Low-Calorie Recipes to Help You Lose Weight Throughout the Day (2024)

Composed Salad with Pickled Beets & Smoked Tofu

This composed salad is an artful arrangement of greens, hard-boiled egg, smoked tofu, beets and snap peas drizzled with a cool, creamy dill dressing. It's as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. We like smoked tofu, but any flavored baked tofu would work well in this recipe. Serve with iced tea.

Overnight Oatmeal

Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.

Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup

Serve this zesty bean and barley soup garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

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Southwestern Salad with Black Beans

Here we top salad greens with black beans, sweet corn and grape tomatoes and bring it all together with a tangy avocado-lime dressing for a Mexican-inspired salad. Try this salad for a take-along lunch. To keep the salad greens from getting soggy, pack the greens, salad toppings and dressing in separate containers and toss them together just before eating.

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Couscous Paella Soup

This soup is inspired by the flavors and ingredients of paella, but unlike paella it's simple enough for a speedy weeknight dinner. If you can't find Spanish chorizo, use pepperoni (add a pinch of smoked paprika if you have it). Serve with warm whole-grain garlic bread.

Yankee Grits

Sweet maple syrup turns grits in a northerly direction. Milk adds creaminess and gives this satisfying breakfast staying power.

Pear-Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain with a slightly nutty flavor--a perfect partner for pears and walnuts in this fresh-tasting salad recipe. The flavor is best when the salad is at room temperature or cold. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Picnic Snack

Sweet tomatoes, salty olives and tangy cheese are a perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

Crab Salad Melts

This crab and asparagus melt is delicious for a light spring dinner or lunch. You can use any type of crabmeat--including more affordable options available in pouches or cans near other canned fish or in tubs in the seafood department. Serve with a tossed salad.

Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage & Apple

We like the firmer texture of French green lentils in this hearty dinner salad featuring sausage and tart apples. Serve with pickled beets and your favorite beer.

Maple-Nut Granola

We love the maple-nut flavor combination of this heart-healthy granola, but feel free to substitute your favorite nuts or dried fruit for your own custom blend.

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Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Mushroom-soup lovers, this soup is for you! Russet potatoes make it hearty, and dill and paprika add plenty of flavor. We skip the generous amount of full-fat sour cream and butter typically used in creamy mushroom soups. Serve with a green salad and warm pumpernickel bread.

Banana Bran Muffins

Banana bran muffins are great to have on hand for breakfast on-the-go!

Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie

With plenty of protein from both tofu and soymilk, this banana-split-inspired breakfast smoothie will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.

Tomato Soup

This simple tomato soup is perfect paired with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Make a double batch and freeze the extra for rainy-day emergencies.

Smoky Black Bean Soup

This will probably be the most hauntingly delicious black bean soup you've ever tasted. The coffee adds a slightly toasty, woodsy background note. The optional ham hock adds smoky, salty ham flavor. Serve with a mixed green salad or a grilled cheese sandwich with pickled jalapeños. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

Tutti-Frutti Muesli

Muesli mixed with yogurt and fruit packs in the nutrition and satisfies all morning long.

Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

These cereal bars are chewy, crunchy and delicious with good-for-you seeds, nuts, fruit and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

Cottage Cheese Salad

Cottage cheese topped with crunchy bell pepper and sweet tomato makes for a satisfying afternoon snack or pair it with hearty whole-grain crackers for a light lunch.

Braised Chicken Gumbo

Leftovers make this chicken gumbo an absolute breeze. The only prep you'll need to do is to dice a bell pepper and slice some okra if you're using fresh. That's it! If you don't have leftover chicken and sauce from Wine & Tomato Braised Chicken, you can use 2 cups shredded cooked chicken and 2 cups canned diced tomatoes instead of the leftover sauce.

Lemon-Parm Popcorn

Perk up your popcorn with a bit of lemon pepper and Parmesan cheese.

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Dijon Chicken Stew

This satisfying stew stars chunks of chicken and tender braised escarole in a flavorful Dijon wine sauce. Try it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork tenderloin, if you prefer. It doubles easily in the same pot. Serve with rustic whole-grain bread.

Tuna Melt

In this updated tuna melt recipe, we go light on the mayo and top it with fresh tomato slices and shredded sharp Cheddar. This allows us to use considerably less cheese while ensuring that there's great cheese flavor in each gooey bite of this healthy tuna melt recipe.

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Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge

Perk up your morning oatmeal with the addition of tangy rhubarb. Using milk for this oatmeal gives it a calcium boost, but the recipe also works well with water--and you'll save about 60 calories.

Quick Kebabs

Kids and adults alike will appreciate this skewered snack.

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Strawberry Bruschetta

Astoundingly good for minimal effort, this makes an indulgent weekend breakfast or anyday dessert. A judicious smear of mascarpone (half the fat of butter) is part of the luxury, but even lighter low-fat cream cheese will work as well. The real secret is warming the berries just enough to make the flavor bloom and transform their juices into a rosy syrup.