When you’re losing weight, finding healthy recipes that taste good and promote weight loss can be tough. Besides calorie count, what should you even look for? Have no fear. This list of recipes is broken into 14 categories that each represent something you should look for in a healthy weight loss recipe.
Ready to get started?
1. Stop thinking of it as healthy
You’ve got a couple of options with this recipe. You can try your hand at making your own cassava tortillas, use grain-free tortillas like these here, or use 100% whole grain tortillas like these here. The Urban Poser also has a recipe for dairy-free Ranch dressing that you’ll probably want to add to the sauce line up in your fridge.
To round this out and make it a balanced meal, add either of the next recipes.
Well Plated by Erin’s salad recipe serves six and has just under 200 calories per serving. If you need fewer calories, remove the cheese. The salad will still taste amazing and there’s a little “cheese” in the King Ranch Flautas.
Mexican cauliflower rice is one of my favorites and this recipe by Skinnytaste won’t disappoint. It’s a healthy weight loss recipe that you might want in regular rotation.
2. Make it yourself
This is a healthy weight loss recipe that tastes good and is quick, beautiful, and balanced. What more could you ask for? Oh yea…it’s also an easy recipe to adapt based on whatever you’ve got in the fridge and pantry. Just follow jar of lemons instructions and use whatever you’ve got handy.
3. Start with the Best
This is one of my favorite recipes because it makes great use of seasonal ingredients and builds a ton of flavor into a healthy, weight loss friendly recipe. The First Mess is a great source for flavorful veggie forward recipes.
4. Use lots of herbs and spices
Having a jar of this Southwest Seasoning Mix in the cupboard is a must because most of the mixes sold in the grocery store contain unneeded sugar. Part of getting weight loss-friendly meals on the table is having spices and spice blends to quickly boost foods flavor. Thankfully Healthy Ideas Place has provided a recipe that does just that.
This is another recipe that you’re able to get creative with. If you don’t have (or like) one of the herbs The Simple Veganista calls for, use a different one. Want a Mexican herb potato salad? Use cilantro, oregano, and thyme and lime juice in the dressing.
Summers need a healthy weight loss friendly potato salad.
Try this recipe just like Kevin is Cooking wrote it, then try it with a different berry the next time. Having a variety of salad dressings is a great way to keep your palate from getting bored and this dressing will taste great with all berries.
One of the best ways to make a weight loss-friendly recipe taste good is by using fresh herbs. Nutritious Eats made things even better by using berries and herbs in this powerhouse salad.
5. Use Sweeteners
Umm…. What is there to say about this cake recipe from Detoxinista except, “where’s my slice?” Just be mindful of serving size, because healthy weight loss recipes still contain calories (bummer), and will still impact your blood sugar.
Use this frosting by Detoxinista on her Healthy Birthday Cake but go light and frost the cake “naked cake” style. Your cake will still taste amazing but it won’t contain as many calories or carbs.
Healthy Little Foodies made these muffins with kids in mind but…kids of all ages will enjoy these muffins. They’re sweetened with fruit, light on calories, and big on flavor. If you’re trying to eat healthier or lose weight these muffins will be a great addition to your weekly meal plans.
Another winner from Healthy Little Foodies that you and your kids will both enjoy (because learning to follow a healthy way of eating begins at birth). Be sure to check out Detoxinista and Healthy Little Foodies blogs, because they’re both passionate about creating healthy food everyone will enjoy.
These truffles are a healthy, weight loss friendly, and taste good. How often do you find recipes that meet all of those criteria? Well, leave it to Nutrition Stripped.
Plus, she’s included a chocolate ganache recipe you can dip these delectable truffles into.
6. Use Sauces and Marinades
Sauces like this is are my favorite, and because the natural nurturer created it to be “kid-friendly,” I pray it becomes a favorite for you as well. I’m imagining this sauce on whole grain or bean-based noodles, zoodles, meatless balls as well as meatballs. Or… How about cooking a bunch of lentils into the sauce and enjoying sloppy joes?! Have fun thinking of healthy recipes you’re going to incorporate this flavorful sauce into.
Part of being successful at losing weight and maintaining it is finding healthy recipes that taste good. Because when food tastes good, you’ll be satisfied with what you get to eat and won’t go searching for more. So… Make this simple sauce from Bon Appetit and have fun trying it on everything.
Easy, adaptable, open to endless “reinventions”, healthy, and tastes great. That’s what this “everyday” sauce from Bon Appetit is and your vegetables, proteins, and whole grains will be forever grateful you added a little to your plate.
7. Use Fat for Flavor
I love that this recipe from olives only calls for 1 teaspoon of oil and then uses it to carry the herbs and spices flavor. We talk about this in our FREE class, The Weigh 2 Hope. If you’re interested in learning more about losing weight and maintaining it for life, click here.
These meatballs would be a great thing to keep in the freezer for whenever time’s in short supply. Cut them in half and make a Greek pita with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, olives, tzatziki, and plenty of fresh herbs. Drop them into the Kid Friendly Vegetable Sauce and serve it with bean-based noodles or…Just make a big salad with every vegetable your fridge holds and top it with these meatballs and tzatziki sauce. Thanks olive for another great tasting healthy recipe.
8. Use Low Sodium Stock
This is something we covered in 16 Tips for Making Recipes Healthier so pull that post up if you’re interested in learning how to cook with low-sodium stock.
9. Don’t be afraid of Salt
Salt shouldn’t be used to make foodl taste salty, it should be used to bring out foods’ inherent flavor. The Kitchn has made doing this even more flavorful and fun with their flavored salts lesson.
Having a great kale recipe means you can add nutritious greens to most any meal. Did you know you want ½ of your plate to be veggies and fruits?
Hitting this goal is a lot easier when you use Eating Well’s kale recipe for collards, Swiss chard, spinach, and more.
These summer rolls by Anya Kassof at Spoon University don’t use any salt but…finishing them with some ginger-infused salt would be off the charts good. Plus, they’re very adaptable. Shredded carrots, bell peppers, tofu, chicken, and shrimp would all be a great addition to these rolls. Then, sprinkle a little coconut amino’s on them to build their flavor.
10. Add Acid
Simply Quinoa does a great job building flavor into healthy nutrient-packed recipes. The dressing for this salad makes use of two acids, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice, and would be a winner on all sorts of salads.
I absolutely love pickles and pickled green beans are at the top of the list. The great thing about this recipe from that clean life is it’s full of flavors, but not full of calories. These would add a great acidic bite to a big chicken and veggie salad.
A secret to maintaining a healthy diet when you’re losing weight is finding healthy flavorful recipes. And… The hint of lime in this recipe from Taste of Home is what takes these tacos from “good” to “great.”
Ponzu is a Japanese sauce that’s tart, tangy, and sweet. When you mix it with tuna steaks and a bright vegetable and citrus salad like Taste of Home did, you’ve got a winner. Every flavor is represented in this recipe which means you’ll end up satisfied and won’t go looking for more food.
11. Be Bold
Bold recipes include at least one ingredient that has pronounced flavors that help impart flavor to the rest of the meal.
The Mediterranean Dishes salmon recipe is a perfect example of “being bold.” Bake a big piece of salmon and then crumble it into salads, grain and veggie bowls, lettuce wraps, and more.
Despite being eaten worldwide, lamb is a “bold” protein not many Americans have tried. But… Have no fear, Fox and Briar’s recipe is a perfect intro to lamb because it includes another bold flavor, feta. This healthy weight loss recipe also includes fresh herbs and yellow rice so you’ll not be lacking in the flavor department. Enjoy.
12. Use Wine
If you’ve never had shrimp cooked with a splash of wine, you’re in for a treat. Nutrition in the Kitch has paired sherry wine, flavorful heirloom tomatoes and prawns, with nutritious spinach and chickpeas.
This saute might quickly climb to the top of your healthy weight loss recipe list. Who doesn’t want a weight loss recipe that’s healthy + flavorful + easy in their weekly rotation?
Beef stew made with red wine is a classic for good reason, and skinny taste has made this classic even better. This recipe is loaded with herbs, spices, and vegetables so you’re left with a healthy recipe that’ll taste great without messing with your weight loss goals.
13. Play together
Who doesn’t love a great sweet and sour dish but…sweet and sour is seldom healthy or weight loss friendly. Until now…
The Clever Carrot (on foodiecrush) uses honey instead of sugar and has loaded this recipe with veggies. Enjoy a small serving alongside some steamed snap peas and you’ll have a healthy great tasting recipe on the table in 30 minutes or less.
This recipe from Okonomi Kitchen has added yet another sauce jar to my fridge and I’m not mad about it. Having a round-up of healthy sauces in the fridge is my favorite way to enjoy healthy meals, and this recipe means a weight loss-friendly meal can be on the table in no time.
Everyone, even people who’re losing weight, need to have something sweet in their life and Sally’s Baking Addiction has provided just the recipe. Her recipe may not be low calorie, but it is flavor-packed and the mix of sweet, salty, bitter, and umami (from the almonds) will leave you satisfied with just a couple of almonds.
Why pay money for granola bars when you can make them yourself? These no-bake bars from Running with Spoons are lightly sweetened and loaded with dried fruit, seeds and whole grains. But…
It might be the salty pretzels and small amount of chocolate that take these bars over the top. Mix up a batch and keep them in the freezer so they’re ready to grab when time is not on your side.
14. Make it beautiful
Instead of providing recipes for this one, I wanted to provide you with a lesson on making food look beautiful but…
I’ve left it to an expert, Joshua Weissman.
How to Instantly Make Your Food and Cooking Look Beautiful
Conclusion
Healthy weight loss recipes really can taste great, and I pray these recipes help you think of your own ways to build flavor into your meals. Losing weight shouldn’t be bland and flavorless.
Your weight loss recipes should be so flavor-packed that your body's content with even the smallest portion.
How can you make your favorite weight loss recipes taste great? We’d love to hear your tips for building flavor into healthy recipes.
Until next time...
Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal. John 6:27
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