what is everyone's favorite meals?

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In my journey to lose a bunch of weight, I have found that creating large meals ahead of time and pre-portioning them into small amounts for later is a great help. I am looking for new, tasty ideas on meals I can prepare. I find myself eating a lot of the Lean Gourmet, Healthy Choice, and Smart Ones meals cause I run out of ideas for homemade meals that are easy to make and low on calories...

I like to make meals with 300-400 calories and fill in with small snacks throughout the day if anyone has any suggestions on great tasting but easy meals to make that fall within that calorie range, I'd greatly appreciate any posts!

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  • thomalr6180
    thomalr6180 Posts: 94 Member
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    bump
  • life1979_24
    life1979_24 Posts: 147 Member
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    chill mix it up divide it out put it in the freezer cook as need...vary vary large serving could add meat and reduce the qty.

    Cut Green Beans, 1 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 70 7 0 0 0 0
    Sliced Carrots, 1 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 105 7 0 4 0 0
    Black Beans, 1 container (1 4/5 cup (128g) ea.) 385 25 0 25 0 4
    Peppers - Sweet, green, raw, 1 cup, chopped 30 3 0 1 0 0
    Pinto Beans, 1 container (3 3/10 cups ea.) 780 59 0 46 0 0
    Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, 1 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 88 4 0 4 0 0
    Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, 1 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 88 4 0 4 0 0
    Kidney Beans-Light Red, 1 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 420 25 0 28 0 4
    Chilli Beans - Great Value, 4 container (1 4/5 cups ea.) 1,540 84 0 84 0 14
    Homemade - Frozen Corn Off Cob, 4 cup 528 17 1 20 0 7
    Add Ingredient
    Total: 4034 235 1 216 0 29
    Per Serving: 403 24 0 22 0 3
  • JAG1224
    JAG1224 Posts: 191 Member
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    www.skinnytaste.com has great and healthy recipes. i made the spinach lasagna rolls and froze the extra. they heat up well and taste great.
  • MaryD4900
    MaryD4900 Posts: 135 Member
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    Try the "Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken" recipe posted on the recipe board. Had it for dinner last night and it was awesome. (I suggest leaving out the taco seasoning and adding a can of black beans and fresh onions and mushrooms) Crock pot meals are great because they require very little time and effort and will give you a lot of food- hence left overs for the rest of the week :) Another good crock pot meal is just a whole chicken with potatoes, carrots, and onions w/ some chicken broth. I seriously love my crock pot lol. Watch out for the frozen dinners.. they are yummy but usually packed full of sodium. I love love love the recipe board here- This is only my 2nd week and I have already found so many healthy dinner ideas I can't wait to try.
  • jesster64
    jesster64 Posts: 109
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    turkey bacon on lowfat english muffin.
  • MaryD4900
    MaryD4900 Posts: 135 Member
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    Here are more of my favorites...

    Quick Pizzas:
    Spread spaghetti sauce on a Bagel Thin, top w/ mozz cheese and whatever veggies/ meats you like. Throw it in the over at 425 for 10 mins or unti cheese is melted and bagel is slightly toasted. Eat w/ salad

    Stir Fry:
    Buy a bottle of Stir-Fry sauce or terryaki sauce. Dump bag of frozen veggies in pan on med-hi and add sauce when veggies are cooked. You can also add chicken or whatever meat. Serve w/ brown rice

    Baked potato w/ salsa, black beans, cheese, and diced chicken

    Fajitas:
    Season chicken in pan w/ fajita seasoning. In separate pan, sautee onions and bell peppers. I like my "fajitas" as a kind of fajita-burrito hybrid- I stuff my tortilla w/ meat, peppers, onions, brown rice, sour cream, cheese, and black beans

    For sides, I like to cut sweet potatoes or baking potaoes into wedges and bake in the oven at 450 for 30-40 mins. Lightly coat w/ olive oil. Season regular potatoes w/ garlic salt and rosemary. Sweet potatoes w/ brown sugar (also good w/ a little dash of chili powder)

    I loveee brussel sprouts- here's a good way to cook them:
    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2/index.html


    Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

    12 oz turkey kielbasa sliced
    2 cloves garlic
    1 can green beans
    1 can red kidney beans
    1 can greaty northern beans
    1 can italian diced tomatoes
    1/2 c water
    2 c chicken broth
    1 onion
    1 carrot

    Throw in crockpot and cook 8-10 hours! This soup is DELICIOUS... I have it all the time and never never ever get tired of it... I don't have nutritional info, but I think it might be a weight watchers recipe

    Chicken Pot Pie - this is a little involved, but is actually super easy to make. It's soooo good- better than any frozen chick pot pie you will ever have. And the leftovers are actually better than it is the 1st time you make it.. kinda like a casserole

    1/3 cup butter
    1/3 cup flour
    1/2 tsp salt
    2/3 c milk
    1 and 3/4 c chicken broth
    2 cup chicken (You can get a rotisserie already cooked, or just cook breats ahead of time)
    1 cup each of peas (I use canned), carrots (I use sliced canned), and broccoli (I use frozen and thaw ahead of time in microwave)
    dash of onion powder
    pie crust (I use the Pillsbury pie crust that comes in a 2-pack... you just unroll it- super easy)

    Preheat oven to 400
    Heat butter in pan until melted
    Blen in flour, salt, pepper, onion powder and stir until smooth
    Remove from heat
    Stir in broth and milk. Bring to boil for 1 minute
    Stir in chicken and veggies
    Fill the pie crust (You can pile the goodies on readdy high... I usually end up with a peak of filling)
    Cover the filling with the remaining pie crust

    Bake 40-45 mins or until crust is golden brown

    *You can even make the chicken/ veggie filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to make the pie

    Turkey Meatloaf- simple and delicious. I like to divide the meatloaf into muffin-sized portions. Do this using a cupcake pan instead of a loaf pan.

    1.5 lbs ground turkey
    1/2 cup oatmeal
    1/2 cup breadcrumbs
    1/2 cup milk
    2 T soy sauce or Worcestershire
    1 egg
    onion powder or diced fresh onions

    Preheat oven to 350
    mix all ingredients and place in bread pan or muffin pan
    Bake 1 hour (or about 30 mins if using muffins)

    *This is also good with a ketchup glaze...
    1/2 cup ketchup
    2 T brown sugar
    1 T spicy brown mustard
    spread over top of meatloaf before baking and cover pan w/ foil

    Here are a couple links as well

    Giada's seafood pasta (I omit the mussels/ clams and just use shrimp and scallops)
    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spaghetti-with-pinot-grigio-and-seafood-recipe/index.html

    German Style Turkey Sausage Skillet- you will like this if you like sauerkraut
    http://www.recipe.com/german-style-turkey-sausage-skillet/
  • deverez
    deverez Posts: 34 Member
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    Up to 5 large eggs pan-fried with approx. 3 tablespoons of real butter. Sprinkle with salt/pepper. Garnish with bacon, or sausage... or both.

    -OR-

    A beautifully marbled boneless rib-eye steak seasoned with kosher salt/pepper and grilled to medium-rare. Served with a side of eggs or bacon... or both.
  • mogenfire
    mogenfire Posts: 81 Member
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    bump!
  • Janet39
    Janet39 Posts: 280 Member
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    I do a variation on an english cooked breakfast, which I eat at any time of the day. I can get it on the table in about 7 minutes, with a cuppa coffee.

    2 thick grilled sausages
    1 dry fried egg
    1 portabello/field mushroom
    hand full of fresh tomatos
    1/2 tin beans or a slice of toast
    Brown sauce

    I grill a whole pack of sausages(or 2) at the weekend, then store in the fridge.

    Microwave the mushroom for 1min.
    Add beans(if using) and sausages and micro for 2 mins.
    Put on toast if not having beans
    Meanwhile dry fry the egg in a non stick pan and slice tomatoes.
    Add the egg tomatoes and toast to plate cover in HP sauce and you are ready to go.

    This has a min of 27g protein(extra for the beans), so is great for keeping away the mid morning munchies, or evening snack attacks.
  • tarjake
    tarjake Posts: 56 Member
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    Up to 5 large eggs pan-fried with approx. 3 tablespoons of real butter. Sprinkle with salt/pepper. Garnish with bacon, or sausage... or both.

    -OR-

    A beautifully marbled boneless rib-eye steak seasoned with kosher salt/pepper and grilled to medium-rare. Served with a side of eggs or bacon... or both.
    i am drooling.:smile:
  • staceywoo
    staceywoo Posts: 56
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    Try www.bbcgoodfood.com - I find most of my recipes there! You can search by lower calorie meals (some are 200-400) and cooking difficulty/time to cook.