Food Ideas that are Appetizing !!!

teresacc26
teresacc26 Posts: 91 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am NOT a cook in any way. Im from the South (Louisiana) so you all Know how we eat. But I NEED a change...I am over 300 lbs now and need to change how i eat Drastically. But i dont know how to cook, too well, (other than what ive been taught to cook and U see where thats gotten me) therefore, I have NO ideas what to cook or how !

But I want to eat things that are Appetizing. Im not a Soup eater and I dont want Skimpy Green Pepper n Onion meals. I want MEALS (not snacks) that I can Eat and be full or satisfied and that possibly my husband and kids will eat.

Any Takers ???

Replies

  • ms_leanne
    ms_leanne Posts: 523 Member
    I am a big fan of having a bit of what I like but bulking it out with loads of vegetables.

    Try and turn any cooking methods from frying to grilling, steaming or boiling. Bear in mind that even though alternative oils are better for you they still contain a lot of calories so use them sparingly.

    I try to cut down my meat intake so that when I have it in a minced form for example, I bulk it out with some beans or lentils.

    It's worth doing research and having a look at calorie values in things you like especially looking at things you pick up when food shopping.

    I do value the packaging information on foods over here in the UK and I hope you can find foods which interest you but still meet your taste requirements.

    Best of luck. :o)
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
    I've been able to find some low cal sheppards pie recipes, and also, turkey chili, chicken with a low fat gravy, etc.

    saute chicken with onions and mushrooms, buy a pack of the low sodium gravy and then add the chicken. learn how to make 'cauliflower rice' and serve over that. You can also make cauliflower 'mashed potato' and substitute this as a side of mashed. add lots of garlic and make it flavourful. You get the similar texture but not all the cals.

    Sheppards pie, make with ground turkey, use a bouillon cube and lots of garlic for flavor, etc. Cauliflower mash on top.

    Turkey chili, make with lots and lots of veg for substance, but chop them up really small so it doesn't seem so 'veggie'. :)

    For green beans, I'll steam in the bag and then lightly saute them in a bit of butter and lots of garlic. I've found that flavour has been the key for me. I don't enjoy many veggies, but I'll eat them raw with (you guessed it) VERY garlicky hummus, etc. lol

    There are tons of recipes online...
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    skinnytaste.com is a great resource for lower calorie recipes and reworked versions of favorites. There are a lot of similar website out there - set a goal to try something new every week. And don't deny yourself the foods you want - just have less of them and maybe less often.

    Also, if you are concerned about your cooking skills, why not take a class at your local library, cooking store, or community college? There are a lot of resources out there about how to cook. I'm sure there are videos on youtube that can teach you some basic skills as well. Learning new techniques should help you feel more comfortable about trying new recipes.
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
    I eat a lot of seafood and chicken....grill it instead of frying it. Cut down on the white rice or cut it out entirely. Use brown instead. I was raised on good Cajun food so I know what you mean...but it can be done. Think of your plate...at least half of it should be a green non starchy veggie or salad, i/4 of it your starch and 1/4 of it your protein. Skip the rich butter sauces and make everything as fresh and light as you can. Snack on fresh fruit or sugar free lo cal desserts if you want something sweet. There are a lot of low cal, fresh and easy recipes online. I love skinnytaste.com there are a ton of good recipes there.
  • teresacc26
    teresacc26 Posts: 91 Member
    Wow ! Thanks alot ya'll...These are all Great Ideas and I plan to put them to Use....:)
  • JessyJ03
    JessyJ03 Posts: 627 Member
    So my family is southern and we love our food! (IT shows too) What I've done is adjust the things I like to make healthier versions. We all know the south loves to fry food... here's what I do for friend chicken


    Take boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs if you prefer), cut into strips

    Dip them into a whole wheat flour mixed with seasonings that you prefer (I use cayenne pepper, pepper, celery salt). Cover the meat in a thin layer of flour.

    Then dip into egg

    Finally take smashed up corn flakes and use this as a breading for the chicken crust. (Trust me this tastes better than it sounds). Place the cornflakes in a bag or on a plate and roll the chicken around in it so the chicken is covered in the corn flakes on all sides.

    Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or so.



    It honestly tastes just like fried chicken without the grease. I haven't had friend chicken since we started cooking it this way. It's so much better and MUCH healthier.


    (to smash up the corn flakes just put in a ziploc and go go go lol).


    Edit to add: You could use a cooking spray on your pan but this generally makes the underside of the chicken soggy so I don't do it.

    Also this recipe works well with pork tenderloin if you enjoy pork. Or pork chops too
  • actg95
    actg95 Posts: 85 Member
    One of my favorites - take boneless skinless chicken breast (any chicken would probably work, but that is my favorite), cube it up into chunks. Season with Morton's Natures Seasoning, Cajun Season and Garlic Powder. Put a little bit of real butter in a frying pan - melt. Add chicken and water. (The water keeps it moist without adding calories the extra butter / oil would add.)

    Also make some long grain rice, and broccoli or asparagus for the side. I usually top the rice with fat free Heinz gravy.

    My family LOVES this! Even the 2 and 5 year old eat every bit. My nephew is picky and won't eat the asparagus, but I can make him broccoli or some other veggie and he loves it. :)

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