What did you make for dinner?

dlm4mom
dlm4mom Posts: 252 Member
edited November 28 in Motivation and Support
I am finding it hard to make quick low calorie meals that do not leave me feeling hungry as soon as I am finished cleaning the kitchen. Tonight I made salmon on the george forman grill with baked sweet potatoes. Maybe some of you who do not find it so difficult can share your menus?
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Replies

  • saralthrash
    saralthrash Posts: 105 Member
    Baked chicken breast broccoli and wild rice with quinoa
  • saralthrash
    saralthrash Posts: 105 Member
    I find planning ahead is key. There are easy to make quick meals but they take a little effort once a week. It's all about prep! Precook chicken and turkey breasts for easy salads, soups and wraps. Make a huge pot of broth based soups full of veggies and freeze for later.. I also like to make 100 calorie portions of nuts or cheese to take to work for a morning and afternoon snack.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    I had 4.2 oz wild salmon (broiled) with 2 oz whole wheat pasta, 174 grams of mixed vegetables, red onions and 146 grams of portabella mushroom and it was very filling.
  • Triplestep
    Triplestep Posts: 239 Member
    I find planning ahead is key. There are easy to make quick meals but they take a little effort once a week. It's all about prep! Precook chicken and turkey breasts for easy salads, soups and wraps. Make a huge pot of broth based soups full of veggies and freeze for later.. I also like to make 100 calorie portions of nuts or cheese to take to work for a morning and afternoon snack.

    This. Prepping takes time at first, but it gets faster and becomes second nature. I roasted chicken breasts and froze them two Sundays ago, and made a crock pot soup this past Sunday, and I will eat well for the rest of the week.

    Also add some roughage to that dinner to make it more filling. I often have a protein and a sweet potato, but I'll have broccoli with them. I use a little butter on both the sweet potato and the brocc, and don't go over in calories. Fat is filling as well.

  • TripZeros
    TripZeros Posts: 144 Member
    I made pulled pork tonight. It's just my husband, our 3 year old, and myself so we don't make huge amounts.
    1 lb of Pork Loin
    2 tsp Liquid Smoke
    Garlic
    Pepper
    Salt
    Set in crockpot on low for 6 hours.
    Once it's done I shred it, and add the BBQ sauce. My husband likes more sauce than I do, so that's why I wait until after it's cooked to add sauce. You can do what works for you.
  • TripZeros
    TripZeros Posts: 144 Member
    edited January 2016
    I also make beef stew a lot.

    1 lb of stew meat
    1 onion, chopped
    2 cups carrots
    2 cups celery
    1 cup frozen corn
    1 cup frozen peas
    2 cups of red potatoes
    2 Tbsp of corn starch
    2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    1 packet of beef stew seasoning
    36 oz of Beef Broth
    6 oz tomato paste
    1 small can of tomato paste

    I usually weigh everything out instead of relying on measuring cups, but you don't have to
    For flavor, I brown the meat with half of the beef stew seasoning packet, half of the onion, and some olive oil. Then throw everything into a crockpot and set on low for about 10 hours. Makes about 5 servings and comes out to around 340 calories.


    I know crockpots aren't quick, but It's nice to set it and forget it. I also usually double recipes, portion them out, and freeze for a quick pop-in-the-oven meal.
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    First you have to define "low calorie". (:

    My supper's are filling and work within my daily calorie goal but may be too high for yours.
  • jennamae102
    jennamae102 Posts: 179 Member
    I've been using a lot of Skinnytaste.com's recipes lately. She focuses on lower calorie meals, most seem to be under 400 cals per serving. I also meal plan before I go grocery shopping for the week, and try to make at least 1 pot of soup or a casserole so that I have easy leftovers for lunch/dinners. Here are a few I've liked lately:

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/10/quinoa-fiesta-enchilada-bake.html
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/11/crock-pot-minestrone-soup.html
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2015/01/buffalo-chicken-meatballs.html
  • nineteentwenty
    nineteentwenty Posts: 469 Member
    Eggs, man. They're loaded with protein. I scramble two whole eggs and three egg whites in a big pan, and eat them with a tall glass of skim milk.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
    I try to follow the guideline of 1/4 of my plate is protein, 1/4 carbs, 1/2 veg. Something like a steak, a baked potato, and roasted broccoli (that's a staple meal in my house). This also works for pasta or stirfry... 1/4 meat (or tofu), 1/4 rice or noodles, 1/2 vegetables (a bag of frozen stirfry veg is easy, or chop up some cabbage and peppers).
  • klallstar
    klallstar Posts: 3 Member
    Alaskan Cod (lightly breaded and baked)
    Roasted Brussle Sprouts
    Rice (for rest of family)

    Less than 20 min, under $10.
  • dlm4mom
    dlm4mom Posts: 252 Member
    Boy I made a big mistake tonight- 2 hot dogs are over 500 calories. I had a plan for dinner but I was so tired when I got home from work. I won't do that again
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  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    Cheesy scrambled eggs and toast
  • motterotter
    motterotter Posts: 701 Member
    Escarole and white bean soup
  • TamLam99
    TamLam99 Posts: 247 Member
    taco salad - used 93% lean ground beef with taco seasoning, crunched up a few tortilla chips, lettuce, salsa, and some low fat sour cream
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,698 Member
    I've been playing with my new slow cooker.

    On Monday night, I browned some chicken mince and onions, and while doing that I cut up a couple potatoes, 1 sweet potato, half a cauliflower, and a couple carrots and tossed them into the slow cooker. Then I added the chicken mince and onions. I have packets of McCormick's Slow Cooker recipe bases, so I mixed the Mild Chicken Curry one with light coconut milk and stirred it into the mix.

    http://www.mccormick.com.au/Products/Recipe-Bases/Slow-Cookers/McCormick-Slow-Cookers-Mild-Chicken-Curry

    It wasn't quite as done as I would have liked it when we served up the first helping of it on Tuesday. I had left it simmering for about 3 hours Monday evening and another couple hours on Tuesday after work and it probably needed another hour. But it was all right.

    Last night, however, it was excellent!

    Both nights we served it over brown rice.
  • cristalina95
    cristalina95 Posts: 25 Member
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    Salmon burgers w/ grilled pineapple & avocado w/ lime, fresh spinach tossed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil & bacon wrapped asparagus
  • Linzon
    Linzon Posts: 294 Member
    I got a wok recently and have been making big stir fries - tons of veggies, two eggs scrambled in the wok for protein, served on rice if I have the calories for it. I'm not usually a fan of frozen veggies in anything but soup but have been enjoying frozen stir fry mixes, which cuts down on prep time. Stir fries are great because you can really just toss in whatever and tweak it to meet your calorie goals - more or less (or no!) oil, rice or not, some kind of sauce or just a few shakes of soy sauce and red pepper flakes, etc.

    Tonight though was leftover slow cooker chicken chili served on a huge salad. I eat a lot of things on a bed of greens and veggies - chili, stew, basically anything that's not soup, since that gets a bit runny :)
  • dlm4mom
    dlm4mom Posts: 252 Member
    I have been looking at crock pot "dump" meals on Pinterest- meals that you prepare and put in freezer bag then thaw overnight when you are ready to use. Sounds like it might help with week nights- avoiding fast food and eating whatever because you are too tired and hungry to cook. Has anyone tried this?
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    My dinner wasn't low cal or probably hugely healthy but,it was incredibly filling and freaking fantastic. Crockpot Chicken pasta 663 cals per serving.
  • alp_19
    alp_19 Posts: 54 Member
    I also find it challenging but I'm learning. Tonight I had a pasta primavera with whole wheat penne. Really simple: about 1/4 cup of olive oil, tablespoon of butter, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, a little bit of crushed red pepper, other spices to taste. Then a box of pasta and a ton of veggies (we did a frozen bag of mixed veggies, a half a frozen bag with broccoli, and a bag of fresh stringless snap peas).
  • tinaisstillwell
    tinaisstillwell Posts: 58 Member
    I try to pick one day a week when I have extra time, that I used to spend eating or watching TV and I cook. I'll bake chicken breasts with ribs and skin, and always make more than enough for extra meals. Then I have chicken cooked and can make a quick chicken salad, or a salad with chicken. Today, I used a leftover chicken breast, and made a pesto chicken dish. It was freakin amazing! I found the recipe on dietdoctor.com. I prefer a low carb diet. I don't get hungry, and don't have the need to graze, and I drop weight easier than any other way. It's a win win for me. The website I listed with the ingredients explains the benefits. Also, there is a great book that details the importance of a low carb, high fat diet. Yes, high fat! Your brain needs it. The book is: The Grain Brain. I recommend you check it out.

    dlm4mom wrote: »
    I am finding it hard to make quick low calorie meals that do not leave me feeling hungry as soon as I am finished cleaning the kitchen. Tonight I made salmon on the george forman grill with baked sweet potatoes. Maybe some of you who do not find it so difficult can share your menus?
  • sstrack123
    sstrack123 Posts: 171 Member
    Quinoa & green onions with grilled chicken, roasted mixed peppers and a homemade protein bar. It was actually my lunch but it was filing.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    It was a meatless night and I had tator tot nachos. I baked frozen tator tots and heated canned refried beans. Pretty minimal prep work on anything else. It was filling enough for me.
    I pre-log things so I know when something fits my calorie goal and I adjust my other meals to accommodate. My dinners are usually 400-600 calories.

    Get enough protein.
    Add more vegetables. A simple salad with a vinaigrette dressing is pretty low calorie.
    Drink a glass of water with your meal.
  • jacklifts
    jacklifts Posts: 396 Member
    edited January 2016
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    bunch of left overs


  • ReadyWillingEager
    ReadyWillingEager Posts: 56 Member
    Eggplant and tofu stir fry over rice and mixed vegetables. Easy, about 400 cal.
  • dlm4mom
    dlm4mom Posts: 252 Member
    I took my college daughter out tonight. Pizza then auntie annes pretzels at the mall.
    Obviously I don't handle these kinds of situations well.
  • Grrlonamission94
    Grrlonamission94 Posts: 18 Member
    Last night was lentil soup with courgettes, hunk of fresh bread, baked jerk chicken. Altogether 750 calories. I save the bulk of my calories for my evening meal as I can easily stay through the day without eating but I just cannot sleep on an empty stomach.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Last night my husband made a vegetable soup. One large bowl served with 1 tablespoon pesto on top and a slice of bread on the side was less than 350 calories.
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