spinach leaves in a small bowl.
    Cut the chicken into slices. Divide the sweet potato wedges, chicken and avocado salad among serving plates. Serve with lemon or lime wedges.

    Ingredients
    • 400g (14oz) small sweet potato, peeled, cut into wedges
    • 1 × 200g (7oz) chicken breast fillet
    • 1 teaspoon Cajun spice mix
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1/2 small avocado, chopped
    • 100 g baby spinach leaves
    • Lemon or lime wedges, to serve

    ok that is def a must try :D
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Options
    Venison grill steaks - 18g of protein, some carbs and fat, but still pretty low.
    Then add 2 'bacon medalions' a low-cal cheese slice and some tomato/lettuce. I halve a slice of bread to put them on. Under 300 calories for a large burger-creation.

    After having a total of about 450 calories for spending four and a half hours at indoor bouldering place, thought I deserved two lots.
    May not have been perfect for weight loss, but reckon a load of it should have gone towards repairing muscles etc :).
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Options
    Venison grill steaks - 18g of protein, some carbs and fat, but still pretty low.
    Then add 2 'bacon medalions' a low-cal cheese slice and some tomato/lettuce. I halve a slice of bread to put them on. Under 300 calories for a large burger-creation.

    After having a total of about 450 calories for spending four and a half hours at indoor bouldering place, thought I deserved two lots.
    May not have been perfect for weight loss, but reckon a load of it should have gone towards repairing muscles etc :).

    never had venison bet it is tasty
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    Options
    Baked brown rice (Alton Brown's recipe) mixed with grilled chicken (usually just a simple oil/vinegar/mustard/salt/pepper marinade) and a salad made with local veggies and berries

    A fifth of a batch of the rice + 4oz of grilled chicken breast + salad with a little bit of dressing will be about 400 calories
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    Options
    Venison grill steaks - 18g of protein, some carbs and fat, but still pretty low.
    Then add 2 'bacon medalions' a low-cal cheese slice and some tomato/lettuce. I halve a slice of bread to put them on. Under 300 calories for a large burger-creation.

    After having a total of about 450 calories for spending four and a half hours at indoor bouldering place, thought I deserved two lots.
    May not have been perfect for weight loss, but reckon a load of it should have gone towards repairing muscles etc :).

    And now I'm craving venison...haven't had it in probably 10yrs but grew up around a lot of hunters who were also amazing cooks
  • AndieP85
    AndieP85 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    bump :)
  • Cms5227
    Cms5227 Posts: 13
    Options
    Everyone has given you great tips about cooking! If you want to eat out on the reg, you should subsrcibe to the "Eat this, Not that" newsletter. They basically send you a few emails a week telling you what not to eat out. It'll tell you what fast food meals are terrible and which are ok for your diet. If you really want to indulge and eat fast food, always order the kid's meal! It will satisfy your cravings without NEAR as many calories as the adult version.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    Options
    I make green bean casserole (minus the french's fried onions unless we have extra calories). I use 98% fat free soup and then add ground turkey to it. Green beans are low cal. I sometimes put it over rice. If you follow the serving sizes, it's not too bad for cal

    70- soup
    170 - turkey
    150-200 for rice depending on which brand you buy and how big they say a serving is...If you add the onions back, obviously it's more...

    We probably have this once a week. Adding turkey, at the very least...makes it a meal!
  • scarlet331
    scarlet331 Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    I made a turkey chili with a variety of beans and vegetables. . Use all kinds of beans, except the kidney beans and add lots of vegetables. You can find a bountiful array of fresh fruit and vegetables at your local farmers market or if you garden or knows anyone who does, free vegetables. Don't use one store to do your shopping, visit a off brand store like Aldi, Save a lot. Visiting a butcher may be good too for your meat instead of going to the grocery store. You will find what is on sale and stock up.


    1 1/4 cups green bell pepper strips
    1 cup sliced onion $
    1 pound ground turkey
    1/4 cup chili powder
    1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
    1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
    1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
    1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
    1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    Preparation

    Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add first 5 ingredients; cook 5 minutes or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder and the next 8 ingredients (chili powder through tomato sauce), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped onion-optinal tortilla chips, plain greek yogurt or fat free sour cream.
    Calories: 272
    Fat: 8.2g
    Protein: 20.3g
    Carbohydrate: 32.2g
    Fiber: 6.2g
    Cholesterol: 51mg

    source is Cooking light magazine


    Cornbread- You can buy the Jiffy Cornbread at your store for .50 a box. Whip that up and you have a filling dinner
  • fatamby
    fatamby Posts: 1
    Options
    Since I started counting calories, I've been missing rice. I'll have it, just not as often and not as large of a serving.
    I've recently starting cutting my rice with steamed cauliflower. I'll steam some fresh cauliflower, chop it up, and mix it with my rice. The texture and weight is just as satisfying as straight rice, and actually a little more flavorful, and it's less calories.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    Options
    Turkey Quinoa Chili
    Prep: 40 min. Cook: 35 min. Yield: 9 Servings
    40
    35
    75
    Ingredients
    1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    3-1/2 cups water, divided
    1/2 pound lean ground turkey
    1 large sweet onion, chopped
    1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    1 tablespoon chili powder
    1 tablespoon ground cumin
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
    1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
    1 medium zucchini, chopped
    1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
    1 tablespoon adobo sauce
    1 bay leaf
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    1 cup frozen corn, thawed
    1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
    Directions
    In a large saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork and set aside.
    Meanwhile, in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook the turkey, onion, red pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in the chili powder, cumin and cinnamon; cook 2 minutes longer.
    Add the black beans, tomatoes, zucchini, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper and remaining water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in corn and quinoa; heat through. Discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro. Yield: 9 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
    Editor's Note: Look for quinoa in the cereal, rice or organic food aisle.
    Nutritional Facts
    1 cup equals 264 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 514 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 15 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable.

    http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Quinoa-Turkey-Chili

    I've never gotten the nutrition facts listed above, I get lower. I don't add the adobo stuff since I can't find it. But I use green or red peppers and summer squash. It's yummy and super filling

    They also send out a newsletter for healthy cooking and one for the budget-conscious cook
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Options
    shirataki noodle stirfry is always a winner, if you don't mind the texture of the noodles. they are 0 calories, or low cal if you get the tofu noodles. i saute them with stir fry veggies (peppers, onions, broccoli, mushroom, carrots, etc) and a type of protein (i use meatless vegetized protein strips, you can use real chicken if you want), then toss with some spices, soy sauce, teryaki sauce, whatever you like. the count will come out very low since the noodles are pretty much no calories, and that way you can fill up with protein too. the noodles are a good filler, and it will keep me full for hours for under 200 calories
  • ScubaAmyMN
    ScubaAmyMN Posts: 1,726 Member
    Options
    Bump. I like the instructions for non-chefs!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Options
    I want to try this:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/skinny_beef_lasagneta_87277
    Also wondered if you could make leeks in to a tagliatelle style substitute.

    On the venison - anyone know any good sources for venison products (or other like Kangaroo etc) which are low in fat, but not too silly expensive? In the UK.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Options
    check out the following websites, a lot of them use a lot of the same ingredients so you can switch it up, and so far everything I've tried to make has been delish! I've also found that I can modify by adding/taking out/substituting ingredients

    www.skinnytaste.com
    www.dashingdish.com
    undressedskeleton.tumblr.com

    I made sausage stuffed zucchini boats tonight, the way I made it it was around 330 cals a boat and that was plenty to fill me up!

    Oh cant wait to check it out
  • sissyhager
    sissyhager Posts: 19
    Options
    Did you have any starch?
  • dmisty24
    dmisty24 Posts: 26
    Options
    Bump

Categories