If you love cooking as much as I do then you know the struggle of cooking low-calorie and wholesome meals on a budget. And what makes it worse is when a time crunch is in full effect. Luckily, I've conducted some research to see what the best low calorie dinners you can make in 15 minutes are, and surprisingly, they taste amazing.
1. Lemon herb chicken and brown rice
The thing about this recipe is that it is easy to make and magnificently paired. The herbs balance the zest of the lemon. Put together with Brown rice and it makes for a filling and hearty meal. With the ingredients together, your body will easily absorb all the nutrients and your taste buds will go crazy for the flavor
Ingredients: boneless chicken breasts, brown rice, basil, onion, parsley, garlic, lemon, rosemary, thyme, pepper, salt, and olive oil
2. Sweet and spicy glazed pork chops with asparagus
You can never beat a well-glazed pork chop. The thing about this recipe is that your oven does all the work. After spreading the glaze over the pork, you have time for yourself to just sit and read a book until you hear the oven beep. The explosion of sweet honey and spicy red flakes in your mouth will overwhelm your taste buds and serving it along with asparagus is a great way to offset the flavors.
Ingredients: pork chops, fresh asparagus, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, brown sugar (or honey), pepper, butter, and olive oil
3. Citrus baked salmon with quinoa
I'm a sucker for fish, especially when it comes to salmon. One of the best things you can eat when you're trying to watch your weight is fish. They are a naturally light meat that hold tons of fatty acids that help maintain your overall health. Alongside quinoa, baked salmon evens out as a light meal that gives you just enough of an edge to feel full.
Ingredients: salmon, lemon, lime, garlic, cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar
4. White chicken chili with avocado
Okay so this one takes more than 15 minutes, but it would be an injustice if I did not include this one on the list because of its weightloss benefits. This so far has been my favorite recipe that I have tried yet. If you want to eat something healthy 95 percent of the time, eating chili or soup is your best bet. They both fill you up quickly because of the high amount of liquid in them. I fell in love with this recipe and you should to give it a chance too!
Ingredients: chicken breasts, olive oil, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, green chili, salt, pepper, cannellini beans, chicken broth, cilantro, and monterey cheese. (optional)
5. Turkey burger with baked sweet potato
I know what you're thinking, "How can a burger be healthy?" Well I'm here to show you just how. Turkey is a light, lean meat, and although it may not be as dense as beef, you can still create mean burger our of turkey. The sweet potato will also balance to the textures in your meal, and they have multiple health benefit as well. Just remember to keep this recipe simple and you will find yourself satisfied.
Ingredients: ground turkey, garlic, onion, tomatoes, rosemary, parmesan cheese, mustard, cayenne pepper, pepper, salt, and wheat buns
Regardless if you try the recipes, the important thing to remember when you're trying to keep weight off is to eat clean and stay active!
