If you are on a diet, planning a healthy diet menu can be helpful. It can save more time and even money, especially if the recipes only use pantry staples and long-lasting ingredients in the kitchen.
The fact that we cannot control our weight, but when we try to make some changes in how we interact with foods and our environment, it will make a great impact. In this article, we would like to show you some simple meal plans to lose weight. We hope that balanced meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner will help you stay on track to reaching your body goal.
Breakfast
Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Instead of buying granola bars at the store which are loaded with a lot of sugar, you can choose homemade granola bars as an alternative. It uses less processed ingredients with lower portions of sugar and salt. Even, homemade granola bars are more nutritious compared to the packaged versions. You can use the following recipe:
2 cups of oats
1 cup of nuts, chopped
1 cup of dates, diced
1/4-1/2 cup of nut butter
1/4 cup of maple syrup (you can use honey)
Coconut flakes, dried fruits, or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients and then spread them over the baking dish. Then bake it for around 25-30 minutes at a temperature of 350 degrees F.
- After that, let the bar cool and then slice it as you desire.
- Alternatively, you can freeze the mixture for at least 20-25 minutes.
Tips:
- You can replace oats with puffed rice, cooked quinoa, kamut flour, or millet. If you don’t like dates, you can replace them with mashed bananas. For nuts substitute, you can use seeds.
- Store the granola bars in an airtight container. It will last for a week. If you want it to last longer, you can store it in the freezer.
Bell Pepper Egg Cups
It is a simple dish that only needs 30 minutes to cook. It is an excellent dish in which you will get protein and nutrients that will strengthen your immune system.
Just slice bell peppers in half. Then remove the seeds and stems. Bake it for around 15 minutes at a temperature of 350 F.
Next, remove the bell peppers from the oven and crack an egg into the bell peppers. Put them back for additional 15 minutes. You can bake it longer if you want. Remove the bell peppers from the oven and garnish them with red pepper flakes, herbs, or cheese.
Tips:
Cooking vegetables too long can destroy vitamin C, so it is suggested to cook the vegetables shorter.
Chocolate Chia Pudding
The best part of chia pudding is you can make it at night and enjoy the creamy pudding in the morning. Chia seeds are healthy with antioxidant compounds that will fight free radicals and damage cells. You can make chia seeds pudding with the following recipe:
Ingredients
Light coconut milk
Maple syrup
Chia seeds
Salt
Cocoa powder
Frozen cherries
Instruction
- In a mixing bowl, mix maple syrup, water, coconut milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk the mixture.
- Then, cover the mixture and put it in the fridge for around 3 hours. For a better result, you can leave it overnight.
- Cook the frozen cherries with 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan with high heat. Cook it on high heat for 5 minutes while keep mixing the mixture.
- Then, reduce the heat and smash the cherries with your potato masher or fork. Simmer it for around 10 minutes.
- Take the chia seed pudding and pour the cherry compote so it makes parfaits.
- You can add homemade whipped cream and fresh berries for topping. Crunchy granola or chocolate shavings are also great.
Yogurt and Fruit Parfaits
Yogurt is a great source of calcium that is important for bones. You can make yogurt parfaits for breakfast.
You can use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt combined with nuts, fruits, granola, and seeds. Put them in the jar and store it in the fridge. Check also a healthy pudding recipe here.
Broccoli and Cheese Egg Bake
It is a hassle-free breakfast that still provides you with protein, vitamins, and minerals. You can make a 12-serving egg bake and you can enjoy the leftover for the whole week. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
12 eggs
1 small onion, diced
1 cup milk
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese – You can use Cheddar or Mexican blend
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Then spray the baking dish.
- Using a large bowl, whisk the milk and eggs together. Mix onions, shredded cheese, broccoli, salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish then bake it for around 30 minutes. Let the dish cool for around 5 minutes, then serve it.
- You can store the remaining in the fridge by putting it in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave before serving.
Overnight Oats
Another easy recipe you can try is overnight oats. You even don’t need preparation because it just needs basic ingredients. Oats are great which can also lower the cholesterol levels. You can take this recipe as an inspiration.
Ingredients
2 cups oats
4 cups milk
1 ripe banana (mashed)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
sea salt
Instruction
- Prepare the mason jars and then divide the ingredients equally and then stir the mixture until it is combined.
- Cover the jars and then put them in the refrigerator overnight. You can store the oats for up to 2 days. Add toppings before serving.
Lunch
Italian Pasta Salad
Another simple dish but healthy to eat is pasta salad. It is made with non-starchy vegetables, cooked pasta, cheese, meat, and also beans. The best thing about Italian pasta salad is you can enjoy it cold so you can store it in the fridge. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce box) fusilli (you can choose the gluten-free option)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-ounce can of artichoke hearts (drained)
1-ounce jar of roasted peppers (drained and chopped)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
1 cup scallions (chopped)
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente.
- While cooking the pasta, mix vinegar, oil, garlic, Italian, mustard, salt, seasoning, and pepper.
- Drain the pasta and then toss it with the dressing until it is coated. Let it cool and then toss it again.
- Add the artichoke hearts, scallions, olives, peppers, and basil. Serve it.
Tuna Salad With Cranberries
If you are on a budget, tuna is a good option. It is rich in healthy fat and protein which keep you satisfied. You can use the following recipe.
Ingredients
1 can tuna
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dill, chopped
2 tbsp dried cranberries
Instructions
- Flake the tuna and put it in a bowl.
- Mix the ingredients and serve it with whole-grain bread or lettuce. You can also eat it straight from the bowl.
Dinner
Caprese Chicken Breast
When it comes to dinner, you probably want something quick. Not more than 1 hour. You can try caprese chicken salad. It is nutritious with the chicken as the source of protein and tomatoes that is rich in lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that can boost heart health. Check the recipe!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pt. grape tomatoes (cut into half)
2 tablespoon basil
4 slices mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat oil and then season the chicken with pepper and salt until it is golden brown. Set aside.
- Pour the balsamic vinegar into the skillet then add garlic. Cook it until fragrant. Next, add tomatoes and salt. Let it simmer and then add basil.
- Add chicken to the skillet and add tomatoes. At the top, put mozzarella and then cover with the lid. Let it melt.
- The Caprese chicken breast is ready to serve.
FAQ
What is a good meal for losing weight?
When it comes to weight loss, two or more ingredients can be better as it contains different nutrients that are important for your body. As it comes with different ingredients, the food will help you stop hunger and stay full for a longer time. It even, helps your body burn calories better.
How do I start a healthy diet?
Eating healthy can be difficult for some people, but it is not impossible to start. You can begin with food that has higher fibre such as whole wheat pasta, potatoes, and brown rice. You also need to eat fruits, vegetables, fish, and other important protein source.
Make sure to cut down on sugar and saturated fat. Reduce your salt intake, to not more than 6 grams per day for adults. Drink enough water and don’t skip breakfast. Also, be active such as doing exercise.
What foods burn the fat faster?
Some foods help you fight fats such as Greek yogurt, quinoa, cinnamon, hot peppers, green tea, grapefruit, watermelon, pears, apples, grapes, berries, raw vegetables, sweet potatoes, eggs, oatmeal, coffee, salad, and nuts.
Do eggs burn fat?
According to Healthline, eggs provide essential amino which are used for metabolism. Eating high-protein food can boost metabolism which is called the thermic effect of food. It means high-protein food like eggs can help you burn calories.
So, that is all the healthy diet menu recommendations from us. Share your favorite recipes on the comment section!