Are you looking for yummy meal ideas that don’t take a lot of time and effort? Healthy eating is easy when you pre-plan and have the right ingredients readily available.
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Add these six meals (all under 500 calories and full of protein, complex carbs and veggies) to your healthy-living cookbook.
1. Primavera Pasta Salad
A perfect meal all by itself, this delicious salad is only 211 calories per two cup serving. Now that’s a winning meal!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups whole grain rotini, cooked
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 ¾ teaspoons cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 ½ cups steamed small broccoli florets
- 1 ½ cups steamed small cauliflower
- 1 dozen cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ cup purple onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup of black olives
- Crumbled feta cheese to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, grated cheese, salt, and pepper to create dressing. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine macaroni, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and tomatoes. Toss with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Yields four servings.
2. Grandma’s Tuna-Noodle Casserole
An old-time favorite, this casserole is mealtime comfort food at its finest. One serving is only 350 calories. Purchase sustainable tuna and go for organic ingredients for a healthier alternative.
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups organic egg noodles, cooked and drained
- 12 ounces water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 ½ cup diced mushrooms
- 2 cups celery, finely chopped
- ¾ cup canned corn, drained
- ½ cup unflavored almond milk
- 3 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 10 ½ ounce can reduced-calorie condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup reduced-calorie whole-wheat bread, crumbed
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a non-stick casserole dish, set aside. In a large non-stick saucepan, sauté the onions, celery and red bell pepper for one and a half minutes. Add corn and mushrooms, stirring for four minutes. Add the tuna, milk, black pepper and condensed soup until completely combined and heated through. Remove from heat and gently stir in egg noodles. Once combined, pour into non-stick casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes. Yield four servings.
3. Split Pea Perfection Soup
A classic soup that is satiating as well as nutritious, this is the low-cal version, but still has a great taste and a healthy base. One serving is about 210 calories.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 ¾ teaspoons cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 minced garlic clove
- ¾ cup thinly sliced Canadian bacon
- 4 cups water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Over medium heat in a non-stick sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add carrot, onion and garlic, stirring for about six minutes. Pour in the water and split peas. Bring to a boil. Simmer and cover for one hour. Gently add the Canadian bacon. Serve warm. Yields four servings.
4. Healthy Warm Detox Salad
With light buckwheat noodles, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms, this is a healthy yet comforting dish. The ease of preparation makes this a yummy pasta alternative.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of soba (buckwheat noodles)
- 1 bunch of broccoli rabe, washed, trimmed, steamed, and chopped
- 4 large carrots chopps
- 1 cup mushrooms chopped
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red bell pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh garlic oil
- Sprinkle of sesame seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Using a large nonstick skillet, heat garlic oil. Toss in the crushed red bell pepper and heat for about ½ a minute. Add broccoli rabe, carrots and mushrooms and cook until tender, add the cooked soba noodles and top with sesame seeds. Yield six servings.
5. Ole! Baked Potatoes
If you like Mexican food, you will love this version of a baked potato! Loaded with vitamins, potatoes are good for you can be a satisfying healthy meal. Try this healthy recipe for less than 325 calories.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-large baking potatoes, washed and baked (425 degree oven for 1 hour)
- ¼ cup low-fat unflavored Greek yogurt
- ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup shredded pepperjack cheese
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite salsa
- ¼ cup corn kernels (fresh is best)
In a small mixing bowl, combine corn, cottage cheese and pepperjack cheese. Cut potatoes lengthwise and place mixture on top of potatoes. Add yogurt and salsa. Yield two servings.
6. Healthy Succotash
Use fresh corn for this recipe for best taste. You can add skinless chicken, if you like, but this is a hearty vegetarian version that you will use again and again. One serving is only 200 calories.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup fresh corn kernels
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ¾ cup zucchini, finely diced
- 1 cup green lima beans, cooked and drained
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tomato, finely diced
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Using a medium nonstick skillet, heat olive oil under medium heat. Add zucchini, onion, garlic, and bell pepper, stirring for 9 minutes. Add the tomato and stir for additional three minutes. Add corn, paprika, and lima beans to skillet. Simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Yields four servings.