Dinner advice

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matt1986wilson
matt1986wilson Posts: 56
in Food and Nutrition
I'm someone who doesn't really like to cook meat (mainly cause I hate touching the stuff when raw and or bloody) and also am thinking or losing the pasta as I think its the biggest reason why I keep gaining even though I'm under calorie wise. Anyway, with that in mind, what are some easy to make, nutritionally balanced things I could have for my dinners?

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  • shadykins
    shadykins Posts: 48
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    Depends if your cooking for others too. I usually eat something totally different then my husband because I like to eat somewhat healthier and I am a huge pasta freak as well. Every week I buy an already cooked rotisserie chicken from WalMart grocery store or one of the other local grocery stores that make them. They are great. I use the already cooked meat sometimes to make up a stirfry type of things with chicken, red and yellow peppers, onion, garlic and canned diced tomatoes or jar spagetti sauce and put it on wholewheat or multigrain pasta. ITs very good and simple. If you are not into the whole wheat stuff try multigrain pasta as some find it better when getting used to the whole Multgrain/wholewheat stuff. Just watch your portion sizes on the pasta but eat as much of the other as you like.
  • SmokedPaprika
    SmokedPaprika Posts: 1
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    http://www.vegforlife.org/veg_form.htm
  • emmuci
    emmuci Posts: 160 Member
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    i recommend different salads or fruits or yoghurt
  • Keefypoos
    Keefypoos Posts: 231 Member
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    you're under calories male and gaining weight?
  • matt1986wilson
    matt1986wilson Posts: 56
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    Yeah I am gaining weight even though I'm under calories. I think I may be overdoing it on the pasta so I'm now looking for alternatives I can have instead.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    The internet! There are recipe sites that have meals with only 3 or 4 ingredients! Recipe.com comes to mind, but there are plenty of sites with easy and or quick recipes. My first cookbook was Betty Crocker's "Dinner in a Dish". Even grocery stores, like Lowes, have recipes on their website. Here in NC, the state farmer's market has seasonal recipes. Cooking doesn't have to be complex or time consuming.
    This week my husband had for lunch: a slice of sour dough bread with Perdue Short Cuts pre-cooked chicken and feta cheese and spinach. He toasted it in the toaster oven and said it was yummy.
  • shadykins
    shadykins Posts: 48
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    Well if you are too much under your calories your body can be storing everything as fat. Its just as bad to be under by alot as it is to be over too much.

    You can have the chicken with just a salad or wholegrain rice.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Pasta doesn't make you fat - look how slim most Italians are! Many MFPers, myself included, have lost weight incorporating it regularly into a balanced diet. Check your portion sizes by weight and you won't have to give it up entirely.
  • catherine1979
    catherine1979 Posts: 704 Member
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    Does fish bother you? I made a salad for dinner on Friday with a piece of baked salmon on top, it was delicious and had lots of protein. I made the salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red peppers. I sauteed some mushrooms and onions and put them on top, then I added some baked salmon. I also sliced a potato thinly and baked that at the same time as the salmon. A little dressing and it was delicious.
  • Keefypoos
    Keefypoos Posts: 231 Member
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    Yeah I am gaining weight even though I'm under calories. I think I may be overdoing it on the pasta so I'm now looking for alternatives I can have instead.

    fair enough but I would be concerned at being under calorie goals and gaining weight. I don't mean to be patronising but I would seek a medical or nutirionalist opinion jus to be safe
  • slim_photographer
    slim_photographer Posts: 310 Member
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    The rotisserie chicken idea has worked for me. I've had pretty good weeks when I bought it and include it in salads, and pretty much any meal. Eat it as whole pieces or shred it, include some chopped onions, light mayo, Dijon mustard and put in a sandwich or some greens and it's pretty filling.
    Do you weight your food? If not you may be fooling yourself.
    Remember that extra sugar, ketchup, candy, and food bites add up. I hope you find an explanation for your weight gain in spite of data suggesting otherwise.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Looking at your diary, I'd definitely check your portion sizes. I can't believe you eat just 3g of Tesco's tuna and sweetcorn filler - that's a fraction of a teaspoon! And definitely weigh out your 350 servings of pasta too.
  • Maree_
    Maree_ Posts: 65
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    Quorn! Or go to the butchers and get them to do everything to the meat you just have to put it in the oven. I use latex gloves when handling fish as well
  • matt1986wilson
    matt1986wilson Posts: 56
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    Is it really a fraction of a teaspoon? I had no idea. To be honest I was just guessing. Well either way, the amount I have wouldn't impact the calories too much I don't think. What would half a dessert spoons worth be then?

    And how much in grams should my pasta be for one portion?
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Is it really a fraction of a teaspoon? I had no idea. To be honest I was just guessing. Well either way, the amount I have wouldn't impact the calories too much I don't think. What would half a dessert spoons worth be then?

    And how much in grams should my pasta be for one portion?
    Either weigh it or judge a proportion of the package size.

    As the 350g you currently record falls within your calories, why not weigh out that amount. A warning though, I was shocked at how many times over a "portion size" I was eating in most things once I started measuring!
  • matt1986wilson
    matt1986wilson Posts: 56
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    Well how much is a standard healthy size portion of pasta? I'm clearly eating too much of it and underestimating the weight and or calories.

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