Just because you are on a diet, does not mean that the food you eat should taste like diet food! Below are some healthy, low calorie, and (most importantly) delicious recipes. By incorporating these recipes, and recipes like these, into your diet, you will be well on your way to improving your overall health and achieving your ideal weight.
Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Walnuts
Ingredients:
8 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
Cooking spray
¾ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
4 cups warm skim milk, divided
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Methods:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray, place squash on sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper, spray with cooking spray and toss. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
Place half of squash, ½ of milk and ½ of broth in a blender, process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large saucepan. Repeat procedure with remaining squash, milk and broth.
Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not bring to a boil).
Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; Sprinkle each serving with 1 ½ tsp nuts. Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrient Info
Calories: 150.9 kcal. Fat: 2.9g Protein: 6.9g Carb: 28g Fiber: 3g Chol: 2.5 Sodium: 305.9mg Ca: 240mg
Tarragon Chicken Salad (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1 green apple, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
2 ribs celery, diced
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
½ red onion, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper, to your taste
To slow down the browning of the apple, squeeze lemon juice over the chopped apple. Combine apple with chopped celery, walnuts, chopped red onion, currants or raisins or dried cranberries, chicken and yogurt. When salad is well coated in yogurt, mix in tarragon leaves and season the salad with salt and pepper. Stir salad to combine flavors and then taste to adjust seasonings.
You can also place salad on baguettes cut in half and split sideways.
Kcals: 298 fat: 7.8g CHO: 21.3g Sodium: 93.3mg Protein: 23.6g
Light and Fit Yogurt and Peanut Butter Dip
Ingredients:
6oz vanilla light yogurt
1 heaping tbsp peanut butter
Directions:
Mix yogurt and peanut butter in a blender or food processor.
Serve with a sliced apple or other fruit of your choice.
Grilled Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
¼ cup sugar or sugar substitute
¼ cup passion fruit juice
½ lemon juice
2 pinches mint leaves (fresh)
Blueberries (2 containers)
Strawberries (about 2 cups)
Bananas (3 bananas cut into 2-3 pieces)
Directions:
Pour passion fruit into a large bowl. Add mint leaves and blueberries and set to the side.
Toss bananas and strawberries with ¼ cup sugar then place on the grill for a couple minutes until sugar creates golden crust and you can see grill marks. GENTLY take off the grill.
Mix blueberry and grilled fruit mixture and serve warm.
Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
1/4 Cup Smart balance
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup egg beaters
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup skim milk
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Topping:
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons smart balance
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Method:
Cream together smart balance, sugar, Splenda, and egg. Add flour, salt, baking powder and milk, stirring until well blended. Carefully fold in berries. Spoon into greased 10 inch spring form pan. In separate bowl, mix together topping ingredients of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, smart balance, and chopped pecans, using a pastry cutter or fork to blend. Sprinkle topping mixture over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Hints:
Can use glass 9 x 12 pan and bake at 375 for 35 minutes.
Can freeze after baking.
It is better to use frozen blueberries because they don’t bruise/break apart as easily.