Best Low Calorie Recipes
Best Low Calorie Recipes
Best Low Calorie Recipes
Best Low Calorie Recipes
Best Low Calorie Recipes
Best Low Calorie Recipes
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips My air fryer is one of the best investments I’ve made for my kitchen. Many foods that are typically deep fried can be air fried instead, and doing this significantly cuts back on calories. I wasn’t big on deep frying […]
Easy Blender Salsa Low-Calorie I love salsa, especially fresh, homemade salsa. Going out to eat at Mexican restaurants, the chips and salsa before dinner is my favorite part. In fact, I usually eat way too many chips and salsa. Then, by the time my […]
Real Fruit Smoothie Lower-Calorie
Fruit smoothies are deliciously sweet and satisfying. Now that the weather is starting to warm up a bit, these make a great refreshing snack between meals. They’re also great for breakfast if you are looking for something quick and easy to make.
Fruit smoothies can be changed up to specific tastes. However, this is one of my favorite blends, which includes oranges, bananas, and a frozen fruit medley consisting of pineapple, mango and strawberries. Any cup of frozen fruit would work. I also added some almond milk to help blend the fruit together. These are not only a great meal option, they are also healthy and nutritious, and dairy free. If you don’t have any almond milk on hand, any nut milk will work.
Smoothies are loved in my family by everyone, regardless of age. It feels like you’re getting a treat, when in reality you’re eating fruit. Mentioned earlier, any fruit can be used to make a smoothie, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand, or what is currently in season. I like to shop by what’s in season and use what I can fresh, but I also like to use frozen and combine the two. The frozen fruit will make your smoothie thicker without having to add ice. If you want to use all fresh fruit, that is okay too, and you can add ice to thicken it up.
This smoothie is made with all real fruit, so there is no need to add any sweeteners to it because the fruit is naturally sweet. What are some of your favorite fruits to add to your smoothies? Be sure to leave a comment below and pin this recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 glass): 244
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Enjoy!
Broiled Chicken Kabobs Low-Calorie It’s that time of year to break out the skewers to make kabobs. Kabobs are a popular summertime food. Almost synonymous with summer. Kabobs are easy to make, and easily interchangeable to your tastes. Pretty much any meats and veggies […]
Gluten Free Cold Italian Pasta Salad Normally my family doesn’t eat gluten free. No one in my family has a gluten allergy, but sometimes I still find awesome gluten free products. I came across the Banza products a few months ago, and I love […]
Peachy Overnight Oats Lower-Calorie
These overnight oats make a great breakfast. Overnight oats have been popular for a while now and with good reason. They are easy to make the night before and keep in the refrigerator overnight for breakfast the next morning. You can also make several jars of overnight oats to have for the week since they are good in the fridge for at least 5 days.
Not only are overnight oats a great low-calorie meal option, they are also simple to make. Overnight oats consist of equal parts raw oats and milk. Also adding yogurt gives the oats a creamy pudding-like consistency. A rule of thumb is you will want double the amount of liquid as oats, and yogurt counts as liquid as well as the milk. The oats absorb in the liquid overnight so you don’t have to cook them before putting the overnight oats together. I like to eat them straight from the jar cold, but you can also heat them up before you eat them if you prefer them to be warm.
My preference is to use almond milk, but any nut milk will work. I also like to use Greek yogurt, vanilla or plain works. I put peaches and brown sugar on my overnight oats to mimic a peach cobbler taste. However, there are an endless variety of toppings that you can use on your overnight oatmeal. There is no limit so feel free to put anything you like on them. If you like a certain flavor in traditional oatmeal, then it will work great for overnight oats.
If you make overnight oats regularly, what are some of your favorite toppings? For this peachy overnight oats recipe I chose to reduce the amount of liquid a little, and I think the oats turned out great. However, if you want yours to have more liquid, feel free to add another quarter cup of Greek yogurt. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the overnight oats, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 jar): 369
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
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Enjoy!
Turkey Pinwheels Lower Calorie These turkey pinwheels make a great lunch for adult and children alike. I make these for my son to take in his school lunch and they are different from some of the regular lunches of hummus, sandwiches, wraps, etc. He […]
Fruit Kabobs Low-Calorie Happy Memorial Day weekend! I want to acknowledge that Memorial Day is more than just a day off of work, or an excuse to have a BBQ or pool party. Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of every May […]
Crockpot Pinto Beans Two Ways Low-Calorie
These crockpot pinto beans can be make two ways, and are going to make your life easier. Beans can be used in so many different types of recipes and meals. They are also a great substitute for meat if you are looking to make a meatless meal. Making bean burritos is one of my favorite ways to use beans. Beans are easily used in Mexican recipes because almost any Mexican recipe that uses meat can be subbed for beans.
My favorite way to cook dried beans is in the crockpot. There are several different techniques to cooking dried beans, including soaking them overnight. I find that cooking them in the crockpot eliminates the extra step of having to soak them overnight, and they are nearly maintenance free to cook this way.
I used pinto beans because they are one of my favorite. Place the dry beans in the crockpot, add water and any seasonings you’d like. Then cook them on low for 8 to 10 hours. Put them in the crockpot first thing in the morning and by dinner time they are ready to eat.
I used 1 pound of dried pinto beans, and the awesome thing about beans being so versatile is you can use them in different ways. After they were done cooking, I split the beans into two different bowls after they cooked and kept half of them whole, and then took the other half and mashed them up into refried beans.
Once they’re done cooking I seasoned them with some onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper. The whole beans can be Mae into burritos or on the side with rice. There are many different ways to enjoy them. The same can be done with the refried beans, but my favorite is using them in bean and cheese burritos.
If you decide to mash the beans into refried beans, this is one of the healthiest ways to make them because you don’t have to add any fat to them. It’s just the pure beans being mashed up so it’s much healthier than a traditional refried bean. When mashing them up the beans, add some of the liquid that the beans cooked in otherwise they will be too dry. Start with a small amount of liquid and go from there until the consistency is what you like.
I hope you enjoy this simple way to cook beans in the slow cooker. Let me know how you like them and the different ways you use beans in your meals. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the beans, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1/2 cup): 99
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Air Fryer Fries Low-Calorie French fries are a weakness of mine and I could eat them every day given the chance. I don’t consider myself to be too much a fry snob either, I just want them to be warm and fresh. These air […]
Crockpot Pulled Chicken Low-Calorie This recipe is a favorite in my house. It gets gobbled up as soon as it’s dinner time. If you’ve ever had a pulled pork sandwich this is very similar, only it’s made with chicken rather than pork. The sauce […]
Acai Bowl Lower-Calorie
Raise your hand if you’re obsessed with acai bowls. They are light, refreshing, and the perfect meal replacement when you’re looking for something quick and easy to eat. Acai fruit grows on the acai palm tree and it looks similar to a grape. They are native to Brazilian rainforests. The shelf like of an acai berry is so short which is why you never find them fresh in stores, but frozen instead.
Acai bowls are made from the frozen acai puree. My favorite acai packs come from Costco. They are delicious and easy to make. When you blend them with a liquid, such as juice or milk, and other fruits it turns into the consistency of a smoothie. The goal is to get a thicker consistency so you can eat it with a spoon in a bowl. If the consistency is a little too thin you can add ice to thicken it up a bit.
The blended acai can also be drank as a smoothie with a thick straw. They are equally as delicious and also a great option if you are taking it to go. If you choose to eat your blended acai as a bowl there are so many great toppings that you can add to make them even more awesome.
My favorite way to top my bowl is with sliced bananas and strawberries, then adding some granola and drizzling the top with honey. There are endless possibilities for topping your smoothie bowl. Popular toppings include coconut flakes, almonds, cashews, cacao nibs, blueberries, raspberries, chia seeds, flax seeds, plus much more. I hope you enjoy these bowls as much as I do. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 bowl): 323
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Connect with Simply Low Cal! Be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post!
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Enjoy!
Pea Guacamole Low-Calorie It’s Cinco de Mayo weekend! What are some of your favorite foods and drinks to celebrate with? I think the typical celebratory foods are tacos and margaritas. Those are a favorite of mine too. I mean who doesn’t love tacos? Also […]
Shrimp Ceviche Low-Calorie Growing up, having ceviche was a family favorite. My mom used to make this often because we all enjoyed it so much. Typically, we would spoon it over rice and let the juices soak up into the rice, but now as […]
Dark Chocolate Dipped Banana Peanut Butter Bites
I love having snacks on hand that are not only healthy, but easy to make too. Like these easy dark chocolate dipped banana peanut butter bites. Snacks are one of those things that I find myself buying more than making, especially with so many easy snack options available to buy. Lately, I have been focusing more time on making snacks.
Normally, I don’t love bananas and rarely eat them on their own. I will use them in smoothies sometimes, and of course in bread. 😉 When they are frozen with chocolate and peanut butter though, they have a whole new meaning to me.
I used two medium sized bananas that are ripe, but not overly ripe. Some brown spotting on the peels is okay. Then peanut butter and dark chocolate. I used dark chocolate chips because they are easy to melt in a bowl in the microwave. I know sometimes people will add coconut oil to make the chocolate thinner, but I do not. Mostly because it adds a lot of calories (130 calories for just 1 TBSP), but also because it isn’t needed. I find if I’m dipping my frozen banana bites as soon as I take the warm chocolate out of the microwave that it works great.
One way to reduce the calories in this snack is to use PBFit peanut butter powder, rather than peanut butter from a jar. The peanut butter powder has only 70 calories in 2 TBSP, and is made into peanut butter by adding water. The peanut butter flavor is amazing. I also use PbFit in my cookie recipe and my shake recipe you can find here on my blog.
I’d love to hear how you liked these dark chocolate dipped banana peanut butter bites. The serving size is for two bites, and they are a nice size. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (2 bites): 150
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Tuscan Pork Tenderloin Low-Calorie One of my favorite meals I’ve recently made featured this tuscan pork tenderloin recipe. It came out so flavorful and it’s easy and fast to make. We don’t eat pork a lot in our house, aside from the occasional porkchop. […]
Broiled Chicken Wings Low-Calorie I love making these broiled chicken wings. I have been cooking wings for years in many different ways, including baking them in the oven. I’ve also grilled them, and have thrown them in my crockpot with some BBQ sauce. Though […]
Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Lower-Calorie
I don’t know about you guys but it’s almost impossible for me to be around cookie dough and not swipe a bite of some of it. Has anyone made a recipe for a dozen cookies and then only ended up with enough dough for maybe 10 cookies? I know I’m guilty of that! That’s why I love this edible chocolate chip cookie dough.
Where I live there are shops opening up selling edible cookie dough, and they are delicious – trust me I’ve tried them. They aren’t exactly calorie friendly, but still delicious. I’m a big proponent of being able to ‘treat yo self’ from time to time. If we don’t then we are more likely to splurge like crazy and go overboard.
I put together this recipe for an edible chocolate chip cookie dough and it’s dang delicious. Now when my kids make cookies I don’t have to steal some of the cookie dough. I can make up this recipe and keep it in the fridge when the craving strikes. It makes two ½ cup servings, and you could easily stretch it out into four ¼ cup servings if you don’t want to eat too much at once. That’s what I do often times, depending on my mood.
This chocolate chip cookie dough is deliciously sweet and will be sure to satisfy that sweet tooth. Let me know how you like this edible cookie dough. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1/2 cup): 265
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Low-Calorie Jackfruit Tacos Has anyone ever cooked with jackfruit before? I enjoy experimenting with new foods like this jackfruit, and making these low-calorie jackfruit tacos. You can buy jackfruit fresh and cook with it that way, but I found a canned version at my […]
Easy Chicken Fajitas Low-Calorie One thing I love about chicken fajitas is how easy they are. I like to put peppers and onions in mine, but if you don’t like them then you don’t have to add them. My favorite bell peppers to use […]
Loaded Potato Soup Instant Pot Low-Calorie
I was happy to pull out my Instant Pot again last night after a bit of a hiatus to make this loaded potato soup. I forgot how much I love the Instant Pot and how quickly it makes dinner. While the weather is still on the cooler side it makes perfect sense to use it for a hearty soup. The best thing about the Instant Pot is how quickly it cooks food. It makes the soup taste like it has been cooking for hours. When in reality it took less than an hour from start to finish.
If you love baked potato soup, then I know you will love this recipe. It doesn’t take a lot of ingredients and it really comes together quickly. Potato soups are a big comfort food, and with the addition of cheese it’s hard sometimes to stop at only one bowl. I had to add bacon to my soup because I do believe that bacon makes everything better. The saltiness it gives to the soup is really good.
This is a recipe my family enjoys too, and I don’t know if I’ll make it again before the weather starts to warm up. I will be making this loaded potato soup again for sure in my Instant Pot when winter rolls around later this year.
You can add whatever toppings you’d like such as additional cheese, bacon, green onion, or whatever you would top a baked potato with. Just note those calories aren’t included in the calculation, so you will have to account for those if you choose to add. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 cup): 358
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Low-Calorie Chicken noodle soup is my all-time favorite soup and I know I’m not the only now who feels that way. It’s one of the most popular soups in the country, first made famous my Campbell’s over 80 years ago. […]
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Low-Calorie Who else is obsessed with the cilantro lime rice from Chipotle? I love it and could eat my weight in it. Unfortunately, according to Chipotle’s website, one serving is 210 calories. So it wouldn’t take long for me to […]
Easy Fried Rice With Bacon Low-Calorie
I love making meals for one, especially when they’re as easy and delicious as this easy fried rice with bacon recipe. Sometimes I need a meal that is just for me, and this is a great, quick option.
Fried rice is already good on its own, but the addition of bacon is awesome. Once the brown rice is cooked and ready, the dish comes together fairly quick. Brown rice takes much longer than white rice to cook, at least double the time. You can easily make the rice ahead, so it will be ready to go when you need it.
A tip when making fried rice is once the rice is cooked, let it cool down a bit, and then pop it in the refrigerator for a few hours until it gets cold. Overnight is even better. The rice holds up, and tastes better, when making fried rice with cold rice. If you use just cooked rice while it is still warm, it tends to be mushier and the texture isn’t as nice.
What is your favorite ingredient in fried rice? I really like the addition of bacon. Peas, carrots, and eggs are traditional, but there are many different varieties. It’s a versatile dish that can be made several different ways with many amazing outcomes.
When I make fried rice in larger batches, my kids polish it off so quickly. It’s a dish I make frequently with different ingredients each time I make it. Ham is a favorite and I make it that way often too. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 bowl): 445
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Healthier Banana Cream Pie Low-Calorie Happy National Banana Cream Pie Day! I whipped up this 4 ingredient healthier version of a banana cream pie. It’s so simple and very delicious. All that is needed is a 5.3-ounce container of Dannon Light and Fit Greek […]
PBFit Soft Gluten Free Cookies Low-Calorie I love peanut butter and I could eat it straight from a spoon. Recently, I created a recipe for Pbfit soft gluten free cookies because peanut butter cookies are delicious. I used peanut butter powder to make these […]
Doritos Taco Salad Low-Calorie
There are many different variations of Doritos Taco Salad. I’ve tried ones using Italian dressing, and ones using different cheeses. However, this way using a Lite Catalina dressing is exceptional and my favorite. The flavor is great, and the serving size is only 115 calories per cup! Even though it’s salad, that is hard to beat at times.
The Doritos give a nice crunch to the salad and all the flavors go really well together. Doritos are already amazing, and then adding them to a salad takes it to the next level. This is one of those dishes I can sit and eat quite a bit of, especially since I’m always looking for good, filling salads to eat.
Salads can be boring, but they don’t have to be. The ground beef, Doritos and cheese give this salad a substance and flavor that will make dinner enjoyable. This can also be made for lunch as well. I make it as a dinner meal quite often. It is a good option to eat with a crowd because it always gets eaten up. My kids love it and often time are asking for more when it’s gone.
Bonus, the recipe is quick and simple to make. It makes a great side dish or as an appetizer, but I think it’s perfect as a stand alone meal. Leave a comment below to let me know what you think of the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 cup): 115
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Avocado Salad Lime and shrimp go beautifully together, and this cilantro lime shrimp and avocado salad is a perfect example. It’s light and refreshing in flavor with the lime, avocado, cilantro and garlic all marrying well together. This recipe is a […]
Creamy Taco Soup Low-Calorie Who else loves a good creamy taco soup? One of the biggest reasons why I love it is because I can typically have a decent portion size without the number of calories getting out of hand and it’s filling. When […]
Morning Buzz Shake Low-Calorie
Chocolate and peanut butter. They go together as well as milk and cookies, bacon and eggs, cheese and pizza, peanut butter and jelly. Who else loves peanut butter, but hates the number of calories in peanut butter? That’s what makes this Morning Buzz Shake heavenly.
I was excited to find PBfit. It’s a peanut butter powder with only a fraction of the calories you get in traditional peanut butter. Peanut butter has 180 calories per 2 tablespoons, whereas 2 tablespoons of PBfit is only 70 calories! The best part is it can be used just like traditional peanut butter. Combining 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter powder with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water until smooth makes peanut butter. Plus, it has only 1/3 of the calories found in traditional peanut butter.
There are many incredible things that can be done with peanut butter powder. It can be used as a dip for apples, celery or pretzels. Or mixed it into breads, pancakes or waffles to give them a peanut butter flavor.
Ever wonder how peanut butter powder is made and why it has so many fewer calories? It’s made from roasted peanuts that have been pressed to remove most of the oil. Then ground into a fine powder with most of the fat gone.
This is a great pick me up breakfast shake you can make using PBfit. It is a satisfying and filling shake that is quick to make. It can also be taken on the go on those rushed mornings.
I use almond milk as the base which has only 30 calories in a cup. You can tweak this recipe to your own personal tastes, but I use whey protein powder which is 120 calories for a scoop. Then I also add half of a medium banana. I like to add espresso powder to mine, but it isn’t necessary. Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked the recipe, and don’t forget to pin the recipe to your Pinterest board.
Calories per serving (1 glass): 253
This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure here.
Hello there from sunny Arizona! Welcome to Simply Low Cal. Allow me to formally introduce myself in my first blog post. My name is Erika, and I’m the mastermind behind Simply Low Cal. I would love for you to follow along as I share healthy recipes. One way I will do that is to turn beloved comfort foods into a low-calorie version that can be enjoyed often and not only on special occasions. From personal experience, I know it’s possible to eat well while also maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A few fun facts about me: I have four children, so I know how picky young palates can be, and for that reason many of the recipes shared are great for all ages. I like running, and have run several half marathons and 5k’s in my adult life. I graduated from ASU with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree in Food & Nutrition Management and Health Innovation. I’ve recently taken up photography as a hobby and have fallen in live with it. I would love to be at professional status one day, but for now you get to see the pictures I take of the recipes I make. 🙂
I spend a lot of time on my laptop researching different recipes and different food trends, so be sure to keep an eye out for future blog posts as well. You can sign up for my newsletter on the home page to keep up to date, and don’t forget to click those social icons to follow me across social media. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. 🙂
