Healthy Recipes For Dinner To Lose Weight

If one of your goals is to cook more (and healthier) at home to stick to your weight-loss efforts, you’ll want to set yourself up for success. A key part of that is making sure you’ve got an arsenal of new healthy dinner recipes.

It can be hard to find nutritious recipes that actually satiating and flavorful, while still helping you stay in a calorie deficit to meet your weight loss goals. Luckily, these 100+ healthy dinner recipes for weight loss each have 500 calories or less, and will leave you satisfied enough to stave off cravings until breakfast.

Air-Fried Spicy Chinese Eggplant

 Ingredients:

• 1 pound Asian eggplant
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp oil

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, skin removed, minced
• 1/2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tbsp Chinese chili paste
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 scallion, chopped

Directions for the eggplant:

1. Trim tops off eggplant. Cut eggplant into ¾-inch thick pieces, about 3 inches in length.
2. Place in a bowl. Cover with cold water and 1 tbsp kosher salt. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Drain eggplant, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Return eggplant to a dry bowl. Toss with one tbsp oil.
5. Air Fry eggplant at 390-400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until the inside flesh is tender.

For the sauce:

1. While eggplant is air-frying, prepare the Eggplant Meat Sauce.
2. Marinate ground turkey with soy sauce and 1 tsp rice wine for 15 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet.
4. Add garlic and ginger: Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add crushed Szechuan peppercorns and chili paste. Cook for another minute.
5. Add marinated meat and stir-fry until brown.
6. Add rice wine, sugar, vinegar, and 3 tbsp water. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and add air-fried eggplant. Toss and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Mix cornstarch with 2 tsp cold water. Stir into eggplant to thicken sauce.
8. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Per serving: 209 calories, 12 g fat (2 g sat), 12 g protein, 12 g carb, 211 mg sodium, 7 g sugars, 3 g fiber

Vegan Enchiladas With Lentils and Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 4 tomatoes
• ½ white onion
• 3 garlic cloves with peel
• 1-2 whole chile ancho
• ½ cup of boiling water
• 1 tsp salt

Filling

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups sweet potatoes, diced
• ½ chopped white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1 tbsp salt

Toppings

• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Sunflower seeds or pips
• 12 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Soak the chile ancho in boiling water and set it aside. In a non-stick pan, roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until charred.
2. When the chili is soft, add it to the blender with the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Add the salt and blend until everything is well integrated.
3. To make the filling, add 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan with the garlic, onion, and sweet potato. Leave for about 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato is al dente. Add the lentils, salt, and taste for seasoning.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. In a baking pan, pour a half cup of sauce at the bottom of a baking dish.
6. Heat the tortillas to soften (you need them to be pliable). In the center of the tortilla, layer a scoop of the lentils and sweet potato mix.
7. Roll the tortilla and place it on the baking dish with the seam side down.
8. Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. Serve the enchiladas with cilantro, avocado slices, and sunflower seeds.

Per serving: 217 calories, 2 g fat (1 g sat), 9 g protein, 44 g carb, 2397 mg sodium, 13 g sugars, 11 g fiber

Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups broccoli, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a deep pot, add the butter and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, finely chopped broccoli, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt, and bring it to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
3. Add the cheddar cheese, half a cup at a time, until combined. Remove from the heat and serve with extra shredded cheese and chopped parsley on top.

Per serving: 195 calories, 17 g fat, 12 g protein, 5 g carb, 803 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

Crock Pot Cauliflower Chicken Chili

Ingredients for the chili:

• ½ head cauliflower, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28- ounce can organic tomato puree
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• ¼ – ½ tsp chipotle chile flakes
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in large chunks
• Lime
• Avocado
• Cilantro

Directions:

1. Add all chili ingredients to a crock pot and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.
3. Cube avocado, cut lime into wedges, and chop fresh cilantro.
4. Serve chili topped with avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, and cilantro to taste.

Per serving: 289 calories, 10 g fat (2 g sat), 27 g protein, 24 g carb, 621 mg sodium, 10 g sugars, 7 g fiber

Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1½ lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 3 tbsp sugar-free sriracha sauce
• 3 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp honey
• 12 leaves of bibb, butter, or romaine lettuce
• Sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
3. Add chicken and cook, stirring for about 10 minutes, until browned on all sides.
4. Stir in garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Pour in sriracha, coconut aminos, and honey, and stir until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is coated.
6. Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
7. Serve in lettuce leaves.

Per serving: 297 calories, 11 g fat (2 g sat), 33 g protein, 15 g carb, 696 mg sodium, 11 g sugars, 1 g fiber

Slow Cooker Seafood Ramen

Ingredients:

• 64 oz broth (seafood, vegetable, or chicken
• 4–6 oz ramen
• 1 lb seafood
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup kale, chopped
• 1/2 lb tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except the seafood, kale and ramen to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
2. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-6 hours.
3. Add seafood, kale & ramen and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes.

Per Serving: 250 calories, 2.7 g fat (0.3 g sat), 29.5 g protein, 27 g carb, 2588.3 mg sodium, 3.9 g sugars, 1.7 g fiber

Turkey Carrot Mushroom Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. carrots finely julienned
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 c. mushrooms finely chopped
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 30 dumpling wrappers

Directions:

1. Put carrots in a microwavable bowl and cover with water. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes depending on how finely shredded the carrots are. Drain and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cooked carrots, turkey, mushrooms, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, onion powder, salt and cornstarch. Stir together until well combined.
3. Spoon a well rounded teaspoon of filling onto a dumpling wrapper. Seal filling with wrapper. Wrap remaining dumplings.
4. Bring water to boil in the bottom of the steamer pot. Place dumplings in a parchment paper lined steamer. Steam 15 minutes until cooked through.

Per serving: 48 calories, 1 g fat (0 g sat), 3 g protein, 4 g carb, 87 mg sodium

• 1/4 c. organic brown sugar
• 1/4 c. raw honey
• 1/4 c. organic ketchup
• 1/4 c. gluten-free soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp beet powder
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp gluten-free hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Cooking oil spray

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, beet powder, vinegar, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder, salt and pepper.
2. Add chicken and toss well, coating all the pieces well; cover and refrigerate for two days to marinate.
3. Heat grill; spray cooking oil on grates; grill chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.

Per serving: 328 calories, 8 g fat (2 g sat), 38 g protein, 25 g carb, 845 mg sodium, 24 g sugars, 1 g fiber

Creamy Kabocha Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. raw cashews
• 1 small kabocha squash
• 1 head of garlic
• 1/3 cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 1/2 medium onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
• 1/4 c. roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Optional: A pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 to 3 c. vegetable broth (or as needed)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 c. fresh basil (unpacked), sliced
• 2 lb gluten-free spaghetti noodles (or pasta of your choice)

Serve with:

• Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
• Fresh basil, sliced
• Black pepper

Directions:

1. Soak the cashews in water overnight. If you do not have time to, you can also bring a small pot of water to a boil, remove it from heat and add in the cashews. Allow them to soak until you blend the sauce together (which will be about 1 hour).
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F and position the rack to the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Wash and dry the kabocha squash, place it (whole) on the baking sheet and into the oven for 18-20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool until the squash is easy to handle. If the stem of it is protruding, use a knife to carefully remove it. Slice the squash in half vertically, then scoop out the seeds and fiber using a spoon. Slice the squash into 1-inch wedges, trying to keep the slices uniform for even cooking. Place 6 or 7 the slices of the cooked squash (roughly 1 1/2 cups) onto your lined baking sheet. The remaining kabocha squash can be cooked on an additional baking sheet with the same baking time and directions below. It can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
3. Using your hands, remove loose skin from the outside of the head of garlic. With a sharp knife, cut 1/4“-inch off the top of the garlic, or enough to expose the tops of the cloves. Place the garlic head (cut side down) onto the baking sheet along with the cauliflower florets, onions, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place back into the oven for 40 minutes, flipping/mixing halfway through.
4. 10 minutes before the vegetables are done, prepare the pasta.
5. Once you have removed the baking sheet from the oven, allow the veggies to cool until easily handled and then use a knife to carefully remove the skin from the kabocha and add it into a high speed blender. You can discard this or snack on it as you continue cooking. Using you hands, squeeze the soften garlic cloves out of the head and into the blender, along with the soaked cashews (drained), the remaining vegetables on the baking sheet, the roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, 2 cups of vegetable broth plus salt and pepper as desired. Blend until smooth, adding as much of the additional 1 cup of vegetable broth as needed to thin out the sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste and then add in the sliced basil. Pulse the basil in until well combined (do not blend it as it will turn the sauce a weird color).
6. Drain the pasta, add it back into the pot and pour over the sauce. Mix until well combined.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan, basil and black pepper. Enjoy!

Per serving: 501 calories, 5.9 g fat (0 g sat), 17.8 g protein, 93.4 g carb, 56.3 mg sodium, 5.8 g sugars

Loaded Cauliflower

• 1.25 lb cauliflower head, cut into florets
• 6 green onion, chopped into the green and white parts
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp ranch seasoning Mix, optional
• 3/4 c. organic heavy whipping cream
• 2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 slices sugar-free bacon, crumbled
• Olive oil for roasting the cauliflower
• Dollops of sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the cauliflower with ~2 Tbsp of olive oil then add it to a baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower on a baking sheet for 25 minutes. The cauliflower will get tender and some parts will brown up.
3. While the cauliflower is roasting, make the cheese sauce: Add butter, the white parts of the green onions, and the garlic cloves to a skillet on medium heat. Sauté until the onions are translucent (~3 minutes).
4. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, salt, ranch seasoning (if you’re using it), and pepper to the skillet with the onions, garlic and butter. Turn the heat to medium low and continue to cook until the cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1.5 cups of the cheddar cheese to finish the cheese sauce.
5. Mix the cheese sauce and the roasted cauliflower, then add it to a baking dish. Top it with the remaining cheddar cheese and roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
6. Top the baked cauliflower, with some dollops of sour cream, the green parts of the green onions, and the crumbled bacon.

Per serving: 315 calories, 28 g fat (17 g sat), 11 g protein, 5 g carb, 587 mg sodium, 2 g sugars, 1 g fiber

Easy Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8 oz linguine pasta
• 2 tsp olive oil Divided into 1 teaspoon servings.
• 1 lb raw shrimp, deveined and shells removed.
• 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning divided into 1/2 Tbsp servings. You can also use creole seasoning.
• 4 oz andouille sausage Sliced into 1 inch pieces. You can use more if you like.
• 1/2 c. chopped red peppers
• 1/2 c. chopped green peppers
• 1/2 c. chopped yellow or white onions
• 1 c. fire roasted diced tomatoes Drained from a can.
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
• 4 oz cream cheese Cut into chunks.
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan Reggiano Cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions.
2. Place the shrimp in a bowl along with 1/2 Tbsp of cajun or creole seasoning. Mix to ensure the shrimp is fully coated.
3. Heat a skillet or pan on medium high heat. I use a cast iron skillet. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the pan.
4. When hot, add the shrimp to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until it turns bright pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
5. Add an additional teaspoon of olive oil to the pan along with the chopped sausage, onions, green peppers, and red peppers.
6. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent and fragrant. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
7. Reduce the heat on the pan to medium. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt.
8. Add in the heavy cream, almond milk, cream cheese, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of cajun or creole seasoning, and parmesan reggiano cheese.
9. Continue to stir the sauce until all of the cheese has fully melted. The cream cheese may take some time to melt. Add in the fire roasted tomatoes and stir. Allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add the shrimp, sausage, vegetables, and pasta to the pan and stir. Allow the pasta to cook for 4-5 minutes until combined. Serve.

Per serving: 384 calories, 28 g fat, 7 g protein, 22 g carb

Healthy Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• ½ Tbsp avocado or coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 – 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 – 4.5 oz cans green chilies
• ¼ c. fresh lime juice
• 32 oz chicken broth
• Cilantro, for serving
• Diced red onion, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the avocado or coconut oil. Next, add the peppers, onion, and garlic to the pot. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions start to become translucent.
2. Add the chicken breast, canned tomatoes, canned green chilies, spices, lime juice, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir until well combined. Bring the soup to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
3. Transfer the chicken breast from the soup to a small bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat. Add the chicken back to the soup and stir until well combined. Serve the soup with fresh cilantro, diced red onion, and fresh lime wedges. Enjoy!

Per serving: 258 calories, 6.1 g fat (1 g sat), 30 g protein, 22.7 g carb, 1960.9 mg sodium, 10.1 g sugars, 5.1 g fiber