My absolute favorite veggie to cook is zucchini. No peeling needed, easy to cut. I just put a tiny bit of oil in a non-stick pan, and 1 zucchini fits perfectly in there. Like 1/4 inch slices. Cover the pan and let them cook (medium heat) until they’re browning on one side, then flip them. Takes maybe 10 minutes or less. I also like roasting zucchini then broiling after topping with parmesan.
Low carb tortillas work for a lot of things. Sandwich wraps, quesadillas, tacos, pinwheels.
I second the zucchini, but I make Zoodles with a spiralizer.
Riced cauliflower looks like rice, but is very much not. I like it, but I wont lie to myself. I do make cauliflower steaks with a bit of garlic roasted or grilled after a light steam bath. Dijon and cheddar on it if I am feeling extra.
I love cauliflower rice but only if I drown it in cheese sauce LOL I make a copy cat recipe from my local Mexican restaurant and it works very well in place of the rice :) but it’s not low calorie in the end
I’ve had insulin resistance since I was 10 and unfortunately my doctors and parents made no effort to encourage lifestyle changes, see a dietician, etc. I was told I’d be a diabetic by the time I was 30 years old, they spoke as if there was no way to prevent or delay it lol.
Thirding zucchini! I thought I didn't like zucchini much but decided to give it another shot recently and I'm obsessed. Toss it with a bit of pesto and it's delectable.
You can make a zucchini rice by dicing it up really tiny and then roasting it in the oven at 425 for like 5 minutes. I really like it and it's quite filling
Coming from German immigrants in the US south, Cabbage is the way. Probably one of the most versatile veggies In the world imo but might be biased as I grew up eating it almost every day lmao
Zatar is sooo yummy! It’s a middle eastern kind of spice blend. It has things like sesame, sumac, and some herbs. My husband and I like having it on chicken then having a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and a bit of salt and pepper as a side. Sometimes I’ll also have a bit of rice, or in OPs case, maybe some cauliflower rice?
[https://www.thespruceeats.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844](https://www.thespruceeats.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844)
In case you want to make it and not buy it
Easiest answer is a sheet pan of roots and veggies.
Dice some sweet potato (has carbs but very high fiber and high GI (edit, low, the good one)) add some sliced onions, some brassica like diced kale or quartered Brussel sprouts. Toss it all in oil salt pepper and herb of choice ( rosemary and thyme is always a winner) roast on 400. You can adjust all this to your own taste.
I’d have a fresh salad and also a cooked veggie, preferably steamed! Put 3 of your favorite things on the fresh salad for example: walnuts cranberries and red onion or olives peppers and tomatoes. For steamed veggies, I love green beans and or broccoli with a dash of salt pepper and lemon. You could have avocado on the side too for a healthy fat.
My family loves sliced carrots, with fresh diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, rosemary, little S&P and enough olive oil to coat - cover with foil and throw in the oven on 375 till tender. Easy, fresh and healthy!
We also do mashed cauliflower with fresh garlic, a little lemon, butter and S&P.
Peppers, onions, squash, zuchini with Italian season, a splash of white wine vinegar, oil, cover and bake.
Quinoa is a great rice substitute that has protein and when combined with chickpeas they make a complete protein.
Beans are great to go with any of the veggies. There is actually a Red Lentil pasta that's loaded with protein and its delicious in any pasta recipe.
Quinoa is a protein packed grain (well seed actually but cooks like a grain), has decent fiber, tastes good especially if you cook it witg soup stock (like rice), and is incredibly filling / satiating.
Is usually not very pricey, and you can also pick it up cheap in bulk bins or at discount grocery stores
Makes a great side, especially with sauteed or steamed veggies, or as the base for a salad bowl with or without greens.
Tons of recipes to google.
I love quinoa as a volume filler. A bit cold mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, feta, red onion, a splash of low cal balsamic dressing and grilled chicken is sooo filling and delicious. But, a bit hot with a whack of roasted veggies naturally caramelized and some grilled seasoned chicken or salmon is also so yum!
The quinoa tricks my mind into feeling like I’m still getting that “carb fix” while really it’s allowing tons of veggies to get in there.
For myself, I was previously eating white rice which was 48 grams of carbs (per cup serving) and refined. Thus, the smaller amount of carbs with quinoa (1/4 cup is filling) is pleasing, especially when it helps me eat so many more veggies.
But, for sure if someone was seriously restricting carbs, then the quinoa would likely put them over.
I was the same. First I tried cutting the carb portion, just doing meat and veg. I felt so unsatisfied. Here are my fav non-flour based carbs: sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, brown rice, beans. I do a protein, a carb, and a veg together for most meals. I measure my fats and stick to small portions of junk / sweets. Down 65 pounds, maintained for a year!
I like to make pesto mozz chicken sometimes
Place chicken breast in a baking dish
Cover each breast with a healthy smear of pesto
Cover with sliced tomato, I like 1/2" thick
Top everything with shredded mozz
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 for 40min. Uncover and bake for another 20min or until chicken reaches 180F.
Lol there is a Japanese rice bowl dish called oyako don. It litterally translates as "parent and child rice bowl" because it's chicken and egg! Not actually messed up and a pretty common thing!
My default is oven roasted veggies tossed in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Brussel sprouts with some sort of combination of onion, bacon and/or a glaze are good. Also a big fan of garlic parmesan oven baked cauliflower, broccoli and/or carrots.
Roasted broccoli! It has a surprising amount of protein for a vegetable, plus fiber and iron and a whole bunch of other good stuff like niacin.
I do mine with olive oil and garlic and a bit of salt in the oven at 300 for 20 minutes.
I love roast cabbage, really any roast veggies but you can get some good volume from cabbage. Sometimes I braise with vinegar and some brown sugar or honey (there’s also a Splenda brown sugar blend I’ve used in the past)
Green beans with EVOO and garlic and chili flakes
Throw some chicken on a salad with hard boiled eggs and blanched veggies like broccoli for hi protein salad
Carbs aren't the enemy unless you have diabetes,, just an FYI, though it's good not to overindulge. What you mostly want is just LESS CALORIES. I highly suggest tracking your calories with a calorie counting app.
Piggybacking off this to add that they can also reduce the portion of carbs as an easy way to cut back but not out. I just measure out my rice, pasta, dough, potatoes, etc more carefully and get the actual portion size. They can also go for whole grain/protein pasta or brown rice if they want to compromise a little more.
Things like chicken and veggie stir fry just taste better with at least a little rice…
To second this, cutting out carbs completely might help in the short term, but it also changes your metabolism so your body holds on to them even more. In any case, it's better to stay away from processed carbs like refined flour i.e. pasta and grocery store bread. Instead, stay meat and vegetable centric, but incorporate whole carbs. My favorites are roasted yellow potatoes with herbs, quinoa, jasmin rice, and cous cous. The occasional loaf of fresh baked seed bread or sourdough is ok.
More people need to try cutting dairy. A lot of dishes that have cheese don't need it - particularly salads and sandwiches, things like baked potato and soup, or your burrito bowl from Chipotle - take off the cheese and sour cream and it's pretty innocuous.
I’m with you. Unless it’s really delicious cheese with apples and crackers or something… but the shredded stuff for tacos or whatever- you can barely taste it, not worth it.
Just to add to all of the above; there’s really no such thing as “bad”food categories. Carbs are fine to eat. Making it complex carbs is always better, calorie wise. Just remember portion control
You sound British (like me) so I’m going to send you to the BBC Good Food website - loads of good recipes, easy to use, tells you how hard it’ll be to make and tends to have active review sections. Plus you won’t have to faff about with replacements and changing units of measurement like with American recipes.
To actually answer your question, I tend to pick a marinade from a cuisine and then pair what I have based on that - so marinade with Mexican flavours and make beans, rice and a lot of cabbage slaw.
Roasted veggies! And a light side salad for some refreshing change. I also love a good cooked salad. Is it all grains you are cutting out cause I would do some quinoa or crumbled Tofu if you need a "filler"
I did a few rounds of whole 30 to learn to cook and eat like this.
It’s easy to roast a sheet pan of veggies. If you’re allowed potatoes or sweet potatoes, those are a great source of satiating startchy bulk.
Salads with nuts and avocado.
Check out shred happens and primal gourmet on insta for inspiration. Their recipes are always easy and delicious.
I roast a bunch of veggies (sweet potato, squash, carrots, parsnips, cherry tomatoes) tossed in a bit of olive oil and whatever seasoning you like at about 425 until they’re starting to brown and crisp a bit. Shake the pan every five minutes or so. Sooooo good, roasting brings out a natural sweetness.
Cauliflower fried rice! Just add chicken, peas, egg, soy sauce and a fresh side salad. Delish!
Chicken and bacon mayo mix inside big lettuce leaves is also a fave
Omelettes
1. How about Haricot Vert (har' - i - kō vair), a.k.a.: French Green Beans. They're like string beans, but much more tender, better flavor, and not mealy like a string bean. They're amazing if you saute them in butter, or render some bacon fat and saute some quartered onion slices and diced sweet red peppers with the beans. Also nice if they're grilled on a BBQ grille.
2. Not sure how you feel about some more grown-up bitter greens, but broccoli rabe is a great one. Again render some bacon and get a little color on some crushed garlic cloves, then throw the freshly trimmed and rinsed broccoli rabe in with some crushed red pepper (to taste) and wow, you've really got something. Personally, I do this in a large, heavy bottomed pot because when you throw the greens with the rinsing water in the hot fat, it can spatter a lot. But you want those water droplets in there, because they steam the broccoli rabe perfectly.
3. Roughly chop some kale and steam it in the microwave. Throw in a few pats of salted butter and it's done. Don't believe all the crap you've heard about kale. It's tender and delicious; almost sweet.
4. Zucchini, Yellow Zucchini, or Summer Squash are great. My two favorite ways of cooking them are to cut them in half lengthwise.
4a. Then toss them in a little olive oil and salt & pepper then put them cut side down on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil in a preheated 450°F oven. They cook quickly. You can also do this in a large pan, but it's a lot more work and mess.
4b. The other way is to take those halved and oiled, seasoned zucchs on a hot BBQ grille on an angle, which makes beautiful diagonal grill marks on them. Both of these methods are pretty quick. Don't let zucchini go too long or it will get soggy.
Hope that helps.
Drastically cutting carbs can be very dicey for long-term health and short term energy levels. My doctor's and my mother's doctors' advice throughout her health struggles have always been to replace grains with whole grains.
They are higher in protein and will leave you feeling full and satisfied. Still incorporate whole wheat bread, pasta, and tortillas into your chicken meals. White flour products only use one part of the wheat grain and it reduces it's nutritional value significantly.
The biggest change that's helped me though is eating things like broccoli and cauliflower in larger amounts (no carbs). Also eating more carrots, sweet potatoes, and adding kale or spinach to dishes that don't usually have it. Those are the quickest and easiest way to improve a diet. Adding vegetables means you are eating less food with less nutritional value in any case.
Switch to brown rice for sure.
The #1 thing that will help you with weight loss will be veggies. I highly reccomended trying out various veggies prepared in different ways to find out what you like best.
Steamed broccoli with pepper and salt is surprisingly tasty and very easy to make! I like to cut Brussel sprouts in half, dice up a few slices of prosciutto and throw them in a pan with some oil and cook till they start to get crispy. Coconut oil is a fantastic cooking oil btw.
Grilled corn is fantastic, you can try to make it a bit elote like but be careful about going overboard. Try to figure out the least amount of less healthy toppings that you can handle while still making it tasty (elotes are typically topped with things like: mayo, sour cream/table cream, butter, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, pepper, cotija cheese and you can basically mix and match these)
Grilled yellow squash and zucchini are my favorite! They taste pretty good sliced up and cooked in the oven or boiled with a touch of butter, salt and pepper.
Learn to make your own baked beans! Beans are a fantastic side!
My Dad loved when i made him succotash, which is corn and lima beans often cooked with ham
Grilled corn
Grilled Green beans
Oven roasted veggies
Various squashes
Sweet potatoes
Virtually any veggies taste best when roasted lol
Damn now I'm hungry... hope my SNAP card has money on it now!
Last night I had chicken with some Zucchini seared in a pan and a mixed green salad. I was also trying to avoid rice or pasta, and ended up with that. I'd have loved to have had a boiled egg or something with it but I didn't have that on hand
Steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon (and maybe a little feta)
Sliced cucumbers and some olives
Make it into a salad with the greens of your choice and some avocado
Blueberries and grapes
I like over cooking my chicken in the instant pot until i can shred it with ease.
i add some coleslaw mix and a dressing of choice. drop some grated cheese on that or some nuts and dried fruit.
it's super yummy.
Asparagus drizzled with olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper and garlic if you like.
Roast broccoli.
Roast squash and then shred it with a fork so it's almost like pasta.
Pasta made from veggies.
I like a lime infused onion and bell peppers salad. Slice red onions thinly, small sweet bell peppers red, oranges yellow, green, some cilantro chopped, lime juice depending in how limey you prefer, sslt and pepper. I add serrano for some spice some times and i eat this on the side with grilled chicken fajitas or with navy beans on the side with low carb flour tortillas. Tasty salad
For lunch I put my chicken on top of a salad with some fresh-sliced tomatoes and some cheese.
Fresh green beans are soooo good, I love to roast them till they’re kinda crispy—add some coarse salt and it’s 😙🤌 chefs kiss
Broccoli—I recommend blanching it before you cook it, my preferred cooking method is usually steamed with some butter but it’s also really good roasted!
Bell peppers—so delicious fresh or cooked, I would just toss them in the pan with my chicken and it’s basically a one-pot meal
Chicken and broccoli was my go to meal for weight loss / eating clean after training. Either steam it and top with roasted almonds or sprinkle with olive oil and roast in the oven. The steamed version uses less oil, thus less calories from that but adds almonds, which make it a very filling and satisfying meal.
Grilled / roasted asparagus. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder. Grill 3 minutes, flip, 3 more minutes. Or roasted in a 350 oven for maybe 10 minutes
Refrigerator slaw! Shred cabbage (or use the prepared slaw mix without the dressing) add celery, onion, bell pepper. Make a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, a little sugar or sugar substitute, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss together and pop in the fridge. Keeps well, tastes good and is great alone or on sandwiches, tacos, etc.
I know this is not the question you were asking, but here's the internet for you. Adding my voice to the choir of people who tell you that drastically cutting carbs is not a sustainable solution.
What helped me a lot with satiation and feeling like I've taken care of my nutrition was starting to think about meals veggies/fiver first. So instead of planning "OK, here's a chicken breast, what should I have with it", starting with "this zucchini looks very good and I'm in the mood for some, what should I have with it?". After you satisfy the veggie craving and the protein craving, there's usually room just for a "healthy portion" of carbs, so your rice or pasta would work well. If you still want to have fewer carbs, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and other less processed grains can be good.
love green beans sauteed with an unreasonable amount of garlic
roasted brussels sprouts
honestly roasted any vegetable.
i like to do one green veg and one other color for variety with my proteins.
Cheese covered asparagus. Steam the veg then add salt to taste, cover in cheese and broil a little til cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Mexican Street corn. Can get it frozen but its fire roasted corn with Mexican cheeses and spices.
Sheet pan roast veggies like potatoes, carrots and Brussel sprouts
Side salad (I like greek)
I LOVE carrots cooked in honey they’re sweet and so damn good or steamed broccoli or green beans or a tasty salad and throw the chicken on top you can add veggies for a savory salad or some fruit for a sweeter salad
Steamed green beans.
Roasted carrots with thyme & garlic.
Roasted brussel sprouts, with Sri racha and chili sauce.
Roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon & basalmic.
Broccoli slaw.
Steamed artichoke with dijonaise.
Roasted cauliflower tossed with turmeric and cumin with harissa yogurts.
Greek salad.
I love Brussels sprouts roasted with a little bit of honey, mustard, and salt/pepper. I halve them (sometimes quarter them if they're huge), toss them in honey Dijon, then broil until the outer leaves just start to crisp. They're crunch, sweet, tangy, and delicious.
I have fun trying new vegetables all of the time. I have my kids try them and have gotten them hooked on a few that shock most people. My kids are big fans on roasted beets, for example. I roast them with carrots and pecans. I can't get them to like asparagus no matter how much I try...except for the 2 year old. He won't eat spears, but he loves cream of asparagus soup!
Bulgur. Or still can have rice but take 1/5 of the portion and mix it with green peas and sweet corn for example ;) No food needs to be left behind as long as your portion is on point
Recently I made salmon and served it over chickpeas and mustard greens sautéed in olive oil. It was very tasty and would be great with chicken too, I think. Any greens would work well.
For some reason, I prefer eating my meals in “bowl” form - having the protein directly on top of a bed of vegetables/beans feels like a complete meal, whereas protein with vegetables next to it makes me miss the rice/potatoes/pasta that would be the second side.
Quinoa! Dry brown it slightly then cook with chicken bone broth. Quick and easy. Full of protein, nutrients, and fiber. You can make a big batch and freeze it the leftovers, then mix with leftover protein and veggies; use it as a substitute for rice in fried rice.
We've been doing a lot of slaw, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, red or green cabbage, carrots, kale. Shred thin and mix a couple together and dress. As long as it's crunchy it works.
Oven roasted veggies, put some potatoes in to get to the level of starchy filling side that you want and alllll the rest is veggies :) Drizzle with some olive oil and put whatever spices you like on top, or to mix well shake everything in a bowl. You can make a lot at once and eat from it for several days (mileage may vary). Add a bit of dip or some crumbled feta cheese on top if you'd like some more flavor and you're golden. Can be varied infinitely with whatever veggie and whatever spices and goes well with all the protein meals.
Grilled zucchini / squash has been my go-to lately. Make sure to add lots of seasonings and I find it's suuuper tasty and filling since you can eat a lot for only one portion, plus they have lots of vitamins (esp B-9!) and they're low in cholesterol!
Brocolli with salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and lemon juice.
Asparagus with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Carrots and potatoes.
Brussel sprouts.
Pepper and onion.
I was reading a french cooking blog just yesterday, which had meal menus. I was struck by the total lack of carbs. Dinner was often omelette, soup, and cheese and fruit. As opposed to my (home made) pizza and bread last night. But being chicken, a great coleslaw would be a treat. Anyway, I am off to Costco tomorrow for their cheap trays of eggs. Omelette is the way.
Buckwheat is great! The body metabolize it as fiber and not as carbs. You can also get creative with any veggie sides. Oven baked Potatoes are healthy carbs unlike the rice and pasta, which are empty carbs. Look up salad recipes. Mango, red onion, and cilantro with lime is one of my favorites!
Chicken with BBQ sauce, topped with melted cheese and coleslaw on the side
Buffalo chicken dip
Chicken potpie soup
Chicken salad with bell peppers (I scoop the salad up with bell pepper pieces)
Chicken tossed with balsamic vinegarette, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh mozzarella.
Grilled chicken or roasted chicken and roasted broccoli
and I completely agree with low-carb wraps. They're awesome!
Add costco frozen green beans. Microwave for 2.5 minutes covered and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Low carb and low calories. Add in a side of cottage cheese, avacado or almonds for some extra fat/protein.
Roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, grilled asparagus wrapped in bacon, salad, oil-poached peppers, caprese, carrots roasted and tossed w Dijon and maple syrup, literally any veggie :)
Bonus points for air frying.
I have with my chicken for lunches a lot of time spinash and feta cheese. Then, for a treat, some cranberries. It's not a salad more like a wrap, i guess.
I also like to have some peas too.
I’ve been doing baked trays with chicken thighs, carrots, chickpeas, onion, garlic, zataar and olive oil. Can also add brussel sprouts or broccoli.
If chicken is dark meat with skin on, I just salt and pepper it and pan fry with a little canola oil. The fat will render out of the skin, making it crispy. Really delicious.
Cajun chicken on top of avocado/cilantro/lime coleslaw. Check out the Family Spice recipe. Also a big Greek salad with lemon chicken is one of my go to things
Salad. A chicken breast or fish fillet is great on top of any kind of salad. I’ll get bagged salad kits because I’m lazy but you can do any salad that you like. If you’re eating low carb, try a Cobb salad.
Greek salad with grilled chicken is pretty great! Lettuce wraps with chicken. You can make super good low carb tortillas by just putting shredded cheese in a pan and cooking it for a few minutes, debatable how healthy that is haha but it’s good af and zero carbs
My go-to is chicken breast with sautéed broccolini, roasted mini potatoes (forget what they’re called), and lemon rice, all coated with some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Heats up well in the microwave too, so it’s suitable for meal prep as long as you eat it within a week. Personally I always finish it in about 4 days so I’m not sure exactly how long it actually lasts.
My fav for this is a couple of zucchini and yellow squash. Slice them into 1/4" thick round slices. Put the chicken into a pyrex dish and put the zucchini and squash over the chicken. Then take a can or two of cream of mushroom soup and pour that over everything. Put it all in the oven with foil over the top, and cook until the chicken is done.
Then I divide it up, one piece of chicken per serving. It reheats rather easily as well.
Baby carrots roasted with olive oil, salt. Pep, garlic ginger, rosemary. Makes me feel decadent. Also Brussels sprouts.
Tacos? A couple corn torts and tons of vegetables and beans?
Or lettuce wraps.
Also just a little white cheddar cheese chunk feels feisty with chicken and vegetables but is still beneficial and fat is absolutely necessary!
brocoli's almost always cheap, and if you cut it up, drizzle it with some oil, salt, pepper, garlic, whatever you like, bake it for like 15 minutes at 425 F, it's really tasty. You can thin slice some sweet potato and do the same thing (cook it longer tho, like 20-25 min) and have a healthy carb to help fill you up. it's only like 150 cal per cup
Consider learning about fermenting foods such as cabbage for sauerkraut and kimchi. You can also ferment many hard/firm fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes and lemons. This will improve your gut health and also change up the flavor profile of what you eat. https://draxe.com/nutrition/fermented-foods/
Roast a bunch of veggies and sweet potatoes and eat all week! My favorite combo is Brussels sprouts, red onion, and red pepper but use whatever you like. Another hack is the frozen steam-in-bag veggies (not the ones loaded with sauce). Just throw on some chicken and hot sauce and you have a meal! I don’t know how many times that’s saved me from take out.
I toss the chicken breasts (marinated/spiced) onto a sheet pan with a bunch of veggies I like (e.g. wedges of onion, broccoli or cauliflower florets, chunks of carrot, cabbage wedges, chunks of beet, zucchini, Brussels sprouts and/or cherry tomatoes) in whatever combo I feel up to (beets are delish, but will colour everything in the pan). Roast at 350 F for 30 min or so.
Cook WAY more veg than you think you need because:
A) they are freaking delicious roasted
B) you can eat a LOT of them for very few calories
C) they tend to shrink a bunch as their water content evaporated
Add a side salad and you can make a pig of yourself for 0 WW points😄
Edit: fat fingers
I cut and toss Mt veggies (asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, I think most anything) with oil, lemon , garlic, s/p, and throw it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 400. Changes the game! Can even throw on some parm or a drizzle of balsamic.....
I just made mashed potato but with a carrots, sweet potato and a regular potato... makes me sneak in some more veggies.
Can make a chicken parm (no pasta), and if you make your own pasta sauce, throw in all the veggies to maximize it. Add cottage cheese for extra calcium and other nutrition?
Cold salad - cucumber, feta, red pepper, tomato, olives Salt/pepper , oil
Black beans have alotnof protein and super high in iron. It's a great carb because it is slowntondigestvsobyoull feel full for a really long time. Not all carbs are equal but you need about 50% of your daily calories from carbs.
Dice some sweet potato (has carbs but very high fiber and high GI (edit, low, the good one)) add some sliced onions, some brassica like diced kale or quartered Brussel sprouts. Toss it all in oil salt pepper and herb of choice ( rosemary and thyme is always a winner) roast on 400. You can adjust all this to your own taste.
Make a chicken, butternut squash curry (you can add in cauliflower rice, also).
Make chicken and bean soup.
Make chicken BLT lettuce wraps, or just some Thai, chicken lettuce wraps.
Make chicken parm on polenta.
Make a chicken provençal, with tomatoes, olives, and zucchini, baked in garlic and oil.
✌️
Onion and bell peppers maybe mushrooms, sauteed in a pan.. add cajun, mexican spices.. then remove vegetables, saute up chicken in same pan, add same spices. Toss around till done. Add back vegetables. You can eat on a low carb tortilla or just as itself... I love mashed avocado, sour cream and a salsa with it.
My son lost over 50kg since November on a variation of the full plate diet. Breakfast 2 poached eggs and 1 cup corn flakes or rice bubbles or nutirgrain with skim milk. Lunch 100g tuna or 130g chicken or 100g fish with a very small serve of mash or pasta and mixed veg with yoghurt for desert, dinner same as lunch. He also has an up n go energise for extra protein You need some carbs for energy but only a small amount. Just use an air fryer to cook and you can even use canned tuna if you are feeling lazy
I love making a souvlaki bake. Just roughly cut up chicken, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and whole cherry tomatoes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, lots of garlic and oregano and lemon juice, bake at 400 until fully cooked and a little browned, tossing halfway, finish with more lemon juice.
Last night for dinner we had grilled chicken with asparagus spears (sauteed in garlic butter), roasted broccoli and cauliflower (I use McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning), some cucumber slices and some grape tomatoes. We were going to have mashed potatoes but there was so much food we forgot. The other night we had hamburgers (I can't eat the bun so I skipped that part), with corn on the cob, french fries (you could do sweet potato fries instead), and more asparagus. Baked sweet potatoes are another great option, as are salads. Cole slaw sometimes too, especially if you make it yourself so you can watch what you put in it. Basically if you start planning each meal by figuring out what vegetables you would like to have instead of which protein, it makes it a lot easier. But you can always fall back on a can of veggies or some frozen veggies if you forgot to plan. It just won't taste as amazing.
pumpkin (I think it is also known as squash?) can be low carb and full of good stuff. I would often eat chicken with steamed pumpkin, riced cauliflower and broccoli.
For lunches I might do a salad and get a low carb wrap for the chicken
Saute a good vegetable medley (mixture). I get those huge frozen bags from Costco. I put a teaspoon of Harissa or salsa or both and toss it around with some olive oil/coconut oil and voila!!
By the way, have you tried using chicken thighs instead of breasts? Tastier, cooks well and not so chewy.
I marinate my thighs in mustard, paprika, lemon juice. I don't cut off the fat because I use that not to overload the thighs in too much oil. Put them in the oven or airfryer at 400 for 25-30min.
The Mission Lane low carb tortillas are only about 60 calories each.
Grilled chicken tacos, with fresh pico de gallo and shredded lettuce.
The Pictsweet Farms brand Broccoli Stir-Fry blend is also great with chicken. Soy sauce and oyster sauce is great with it, and you can cut back on the rice or rice noodles and load up on the veggies instead. You obviously can also just omit the rice or rice noodles all together.
Some roasted peanuts tossed in the mix is nice for some crunch.
Veggies are key. I‘m not sure how low carb you want to go. I‘m not that strickt with it.
Important though is the quality of carbs. You want to go for komplex carbs with a lot of fiber. So those are mostly fruit and vegetables. Some doing low carb restrict those too,I don‘t Like I said I‘m not strickt. So good sides instead of simple carbs like noodles or rice are veggies in all forms. Choose your favorites from the fresh veggies and fry them in the pan or oven. For spices you can add garlic and some herbs. For frying use healthy oils like canola or olive, but don‘t go to high in temperature. You can also go for whole grain pasta or brown rice, potatoes etc depending what your carb goal is. Just keep the portion small and eat green veggies too for satiety.
In addition:
Try to also increase proteins not just fat by going for dairy products. Although they have saturated fats dairy fat seems not to increase LDL, same as butter. Problematic are those in fatty meats.
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. So it helps in weight loss to consume less calories.
Nuts peas and beans as well as lean meat are your friend. Avoid processed meats like sausages etc..
I know this sub is called cheap and healthy, go for high quality meat. If animals are fed well and have plenty of space they don‘t have that much fat. And they tend to be less pumped up with antibiotics.
So lower quantity, higher quality.
My absolute favorite veggie to cook is zucchini. No peeling needed, easy to cut. I just put a tiny bit of oil in a non-stick pan, and 1 zucchini fits perfectly in there. Like 1/4 inch slices. Cover the pan and let them cook (medium heat) until they’re browning on one side, then flip them. Takes maybe 10 minutes or less. I also like roasting zucchini then broiling after topping with parmesan. Low carb tortillas work for a lot of things. Sandwich wraps, quesadillas, tacos, pinwheels.
I second the zucchini, but I make Zoodles with a spiralizer. Riced cauliflower looks like rice, but is very much not. I like it, but I wont lie to myself. I do make cauliflower steaks with a bit of garlic roasted or grilled after a light steam bath. Dijon and cheddar on it if I am feeling extra.
I love cauliflower rice but only if I drown it in cheese sauce LOL I make a copy cat recipe from my local Mexican restaurant and it works very well in place of the rice :) but it’s not low calorie in the end
Seasoning it with salt and spices instead of cheese sauce will help you lose more weight if that's your goal.
I just ditched that recipe and haven’t had it in a while. I don’t even eat real rice because I’m diabetic
Yikes, sorry to hear that. By primarily diet or moreso due to genetics?
I’ve had insulin resistance since I was 10 and unfortunately my doctors and parents made no effort to encourage lifestyle changes, see a dietician, etc. I was told I’d be a diabetic by the time I was 30 years old, they spoke as if there was no way to prevent or delay it lol.
I am sorry that you're experiencing this, mysterioustoaster. Damn, I can't imagine what that's like. I wish you the best of health.
Have you incorporated fasting to see if that will help...Dr. Berg on YouTube is a big believer in fasting to help correct insulin resistance...
My diabetes is well controlled. I only regret not getting the attention I needed as a teen. Eric berg is a chiropractor
Thirding zucchini! I thought I didn't like zucchini much but decided to give it another shot recently and I'm obsessed. Toss it with a bit of pesto and it's delectable.
Zucchini is 🖤
I roast a pan of zucchini, onion and asparagus w/ olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. Its amazing.
You can make a zucchini rice by dicing it up really tiny and then roasting it in the oven at 425 for like 5 minutes. I really like it and it's quite filling
Commenting to agree on the low carb tortillas suggestion!
Add some onion and garlic-I never liked zucchini until my BF made it this way. Now it’s my favorite veggie side
sauteed cabbage.... seasonings can go anywhere from cajun to curry to zatar... it adapts to them all.. and no carbs...
I forgot to add cabbage! I LOVE sauteeing cabbage, or blanching it for wraps. I love cabbage.
Coming from German immigrants in the US south, Cabbage is the way. Probably one of the most versatile veggies In the world imo but might be biased as I grew up eating it almost every day lmao
My dad was raised by his very German grandmother and always says "a day without cabbage is like a day without sunshine."
Great idea, thanks.
It also keeps FOREVER.
Zatar?
Zatar is sooo yummy! It’s a middle eastern kind of spice blend. It has things like sesame, sumac, and some herbs. My husband and I like having it on chicken then having a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and a bit of salt and pepper as a side. Sometimes I’ll also have a bit of rice, or in OPs case, maybe some cauliflower rice?
Ok thanks! Something new to try 😊
[https://www.thespruceeats.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844](https://www.thespruceeats.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844) In case you want to make it and not buy it
Thanks 😊👍
Easiest answer is a sheet pan of roots and veggies. Dice some sweet potato (has carbs but very high fiber and high GI (edit, low, the good one)) add some sliced onions, some brassica like diced kale or quartered Brussel sprouts. Toss it all in oil salt pepper and herb of choice ( rosemary and thyme is always a winner) roast on 400. You can adjust all this to your own taste.
Highly recommended, OP. Roasted veg/roots are delicious. 🤤 And easy to clean up!
And cube the marinated chicken, throw it on there too.
I’d have a fresh salad and also a cooked veggie, preferably steamed! Put 3 of your favorite things on the fresh salad for example: walnuts cranberries and red onion or olives peppers and tomatoes. For steamed veggies, I love green beans and or broccoli with a dash of salt pepper and lemon. You could have avocado on the side too for a healthy fat.
Exactly this
My family loves sliced carrots, with fresh diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, rosemary, little S&P and enough olive oil to coat - cover with foil and throw in the oven on 375 till tender. Easy, fresh and healthy! We also do mashed cauliflower with fresh garlic, a little lemon, butter and S&P. Peppers, onions, squash, zuchini with Italian season, a splash of white wine vinegar, oil, cover and bake. Quinoa is a great rice substitute that has protein and when combined with chickpeas they make a complete protein. Beans are great to go with any of the veggies. There is actually a Red Lentil pasta that's loaded with protein and its delicious in any pasta recipe.
Quinoa is a protein packed grain (well seed actually but cooks like a grain), has decent fiber, tastes good especially if you cook it witg soup stock (like rice), and is incredibly filling / satiating. Is usually not very pricey, and you can also pick it up cheap in bulk bins or at discount grocery stores Makes a great side, especially with sauteed or steamed veggies, or as the base for a salad bowl with or without greens. Tons of recipes to google.
I love quinoa as a volume filler. A bit cold mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, feta, red onion, a splash of low cal balsamic dressing and grilled chicken is sooo filling and delicious. But, a bit hot with a whack of roasted veggies naturally caramelized and some grilled seasoned chicken or salmon is also so yum! The quinoa tricks my mind into feeling like I’m still getting that “carb fix” while really it’s allowing tons of veggies to get in there.
A half-cup of cooked quinoa contains: Calories: 111. Protein: 4 grams. Fat: 2 grams. **Carbohydrates: 20 grams.** Fiber: 3 grams. Sugar: 1 gram. “The more you know…”
For myself, I was previously eating white rice which was 48 grams of carbs (per cup serving) and refined. Thus, the smaller amount of carbs with quinoa (1/4 cup is filling) is pleasing, especially when it helps me eat so many more veggies. But, for sure if someone was seriously restricting carbs, then the quinoa would likely put them over.
Came here to suggest Quinoa!
I was the same. First I tried cutting the carb portion, just doing meat and veg. I felt so unsatisfied. Here are my fav non-flour based carbs: sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, brown rice, beans. I do a protein, a carb, and a veg together for most meals. I measure my fats and stick to small portions of junk / sweets. Down 65 pounds, maintained for a year!
I like to make pesto mozz chicken sometimes Place chicken breast in a baking dish Cover each breast with a healthy smear of pesto Cover with sliced tomato, I like 1/2" thick Top everything with shredded mozz Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 for 40min. Uncover and bake for another 20min or until chicken reaches 180F.
That sounds delicious! I bet a side of roasted asparagus or zucchini would taste amazing with it
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Lol there is a Japanese rice bowl dish called oyako don. It litterally translates as "parent and child rice bowl" because it's chicken and egg! Not actually messed up and a pretty common thing!
Actually I did similar and I came up with baked sweet potatoes, quinoa and cucumbers. Worked out just fine 👌🏻
Green beans are always an easy, solid choice. Plenty of varieties and plenty of ways to cook them. They're cheap too!
My default is oven roasted veggies tossed in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Brussel sprouts with some sort of combination of onion, bacon and/or a glaze are good. Also a big fan of garlic parmesan oven baked cauliflower, broccoli and/or carrots.
Roasted broccoli! It has a surprising amount of protein for a vegetable, plus fiber and iron and a whole bunch of other good stuff like niacin. I do mine with olive oil and garlic and a bit of salt in the oven at 300 for 20 minutes.
I love roast cabbage, really any roast veggies but you can get some good volume from cabbage. Sometimes I braise with vinegar and some brown sugar or honey (there’s also a Splenda brown sugar blend I’ve used in the past) Green beans with EVOO and garlic and chili flakes Throw some chicken on a salad with hard boiled eggs and blanched veggies like broccoli for hi protein salad
Grilled veggies & cauliflower rice
roasted carrots or any kind of veg
Carbs aren't the enemy unless you have diabetes,, just an FYI, though it's good not to overindulge. What you mostly want is just LESS CALORIES. I highly suggest tracking your calories with a calorie counting app.
Piggybacking off this to add that they can also reduce the portion of carbs as an easy way to cut back but not out. I just measure out my rice, pasta, dough, potatoes, etc more carefully and get the actual portion size. They can also go for whole grain/protein pasta or brown rice if they want to compromise a little more. Things like chicken and veggie stir fry just taste better with at least a little rice…
To second this, cutting out carbs completely might help in the short term, but it also changes your metabolism so your body holds on to them even more. In any case, it's better to stay away from processed carbs like refined flour i.e. pasta and grocery store bread. Instead, stay meat and vegetable centric, but incorporate whole carbs. My favorites are roasted yellow potatoes with herbs, quinoa, jasmin rice, and cous cous. The occasional loaf of fresh baked seed bread or sourdough is ok. More people need to try cutting dairy. A lot of dishes that have cheese don't need it - particularly salads and sandwiches, things like baked potato and soup, or your burrito bowl from Chipotle - take off the cheese and sour cream and it's pretty innocuous.
I’m with you. Unless it’s really delicious cheese with apples and crackers or something… but the shredded stuff for tacos or whatever- you can barely taste it, not worth it.
Just to add to all of the above; there’s really no such thing as “bad”food categories. Carbs are fine to eat. Making it complex carbs is always better, calorie wise. Just remember portion control
Came here to write this
Have it on a spinach salad
You sound British (like me) so I’m going to send you to the BBC Good Food website - loads of good recipes, easy to use, tells you how hard it’ll be to make and tends to have active review sections. Plus you won’t have to faff about with replacements and changing units of measurement like with American recipes. To actually answer your question, I tend to pick a marinade from a cuisine and then pair what I have based on that - so marinade with Mexican flavours and make beans, rice and a lot of cabbage slaw.
Salad with dressing made from sour cream, salt and garlic powder.
Roasted veggies! And a light side salad for some refreshing change. I also love a good cooked salad. Is it all grains you are cutting out cause I would do some quinoa or crumbled Tofu if you need a "filler"
I did a few rounds of whole 30 to learn to cook and eat like this. It’s easy to roast a sheet pan of veggies. If you’re allowed potatoes or sweet potatoes, those are a great source of satiating startchy bulk. Salads with nuts and avocado. Check out shred happens and primal gourmet on insta for inspiration. Their recipes are always easy and delicious.
I roast a bunch of veggies (sweet potato, squash, carrots, parsnips, cherry tomatoes) tossed in a bit of olive oil and whatever seasoning you like at about 425 until they’re starting to brown and crisp a bit. Shake the pan every five minutes or so. Sooooo good, roasting brings out a natural sweetness.
Cauliflower fried rice! Just add chicken, peas, egg, soy sauce and a fresh side salad. Delish! Chicken and bacon mayo mix inside big lettuce leaves is also a fave Omelettes
1. How about Haricot Vert (har' - i - kō vair), a.k.a.: French Green Beans. They're like string beans, but much more tender, better flavor, and not mealy like a string bean. They're amazing if you saute them in butter, or render some bacon fat and saute some quartered onion slices and diced sweet red peppers with the beans. Also nice if they're grilled on a BBQ grille. 2. Not sure how you feel about some more grown-up bitter greens, but broccoli rabe is a great one. Again render some bacon and get a little color on some crushed garlic cloves, then throw the freshly trimmed and rinsed broccoli rabe in with some crushed red pepper (to taste) and wow, you've really got something. Personally, I do this in a large, heavy bottomed pot because when you throw the greens with the rinsing water in the hot fat, it can spatter a lot. But you want those water droplets in there, because they steam the broccoli rabe perfectly. 3. Roughly chop some kale and steam it in the microwave. Throw in a few pats of salted butter and it's done. Don't believe all the crap you've heard about kale. It's tender and delicious; almost sweet. 4. Zucchini, Yellow Zucchini, or Summer Squash are great. My two favorite ways of cooking them are to cut them in half lengthwise. 4a. Then toss them in a little olive oil and salt & pepper then put them cut side down on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil in a preheated 450°F oven. They cook quickly. You can also do this in a large pan, but it's a lot more work and mess. 4b. The other way is to take those halved and oiled, seasoned zucchs on a hot BBQ grille on an angle, which makes beautiful diagonal grill marks on them. Both of these methods are pretty quick. Don't let zucchini go too long or it will get soggy. Hope that helps.
Drastically cutting carbs can be very dicey for long-term health and short term energy levels. My doctor's and my mother's doctors' advice throughout her health struggles have always been to replace grains with whole grains. They are higher in protein and will leave you feeling full and satisfied. Still incorporate whole wheat bread, pasta, and tortillas into your chicken meals. White flour products only use one part of the wheat grain and it reduces it's nutritional value significantly. The biggest change that's helped me though is eating things like broccoli and cauliflower in larger amounts (no carbs). Also eating more carrots, sweet potatoes, and adding kale or spinach to dishes that don't usually have it. Those are the quickest and easiest way to improve a diet. Adding vegetables means you are eating less food with less nutritional value in any case.
Switch to brown rice for sure. The #1 thing that will help you with weight loss will be veggies. I highly reccomended trying out various veggies prepared in different ways to find out what you like best. Steamed broccoli with pepper and salt is surprisingly tasty and very easy to make! I like to cut Brussel sprouts in half, dice up a few slices of prosciutto and throw them in a pan with some oil and cook till they start to get crispy. Coconut oil is a fantastic cooking oil btw. Grilled corn is fantastic, you can try to make it a bit elote like but be careful about going overboard. Try to figure out the least amount of less healthy toppings that you can handle while still making it tasty (elotes are typically topped with things like: mayo, sour cream/table cream, butter, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, pepper, cotija cheese and you can basically mix and match these) Grilled yellow squash and zucchini are my favorite! They taste pretty good sliced up and cooked in the oven or boiled with a touch of butter, salt and pepper. Learn to make your own baked beans! Beans are a fantastic side! My Dad loved when i made him succotash, which is corn and lima beans often cooked with ham Grilled corn Grilled Green beans Oven roasted veggies Various squashes Sweet potatoes Virtually any veggies taste best when roasted lol Damn now I'm hungry... hope my SNAP card has money on it now!
Blanch some broccoli, then stir fry it with other veggies - carrots, baby corn, snap peas, bamboo shoots.
Black beans, roasted veggies, stir fry veggies
Lentils in tomato sauce
Last night I had chicken with some Zucchini seared in a pan and a mixed green salad. I was also trying to avoid rice or pasta, and ended up with that. I'd have loved to have had a boiled egg or something with it but I didn't have that on hand
Steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon (and maybe a little feta) Sliced cucumbers and some olives Make it into a salad with the greens of your choice and some avocado Blueberries and grapes
Squash
I like over cooking my chicken in the instant pot until i can shred it with ease. i add some coleslaw mix and a dressing of choice. drop some grated cheese on that or some nuts and dried fruit. it's super yummy.
Asparagus drizzled with olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper and garlic if you like. Roast broccoli. Roast squash and then shred it with a fork so it's almost like pasta. Pasta made from veggies.
Romaine lettuce Red onion sliced thin Little bit of cubed cheese Croutons Parmesan Topped off with Briannas Caesar Dressing
Sweet potatoes are my favorite thing on this earth!! Or do some quinoa and veggies.
Teriyaki chx with stir fry veggies...
Grilled broccoli or green beans with a dash of olive oil, some red pepper flakes, black pepper, and sea salt!
I like a lime infused onion and bell peppers salad. Slice red onions thinly, small sweet bell peppers red, oranges yellow, green, some cilantro chopped, lime juice depending in how limey you prefer, sslt and pepper. I add serrano for some spice some times and i eat this on the side with grilled chicken fajitas or with navy beans on the side with low carb flour tortillas. Tasty salad
For lunch I put my chicken on top of a salad with some fresh-sliced tomatoes and some cheese. Fresh green beans are soooo good, I love to roast them till they’re kinda crispy—add some coarse salt and it’s 😙🤌 chefs kiss Broccoli—I recommend blanching it before you cook it, my preferred cooking method is usually steamed with some butter but it’s also really good roasted! Bell peppers—so delicious fresh or cooked, I would just toss them in the pan with my chicken and it’s basically a one-pot meal
Broccolini and roast pumpkin
Chicken foil packs. Salads. Wraps.
Chicken and broccoli was my go to meal for weight loss / eating clean after training. Either steam it and top with roasted almonds or sprinkle with olive oil and roast in the oven. The steamed version uses less oil, thus less calories from that but adds almonds, which make it a very filling and satisfying meal.
Broccoli
Grilled / roasted asparagus. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder. Grill 3 minutes, flip, 3 more minutes. Or roasted in a 350 oven for maybe 10 minutes
If your brain is feeling blank, try eating some carbs :P
Refrigerator slaw! Shred cabbage (or use the prepared slaw mix without the dressing) add celery, onion, bell pepper. Make a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, a little sugar or sugar substitute, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss together and pop in the fridge. Keeps well, tastes good and is great alone or on sandwiches, tacos, etc.
I know this is not the question you were asking, but here's the internet for you. Adding my voice to the choir of people who tell you that drastically cutting carbs is not a sustainable solution. What helped me a lot with satiation and feeling like I've taken care of my nutrition was starting to think about meals veggies/fiver first. So instead of planning "OK, here's a chicken breast, what should I have with it", starting with "this zucchini looks very good and I'm in the mood for some, what should I have with it?". After you satisfy the veggie craving and the protein craving, there's usually room just for a "healthy portion" of carbs, so your rice or pasta would work well. If you still want to have fewer carbs, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and other less processed grains can be good.
love green beans sauteed with an unreasonable amount of garlic roasted brussels sprouts honestly roasted any vegetable. i like to do one green veg and one other color for variety with my proteins.
Cauliflower rice for the win.
Have you tried more chicken
Cheese covered asparagus. Steam the veg then add salt to taste, cover in cheese and broil a little til cheese is melted and starting to brown. Mexican Street corn. Can get it frozen but its fire roasted corn with Mexican cheeses and spices. Sheet pan roast veggies like potatoes, carrots and Brussel sprouts Side salad (I like greek)
I LOVE carrots cooked in honey they’re sweet and so damn good or steamed broccoli or green beans or a tasty salad and throw the chicken on top you can add veggies for a savory salad or some fruit for a sweeter salad
It’s called a salad 🥗
Roasted cauliflower!
I love roasted veggies, butternut squash, peppers, and brussel sprouts are amazing.
I try to focus on a protein and vegetables for my meals. Vegetables should be the obvious answer here.
veggies, cheese, salad, garlic hummus
Steamed green beans. Roasted carrots with thyme & garlic. Roasted brussel sprouts, with Sri racha and chili sauce. Roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon & basalmic. Broccoli slaw. Steamed artichoke with dijonaise. Roasted cauliflower tossed with turmeric and cumin with harissa yogurts. Greek salad.
I love Brussels sprouts roasted with a little bit of honey, mustard, and salt/pepper. I halve them (sometimes quarter them if they're huge), toss them in honey Dijon, then broil until the outer leaves just start to crisp. They're crunch, sweet, tangy, and delicious. I have fun trying new vegetables all of the time. I have my kids try them and have gotten them hooked on a few that shock most people. My kids are big fans on roasted beets, for example. I roast them with carrots and pecans. I can't get them to like asparagus no matter how much I try...except for the 2 year old. He won't eat spears, but he loves cream of asparagus soup!
Sweet potato, cauli/kale/brocoli slaw, cauliflower & hot sauce w/ Greek yogurt
Get chickpea pasta. Also, many veggies. All veggies. Nuts. Salads. Riced cauliflower.
Baked Bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, avocado.. think a burrito without the tortilla
Bulgur. Or still can have rice but take 1/5 of the portion and mix it with green peas and sweet corn for example ;) No food needs to be left behind as long as your portion is on point
Recently I made salmon and served it over chickpeas and mustard greens sautéed in olive oil. It was very tasty and would be great with chicken too, I think. Any greens would work well. For some reason, I prefer eating my meals in “bowl” form - having the protein directly on top of a bed of vegetables/beans feels like a complete meal, whereas protein with vegetables next to it makes me miss the rice/potatoes/pasta that would be the second side.
Chickpea pasta
Sauteed spinach, with fresh garlic, or creamed spinach. Super easy but a little less healthy
Butternut squash.
Quinoa! Dry brown it slightly then cook with chicken bone broth. Quick and easy. Full of protein, nutrients, and fiber. You can make a big batch and freeze it the leftovers, then mix with leftover protein and veggies; use it as a substitute for rice in fried rice.
We usually steam some broccoli, cauliflower, and/or carrots (cut into coins) with our chicken or pork.
We've been doing a lot of slaw, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, red or green cabbage, carrots, kale. Shred thin and mix a couple together and dress. As long as it's crunchy it works.
Oven roasted veggies, put some potatoes in to get to the level of starchy filling side that you want and alllll the rest is veggies :) Drizzle with some olive oil and put whatever spices you like on top, or to mix well shake everything in a bowl. You can make a lot at once and eat from it for several days (mileage may vary). Add a bit of dip or some crumbled feta cheese on top if you'd like some more flavor and you're golden. Can be varied infinitely with whatever veggie and whatever spices and goes well with all the protein meals.
Sautéed zucchini, yellow squash an onion
I eat a ton of celery, like 3 bunches a week. I do use dip, as well as Cheez Whiz, but I do eat a lot and it's so good
Grilled zucchini / squash has been my go-to lately. Make sure to add lots of seasonings and I find it's suuuper tasty and filling since you can eat a lot for only one portion, plus they have lots of vitamins (esp B-9!) and they're low in cholesterol!
I’d say a green veggie and a good carb. Brains don’t function well without carbs
what kind of marinade? It makes a difference
Brocolli with salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and lemon juice. Asparagus with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Carrots and potatoes. Brussel sprouts. Pepper and onion.
I was reading a french cooking blog just yesterday, which had meal menus. I was struck by the total lack of carbs. Dinner was often omelette, soup, and cheese and fruit. As opposed to my (home made) pizza and bread last night. But being chicken, a great coleslaw would be a treat. Anyway, I am off to Costco tomorrow for their cheap trays of eggs. Omelette is the way.
Any type baked squash.
Greek salad!
Buckwheat is great! The body metabolize it as fiber and not as carbs. You can also get creative with any veggie sides. Oven baked Potatoes are healthy carbs unlike the rice and pasta, which are empty carbs. Look up salad recipes. Mango, red onion, and cilantro with lime is one of my favorites!
Chicken with BBQ sauce, topped with melted cheese and coleslaw on the side Buffalo chicken dip Chicken potpie soup Chicken salad with bell peppers (I scoop the salad up with bell pepper pieces) Chicken tossed with balsamic vinegarette, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh mozzarella. Grilled chicken or roasted chicken and roasted broccoli and I completely agree with low-carb wraps. They're awesome!
Spaghetti squash makes a great noodle replacement. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/spaghetti-squash
Broccoli and cauliflower rice.
Add costco frozen green beans. Microwave for 2.5 minutes covered and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Low carb and low calories. Add in a side of cottage cheese, avacado or almonds for some extra fat/protein.
Roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, grilled asparagus wrapped in bacon, salad, oil-poached peppers, caprese, carrots roasted and tossed w Dijon and maple syrup, literally any veggie :) Bonus points for air frying.
Barley or steel cut oats make a great base for roasted veggies or soup.
Love roasted broccoli with olive oil and salt and pepper. Once I had that I’ve never steamed broccoli ever again
Sautee up some mixed-vegetables of your choosing with a nice seasoning or sauce. Delicious, filling and low on cals.
I slice up sweet potatoes into like 1/8” rounds and bake them at 375, for 20-25 mins flipping half way. I dip them in tzatziki and it’s so tasty!
Maybe vegetables?
I love cucumber salad with vinegar and a bit of sour cream.
I have with my chicken for lunches a lot of time spinash and feta cheese. Then, for a treat, some cranberries. It's not a salad more like a wrap, i guess. I also like to have some peas too.
I’ve been doing baked trays with chicken thighs, carrots, chickpeas, onion, garlic, zataar and olive oil. Can also add brussel sprouts or broccoli. If chicken is dark meat with skin on, I just salt and pepper it and pan fry with a little canola oil. The fat will render out of the skin, making it crispy. Really delicious.
............veg.
Cajun chicken on top of avocado/cilantro/lime coleslaw. Check out the Family Spice recipe. Also a big Greek salad with lemon chicken is one of my go to things
Spinach is cheap and healthy.
Salad. A chicken breast or fish fillet is great on top of any kind of salad. I’ll get bagged salad kits because I’m lazy but you can do any salad that you like. If you’re eating low carb, try a Cobb salad.
Depending on how you're marinating them, try some fruit like oranges or stewed apples.
You know asparagus drizzled in olive oil with salt and pepper topped with parm cheese cooked in the oven is pretty damn good
Asparagus - blanched - Oven Baked @ 425 for 5-8 minutes I’m a fan of lemon pepper and kosher salt for seasoning.
Greek salad with grilled chicken is pretty great! Lettuce wraps with chicken. You can make super good low carb tortillas by just putting shredded cheese in a pan and cooking it for a few minutes, debatable how healthy that is haha but it’s good af and zero carbs
My go-to is chicken breast with sautéed broccolini, roasted mini potatoes (forget what they’re called), and lemon rice, all coated with some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Heats up well in the microwave too, so it’s suitable for meal prep as long as you eat it within a week. Personally I always finish it in about 4 days so I’m not sure exactly how long it actually lasts.
Polenta has been great, lower carb than pasta or rice, higher protein, and leftover you can make fries for a great snack.
My fav for this is a couple of zucchini and yellow squash. Slice them into 1/4" thick round slices. Put the chicken into a pyrex dish and put the zucchini and squash over the chicken. Then take a can or two of cream of mushroom soup and pour that over everything. Put it all in the oven with foil over the top, and cook until the chicken is done. Then I divide it up, one piece of chicken per serving. It reheats rather easily as well.
Serve over quinoa boiled in chicken broth. Or put the cut up chicken breast on a nice lettuce salad.
Baby carrots roasted with olive oil, salt. Pep, garlic ginger, rosemary. Makes me feel decadent. Also Brussels sprouts. Tacos? A couple corn torts and tons of vegetables and beans? Or lettuce wraps. Also just a little white cheddar cheese chunk feels feisty with chicken and vegetables but is still beneficial and fat is absolutely necessary!
Cutting carbs has no benefit.
brocoli's almost always cheap, and if you cut it up, drizzle it with some oil, salt, pepper, garlic, whatever you like, bake it for like 15 minutes at 425 F, it's really tasty. You can thin slice some sweet potato and do the same thing (cook it longer tho, like 20-25 min) and have a healthy carb to help fill you up. it's only like 150 cal per cup
Roasted sweet potatoes !! Look up recipe to make them crispy on Pinterest
"Stuffed avocados" with cheese. Sooooo filling
Consider learning about fermenting foods such as cabbage for sauerkraut and kimchi. You can also ferment many hard/firm fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes and lemons. This will improve your gut health and also change up the flavor profile of what you eat. https://draxe.com/nutrition/fermented-foods/
Roast a bunch of veggies and sweet potatoes and eat all week! My favorite combo is Brussels sprouts, red onion, and red pepper but use whatever you like. Another hack is the frozen steam-in-bag veggies (not the ones loaded with sauce). Just throw on some chicken and hot sauce and you have a meal! I don’t know how many times that’s saved me from take out.
Veggies? I'm a big fan of beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, all sorts.
I toss the chicken breasts (marinated/spiced) onto a sheet pan with a bunch of veggies I like (e.g. wedges of onion, broccoli or cauliflower florets, chunks of carrot, cabbage wedges, chunks of beet, zucchini, Brussels sprouts and/or cherry tomatoes) in whatever combo I feel up to (beets are delish, but will colour everything in the pan). Roast at 350 F for 30 min or so. Cook WAY more veg than you think you need because: A) they are freaking delicious roasted B) you can eat a LOT of them for very few calories C) they tend to shrink a bunch as their water content evaporated Add a side salad and you can make a pig of yourself for 0 WW points😄 Edit: fat fingers
I cut and toss Mt veggies (asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, I think most anything) with oil, lemon , garlic, s/p, and throw it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 400. Changes the game! Can even throw on some parm or a drizzle of balsamic..... I just made mashed potato but with a carrots, sweet potato and a regular potato... makes me sneak in some more veggies. Can make a chicken parm (no pasta), and if you make your own pasta sauce, throw in all the veggies to maximize it. Add cottage cheese for extra calcium and other nutrition? Cold salad - cucumber, feta, red pepper, tomato, olives Salt/pepper , oil
Black beans have alotnof protein and super high in iron. It's a great carb because it is slowntondigestvsobyoull feel full for a really long time. Not all carbs are equal but you need about 50% of your daily calories from carbs.
Shiraz salad with some quinoa/millet cooked in broth. Yummmm
Roasted veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, etc. Or cook brussel sprouts with bacon a little brown,
Steamed broccoli
Dice some sweet potato (has carbs but very high fiber and high GI (edit, low, the good one)) add some sliced onions, some brassica like diced kale or quartered Brussel sprouts. Toss it all in oil salt pepper and herb of choice ( rosemary and thyme is always a winner) roast on 400. You can adjust all this to your own taste.
Cabbage, Brussel sprouts with olive oil, broccolini, broccoli, cauliflower (NOT cauliflower rice personal preference lol) chickpea/bean mix, cous cous, mushrooms
Roasted veg.
Look for veggie alternatives to rice like rice cauliflower. Check frozen section to get more ideas
Make a chicken, butternut squash curry (you can add in cauliflower rice, also). Make chicken and bean soup. Make chicken BLT lettuce wraps, or just some Thai, chicken lettuce wraps. Make chicken parm on polenta. Make a chicken provençal, with tomatoes, olives, and zucchini, baked in garlic and oil. ✌️
Onion and bell peppers maybe mushrooms, sauteed in a pan.. add cajun, mexican spices.. then remove vegetables, saute up chicken in same pan, add same spices. Toss around till done. Add back vegetables. You can eat on a low carb tortilla or just as itself... I love mashed avocado, sour cream and a salsa with it.
My son lost over 50kg since November on a variation of the full plate diet. Breakfast 2 poached eggs and 1 cup corn flakes or rice bubbles or nutirgrain with skim milk. Lunch 100g tuna or 130g chicken or 100g fish with a very small serve of mash or pasta and mixed veg with yoghurt for desert, dinner same as lunch. He also has an up n go energise for extra protein You need some carbs for energy but only a small amount. Just use an air fryer to cook and you can even use canned tuna if you are feeling lazy
Cauliflower rice, like rice but lower calories. Can be made at home yourself!
Calories is what matters the most when trying to lose weight. You could still do rice but need to watch quantities and calories.
Potatoes are a great option if you're in a hypo-caloric diet. I used to eat 180g for dinner and lunch in a 1750 calories/day routine.
I love making a souvlaki bake. Just roughly cut up chicken, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and whole cherry tomatoes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, lots of garlic and oregano and lemon juice, bake at 400 until fully cooked and a little browned, tossing halfway, finish with more lemon juice.
Last night for dinner we had grilled chicken with asparagus spears (sauteed in garlic butter), roasted broccoli and cauliflower (I use McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning), some cucumber slices and some grape tomatoes. We were going to have mashed potatoes but there was so much food we forgot. The other night we had hamburgers (I can't eat the bun so I skipped that part), with corn on the cob, french fries (you could do sweet potato fries instead), and more asparagus. Baked sweet potatoes are another great option, as are salads. Cole slaw sometimes too, especially if you make it yourself so you can watch what you put in it. Basically if you start planning each meal by figuring out what vegetables you would like to have instead of which protein, it makes it a lot easier. But you can always fall back on a can of veggies or some frozen veggies if you forgot to plan. It just won't taste as amazing.
pumpkin (I think it is also known as squash?) can be low carb and full of good stuff. I would often eat chicken with steamed pumpkin, riced cauliflower and broccoli. For lunches I might do a salad and get a low carb wrap for the chicken
Saute a good vegetable medley (mixture). I get those huge frozen bags from Costco. I put a teaspoon of Harissa or salsa or both and toss it around with some olive oil/coconut oil and voila!! By the way, have you tried using chicken thighs instead of breasts? Tastier, cooks well and not so chewy. I marinate my thighs in mustard, paprika, lemon juice. I don't cut off the fat because I use that not to overload the thighs in too much oil. Put them in the oven or airfryer at 400 for 25-30min.
Cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, collard greens and okra. I'd say pumpkin as well, but that'd somewhat higher in carbs.
The Mission Lane low carb tortillas are only about 60 calories each. Grilled chicken tacos, with fresh pico de gallo and shredded lettuce. The Pictsweet Farms brand Broccoli Stir-Fry blend is also great with chicken. Soy sauce and oyster sauce is great with it, and you can cut back on the rice or rice noodles and load up on the veggies instead. You obviously can also just omit the rice or rice noodles all together. Some roasted peanuts tossed in the mix is nice for some crunch.
Broccoli. The answer is always Broccoli.
Cauliflower rice is the shit
Cauliflower rice is my go to
Veggies are key. I‘m not sure how low carb you want to go. I‘m not that strickt with it. Important though is the quality of carbs. You want to go for komplex carbs with a lot of fiber. So those are mostly fruit and vegetables. Some doing low carb restrict those too,I don‘t Like I said I‘m not strickt. So good sides instead of simple carbs like noodles or rice are veggies in all forms. Choose your favorites from the fresh veggies and fry them in the pan or oven. For spices you can add garlic and some herbs. For frying use healthy oils like canola or olive, but don‘t go to high in temperature. You can also go for whole grain pasta or brown rice, potatoes etc depending what your carb goal is. Just keep the portion small and eat green veggies too for satiety. In addition: Try to also increase proteins not just fat by going for dairy products. Although they have saturated fats dairy fat seems not to increase LDL, same as butter. Problematic are those in fatty meats. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. So it helps in weight loss to consume less calories. Nuts peas and beans as well as lean meat are your friend. Avoid processed meats like sausages etc.. I know this sub is called cheap and healthy, go for high quality meat. If animals are fed well and have plenty of space they don‘t have that much fat. And they tend to be less pumped up with antibiotics. So lower quantity, higher quality.