Top 25 Low Calorie Recipes To Help You Lose Weight

Low calorie diet can be very good especially when you are working out or trying to shed some pounds. Low calorie food recipes not just keep from adding additional calories but they also help in burning out the fat that is already accumulated. This post we dedicate to all those of you looking to lead a healthier life!

Here are our 25 low calorie recipes which you can try out.

1. Low Fat Chicken Risotto:

Nothing is better than a risotto for dinner. Try this one out!

Ingredients:

• Chicken broth or stock 6 cups
• Salt and pepper
• Mixed herbs
• Arborio rice soaked in water for 15 minutes, 1 cup
• Fresh herbs chopped, ½ cup
• Baby tomatoes, 1 cup
• Onion diced, ½ cup
• Cashew nuts, 1 teaspoon crushed
• Cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon
• Chicken breast cut into shreds, 1 cup
• Olive or canola oil

Method:  Heat ½ teaspoon canola or olive oil. Try half of onions and the dry herbs. Add cashew nuts and tomatoes. Then add the rice, salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Now put the broth and cover cook till rice is cooked.

In the meantime in another pan put ½ teaspoon olive or canola oil and fry the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. When chicken is tender remove flame and mix the fresh herbs. After rice is cooked, mix it with chicken mixture and serve hot.

2. Apple Nog:

This is a favorite recipe of many and is one of the most loved low calorie vegetarian recipes. Well it wasn’t originally designed to be low calorie so here is how to make it in a low in fat.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoon low fat cream
• 2 egg whites
• 2 cups fresh apple juice
• A pinch of nutmeg

Method: Combine all the ingredients except low fat cream and put on indirect heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Now bring it down from flame and whisky till frothy. Pour into glasses. Whisk the cream in a bowl. Add the cream on top in dollops for garnishing.

3. Spanish Gazpacho Soup:

Nothing is great like a chilled gazpacho soup in summer time. Low in calories and made with fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 4 whole tomatoes
• 2 cup onions diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic crushed
• 2-4 spring onions chopped
• 1 cup cucumber diced
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Salt pepper
• 2 table spoon fresh herbs (thyme, basil, coriander, marjoram)
• Olive oil 1 teaspoon

Method: Boil slightly the tomatoes. Peel the skin off. The skin should come out easily. Now place the ingredients in a blender making sure that you have kept aside 1 teaspoon each of fresh herbs, spring onions, cucumber and diced onions aside for garnishing. Now blend the rest of the mixture till it gets a soup like consistency. Check salt and pepper and serve in a bowl. Garnish with remaining ingredients and serve with brown bread toast or crisp fried brown bread pieces in olive oil. Serve chilled.

4. Steamed Dumplings:

Dumplings can be an easy way to have a low calorie lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage 1 cup cut finely chopped
• Half cup onions chopped finely
• 2 teaspoon garlic chopped finely
• Green chillies 1 teaspoon chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
• Salt and pepper freshly milled

Dough: ½ teaspoon oil, 2 cups flour and a little water for kneading

Method: Put half teaspoon olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the vegetables. Now cover and cook. Cabbage will separate water and get tender. Add a little water if needed. You may additionally add celery or and carrots too. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat when cooked. Make small balls of dough and roll them out. Brush a little olive oil on to them. Put filling and seal edges. Put these on a greased steamer and steam for 15 minutes. Give 5 minutes standing time.

5. Sprouts Salad:

A sprouts salad can give you enormous amount of proteins that make it one of the most suitable low calorie salad recipes for many. And yes, you can make it taste good too. Here is how.

Ingredients:

• Moong sprouts 1 cup
• Pea sprouts 1 cup
• Bean sprouts ½ cup
• Bell peppers chopped ½ cup
• Tomatoes chopped 1 cup
• Onions chopped 1 cup
• Lemon juice ½ teaspoons
• Green chillies chopped 1 teaspoon
• Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon grated (optional)
• Cumin powder ½ teaspoon or chaat masala 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Fresh herbs like coriander or parsley
• Olive oil ½ teaspoons

Method: Mix all the ingredients and check salt and pepper. Serve!

6. Squash and Pocket Pasta Aka Ravioli Recipe:

This can be a good recipe if you are looking for a vegetable pasta recipe.

Ingredients:

You can buy ravioli from market or make at home if you have a pasta machine.

• 10-12 ravioli
• Squash about 2 cups
• Garlic chopped 1 teaspoon
• Margarine 1 teaspoon
• Low fat milk ½ cup
• Corn flour 1teaspoon
• Fresh herbs 1 teaspoon chopped
• Spinach ½ cup chopped
• Oregano dried 1teaspoon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dried parmesan 1 teaspoon

Method: Boil ravioli in oil mixed water. Use ½ teaspoon olive oil to mix into the water. This will prevent ravioli from getting stuck to each other. Boil squash with salt and pepper and herbs. Mash the boiled squash and fill into the ravioli. In the meantime, heat margarine and fry the garlic and oregano. Add spinach. Cook a bit. Add milk mixed with corn flour. Bring to a boil. Add ravioli, salt and pepper. Cook till it gets thick. Take it out and add parmesan to garnish.

7. Salmon Salad:

A nice salmon salad can become your whole meal. Try this one out!

Ingredients:

• Smoked salmons about 4 oz
• Spinach 2 cups blanched well but not boiled.
• Fresh rosemary, oregano, parsley and coriander about 1 cup chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Canola oil or olive oil
• Bell peppers chopped ½ cup
• Baby tomatoes or chopped tomatoes 1 cup
• Lemon juice 1 teaspoon

Method: Smoked salmons should be cut into pieces. Mix it with the other ingredients and enjoy with some red wine.

8. Roasted Chicken Legs:

Yummy chicken legs can be quite a treat for weight watchers.

Ingredients:

• Chicken legs 4
• Fresh herbs 4 teaspoon
• Salt and pepper
• Crushed garlic 1 teaspoon
• Low fat yogurt 4 teaspoon
• Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder a pinch
• Olive oil for basking

Method: Marinate chicken legs in yogurt mixed with spices, salt and pepper. Slit chicken legs to give pockets and put in the chopped herbs into it. Put a little marinade inside the pocket too. Keep the marinated chicken legs in the refrigerator for 1 hr. Bask the grill with a little olive oil and also the chicken legs. Roast till done. You can keep basking the legs while turning them with a little olive oil.

9. Celery Soup:

This can be a soft and nice low calorie soup.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable stock 4 cups
• Celery chopped finely 2 cups
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh herbs chopped 2 teaspoons
• Onion chopped ½ cup
• Ginger chopped 1 teaspoon
• Garlic chopped ½ teaspoon
• Low fat cream 2 teaspoon
• Lemon juice ½ teaspoons
• Carrots chopped ½ cup
• Olive or canola oil ½ teaspoon

Method:  Put oil in a pan. Now add garlic, ginger, and fresh herbs to it. Sauté a bit till aroma comes out. Now pour in the stock, the vegetable and cover cook with salt and pepper. When stock is reduced to half and vegetables are cooked, remove from flame. Serve hot or chilled. Top with some fresh cream for a nice garnishing.

10. Roots Vegetable Soup:

A roots vegetable soup can be quite nutritional for you.

Ingredients:

• Carrots chopped 1 cup
• Beet root chopped 1 cup
• Onions chopped 2 cups
• Radish chopped ½ cup (optional)
• Turnips chopped 1 cup
• Tomato puree 1 cup
• Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
• Fresh herbs like parsley, coriander etc. 1 teaspoon
• Salt and pepper freshly milled
• Chicken stock or vegetable stock 8 cups
• Fresh cream low fat and whipped 4 teaspoons
• ½ teaspoon butter to taste
• Chopped garlic and ginger 2 teaspoons

Method:  Boil the stock and put the vegetables in with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Cover cook till cooked and reduced to less than half. Put in tomato puree, fresh herbs and cook 10 more minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the butter for flavor. Serve in bowls topped with cream.

11. Vegetable Low Fat Soup:

Tasty vegetable soup can never go out of fashion.

Ingredients:

• Carrots chopped ½ cup
• Bell peppers chopped 2 cups
• Onions diced 1 cup
• Pumpkin 1 cup chopped
• Cinnamon 1 pinch
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable stock 6 cups
• Low fat cream 2 table spoon
• Low fat milk ½ cup and ½ teaspoon corn flour

Method: Boil all the vegetable in the vegetable stock till the stock is reduced to half. Add salt and pepper and low fat milk mixed with corn flour. When the soup thickens, turn heat off. Serve in bowls. Stir in the cream and serve hot.

12. Low calorie chicken soup recipe:

Chicken soup recipe can be a very easy one and kept low to low in calorie as possible.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast diced 2 cups
• Vegetable broth 4 cups
• Salt and pepper
• Dried herbs 1 teaspoon
• 1 cup low fat milk
• ½ teaspoon of butter for serving

Method: This is a home made easy version of chicken soup. You can have it when you are down with fever or when you are following a diet recipe. Have this with 2 slices of brown bread for dinner instead of rice or chapatti.

Boil all the ingredients over low heat. When almost reduced to 2 cups remove from heat and serve with butter toping for extra flavor and aroma.

13. Low Calorie Prawn Saganaki:

This can be good as a side dish with your plain rice or chapatti. This is low in calorie and filled with goodness of prawns and fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 250-300 Gms fresh prawns (cleaned and de-shelled)
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh cottage cheese or feta cheese
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs (coriander, parsley, oregano and thyme)
• ½ cup tomato puree
• 1 diced onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 tbsp chopped garlic

Method:

Fry the chopped onions very little. Make sure they don’t turn brown .Add the herbs and onions. Stir it continuously. Add the rest of the ingredients except prawns and cheese. Fry a bit. When boiling, put the prawns and the cheese (keep a bit of cheese for garnishing). Cover and cook for 10 minutes till the prawns are cooked. Add a bit of water if required. Serve hot garnished with cheese.

14. Chicken Salad the Low Cal Way:

Try out this chicken salad when you don’t feel like going for a heavy meal.

Ingredients:

• Boiled chicken shreds about 2 cups
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves chopped 2 tbsp
• Bell peppers of different colors shredded 2 cups
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or baby tomatoes
• Baby corns boiled 1 cup (optional)
• Olives fresh and cut into slices (optional)
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Olive oil 1 tbsp
• Cottage cheese 2 tbsp
• Blanched baby spinach

Method, mix all the ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. You can additionally add some grated parmesan cheese to it. But it will increase the calories. Choice is yours. Enjoy!

15. Stuffed Low Calorie Bell Peppers:

This is a low calorie version of normal stuffed bell peppers.

Ingredients:

• Bell peppers cleaned, washed and de-seeded
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cottage cheese 2 tbsp
• Baby corns boiled 1 cup
• ½ tbsp margarine
• 1 cup spinach chopped
• 1 diced onion
• 1 tbsp garlic chopped
• Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
• Oregano dried 1 tbsp
• Olive oil (for brushing and greasing)
• A brush (for brushing oil)

Method:

In a frying pan put half a tbsp margarine which is a good butter substitute. You can also use olive oil for this part. Add onions, garlic, the herbs, salt and pepper, and spinach. Cover cook for 5 minutes. Add cottage cheese and boiled baby corns. Cook a bit. Make sure the mixture is half cooked. Take off heat and fill in the bell peppers. Brush a baking tray with olive oil and put the bell peppers on it. Brush the top of the bell peppers with a little more olive oil. Bake till it’s done.

16. Low Calorie Spinach Pasta Recipe:

Spinach always helps to lose weight and it’s very good for health. Try out this spinach pasta recipe.

Ingredients:

• Parmesan cheese grated 1-2 tbsp
• Spinach chopped 2 cups
• Chopped garlic 2 tbsp
• 1 cup boiled pasta or macaroni
• Margarine ½ tbsp
• Low fat milk half cup
• ½ tbsp corn flour
• Oregano dried 1tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Heat pan, add chopped garlic, oregano and fry a bit. Add milk and spinach to it. Cook a bit till spinach is soft. You may add a bit of water. Add the milk mixed with corn flour. Now add pasta .Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Serve garnished with parmesan. Enjoy!

17.  Mushroom Risotto Recipe –The Low Calorie Healthy Way:

This is a very earthy mushroom flavored recipe, done in a fashion that you will love.

Ingredients:

2 types of mushrooms are needed for this recipe: 1 cup porcini mushrooms chopped and 4 cups baby Bella mushrooms

• Chicken or vegetable stock 8 cups
• Salt and pepper
• Bell peppers chopped 1 cup
• Olive oil 2 teaspoons
• 1 cup soaked Arborio rice
• Garlic chopped 1 teaspoon
• 2 cups chopped onions
• Fresh herbs chopped 2 teaspoons
• Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons (for garnishing)

Method:  Put broth and porcini mushroom to cook, covered till stock is reduced to 4 cups. In another pan sauté 1 cup onions, half of fresh herbs, garlic and baby Bella mushrooms. Cook till mushrooms are a little brown. Keep it aside. In another pan, take rest of olive oil and put rest of onions and salt, pepper and Arborio rice. Put the broth with porcini mushrooms and cover cook till rice is cooked properly. Now take off heat and mix with the fried mushrooms. Serve with rest of fresh herbs on top and parmesan cheese.

18.  Fruit Salad with Chicken and Nuts:

This is a healthy fruit salad which has a sweet and sour flavor.

Ingredients:

• Diced boiled chicken pieces 2 cups
• Thyme leaves freshly chopped ½ cup
• Coriander leaves freshly chopped ½ cup
• Apple diced ½ cup
• Pear diced ½ cup
• Olive oil ½ teaspoons
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Bell peppers ½ cup diced in different colors
• Berries of your choice (straw berries, blue berries or raspberries) ½ cup chopped
• Pieces of oranges (optional) ½ cup

Method: Mix all the ingredients and serve this chilled.

19. Homemade Salsa Dip and Chips:

Like dips and salsa? Try out this homemade dips recipe with any kind of low fat chips for a nice snack.

Ingredients:

• Half cup of each of bell peppers (chopped and in different colors)
• ½ cup parsley or coriander
• 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Method: Mix all the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

20. Homemade Low Fat Dips and Chips:

Like yogurt dips? Try this one out with any low fat chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of diced bell peppers in green
• ½ cup tomatoes diced or baby tomatoes
• ½ cup low fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoon drinking water
• ½ teaspoon garlic paste
• Coriander leaves ½ tbsp
• Cumin powder roasted ½ teaspoon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cucumber diced finely 1 tbsp
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Method: Mix all the ingredients, check the salt and pepper and enjoy.

21. Low Calorie Healthy Sandwich with Chicken:

Try out a healthy sandwich like this one.

Ingredients:

• Fresh rosemary leaves
• Chicken breast thinly sliced 2 pieces
• Olive oil or canola oil
• Salt and pepper
• Bell peppers sliced into rings (depends how much you like to have in your sandwich)
• Onion slices (depends how much you want in between your breads)
• 4 pieces brown bread (rich in dietary fiber)

Method:

Put olive oil or canola oil 1 teaspoon in a frying pan and heat it .Put chicken pieces and salt and pepper to taste. Put the rosemary leaves. Take out of heat when chicken is tender. Put in between breads and also add the bell peppers and onions.

22. Low Calorie Strawberry Smoothie:

Nice fresh strawberries can never beat anything. Will you try this out?

Ingredients:

• Fresh strawberries 2 cups cut into two
• 4 cups low fat milk
• Cinnamon 1 pinch
• Vanilla custard powder 1 cup
• Sugar sweetener

Method: Mix milk with custard powder with sugar sweetener. Check the sweetness. Keep it a bit less sweet. Even sugar substitute contain calories. Put in heat till a bit creamy. Now take off heat and blend in a blender with the strawberries and cinnamon powder. Serve chilled or with ice.

23. Low Cal No Heat Chocolate Dessert Stacks:

This is a no heat and no mess dessert idea which you can try out with ease.

Ingredients:

• 1 and ½ cup dark chocolate
• 2 cups corns flakes or high fiber content cereals of your choice
• 1 tbsp Nuts crushed (optional)

Method: Melt chocolate over indirect heat. Now take it off the heat and put in the dry cereal crushed by hand. You can totally powder up the cereal in a grinder. Mix it well up with the molten chocolate and scoop spoonfuls into a butter paper or cup cake moulds. Sprinkle the nuts. Put these into the freezer. Take it out when the chocolates have hardened. Serve chilled.

24. Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe:

A tasty non alcoholic low cal healthy dessert recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/5 the cup fat free cream cheese
• 1 cup Pumpkin
• Sugar substitute
• A pinch of ginger powder
• A pinch of cinnamon powder
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• Some choc chip cookies
• 1 cup low fat milk
• 1 cup vanilla pudding mixture
• Some strawberries or mango slices (for garnishing)

Method: You can slightly steam the pumpkin if you don’t want it raw. Do not boil the pumpkin because it will lose its flavor then. Now take the pumpkin and blend it up to paste. In another bowl, mix pudding mixture with milk. Warm the mixture in oven or over indirect heat a little. Make sure it’s not hardened totally. Now take the beater and beat it till smooth. In another bowl, beat up the cream cheese to smooth. Now mix it with the pumpkin mixture. Add the spices and sugar sweetener. Mix well. Put into glasses up to half a layer. Now put in between some crushed choc chip cookies. Add rest of the mixture and top it with some pieces of strawberries or mango slices.

25. Low Calorie Banana Dessert Recipe:

A low fat smoothie recipe for all weight watchers. Did you know banana really helps to lose your weight? Try this recipe with a morning breakfast!

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups low fat milk
• 2 sliced bananas
• Sugar sweetener
• 1 cup vanilla pudding mixture
• Some slices of banana

Method:

In a bowl, mix up pudding mixture and milk. Now warm the milk a bit till creamy over indirect heat. Remove from heat immediately and blend a bit till smooth and there are no lumps. Put the banana slices and sugar sweetener. Blend well. Garnish glasses with a banana slice at the sides and serve. Additionally you may decorate with whipped cream but that will increase the calories.

Hope you will try out a few of these easy recipes. Leave your comments!

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