Low-Calorie Meals

Here are some I enjoy...
BREAKFAST:
Eggs:
Scrambled eggs or egg omelet with veggies and light (or no) cheese.
Ex: 2 eggs with spinach, mushrooms and peppers.
Add salsa if you like
Serve with fresh fruit and 2 Tablespoons almonds

Protein Pancake:
2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, 1/3 cup oatmeal, cinnamon, vanilla extract (optional)
Mix together in bowl and cook like a pancake. Serve with a drizzle of Agave and sliced strawberries.

Yogurt Parfait:
Layer these ingredients in order in parfait glass, repeat layers ending with pecans.
1½ to 1 tbsp milled flax or chia seeds, cup fresh or frozen thawed unsweetened raspberries, 6 oz. fat free yogurt sweetened with stevia. (or use vanilla if you can find one low in sugar) 2 tablespoons of pecans.

Sweet and Savory Cottage Cheese;
Mix 1 cup low fat cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts and 1 cup red or green grapes sliced.

Oatmeal:
Prepare Oatmeal per directions. I prefer Old fashioned Oats not the Quick Oats.
½ cup apples, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons pecans or walnuts. Sweeten with stevia or honey. (use honey sparingly if you choose honey)

LUNCH:
Chicken and Apple salad
Mix 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce or spinach, 1 small tomato sliced, 1 med. Tart apple such as Granny Smith diced and 4-6 oz chicken breast. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. slivered almonds

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps:
Chicken breast diced or canned white chicken breast. (fresh is better) mix with olive oil mayo, celery, red grapes and 2 tablespoons walnuts. (You can also add dried cranberries or raisins to this if you are craving sweet, but try to limit the times you add dried fruit) Sprinkle a little tarragon on top (optional). Serve inside romaine lettuce leaf.

Spinach Salad: (mixed greens with lots of veggies)
Baby spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, colored bell peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, avocado, tomato. Top with 2 tbs of homemade Italian dressing. (I buy Meijer Italian dressing packets and make my own with apple cider vinegar and grape seed oil)

Turkey Sandwich:
2 slices low glycemic bread such as Ezekial bread. Spread with ¼ cup mashed avocado, fill with 4-6 oz of Turkey meat (Organic or nitrate free is best). ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce or alfalfa sprouts or both, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon. 2 slices of tomato or cucumber or both. Eat with 1 serving fruit

Chicken, Pesto & Guacamole Wrap: This is a quick and delicious wrap that is loaded with healthy monounsaturated fats, vegetables, protein, and quality carbs. You can make this in less than 5 minutes!
Ingredients:
• 1 cooked chicken breast, chopped and seasoned to taste
• 1 sprouted-grain or whole-grain wrap (or use romaine lettuce as wrap)
• 1-2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
• 2 tbsp basil evoo pesto
• 2 tbsp guacamole
• 1 plum or other small piece of fruit

Directions: Evenly spread pesto onto wrap. Lay spinach on top in an even layer. Then lay down chicken breast on top of spinach. Spread guacamole on top of chicken breast and toss in diced cucumbers.
Enjoy with carrots and hummus or other produce of choice. Makes 1 serving for men, and 2 for women.

Spinach, Chicken & Feta Salad: This is a quick and delicious salad that is loaded with protein, vegetables, monounsaturated fats, and blood sugar-controlling vinegar.
Ingredients
• 1 chicken breast, chopped and seasoned to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach
• ½ cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp feta cheese
• 4 large kalamata olives (optional)
• ¼ cup black beans (optional)

Directions: Mix all ingredients together to make this delicious salad!

For some people, salads don’t seem to hold them over as long as other meals, so adding ¼ cup of black beans can add a small amount of starchy carbs and fiber to keep you fuller, longer. Makes 1 serving.

Tuna Salad Sandwich: Tuna salad is usually made from regular mayonnaise (which is made with low-quality vegetable oils) and higher-mercury tuna. Making it yourself allows you to use a mayonnaise made from healthier oils and wild-caught tuna that is lower in mercury. This meal can also be made into a wrap if preferred.
Ingredients:
• 1 can wild-caught tuna
• 1 tbsp expeller pressed olive oil mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1/4 mashed avocado (or 2 tbsp guacamole)
• 1 handful baby spinach
• 2 slices sprouted-grain or whole-grain bread, toasted
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Toast bread. In a large bowl mix tuna, expeller pressed olive oil mayonnaise, onions, cucumbers, and avocado (or guacamole). Set aside. Lay spinach on top of toasted bread. Spoon tuna salad onto bed of spinach. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

SNACKS:
Fresh Fruit and veggies are always a good choice however be careful in what you choose to dip them in. Veggies you can use hummus, salsa, guacamole and some veggie dips. NO RANCH DRESSING! It’s too fattening and has lots of calories and sugar.

Nuts are also a good snack just don’t eat the whole bag limit to about 2 tablespoons
Pistacchios are a great choice and you can eat about 50 of them!

Apples with Peanut butter or better yet Almond butter , Celery with peanut butter

Cottage cheese and Pineapple: Mix 1 cup fat free or low fat cottage cheese with 8 oz pineapple tidbits. (Fresh is better than canned) add 2 Tablespoons pecans.

Yogurt Parfait: Use same as one for breakfast or make up your own flavors. Just use yogurt, fruit and nuts.


DINNER:
Grilled Chicken and veggies
1 chicken breast 4-6 oz. sprinkle you favorite seasoning on it be sure it’s low sodium. Serve with steamed veggies 1 cup and 1 small sweet potato or baked potato. I use paprika to season my sweet potato and a little organic butter.


LEAN steak! The key with steak is it should be organic and grass-fed so you can take advantage of the natural occurring CLA in the meat. If it’s not organic and grass fed you will not reap the same benefits. (I prefer bison to beef.)
Steak on grill served with 1 cup veggies and 1 small sweet potato or baked potato

Salmon and brown rice or better yet Quinoa.
Grilled Salmon with 1 cup veggies and ½ cup brown rice or quinoa.
Any white fish that is WILD caught.

Lettuce taco wraps:
Lean ground turkey, beef or chicken, 1 can diced tomatoes to cook into the meat with seasoning, romaine lettuce to use as your “shell”, top with light cheese tomato, guacamole or salsa.

Dinner can really be any lean protein, your veggies and either a sweet potato, quinoa or brown rice. Or just double the veggies and skip the other carbs.

I know this was a lot hope you find something on here you like....
Inger

My suggestions tend to be a little high in sodium, but fast for sure, and, depending on what you are eating the rest of the day, certainly don't go over a daily intake. I like to take one meat and load the rest of my plate with veggies. I'm a big fan of cucumber salads, adding whatever other cold veggies I can find in my fridge. I also like baby carrots as a warm veg. Any combination of veg you use can be tailored to round out your cals. If you have room to toss a bit of feta or mozzarella on your veg, or 1/2 of a potato.

Trader Joe's Turkey Meatballs are 50 calories per piece and they are the size of a golfball. 4 meatballs cut into halves or quarters and I can sometimes add a starch here too.

My store brand Seasoned Turkey Burgers are 170 cal, add a wheat bun for 80 calories. with this one I was even able to add some organic french fries.

Johnsonville Turkey Brats or Turkey Kielbasa. Each link is less than 200 cals. I like to quarter them and make a one pot dish, changing up the flavors (Red Beans and Rice; Green Peppers and Potatoes; Madras Lentils served in an 80 cal bun is almost like a chili dog)

I don't like fish - but Panko Crusted Tilapia is edible to me. HA! about 140 cals for 4oz.

Black beans (or refried) and corn with regular salsa, lettuce and just a few tortilla chips is an excellent Fiesta Salad.

100 cal sandwich thins (or Flat Out) topped with tomato sauce and a bit of mozzarella in a toaster oven is a fun pizza.

Sometimes, it just comes down to honoring the portion size on the nutrition label and filling it out with veg. Pretty much any food you look at has a practical cal count IF you follow the portion. So, IF you want to eat 200 calories worth of a double Cheeseburger from a fast food place, just make sure you know that 200 cals looks like and make sure you have the control to save the rest for another meal.

Don't know how helpful this is, but if you're running late and like frozen meals, Lean Cuisine have really tasty meals all around 300-400 cals. I know it's not the healthiest alternative, but I eat one almost everyday for lunch and it helps keep my cals from going over. I usually have a healthy homemade dinner like Salmon with a salad or grilled veggies, etc to make sure I get enough nutrients. Hope this helps !!