16 Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss That Aren’t Salad
Updated: May 04, 2021
What makes these healthy recipes for weight loss so special is that they're higher in protein and have loads of fiber—which will help you shed pounds fast.
Avocado Deviled Eggs
Want a non-traditional version of eggs for breakfast or a snack? You can’t beat a deviled egg. Portable, tasty, and nutritious too, these delightful eggs created by Amy D. Gorin, RD, are sure to be a crowd pleaser! The egg delivers 6 grams of protein, which is blended with healthy monounsaturated fat from the avocado, giving you a go-to healthy recipe for weight loss. Don’t miss these great benefits of avocado you may not be aware of.
Bean and Cheese Breakfast Burrito
For a winning combination of protein and fiber, try this healthy recipe for weight loss from Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, health and nutrition expert for NBC’s TODAY show, and host of NBC’s new weekend show, Health + Happiness. It features egg whites, spinach, and black beans wrapped in a high-fiber tortilla to help power you through the morning. With 230 calories, a generous 26 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber, it’s sure to get your day off to a great start. An analysis of research published in Advances in Nutrition found that protein- and fiber-rich breakfasts may help you feel fuller throughout the day.
Cashew Chicken and Snowpeas
Your family will love this quick and easy healthy recipe for weight loss, also from Bauer. Packed with 39 grams of protein from chicken and cashew nuts, as well as 2 grams of fiber from snow peas, and only 320 calories, this is a delicious weight-loss friendly dish. Forget that Chinese food order, this dish will on the table sooner than your delivery, and save you money and calories. When you do dial for takeout, be sure to check out these 10 healthiest options before you order!
Buffalo Chicken Chili
For a tasty spin on chili, a one-pot nutritious wonder, try Bauer’s recipe for chili. With only 330 calories, a whopping 51 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fiber, this is the ultimate zesty comfort food. This recipe is a delicious alternative to Buffalo wings—which can easily total 800 to 1,000 calories per serving with sides and sauces. Check out the best comfort foods across America.
Strawberry Kiwi Yogurt Parfaits
Enjoy this sweet, tangy, and crunchy parfait from Toby Amidor, RD as a snack, breakfast, or dessert. With a surprising 23 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, this recipe is a wholesome way to start or end your day, not to mention a healthy recipe for weight loss. This tasty treat is also a super source of calcium and potassium, nutrients that most Americans still fall short on, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
Tofu Stir-Fry with Asparagus, Broccoli, and Mushrooms
This Asian-inspired recipe from Amidor gives you 17 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per serving, so it’s a super satisfying option for a meatless Monday. When people eat soy as part of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, they tend to lose weight, suggests an analysis of studies in PLoS Med.
Zucchini Pasta Carbonara with Shrimp
Zoodles—zucchini noodles—are all the rage! They’re a nutritious, low-calorie option if you’re watching your waistline: Substituting zoodles for pasta can save you around 200 calories per serving. This simple yet appealing recipe from Jessica Beacom, RD, clocks in at a low 275 calories, yet still offers 21 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Traditional carbonara weighs in at around 1,500 calories or more!
Pasta Frittata with Baby Bella Mushrooms and Broccoli Rabe
This beautiful frittata from Rachael Hartley, RD, is a work of art. Despite the surprising inclusion of leftover pasta, this recipe is a nourishing mix of carbs, protein, and fiber—and only 336 calories. It’s good to embrace eggs, by the way: In a study in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, eating eggs helped people with type 2 diabetes drop pounds and shrink their waist. These are the 15 best foods for a diabetic diet.
Nicoise Sandwich
Sometimes you just have to have a sandwich. For a neat twist on the traditional Nicoise salad, Hartley offers a Nicoise Sandwich. With protein from canned wild salmon and fiber from radishes, haricots vert, and tomatoes, this is a healthy recipe for weight loss. And Americans young and old need to eat more seafood, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Committee.
Blackened Fish Tacos
Tacos can be a great addition to a weight-loss plan because you can load them up with all types of fresh vegetables—just watch out for the accompaniments. This tasty recipe from Ashley Galloway Thomas, RD, gets its flavor from blackened seasoning without the butter! Featuring protein from the fish and corn tortilla, and fiber from the cabbage, this makes for a healthy recipe for weight loss. Learn more about the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables like cabbage.
Saucy Tomato and Artichoke Chicken
This quick and easy meal with only four ingredients can take you “from stove to table in under 15 minutes,” according to Registered Dietitian and author Anne Mauney, RD. This recipe boasts about 31 grams protein, 2.5 grams fiber, and around 250 calories, making it a win-win, tasty and diet-friendly mid-week meal. You can bump up the fiber by adding additional vegetables.
Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach
A super healthy recipe for weight loss, this scallops, white beans, and spinach dish from Mauney is a light, protein- and fiber-rich meal. Scallops are about 75 percent protein—17 grams per 3 oz according to the USDA Food Database—and the beans and spinach add about 10 grams of fiber, making this a filling meal. A review of research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating at least one serving of beans on a daily basis can help with weight loss. Even better: Scallops are one of the 30 foods that can help you fight cancer.
Kale and Bacon Frittatas
Looking for something a little more special for your healthy weekend breakfast or brunch? Look no further than this frittata for a protein-rich easy-to-prep healthy recipe for weight loss from the Weight Watchers recipe team. At only 165 calories per piece and about 14 grams of protein, this is a must-have for your get-back-on-track toolbox. Have a serving for breakfast, or double it up for a lunch or dinner option.
Ginger Shrimp
Who doesn’t love shrimp (unless you’re allergic, of course)? This crustacean is a great option for weight loss thanks to its low calorie and protein-rich makeup. Weight Watchers places such a high value on shrimp that it costs you zero points on their Weight Watchers Freestyle program. Throw in a half-cup each of chopped carrots, celery, and red pepper, with the onions, and you’ve bumped up the fiber by 4 grams, the protein by 2 grams and added just 53 calories (the total is 195). A deliciously healthy recipe for weight loss. Shrimp also happens to be one of the top 13 superfoods for women.
Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup
This nutrient-rich soup from the Weight Watchers recipe team makes the list of healthy recipes for weight loss. With a hearty one and a half cups per serving, it boasts 239 calories, 20 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber—something we all need more of. Fiber may even help your weight: a study of Spanish adults found that those who ate the most fiber were more likely to be at a healthy weight. This recipe couldn’t be easier: Just dump all the ingredients into your crockpot, set it to cook for six hours, and go on your way!
Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta and Spinach
Spaghetti squash is an excellent companion for any weight-loss journey. The versatile vegetable adds volume (a highly important feature for weight-conscious folk) for about quarter of the calories you get from spaghetti (42 calories versus 200 or more per cup). This creamy mouthwatering dish from the recipe team at Weight Watchers can be served as a side, or, have two servings for a meatless evening meal. Next, check out these healthy pasta alternatives.
