The word "diet" may conjure up images of celery sticks, rubbery baked chicken breasts and watery cottage cheese. Figure-friendly meals do not have to be boring or tasteless, however. Whether you cook at home, or tend to grab food on the go, creating tasty diet meals is possible.
Types of Foods
Build diet meals around plant foods such as fresh produce, whole grains and unsaturated fats. Choose mainly watery orange and dark green vegetables, suggests the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid. Whole grains, like brown rice and 100 percent whole wheat bread should be used over refined grains as they help stabilize your blood sugar, offer more fiber and take longer to digest. Unsaturated fats do not present the health risks that saturated and trans fats do, explains the American Heart Association. They can be found in plant oils, avocados, flax seeds, nuts and fatty fish. Tasty diet meals can also include two to three 3-oz. daily servings of foods like fish, skinless poultry, very lean beef or dried beans as well as two to three 8-oz. servings of low-fat dairy, says Joanne Larsen, R.D., on Ask the Dietitian.
Flavorings
Avoid adding creamy dressings, cheese sauces, butter and sugary condiments to enhance the flavors of your food. Marinate meats in diet-friendly concoctions of citrus or vinegar, herbs and a bit of olive oil. Try balsamic vinegar and herbes de provence for flank steak or lemon juice, garlic and rosemary for chicken breasts. Cook grains like brown rice and quinoa with onions, mushrooms and chicken or vegetable broth or with canned diced tomatoes, green chiles and garlic. Toss chopped vegetables with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and then roast in a 400-degree oven for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their thickness, to bring out their natural sugars. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Parmesan cheese over steamed broccoli or asparagus to add flavor. If you cannot stand vegetables on their own, try hiding them in your favorite casseroles or soups--for example, replace some of the starch in lasagna with sliced zucchini and use low-fat cheese instead of full-fat to reduce the calories per serving.
Cooking Methods
Tasty diet meals should use cooking methods that avoid adding additional fats and calories. Roast, grill, poach, steam or broil meats, fish, poultry and vegetables. Avoid recipes that call for frying and sautéing as these usually require the addition of butter or large amounts of oil. If you are eating out, look for grilled or broiled entrees and ask that sauces be served on the side. Use only a spoonful of dressing or sauce on your meal to keep calories in check but still enjoy the flavor.
Portion Control
Keep your portion sizes under control because eating too much of any food can prevent weight loss and even cause weight gain. The Cleveland Clinic suggests comparing appropriate portions to everyday objects. For example, think of a serving of meat as being the size of your hand or 1/2 cup of rice as the size of a cupcake wrapper. This way, you can serve yourself appropriate amounts of your tasty diet meals without complex weighing and measuring that can make the dining experience seem clinical.
Ideas
Tasty breakfast meals may include steel cut oatmeal slow-cooked in low-fat milk with dried fruit, a teaspoon of brown sugar and toasted walnuts. Try an egg white omelet filled with goat cheese, chopped tomato and fresh chives. A grab-and-go tasty breakfast might be a container of non-fat Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. If you brown bag lunch, forgo the boring turkey sandwich and have roast chicken on a whole grain roll with a sun-dried tomato relish and spinach leaves. Bring unusual crudite like endive and red bell peppers, instead of standard baby carrots, to dip in a few tablespoons of homemade white bean dip made with a can of white beans, garlic, tahini and a small amount of olive oil. At dinner, bake salmon drizzled with maple syrup and chile powder and serve alongside a quinoa salad made with fresh corn, black beans and chopped tomatoes with a lime juice and olive oil dressing. For snacks, puree ricotta cheese with a teaspoon of agave nectar and have with fresh strawberries or toss air-popped popcorn with a little finely grated asiago cheese and pepper.
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