Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated and prepping meals from home means you’ve got control over exactly what’s in your food – perfect if you’re watching your weight. Cut down on calories and eat lighter with these easy home-cooked dishes that work for any occasion.
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Miso ramen
This bowl of soupy, comforting goodness is low fat and comes in at well under 500 calories. Even better, studies have found that soups can be more satiating than solid foods and that those who consume broth frequently have lower levels of obesity. Add pickles and sriracha sauce for an extra flavor punch.
Get the recipe for miso ramen here
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Griddled prawn Thai salad with a peanut dressing
Protein-rich prawns and crunchy veg make this flavorsome salad a light but filling meal. Swapping full-fat coconut milk for the reduced-fat version in the dressing will also cut a few extra calories if you’re watching your weight.
Get the recipe for prawn Thai salad here
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Shaking beef salad
This lighter way of serving steak – with a fresh Asian salad and a punchy marinade – is full of flavor. A traditional Vietnamese dish, the “shaking” in the name refers to the back-and-forth movement of the skillet or wok that’s needed as the beef cooks. To shave off even more calories, you can use leaner, less marbled pieces of beef, but marinate them longer to keep them tender.
Get the recipe for shaking beef salad here
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Smoky bean and monkfish stew
Light on fat and calories, but a good source of protein and high-quality carbohydrates, this filling, smoky stew is the epitome of all that’s healthy about the Mediterranean diet. If you can’t get your hands on monkfish, prawns or cod cheeks are a good substitute.
Get the recipe for smoky bean and monkfish stew here
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Spiced prawn tacos with strawberry and avocado salsa
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Cod in parcels
Steaming fish together with vegetables in a parchment parcel (en papillote) keeps in succulence and flavor without the need for high-calorie sauces. Steam pieces of firm cod this way with tomatoes, garlic and cilantro for an aromatic dish that’s good for the waistline.
Get the recipe for cod, cilantro, garlic and tomato parcels here
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Green baked eggs
In this spin on traditional tomato shakshuka, eggs are baked with fresh, healthy greens. Eggs provide hunger-busting protein and a host of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D. Eaten as brunch, this dish will keep you going until the evening; it makes for a light, nutritious dinner too.
Get the recipe for green baked eggs here
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Salade Niçoise
The high protein content of this classic French salad helps make it extra filling. There’s not too much oily dressing in this version from chef Alex Jackson, but to shave off some more calories you could use a tuna canned in water rather than oil.
Get the recipe for classic salade Niçoise here
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Low-fat Sichuan beef
Instead of ordering a fattening takeout, make your own quick, healthy ‘fakeaway’. This Sichuan beef recipe is low in fat and high in protein, while the colorful peppers in the dish provide vitamin A and vitamin C, which are important for a healthy immune system. Red chilies add heat, so it’s a perfect dish for spice-lovers too.
Get the Sichuan beef recipe here
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Pork bolognese
Ground pork is lower in saturated fat – which can raise blood cholesterol – than ground beef. Use 5% fat ground pork and stick to the suggested serving size of pasta and this pork bolognese will be easy on your waistline. This recipe calls for wheat-free tagliatelle, but you can safely ignore that if you aren’t gluten intolerant.
Get the recipe for pork bolognese here
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Chicken with apple and chestnuts
Interesting fact: chestnuts are the only low-calorie nut. And this one-pot dish is healthy comfort food, rich in the B vitamins that we need to release energy from food. Keep it low carb by serving it with wilted greens, or throw in a handful of butter beans for a more substantial, but still diet-friendly option.
Get the chicken with red onion, apple and chestnuts recipe here
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Lentil ratatouille
This Mediterranean-inspired dish is packed with antioxidant-rich vegetables and is made even more filling with high-fiber lentils. The delicious flavor comes mainly from dried herbs, with some fresh basil to lift the final dish. Despite its heartiness, this is a less than 500-calorie meal.
Get the recipe for lentil ratatouille here
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Lentil, zucchini and mint salad
This wholesome recipe combines zucchini strips and avocado with lentils, which are rich in appetite-curbing protein and slow-release carbs. Generous handfuls of mint add anaemia-protective iron, while vitamin E-rich sunflower seeds add crunch – they’re also high in calories, though, so don’t add more than the recipe suggests.
Get the recipe for lentil, zucchini and mint salad here
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Vegan cauliflower dhansak
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Hearty, herby stew
Throw pulses, new potatoes, leafy greens and lots of fresh herbs together and you have a satisfying and delicious vegan dish. This healthy one-pot casserole provides stomach-filling protein and fiber, a boost of fatigue-fighting iron and very little fat, which keeps calories lower. Use a salt-free vegetable stock to keep sodium levels low and skip the accompanying bread to cut calories even further.
Get the recipe for hearty, herby stew here
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Tarka dal
Lentils contain resistant starch, which can help to keep blood sugar at a healthy level – some research suggests the pulses may help protect women against breast cancer too. Serve this warming tarka dal with a few tablespoons of wholegrain basmati rice for a filling and nutritious meal that won’t weigh you down.
Get the recipe for tarka dal here
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Spicy beef chili
Cooking with extra-lean braising beef (casserole steak) – not fatty ground beef – creates a spin on classic chili that’s lower in fat and easier on the hips. Using a slow cooker is the secret to ensuring the low-fat meat is thoroughly tenderized. Serve this spicy beef chili topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a scatter of cilantro and a fresh green salad to keep it slimline.
Get the recipe for spicy beef chili here
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Satay noodle stir-fry
Try this light Asian stir-fry, which takes only 10 minutes to make. It tastes indulgent because of the peanut sauce, but has fewer than 400 calories per portion. The recipe is plant-based, but if you’re not vegan, prawns are a nice protein-rich addition that still keep the dish diet-friendly.
Get the recipe for satay noodle stir-fry here
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Shiitake cashew stir-fry
Cashews provide the protein in this vegan dish, while meaty textured shiitake mushrooms offer loads of flavor, but barely any calories. Cashew nuts are also rich in cholesterol-lowering unsaturated fats, zinc and iron – vital minerals you’d normally associate with red meat. For extra speed you might want to use a supermarket-bought black bean sauce (just check the ingredients list for added salt and sugar).
Get the recipe for shiitake and cashew stir-fry here
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Olive winter salad
A meld of crunchy and softer textures, this Mediterranean salad, made with mainly pantry ingredients, is a hearty lunch or a light dinner with the addition of some crusty wholegrain bread and feta cheese (which is typically lower in calories and fat than Cheddar cheese). The sardines provide satiating protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fats and the olives are a good source of antioxidant vitamin E. It’s already quite high in salt, so don’t sprinkle over any more.
Get the recipe for olive winter salad here
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Soy and honey roasted salmon with greens
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Asparagus, salmon and squash rice bowl
Another super-healthy salmon dish, this one teams the nourishing oily fish with butternut squash, asparagus and wholegrain rice. It’s balanced, nutritious and would be great for refueling after a workout, while still weighing in at less than 600 calories.
Get the recipe for asparagus, salmon and squash rice bowl here
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Low-fat popcorn shrimp and fries with tartar
Healthier and a whole lot lower in calories than the traditional pub version, this low-fat popcorn shrimp and fries is made by using spray oil and the oven rather than a deep fat frier. Many bought versions of tartar sauce also have less than 50 calories a tablespoon if you don’t want to make your own. Serve with mushy peas for extra fiber and yumminess.
Get the recipe for low-fat popcorn shrimp, fries and tartar sauce here
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Smoked haddock kedgeree
With wholegrain rice, delicately poached smoked haddock and a poached (or boiled) egg on top, this lightly-spiced Anglo-Indian dish works well for slimmers, so long as you don’t exceed the amount of butter and cream suggested in the recipe. Promote it from a breakfast/brunch to evening meal by serving with lightly steamed tender kale.
Get the recipe for smoked haddock kedgeree
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Lower carb chicken Parmesan
A normal chicken Parmesan is a calorie-fest of spaghetti, cheese and breaded, fried chicken. But this lower carb and calorie version, which still tastes wonderful, uses zucchini noodles, uncoated chicken and a herby tomato passata sauce. That leaves enough calorie leeway for a crunchy cheesy topping – if you want to make bigger waistline savings, substitute half the grated mozzarella for half-fat Cheddar.
Get the recipe for one-pan chicken Parmesan here
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Jackfruit vegan curry
If you’ve never tried jackfruit, this tasty curry is the perfect way to get initiated. The fruit has a fibrous, meaty texture, creating a vegan dish that is as light on calories as it is full of flavor. Want to make it lighter still? Serve with cauliflower rice.
Get the jackfruit vegan curry recipe here
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Crispy chicken burger
Make a deliciously crispy, but healthier, chicken burger by marinating chicken in buttermilk, coating it in flour and then baking in the oven rather than frying. This recipe can still end up a bit calorie-heavy if you use full-fat spicy mayo, so swap for reduced-fat mayo instead and serve layered up with lots of veg in a seeded bun.
Get the recipe for a crispy chicken burger here
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Mixed berry crumble
British model-turned-TV cook Lorraine Pascale created this better-for-you crumble bursting with berries. Instead of a traditional topping of butter and flour, there’s a healthy oat and almond mix, plus chopped dates thrown in for extra sweetness.
Get the recipe for mixed berry crumble here
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Mango and rum granita
Granitas are light, thirst-quenching and refreshing (and, best of all, don’t require any churning). A splash of rum turns this mango granita into something special, but it only has around 160 calories per serving, so even those watching their weight can enjoy it.
Get the recipe for mango and rum granita here
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