It can be tough sticking to a low-calorie diet, especially when many “diet foods” don’t taste very good. Pre-packaged diet meals especially are known to be lacking in the flavor department, as well as lacking in nutrition. If you want to lose weight and improve your overall health without sacrificing delicious food, you’re in luck. There are many flavorful and highly enjoyable meals that you can make at home that are both low in calories and high in taste. Below are some of my favorite low-cal, easy-to-prepare and fun-to-eat dishes that make it easy to stick to any diet.
Spinach Lasagna
What you need:
- 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- 10 ounces spinach
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Combine cottage cheese, spinach, Parmasean cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper, oregano and salt into a mixing dish. Stir until well-combined.
- Spray a 9x13in pan with cooking spray.
- Place 3 lasagna noodles onto the bottom of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cheese mixture on top of the layer of noodles.
- Spread marinara sauce over the cheese mixture.
- Continue layering noodles, cheese mixture and sauce until all 9 noodles are in the pan and covered with cheese and marinara sauce.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the dish, slowly so that the water fills all of the gaps. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the oven for one hour.
- Let stand ten minutes before serving.
Low-Cal Brownies
What you need:
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup skim milk
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup oats
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Grease 8x8in baking tin
- Combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth
- Pour and bake for approximately 15 minutes
- Let stand five minutes before enjoying
Crispy Oven Fries
What you need:
- 1 ¼ pounds potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch fries
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray
- Combine potatoes, salt and sugar into a bowl of cold water. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain and then blot dry.
- Toss the potatoes with oil and paprika in a separate bowl.
- Bake for up to 40 minutes, flipping fries periodically so that they brown evenly.
If you do not regularly have access to some of the ingredients here, or your preferred brand of ingredients, online grocery shopping will bridge the gap between you and your flavor preferences. Through the ease of online ordering and home delivery, you can order your groceries online to be delivered right to your front door.
