Healthy cooking: Calorie controlled recipes to help with weight loss

Taste has created a number of recipes which all come in under 400 calories to help you make some healthier meals to meet some weight targets.

When weight loss is your aim, you need to reduce your total calorie intake by about 500 calories a day.

This equates to an intake of about 1200-1400 calories per day for women and about 1800 calories a day for men, depending upon height, weight and activity levels.

The food experts at taste.com.au have gathered some lower calorie recipes which all come in at under 400 calories per serve.

How many calories per meal to lose weight?

At dinner time, women should aim for between 300-400 calories, while men should keep to 400-500 calories (by adding some extra protein, wholegrains or good fats).

Ensure there is a lean source of protein (such as chicken, fish, legumes, tofu, meat, or eggs) and aim at least for 2-3 serves of vegetables.

Add a salad of extra greens (such as rocket, spinach, lettuce), cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber if necessary to boost the veg content for negligible calories.

Recommended exercise per week

While what you eat is critical for weight loss, increasing physical activity and exercise will also help you reach your goal, especially if you tend to be sedentary and sit all day at work.

Incidental exercise such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, or parking a block away from where you need to go, does all add up.

Exercise is recommended along with healthy eating.

Physical activity guidelines recommend (for good health) we are active on most days, and accumulate 2½-5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity (or 1¼ – 2 ½ hours vigorous intensity) every week.

It is also important to include muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days of the week.

HEALTHY RECIPES

Japanese chicken with greens and rice

This healthy chicken and rice dinner is full of Japanese flavours and is perfect for busy weeknights.

Japanese chicken with greens and rice.

Healthier chicken and vegie one-pot

This lighter chicken and veg casserole will cure all your comfort food cravings without derailing your healthy eating plan.

Low-cal chicken burgers with sweet potato and beetroot chips

Try this low-cal succulent chicken burger topped with healthy vegies. You can have chips too – just swap regular chips for these crispy sweet potato and beetroot chips.

Healthy Spanish chicken and beans

Searching for healthy meal prep recipe ideas? This low-cal one-pan chicken and beans dish ticks all the right boxes.

A Spanish chicken and bean dish.

Ginger pork stir-fry with vegie noodles

From wok to plate in 20 minutes this easy pork and noodle stir-fry is a weeknight winner.

Black rice, tamari pork and roasted pumpkin salad

The tender tamari pork tastes amazing with the golden pumpkin nuggets in this low-cal warm salad.

Sticky honey lamb with carrot and lentil slaw

Ready in just 25 minutes, these lamb cutlets make for a quick, easy and healthy weeknight meal.

Beef kibbeh with roasted pumpkin hummus

Roast pumpkin takes this homemade hummus to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Open burger with sweet potato chips

If you love a good burger, this open beef version with sweet potato fries will really hit the spot. Plus it’s low calorie and gluten-free.

Prawn, pumpkin and chickpea pizza.

Pumpkin and chickpea pizza with prawns

This gluten-free pizza recipe will satisfy your cravings while also being a little bit fancy. Delicious prawns on a pumpkin and chickpea pizza base is all you need to create the dinner of your dreams.

Fish tacos with chipotle avocado

These healthy fish soft tacos will be a dinnertime hit with the whole family.

Salmon, chia and broccoli fish cakes

Canned salmon is a budget-friendly and healthy addition to these gluten-free fish cakes.

Crispy salmon with zucchini salad

Fresh herbs add a huge dose of flavour to the salmon, with negligible kilojoules and no fat.

Salmon is always a healthy option.

Barramundi with pumpkin, carrots and lentils

This healthy dinner features sustainably farmed Australian Barramundi and root vegetables, all bursting with potent macronutrients to help keep you active.

Cauliflower fried rice with prawns

Low-cal and high in vitamins, cauliflower is a clever alternative to traditional fried rice.

Roasted broccoli and noodle salad with sesame dressing

With edamame, broccoli and pomegranates, all tied together with soba noodles; this colourful vegan bowl has everything you need, and it is a cinch to make.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as Healthy cooking: Calorie controlled recipes to help with weight loss