Stews and casseroles are hearty, filling and easy to make with healthy ingredients. Traditional dishes often call for lots of starchy vegetables and binders high in fat and sodium, but a few simple tricks and substitutions create lighter fare. Use meat sparingly to flavor a dish, rather than making it the focus, and emphasize a wide range of colorful vegetables.
Meat Stews
Lean meats, such as turkey and chicken, make healthy one-pot meals when combined with vegetables and whole grains. Use brown rice or quinoa to thicken a stew, rather than potatoes, or use sweet potatoes, which are a good source of vitamins A and C. Ground turkey is ideal for a healthy version of chili with beans, tomatoes, peppers and onions, or use shredded chicken with carrots, kale and rice for a lighter stew. Lamb is a strong meat that flavors a whole stew without your using a lot of it. Choose a lean cut and use no more than 2 ounces per person in a stew with carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes and red wine.
Vegetarian Stews
Include both legumes and whole grains in a vegetarian stew for complete protein and heart-healthy fiber. Make a colorful stew of black beans, brown rice, orange and yellow bell peppers, and tomatoes, or make a thick stew of white beans with eggplant and zucchini and serve it over quinoa. To thicken a stew without adding flour, braise vegetables, such as leeks, mushrooms and parsnips, and allow the liquid to mostly evaporate until a thick sauce is left. Serve it on a bed of small pasta, such as orzo, and accompany it with a salad.
Meat Casseroles
For a quick and easy weeknight casserole, layer whole-wheat tortillas with shredded chicken, chopped spinach and salsa, and top with low-fat cheese. Tomato sauce is a versatile and low-fat binder for meat casseroles. Mix it with herbs such as oregano and basil for Mediterranean flavor, or combine it with curry spices for a zesty casserole. For an updated version of shepherd's pie, combine a moderate amount of lean ground beef with tomato sauce, mushrooms and carrots and top with mashed squash.
Vegetarian Casseroles
Brown rice is a healthy blank canvas for a wide range of vegetarian casseroles. Combine it with broccoli and white beans and use a binder of low-fat Greek yogurt mixed with herbs, or use peppers, tomatoes, corn and cubes of tempeh with tomato sauce and garnish with cilantro. A savory bread pudding is a rich dish when made with mushrooms, kale and shallots. Use skim milk, low-fat cheese and whole-grain bread to keep it healthy.
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