Thought I'd start up a thread where we can post our favorite maintenance-friendly recipes! It would be helpful if when posting a recipe, you can make a note whether it is a fat-poor or carb-poor meal, and if you have nutritional information please include that as well.
For those who are new to maintenance - lunch meals should include fats and be lower in carbs, while dinner meals should include 1 serving of complex carbs/whole grains and be lower in fats.
Can't wait to see what you've got!!
Last edited by scorbett1103; 03-07-2013 at 03:23 PM.
I added spinach and changed the cheeses around a bit - I will probably try it with some low fat cheese to see if it still makes a decent sauce, and will edit accordingly if it works!
Baked Spaghetti Squash Mac & Cheese with chicken
4 servings
Carb-poor
Cheese sauce:
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup lowfat milk (or almond milk if you prefer)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Squash:
1 large spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
2 cups chopped spinach
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1lb cooked chopped chicken (4oz chicken per serving)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice squash in half. Poke holes in the spaghetti squash skin and place in a baking dish with an inch of water on the bottom. Put in the oven for 45 minutes.
While the squash is baking, make the cheese sauce:
In a large saucepan, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and whisk quickly until combined. Add milk and whisk for 3 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat, add cheese and stir until completely melted. Keep in a warm place and stir occasionally until ready to use.
Remove squash from the oven, scrape out the seeds and guts (which will be slightly darker and gooey-er than the spaghetti you are about to harvest.) from both pieces. Then, using a fork, slowly scrape the flesh of the squash, which will pull away in spaghetti-like strands. Put all of the spaghetti in a large mixing bowl, and combine with the sauce and spinach. Return the mixture to the hollowed-out larger pieces of squash, then top with parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 10 minutes at 375.
To serve, mix 4oz chopped cooked chicken with 1 serving of the squash.
Location: Pine Mountain, Georgia & on a little lake in NE Michigan
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DH and I just finished this off. It was fabulous. Topped it with a spoonful of Dream Whip.
Not sure what makes something carb or fat poor.
Strawberry Rhubarb crisp
2 1/2 C Starwberries & 2 1/2 C Rhubarb
4 TBS Splenda
1/2 C Oats
1/2 C Splenda (for topping)
1/4 C Fiber one Cereal (ground up)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Combine fruit and 4 TBS Splenda in a mixing bowl and put in a 7x11 baking dish.
For Topping: In medium bowl, combine oats, Splenda, fiber one, cinnamon. stir in Applesauce until mixture is spreadable over fruit.
Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, until topping starts to brown and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm.
MFP says if I make this 8 servings, it's 58 calories, 14 carbs, 1 fat, 2 protein per serving.
Last edited by WingnutandMe; 03-07-2013 at 08:30 PM.
This one is actually Freezer-friendly - just make up the foil packets, then place in gallon freezer bags and freeze. When you want one, thaw it out and just follow the final cooking instructions!
Sweet Potato taco packets
Serves 4
Fat-poor
Ingredients:
4 cups sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2lbs ground turkey (or chicken or lean beef)
2/3 cup crushed tomato
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry beans)
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
4 tsp coconut oil solids (or butter if you prefer)
2 cups spinach, chopped
4 12-inch pieces of foil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Arrange sweet potato in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet. Par-bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, brown the ground meat and drain.
In a bowl, mix browned meat, tomato, seasoning, and beans.
Divide the sweet potato evenly between the foil sheets, piling them in the center of each one. Top with the ground meat mixture (about 1 cup per packet), 1 tsp of coconut oil/butter, then 1/2 cup chopped spinach. Fold up into a sealed packet.
(If you want to freeze, at this point place them in a gallon freezer bag and store until ready to eat. Thaw before cooking)
Place foil packets on a cookie sheet, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Serve hot, with fresh salsa and fat free plain yogurt or fat free sour cream!
I really just wanted to say thanks for these recipes. They are so helpful. The freezer instructions are great too, Scorbett. I can take some of these and make them into Vegetarian dishes too.
It might be helpful, if you put which meal the recipe is good for. Just a suggestion.
I really just wanted to say thanks for these recipes. They are so helpful. The freezer instructions are great too, Scorbett. I can take some of these and make them into Vegetarian dishes too.
It might be helpful, if you put which meal the recipe is good for. Just a suggestion.
Thanks again for these recipes!
That's where the "Fat poor/Carb poor" notation comes in
Peanut Chaat-(vegan)
carb poor (I use it for lunch)
from Manjula's Kitchen
Recipe will serve 2 for lunch; 4 for snacks
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup raw peanuts
* 1/2+1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
* 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
* 3/4 cup tomatoes seeded cut in small cubes
* 3/4 cup cucumber cut in small cubes
* 1 tablespoon ginger finally chopped
* 1 green chili finally chopped adjust to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (bhuna jeera)
* 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
* pinch Stevia (original called for sugar)
* 2t garlic (original called for 1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method
1. In a sauce pan add peanuts with 2 cups of water turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium high heat for about 25 minutes until peanuts are soft.
2. Drain the water and let it cool to room temperature.
3. Mix ginger, chili, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin seed powder, red chili powder, black pepper, sugar, mango powder and lemon juice together.
4. Mix the peanuts with tomatoes and cucumbers, add the spice mix and toss.
5. Peanut Chaat is ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Nutrition per serving (lunch size); cal 238, carb 12, fiber 4, fat 18, protein 11
I added tuna one day and TVP one day which increased fat and protein without increasing carbs.
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 potato
Calories: 307 • Fat: 5 g • Carb: 53 g • Fiber: 10.5 g • Protein: 15 g • Sugar: 1 g
Ingredients:
* 4 medium sized sweet potatoes
* 1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt (or light sour cream)
* 1 tsp taco seasoning
* 1 tsp olive or canola oil
* 1 red bell pepper, diced
* 1/2 red onion, diced
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp cumin
* a pinch of salt
* 1-1/3 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup mild or spicy salsa
* 1/2 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
* 1/4 cup chopped scallions or cilantro
Directions:
Poke holes in the potato with a fork, cook on your microwave’s potato setting until potatoes are soft and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes on high for 4 potatoes). If you don't have a microwave, bake about 45 minutes at 400°F.
Combine yogurt and taco seasoning in a small bowl, mix well.
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add peppers, onions, chili powder, paprika, cumin and salt; cook until the onions have caramelized slightly, about 5 minutes. Add black beans, stir to combine and heat through (about another 5 minutes).
Slice the potato lengthwise down the middle or as I did in the photo, use a fork to pierce the top in an oval shape, then remove the top of each potato. Top with 2 tbsp shredded cheese, 1/3 cup of black bean mixture, 2 tbsp Greek yogurt mixture and 2 tbsp salsa of salsa. Enjoy!
I added lean meat/Morningstar crumbles to the table to increase protein and served with salad
Sloppy Joes (vegan adaptation)
fat poor
Adapted from EatingWell
8 servings, generous 1/2 cup filling each
Ingredients
* 12 ounces Morningstar veggie crumbles(90%-lean ground beef)
* 1 large onion, finely diced
* 2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms, (about 4 ounces)
* 5 plum tomatoes, diced
* 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 cup cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup chili sauce, such as Heinz
* 1/4 cup ketchup
Preparation
1. In a large nonstick skillet; cook onion and mushrooms with a little salt over medium heat (They will release their water for cooking, or add a splash). Add Veggie crumbles and cook until the vegetables are soft and the moisture has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and flour; stir to combine. Stir in water, vinegar, chili sauce and ketchup and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the onion is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (this took longer for me...)
Serve warm on buns.
Tips & Notes
* Make Ahead Tip: The filling will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Per serving: 121 cal, 2 fat, 18 carb, 4 fiber, 9 protein
This one is actually Freezer-friendly - just make up the foil packets, then place in gallon freezer bags and freeze. When you want one, thaw it out and just follow the final cooking instructions!
Sweet Potato taco packets
Serves 4
Fat-poor
Ingredients:
4 cups sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2lbs ground turkey (or chicken or lean beef)
2/3 cup crushed tomato
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry beans)
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
4 tsp coconut oil solids (or butter if you prefer)
2 cups spinach, chopped
4 12-inch pieces of foil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Arrange sweet potato in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet. Par-bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, brown the ground meat and drain.
In a bowl, mix browned meat, tomato, seasoning, and beans.
Divide the sweet potato evenly between the foil sheets, piling them in the center of each one. Top with the ground meat mixture (about 1 cup per packet), 1 tsp of coconut oil/butter, then 1/2 cup chopped spinach. Fold up into a sealed packet.
(If you want to freeze, at this point place them in a gallon freezer bag and store until ready to eat. Thaw before cooking)
Place foil packets on a cookie sheet, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Serve hot, with fresh salsa and fat free plain yogurt or fat free sour cream!
Inside Out Chinese Spring Roll Salad-Daily Dish (www.betterrecipes.com) contest winner-Roxanne Chan
Fat poor
Salad:
2 oz Bean Thread, mung bean noodles
3 cups Shredded Napa Cabbage
1 cup Torn Watercress
1 Carrot, cut into matchstick thin strips
1/2 cup Seedless Cucumber, cut into matchstick thin strips
1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, cut into matchstick thin strips
1 Green Onion, minced
1 cup Chopped Baby Corn
2 Tbsp Snipped Cilantro
2 Tbsp Snipped Mint
Dressing:
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Minced Ginger Root
1 Large Clove Garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp Lime Zest
Garnish- Black Sesame Seeds
DIRECTIONS:
Soak the bean threads in warm water to cover for 10 minutes or till pliable. Drain, then cook in boiling water till the noodles expand and appear glasslike, 1-2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Cut into 4-inch lengths. Place in a large bowl along with the rest of the salad ingredients. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the dressing till well combined; toss with the salad to evenly coat. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Nutrition based on 4 servings: cal 147, carb 26, fiber 2, fat 4, protein 3
Some sort of chili lime shrimp, chicken, or tofu would make it a meal
Put some baby carrots in a covered glass dish, drizzle with WF pancake syrup, microwave until tender, stirring once. Cook time depends on how much you make, but usually around 3 minutes for 2 cups of carrots. Yummy!
Maintenance recipes
