Anyone have any ACTUALLY tasty but healthy recipes??

ShaeSweetness
ShaeSweetness Posts: 61 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?
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Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    i make a pretty killer barley and sweet potato pilaf - that is really good - its pretty high carb, but low fat - https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/barley-and-sweet-potato-pilaf/#gs.krUOir0
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  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,724 Member
    as far as the burgers & fries go, I do have them sometime & make them at home. I actually always have ground round or grn chuck & ground turkey patties in freezer, weighed out & frozen into patties. The ore ida fast food fries baked are good (or any of them)& very reasonable calorie wise. I skip the bun & lightly toast my low cal bread. I use lite mayo & regular cheddar cheese. I got several recipes from skinnytaste I like, like the spinach & feta stuffed chicken breasts are good. I didn't have ricotta at home so made it without it.I also played around with different stuffings, like low fat cream cheese. I also like 12 tomatoes site for recipes, the mushroom meat loaf is really good, I substitute 1/2 ground turkey, the cheesy veggie chowder is delicious, I think next time I'll add some crumbled turkey sausage to it. Sauteing chicken thighs(boneless,skinless) with some onions,garlic, favorite veggies & cooking it in a little chicken broth is good, especially if you ad low fat cream cheese to it. I also like pork, it's fairly low cal. I love pork chops & I recently have been successful cooking pork loin roast. I found out the secret is not to over cook it & use my meat thermometer
  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
    Well each to their own tastes eh.... Maybe find recipes that you like and put your own spin on it. Maybe buy some spice blends you like. I cook alot of coconut based dahls but once again, each to their own. :smile:
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    Steak and potatoes can easily be a reasonable calorie level by my standards. Just get a lean cut of steak and go easy with the added fats on the potato. Round out the meal with a non-starchy veg. I love this kind of meal and don't find it incompatible with weight loss at all.

    Or I'll go with a fattier cut of steak but eat a smaller portion. Then I'll use the rest the next day in a salad or on garlic toast, can top that toast with provolone cheese and melt it under the broiler.

    The recipes in "Cook This Not That" might be the sort you're looking for. I've enjoyed most of the ones I've tried and some have become regulars on my menu.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    You can substitute radishes for potatoes in any roast potato recipe. The radishes have a tiny fraction of the calories the equivalent weight of potatoes would have. I don't know if they fry as well, though.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    People have different tastes.

    I don't look for lowfat, although lots of foods are naturally not high fat. You can buy a reasonably lean cut of beef and have a steak with a smaller amount of roasted potatoes, only a tiny bit of added fat, and lots of roasted vegetables -- I ate stuff like that a lot when losing. Or a roasted chicken breast (skin-on, bone-in), with some roasted winter squash and brussels sprouts. Or salmon with a little rice (if you like it) and green beans and cauliflower. Or a pork chop or loin (both quite lean, reasonable cal) with sweet potatoes and apples and cabbage.

    It's endless.

    Ways to control cals -- buy leaner cuts of meat, limit added fat, limit portions of starchy sides and increase portions of vegetables. Use salt when cooking (you need less, makes more/better difference in flavor than adding it after), pepper, other spices (things like chiles and peppers if you like spicy), and fresh herbs -- learning how all that affects flavor is why I'd recommend looking at recipes for ideas if new to cooking. I never would use recipes aimed at dieters, personally.
  • pattyhouse1970
    pattyhouse1970 Posts: 51 Member
    These 2 are my favorite:
    Vegan Black Bean Soup - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25333/vegan-black-bean-soup/
    Sweet potato skillet chili - https://thecozyapron.com/a-cozy-one-pan-wonder-cheesy-sweet-potato-skillet-chili-only-minimal-skill-required/ -- I do not make this in a skillet. I use a pot. And I buy the sweet potatoes pre-cut. Trust me...buy them pre-cut.
  • Ghostymoon
    Ghostymoon Posts: 2 Member
    I have discovered a couple!

    1. Cauliflower rice taco bowl - throw some spice into the cauliflower rice, top with your go to taco meat, melt a laughing cow into it and top with whatever taco toppings. You don’t taste cauliflower, buts is so freaking good!

    2. I call black bean stuff lol. 2 cans of black beans with seasoning (I make it hot and spicy), simmered with some water. Then mash into liquid, add chunks of sweet potato, onion, cauliflower rice (for bulk, you don’t taste it), a bit of corn, jalapeño. I make a massive bowl and take it for lunches all week. When I heat it, I add a couple laughing cows and it is creamy, cheesy, delicious goodness. My last batch came out at about 1 calorie per gram, so it’s low calorie too.
  • BattyKnitter
    BattyKnitter Posts: 503 Member
    edited April 2018
    I still have all those foods, I just have smaller portions of them.

    A small baked potato and a 3-4 ounce steak with lots of veggies on the side is not really all that many calories, especially if all you put on your potato is a dab of butter.

    I make burgers too, one of my favourite ways to reduce the calories is to add cooked mushrooms to them, can't taste them, they are super low calorie and you feel like you are having a huge burger.

    And fries I make baked in the oven when I have a craving, or when the craving is reaaaalllly bad I'll let myself have real deep fried one just smaller portions and on much rarer occasion than I used to.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited April 2018
    http://www.skinnytaste.com has great tasty but calorie friendly recipes
  • SabAteNine
    SabAteNine Posts: 1,867 Member
    It really depends on what you consider 1) healthy and 2) tasty. Health goals and preferences can differ strongly.

    I really enjoy a good bunless homemade burger with fresh veggies, or an egg, avocado, cheese, baby spinach and walnut salad, and I consider both healthy.

    If it's low-cal and low-fat you're aiming for, you can also take a look here: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/400-calorie-dinners
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    ShaeSweetness wrote: »
    I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
    Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?

    Maybe be more specific in what you want. Instead of "healthy" search or ask for 400 calorie recipes if that is what you really want.

    To lower calories on pizza use a thinner crust, lower fat or less cheese, lower fats meats, vegetables. If you don't want to make crust from scratch you could use a tortilla or pita bread.
    Lower calorie french fries would be baked instead of fried.

    Couple of sites that have lots of tasty recipes that can fit a lower calorie diet:
    http://www.skinnytaste.com
    https://kalynskitchen.com
    http://www.budgetbytes.com

    Some recipes my family has enjoyed:
    https://kalynskitchen.com/kalyns-souvlaki-from-recipe-archives/
    https://therecipecritic.com/2017/02/garlic-chicken-stir-fry/
    https://sussle.org/c/Kung_Pao_chicken/1428289929.3111
    https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chickpea_garbanzo_bean_and_tomato_salad/
    https://www.saveur.com/green-beans-feta-mint?gjggVI3tkkKCQsbL.32
    http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/cucumber-and-onion-salad-182382?soc=socialsharingpinterest
    http://ohsheglows.com/2013/09/10/the-big-salad/
    https://www.cookingclassy.com/tortellini-with-pesto-roasted-veggies/
    https://www.cookingclassy.com/lasagna-zucchini-boats/
    http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/08/black-bean-and-potato-nacho-plate/
    http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/oven-roasted-broccoli-206184?soc=socialsharingpinterest
    https://www.melskitchencafe.com/summer-corn-salad/#_a5y_p=3883902
    https://www.carriesexperimentalkitchen.com/sriracha-red-cabbage-slaw/
    http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/tandoori-style-chicken-83276
    http://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/balsamic-roasted-brussels-sprouts/
  • spencermitsch
    spencermitsch Posts: 12 Member
    recipetineats.com is an amazing site. Not geared toward healthy food so much as towards flavor and convenience. Nutrition info is posted though. 2 of my favorites are pork stirfry w green beans https://www.recipetineats.com/stir-fried-green-beans-with-pork/ and the sauce from this one over steamed broccoli https://www.recipetineats.com/restaurant-style-chinese-broccoli-oyster-sauce. She has a lot of non-asian recipes as well. One I'm thinking of trying soon is the ultra lazy healthy chicken and broccoli bake.

    In general I wouldn't google healthy foods. Just find recipes that sound good and then figure out what portion you would need to have to fit your calories.
  • madelaine_xo
    madelaine_xo Posts: 24 Member
    My favorite healthy meal is grilled chicken breast and bruschetta (without feta because i'm trying to find my summer bod)! The grilled chicken will make you full and the bruschetta is just tasty but isn't too bad for the diet. You can find bruschetta recipes on google, just don't add more than a tablespoon of olive oil, and forget the salt (you don't really need it)!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited April 2018
    ShaeSweetness wrote: »
    I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
    Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?

    Steak and potatoes is pretty low fat unless you're eating a rib-eye or something. I just made flank steak, potatoes, and roasted cauliflower for dinner on Sunday and I consider that to be a pretty healthy meal.

    When I grill burgers, I typically do side salads.

    I pretty much consider cooking at home using scratch, whole ingredients or minimally processed ingredients to be generally healthy. I get most of my recipes on Pinterest. Most of what I make is delicious and healthful.

    A lot of this would depend on what you consider healthful...many people have a very myopic view of healthful and don't really understand nutrition so they end up being pretty limited.
  • rianneonamission
    rianneonamission Posts: 854 Member
    ShaeSweetness wrote: »
    I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
    Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?

    Just eat them in portion sizes that fit in your calorie allowance. I regularly have pizza at the weekend: made from scratch and coming in under 700 cals. Not low fat/low carb, but then I can’t be doing with restrictive diets. Life’s too short and I like food.

    It’s easy enough to get lean cuts of meat. Oven bake your potatoes/chips with only a tiny amount of oil. Use spices for flavour. Side salads and steamed veg to balance your meals.

    If a product is naturally high in fat then the low fat version has either been dicked about with, or doesn’t exist. That’s why people have decided that cauliflower make a pizza base. I’d rather have a fresh thin crust stuffed with the evils that are gluten and carbs. Topped with the also evil fat-rich Gorgonzola.

    And why the *kitten* would you not when you can fit that in your calorie allowance?





  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    You can eat steak and burgers. I mean what is it about them that you find unhealthy? I love burgers, my husband makes the best burgers. It’s just ground beef on a bun. With toppings. Steak is steak lol. You can’t really modify that. I don’t eat French fries at home because they’re a pain to make but I do eat mashed potatoes and baked potatoes...
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    If you are a meat and potatoes kind of gal, run with that. Get yourself a silicon pastry brush to control how much oil or butter you put on your potatoes. Garlic adds flavour without fat.

    Presidents Choice sirloin burgers are pretty low fat and tasty too. Season with soy sauce and pepper.

    Measure three cloves of minced garlic, two teaspoons of oil, fresh ground pepper 1/4 tsp salt and two cups of baby potatoes or any other combination of root vegetables cut in one inch cubes, in to a plastic bag. Twist closed and shake the bag to coat evenly. Lay out on a cookie tray and roast until done in a 350 degree oven until done. Start checking at 20 mins.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Thai Beef Salad - couldn't get less bland!

    This left out the cayenne and paprika. I can write out the directions for the dressing if anyone is interested. (For example, the second rice is rice that was toasted and then ground.) It was adapted from https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/6601-thai-grilled-beef-salad

    lkr15b28c5ss.jpg
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited April 2018
    ShaeSweetness wrote: »
    I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
    Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?

    I have bigger salads and less steak & potatoes than my OH, who is not trying to lose weight. This time of year through when it gets cold again I have burger on a salad, no bun.
  • vallary14
    vallary14 Posts: 215 Member
    Fish or shrimp tacos or lettuce wraps. Use whole grains instead of refined. Add beans to some of your dishes, basically try to up the fiber on your recipes. I’m also a fan of just about any veggies roasted. I agree with what many pp say about a lot of variation on what people consider healthy and tasty. Cooking Light has a lot of good recipes, it’s worth checking out for some fresh ideas.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    ShaeSweetness wrote: »
    I mean does anyone have any foods that taste good, like really good, a lowfat version of steak and potoates or burgers or french fries??
    Im sick of googling and asking people for healthy recipes and i get some kale salad recipe or some bland chicken with carrots on the side or some fcking cauliflower pizza(?

    Trim the fat from your steak, marinate in ginger and lime juice for 30-45 minutes, throw it on the grill. While the steak is marinating, bake potatoes on the grill. Throw broccoli on the grill just before you take the steak off. Stuff the potatoes with the broccoli and sprinkle lightly with grated parmesan or asiago.
  • gravittation
    gravittation Posts: 6 Member
    Carrot "fries" are supper tasty. Cut the carrots like fries, a little oil and salt, cook in the oven.
    I'll vouch for cauliflower rice too, it's not like the other cauliflower substitutes, it's actually really good.
    Add spices. Spices are so good for you and so tasty. Nothing has to be bland with a good selection of spices on hand. And if you like lemon or lime, you can add a squeeze of juice or some zest to get a nice oomph.

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