Low Calorie Recipes to Keep Warm (and Healthy!) During Winter
It can be easy to fall into high-calorie and carb eating habits during the winter season when we need more energy, however, low-calorie winter dishes do exist and many are delicious and worth trying! We have shared four of our favorites below.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
This hearty chili recipe is a vegan variation with sweet potato and black bean chili as its main ingredients. The all-natural ingredients leave it low in added sugars, while high in fiber from the black beans and a great source of Vitamin C from the sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are high in water content making them great ingredients for weight loss and low-calorie dishes, as with this chili. This recipe can also be adjusted for spiciness by keeping or removing the chipotle powder which is optional.
An individual serving size is 323 calories, making this chili recipe a nutritious and health-savvy dish to prepare, and makes for great leftovers!
Find out how to prepare this delicious dish here.
Chicken and Quinoa Soup
Chicken soup is a classic winter dish as it is packed with nutrients and healthy ingredients while also being inexpensive and easy to make. This recipe adds quinoa into the mix as well as many vegetables to keep each serving portion filling and wholesome.
Veggies in this recipe include celery, carrots, broccoli, and onion, all of which are packed with antioxidants and will boost your immune system to fight off winter cold symptoms.
This chicken soup is also rich in fiber and protein content from the main ingredients, which is why we highly recommend trying it out this season, however, it can be a treat at any time of year.
One serving of the Chicken and Quinoa Soup contain around 436 calories and you can learn how to make this Chicken and Quinoa Soup recipe here.
Healthy Chicken Stir Fry
Following on from our chicken soup recipe, this chicken stir fry is a delicious and vegetable-packed low-calorie stir fry that is easy to prepare and great for leftovers.
Make the most out of this healthy stir fry option by using brown rice, which lowers cholesterol, and healthy portions of green vegetables such as broccoli, peas and green onions. This recipe is adjustable to palate preferences and diet, so if you wish to use tofu instead of chicken, for instance, go for it!
Feel free to sprinkle on sesame seeds to each portion for extra flavor and the benefits of calcium and fiber among others.
A single serving of this stir fry has around 350 calories and you can learn how to make your own chicken stir fry with the following recipe.
Slow Cooker Mushroom Rissotto
Mushroom risotto is a truly delicious meal that is the perfect recipe to feed guests and family alike, and is impressive as it is healthy.
This recipe has a longer cooking time than the others to cook all the ingredients thoroughly but if you have a slow cooker most of the work will be done for you while you wait!
This recipe calls for butter but low-fat butter or margarine makes a healthy variation. Other suggested changes to make the recipe healthier include reducing the amount of cheese and using low-sodium broth, however, the rest of the ingredients are all whole foods and combine to make a tasty low-calorie lunch or dinner.
One serving of this Slow Cooker Mushroom Rissotto has an estimated 350 calories and can be prepared according to this recipe.
These dishes are sure to support your fitness throughout the winter and will keep you and your family healthy and well-fed. Many people often associate winter dishes with more filling and less calorie-conscious ingredients and portions, but this is not the case with these winter dishes, all of which are healthy and low-calorie. Enjoy!