When you are trying to lose weight, it can be easy and convenient to eat frozen diet dinners or a salad every evening. Eating the same types of diet food while losing weight may not help you learn the new lifestyle necessary to maintain your weight, says MayoClinic.com. Learn to make healthy, satisfying meals that you will still enjoy even after you reach your goal weight.
Almond-Crusted Chicken
Chicken fingers in restaurants are usually deep-fried and full of calories. Make an easy version of chicken fingers using the American Council on Exercise's recipe. Almonds contain a heart-healthy fat and chicken is a lean protein. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Use a food processor to combine 1/2 cup almonds, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 tsp. paprika and 1/2 tsp. each of garlic powder and dry mustard. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Keep the food processor on and drizzle 1 1/2 tsp. of olive oil into the pureed mixture. Spoon the mixture onto a shallow plate. On a second plate, gently whisk together 4 large egg whites. Dredge about 1 lb. of chicken tenders first in the egg whites, then in the almond mixture. Place the tenders in a single layer on greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.
Minestrone Soup
Part of a healthy diet is eating plenty of legumes and beans. Beans contain fiber which fill you up and may help you avoid eating too many calories. Minestrone soup is a broth-based soup full of healthy vegetables and beans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends eating broth-based soups as a way to stay full while still watching your caloric intake. Make MayoClinic.com's Minestrone Soup by combining a chopped onion, celery, carrot, one clove of garlic, 4 cups of no-sodium chicken broth, 28 oz. of diced tomatoes, 16 oz. drained kidney beans, one bunch of chopped spinach and 4 oz. small pasta shells in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add a chopped zucchini and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve as a main dinner dish and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Steak and Pepper Tacos
The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of saturated fats to fewer than seven percent of your total fat intake. If you enjoy beef, make this healthy beef dish featured in "Fitness" magazine. Prepare steak and pepper tacos using steak strips or tips. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a pan and add 1 tsp. cumin and 1 clove of garlic. Stir-fry for several minutes. Add steak and cook for about five minutes. Toss in 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green peppers, red peppers and onions. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meat and vegetables are tender. Put mixture in a high-fiber, whole-wheat tortilla and top with fat-free plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Serve with 1 cup of grapes. (See Reference 5 and 6)
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