Cooking meals while on a diet can be quick and easy and full of flavor. When cooking healthy meals, replace fat with spices and herbs to give the food more flavor and less calories and fat. Cooking healthy meals doesn't have to occur only when on a diet; incorporating healthy meals into everyday menus can help you to maintain weight loss.
Corn Chowder
Here is a healthy edition of corn chowder from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Heart Healthy Cooking Guide. Heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat in a medium pot. Add in 2 tbsp. diced celery, 2 tbsp. diced onion and 2 tbsp. diced green pepper and saute for two minutes. Next, add one package or 10 oz of frozen or fresh corn, 1 cup peeled and diced potatoes, 2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, 1 cup water, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/4 tsp. paprika. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Next, add 1/2 cup of skim milk in jar with 2 tbsp. flour and shake until well mixed and gradually add to vegetable mix. Then, add 1 1/2 cups of skim milk and bring to a boil and let simmer until soup is thick. This soup has 186 calories and 5 g of fat per 1 cup serving.
Chipotle Bean Burritos
Cooking Light's chipotle bean burritos have 361 calories and 10.3g of fat for one burrito. Heat 1 tbsp. of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat and add 1 minced clove of garlic and cook for a minute. Add in 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Drain one 15-ounce can of black beans and one 15-ounce can of kidney beans and add to the skillet with 1/3 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in 3 tbsp. of fresh salsa and partially mash beans with a fork. Add 1/3 cup of bean mixture to a burrito and top with 2 1/2 tbsp. cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tbsp. onions, and 1 tbsp. sour cream. Roll the burrito up and enjoy!
Quick Beef Casserole
This recipe can be made quickly and contains 201 calories and 5g of fat for 1 1/3 cup. In a skillet, brown 1/2 pound of ground beef and drain off the fat. Add in 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup diced green pepper, 3 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. paprika, 1 cup frozen or fresh peas, two small diced carrots, 1 cup uncooked rice and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat until boiling. Reduce to simmer for 35 minutes.
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