After a holiday season filled with parties, Christmas cookies, and other indulgences, many of us have made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or at least try to get healthier. While it’s not my number one goal for the year, eating healthier is pretty high up on my list of priorities. It’s second to getting organized which in effect does improve my health, as it will help me to keep my sanity in tact. To ensure my success on the road to a healthier diet, I’ve rounded up 16 healthy recipe makeovers that cut some of the calories and fat from some of my favorite dishes.
Simple Ways to Cut Calories and Fat from Recipes
- Saute vegetables in a couple of tablespoons of low-sodium vegetable broth, instead of oil or butter.
- Use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise and sour cream.
- Bulk up meals with lots of extra vegetables.
- Squeeze on citrus, instead of using butter for added flavor.
- When making cream-based soups, sub fat-free half-and-half for any heavy cream.
- When baking, substitute fats like butter and oil with apple sauce.
- Downsize portions. I know this is obvious, but eating smaller portions can go a long way in helping you to lose weight.
- Â Remove the skin from chicken. You can keep the skin on while cooking to retain moisture, but remove the skin before eating. Three ounces of chicken breast meat with skin has almost 150 calories; three ounces of chicken without the skin has 50 fewer calories.
I’m one of those people who needs to take baby steps when making changes. So, if you’re anything like me you’ll appreciate that all of these tips are rather doable and simple changes that you probably won’t even notice. I would love to hear some of your tips for cutting calories and fat.
Which recipe do you most want to try?
- Lightened Up Sausage, Cheese & Eggs in a Mug
- The Best Homemade French Fries
- Mediterranean Egg Salad In Lettuce Cups Recipe
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Quinoa
- Low Carb Keto Friendly Broccoli Slaw Recipe
- Better For You Tuna Pasta Casserole
- Healthy Baked Southern Fried Chicken
- Healthy Slow Cooker Stuffed Green Peppers
- Parmesan Garlic Zucchini Recipe
- Skinny Chicken Fajita Soup
- Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bark
- 2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes Recipe
- Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- One Skillet Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
- Baked Chicken and Cheese Rolled Tacos
- Cauliflower Cheesy Bread
What a delicious looking list! The spaghetti squash Alfredo especially!
Downsize portions, is the way I go. I’m one of those people that prefers the full fat, full flavored foods, I’d rather have a little of the real thing than a lot of something that has fat-free in it.
I have been seeing the Greek yogurt swap, but am too afraid to try it yet. I have definitely downsized my portions and while I’m hungrier, I know that drinking more water would help too. Thanks for the tips and your slider is beautiful!
I’ve been working on downsizing my portions… My eyes are so much bigger than my stomach.
I can’t decide….the taco dip, the green bean or the lentil soup.
These are great suggestions. I am trying to move us into a a plan of eating more healthy. These will fit in perfectly!
Oooh, there are quite a few of these recipes that I would like to try. I want to try the skinny taco dip first!
Love the idea of using citrus rather than butter. We have TONS and TONS of citrus down here in AZ so it’d be a free substitute, for us.
The General Tso Chicken looks so great! I’ve tried a few low-fat recipes recently and I’m still on the hunt for tastier options. I love the idea of sauteeing in broth versus oil! Definitely going to try that.
These are all such great recipe ideas! I love the way that dip looks.