Favorite Healthy Meals

I started out with lean cuisine. Of course eventually I realized I was eating more carb and less vegetables and protein than I wanted so I started to change my old standby's to be healthier. I replaced alot of my pasta (which I used to love) with vegetables that had been spiralized. I lowered the fat content on the sauces by subbing in no fat or low fat cream cheese (for cream sauces) or adding extra mushrooms or green pepper to my red sauce. We eat taco's once a week made with extra-lean ground beef or chicken/turkey. I don't use flour tortilla's anymore I use the small corn ones which are much lower in calories and more filling. I fry them in a no stick pan with a short burst of Pam. Many meals are lean meat grilled, boiled potato or roasted potato and some type of green or otherwiese healthy vegetable. (Corn and Peas are higher in calories but I eat them occasionally). To be honest the best thing to do is make your old standby's healthier. You are going to want to go back to favorite recipes at some point so if you find ways to make that healthier you won't fall back into old habits. Lastly I discovered that I didn't need massive portions. That was a true eye opener for me. Now if I eat a big helping I get a stomach ache, lol. Also try the websites www.inspiralized.com and www.skinnymom.com They have lean recipes that sound really good.

I get most of my recipes from Pinterest...IMO, cooking meals using scratch, whole ingredients and minimally processed ingredients is pretty healthy. I eat a ton of different things as I enjoy variety. You're going to lose weight if you're consistently in a calorie deficit..."healthy" meals doesn't default to weight loss...I eat very healthy for the most part and maintain my weight because I eat a maintenance level of calories.

Also note that "healthy" doesn't really have anything to do with caloric density. If you're looking primarily for lower calorie meals, look at sites like skinnytaste or eatingwell or cookinglight. I prefer to just use recipes I find on Pinterest and I tweak them as need be...usually it's more about how much oil is being used...I typically use less than most recipes call for.

Tacos!

I love to cook and have been finding *sneaky* ways to make may favorite meals more healthy.
Spaghetti and meatballs = Turkey meatballs & Spaghetti squash, with a veggie packed sauce!
Rice = cauliflower rice. You can get it pre-made in the frozen food section, but I just take frozen cauliflower, through it in the ninja blender, and sauté it right up! Top with whatever is in your fridge for a healthy stir fry
Also, I have re-discovered soups. So filling and packed with nutrition if you make it from a veggie base.
Also, I always keep a bag of frozen peppers and onions in my freezer to make whipping up a healthy omelet an easy go-to meal when I don't have much time or energy

I just discovered riced cauliflower. It is great for making a quick low carb stir-fry. I basically take left over chicken, beef or pork and throw in some veggies (what ever I have on hand like carrots,celery, peppers, onion) and fry up with a tiny amount of oil then add some soy sauce or coconut amino and sesame oil and riced cauliflower. You really don't miss the rice.