29 Healthy, Eat-Right Recipes
Delicious, diet-friendly dishes that are heavy on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—and light on calories and fat.
Spaghetti al Forno
Whole grain pasta adds a new level of health to a simple pasta dish.
Recipe: Spaghetti al Forno
Sea Scallops with Orange and Rosemary
Low-calorie scallops and high-vitamin OJ combine in this elegant dish.
Recipe: Sea Scallops with Orange and Rosemary
Cornmeal Crust Pizza with Greens and Ricotta
Defiantly wholesome, this cornmeal-crust pizza is topped with healthy braised chard, while ricotta, caramelized garlic and bacon are indulgent enough to satisfy any cravings.
Recipe: Cornmeal Crust Pizza with Greens and Ricotta
Shrimp and White Bean "Cassoulet"
In this take on the traditionally meat-heavy cassoulet, fewer than 30 percent of the calories come from fat, but the taste isn't skimpy. And since you're in and out of the kitchen in less than 30 minutes, it's easy for entertaining or a simple family-style meal.
Recipe: Shrimp and White Bean "Cassoulet"
Ratatouille
This classic vegetarian treat, filled with eggplant, onion, zucchini and tomatoes, is delightful to the eyes as well as the palate.
Recipe:
Ratatouille
Chicken, Mushroom, and Raddichio Lasagne
Low-fat cheese can be both creamy and bubbly—that's why it's so perfect for healthy cooking. This low-fat version of béchamel, a base sauce, can go in a thousand different directions. It uses Parmesan cheese, but you can use Cheddar to make mac and cheese, or Monterey Jack to make a Tex-Mex sauce.
Recipe: Chicken, Mushroom, and Raddichio Lasagne
Citrus Pomegranate Chicken over Whole Wheat Couscous
This chicken's got it all—sweetness, tang, and a bevy of nutrients.
Recipe: Citrus Pomegranate Chicken over Whole Wheat Couscous
Quinoa Salad with Beets
The whole grain quinoa in this salad helps you feel satisfyingly full long after the meal is finished.
Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Beets
Portuguese-Style Mussels
Sweet, plump mussels, at their best from September through April, are combined with sausage, kale, and paprika in a Portuguese-style stew.
Recipe: Portuguese-Style Mussels
Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup
This steamy soup makes a spicy, high-fiber start to an Indian meal.
Recipe: Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup
Oven-Fried Chicken
As good as the real thing. Plus, the mashed potatoes served on the side are slimmed down because they're made with broth (and only a tiny bit of sour cream, mixed in at the end).
Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicken (serve with
Garlic and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes)
Guiltless Salmon Burger
Healthy wild salmon doubles for beef in this burger, which contains about ten fewer grams of fat than the traditional beef version, and weighs in at 346 calories (
with the whole grain bun).
Recipe: Guiltless Salmon Burger
Vegetable Tagine
The tagine embodies the cooking of the Maghreb—typically Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria—where it's made in an earthenware pot with a conical lid. This vegetarian version is made in a skillet.
Recipe: Vegetable Tagine (serve with
Lemon Olive Chicken)
Orange-Ginger Pork Medallions
This Asian-inflected dish is a great source of lean protein--and packs only 274 calories per serving.
Recipe: Orange-Ginger Pork Medallions
Spicy Thai Lime-Ginger Soup
Hot and refreshing, this light, fragrant soup combines citrus and spices to create a heady delight.
Recipe: Spicy Thai Lime-Ginger Soup
Cavalo Nero and Red Cabbage Tostadas with Spicy Shrimp
Tostadas take a healthy turn: tangles of shredded raw kale and cabbage, cilantro, corn, black beans, and tomatoes served on crisp corn tortillas topped with tasty grilled shrimp.
Recipe: Cavalo Nero and Red Cabbage Tostadas with Spicy Shrimp
Broccoli Leek Soup
Eating more fruits and vegetables is most of the most important diatary habits you can adopt to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension—and manage your weight. This quick and flavorful broccoli soup—rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C and folate—is a great way to start.
Recipe: Broccoli Leek Soup
Orange, Fennel, and Arugula Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
Spicy arugula and citrusy oranges are a perfect match for a snappy ginger vinaigrette.
Recipe: Orange, Fennel, and Arugula Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
Prosciutto-and-Herb-Wrapped Sablefish with Blackberry Salad
Sablefish, a succulent white-fleshed fish high in healthful omega-3 fatty acids, is wrapped in prosciutto and herbs, then baked until crisp outside. A salad of tender herbs and berries sets off its smoky-salty flavor.
Recipe: Prosciutto-and-Herb-Wrapped Sablefish with Blackberry Salad
Middle Eastern Pita Pizza with Mint Pesto and Melted Feta
This pizza recipe satisfies vegetarians and carnivores alike, for about 450 calories per serving. Mint leaves, garlic and pine nuts give the tofu version plenty of flavor. Meat-eaters can make the recipe with ground lamb.
Recipe: Middle Eastern Pita Pizza with Mint Pesto and Melted Feta (serve with
Red Onion and Romaine Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette)
Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salsa
Mangoes, lime juice and OJ combine with grilled shrimp for a low-calorie dinner that's easy to make—and special enough for company.
Recipe: Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salsa (serve
roasted vegetables on the side for even more healthy flavor)
Mild Vegetable Curry with Earl Grey Rice
This satisfying dish has fewer than 500 calories per serving.
Recipe: Mild Vegetable Curry with Earl Grey Rice
Salt-Crusted Snapper with Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette
An egg-white batter makes this fish light.
Recipe: Salt-Crusted Snapper with Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette (serve with Shaved Fennel, Potato, and Arugula Salad with Mustard-Dill Dressing.)
Ginger-Honey Glazed Salmon
If busy schedules mean your family doesn't always sit down to dinner together, this salmon recipe is for you. Served with roasted vegetables and nutrient-packed quinoa, it tastes just fine if it has to sit out at room temperature for an hour or so, and will hold up to reheating.
Recipe: Ginger-Honey Glazed Salmon
Lemon Risotto with Garlic Crab
Risotto for 553 calories a serving? Yes, when it's made with low-cal (and low-cholesterol) crab.
Recipe: Lemon Risotto with Garlic Crab (serve with
Tomato-Cucumber Salad)
Ginger and Marinated Lime Shrimp with Avocado Salsa
This spicey, low-cal shrimp dish has a sub-continental twist. It's served atop a piece of pappadam, a spicy, crispy Indian cracker available in the international section of grocery stores or at
kalustyans.com.
Recipe: Ginger and Marinated Lime Shrimp with Avocado Salsa
Red Swiss Chard with Onions and Currants
Eat your greens! This fiber-packed, antioxidant-rich recipe uses red Swiss chard, but any braising greens—collards, kale, sorrel, spinach—will wow you with flavor, especially because their slight bitterness is offset by the sweetness of dried fruit and onions. One serving provides 100 percent of your daily vitamin A and C.
Gingered Green Grapes
A healthy meal deserves a light, refreshing finish.
Recipe: Gingered Green Grapes
Caramelized Banana Raisin Bread Pudding
Low-fat milk helps keep this decadent-looking dessert down to a manageable 259 calories per serving. Trying to eat more fruit? You can also make it with apple, pear, peach, or mango slices.
Recipe: Caramelized Banana Raising Bread Pudding
Next: 25 superfoods to incorporate into your diet now
Published 01/21/2010
