3 Amazing Low Carb, Low Calories Recipes

We’ve all been there; we hear about a great meal plan that we want to stick to, but then we get skeptical and ask ourselves questions like; is this really worth my time? Is this meal going to be as tasty as they say it’s going to be? Why would I bother going through all the stress of trying to make a healthy food taste good when I can just go down to dominoes, order a pizza, then burn it off later? There are so many questions and doubts, but I am here to let you know that preparing meals from scratch that are under a certain calorie amount is beneficial. Who says that healthy food has to be just green and boring? Who says healthy food can’t be tastier than other calorie-heavy meals? Thank me later, because I have done a bit of research and tried some of these recipes myself and they are amazing. Without further ado, here are some of the best that I compiled (You’re welcome, I just do my little bit.)

Paleo Banana Bread French Toast (Breakfast)

Calories: 290 cal per serving

A brilliant alternative to eating banana bread with butter is this utterly amazing French Toast Combo. Use Paleo Bread along with fresh berries you have in your fridge like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, slice up a banana, and break some eggs. Prep time is 10 minutes, and cook time is 10 minutes, making it a total of 20 minutes. This dish is perfect for breakfast!

Ingredients

2 tbsp Coconut Oil (or Ghee)
1 organic egg
1 pinch of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of organic vanilla extract
1/2 pinch of organic sea salt
1/8 cup of organic almond milk
1/2 cup of organic coconut milk
A handful fresh, organic raspberries
1/2 organic banana – sliced
Raw, organic cacao powder
Organic Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tbsp of Coconut Oil in a nonstick or cast iron skillet over med-low heat.
   In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 egg, 1 pinch cinnamon powder, 1 tsp organic vanilla extract, 1/2 pinch of sea salt, 1/8 cup almond milk.
2. Slice the leftover Paleo Banana Bread into one-inch slices.
3. Soak both sides of the banana bread in the egg mixture, pressing down on the bread so it soaks up the batter.
4. Fry it in the skillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
5. Pour ½ organic coconut milk into a large mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly by hand until you form soft-peaks. (You can also use an electronic whisker to make things easier)
6. Once the French Toast is cooked, remove it from the pan and transfer to a serving dish.

How to Serve This  Dish

Pile the Banana Bread French toast (one slice on top of the other), top with a dollop of coconut whipped-cream, a healthy dash of raw cacao powder, a drizzle of organic maple syrup, a handful of fresh raspberries, and a few slices banana. Delicious!

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara  (Low Carbs, Gluten-Free) (Lunch)

Calories: 255 cal per serving

I absolutely love spaghetti! Before I made a conscious effort to start eating smart, I used to have spaghetti every other evening for dinner, and I’m not kidding. Despite the fact that spaghetti can be pretty darn annoying to eat, I loved the annoyance anyway. I had to lay off eating spaghetti for a while though because I wanted to fix my weight and work on my health, so you can imagine the euphoria that I felt when I realized that this recipe could give me the exact spaghetti taste that I was missing, but with a healthy twist (such a win-win!). Here is the recipe. I’ve tried and tested it and I am absolutely in love with it. Prep time is 15 minutes, and cook time is 30 minutes, making it a total cook time of 45 minutes, and it’s a great meal for lunch. All you have to do is plan it out a day before, and you’re good to go!

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash
2 tbsp of organic olive oil
5 oz pancetta, diced
5 oz onion, diced
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 large organic eggs
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp of organic sea salt
¼ tsp of black pepper
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
4. Gently Scrape out the seeds
5. Drizzle the squash halves with organic olive oil.
6. Sprinkle with a little organic sea salt and black pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet.
7. Bake for 30 minutes
8. While the spaghetti squash is roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
9. Add pancetta to the pan and cook till it’s crispy.
10. Add onion and garlic.
11. Cook until translucent and soft.
12. Once the spaghetti squash is roasted, use a fork to scrape out the shreds of squash.
13. Add to skillet and toss with pancetta, onion, and garlic. Make sure that spaghetti squash is nice and hot.
14. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, parsley, grated Parmesan, sea salt and black pepper.
15. Add squash mixture and toss with egg mixture.
16. The heat of the spaghetti squash will cook the eggs just enough to coat them to the strands of squash, without scrambling them.
17. Top with shredded Parmesan before serving.

You can opt to add in a sprinkle of bacon to flavor the dish to your desired taste.

Crockpot Jerk Chicken

Calories: 300 cal per serving

The habanero peppers give this peculiar meal an amazing boost. Using a crockpot instead of a grill to prepare this is simply beyond brilliant because it will save you hours of marinating and grilling, and then get that charred skin finish in the broiler as well. This meal is amazing from Saturday dinners. It serves six, so if you have friends over on the weekend, this would be a perfect meal. It is deliciously healthy! Prep time is 15 minutes and cook time is 6 hours, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients

1. 8 scallions, chopped coarsely
2. 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
3. 2 habanero chilies, stemmed and seeded
4. 1 (1-inch) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
5. 2 tablespoons of molasses
6. 3 peeled garlic cloves
7. 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
8. 2 teaspoons of allspice
9. 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom
10. 1 teaspoon of coarse salt
11. 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (split breasts, thighs)
12. lime wedges for serving.

Instructions

1. Place scallion, oil, habaneros, ginger, molasses, garlic, thyme, all-spice, cardamom, and salt in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. Transfer 1/2 cup of puree mixture to slow cooker; reserve remaining mixture.
3. Add chicken to slow cooker and coat evenly with scallion mixture.
4. cover and cook until the chicken is tender. (This takes about 4- 6 hours on low heat which is preferable for this meal.)
5. Position oven rack 10 inches from broiler element and start broiler.
6. Place a wire rack in a foil-lined bake sheet and coat with vegetable spray.
7. Transfer chicken, skin side down onto the rack.
8. Brush chicken with half of the reserved scallion mixture and broil until lightly charred and crisp (usually takes about 10-15 minutes tops).
9. Flip chicken over, brush with remaining scallion mixture and continue to broil until lightly charred and crisp on the second side (takes about 5-10 minutes).
10. Serve with lime wedges.

If you don’t like your food too spicy, completely take out the habanero pepper. If you do make the mistake of over-spicing your food, add in a few dashes of lime to neutralize the peppery taste. You can also substitute dried thyme for the fresh thyme depending on your personal preferences at the time.

So there you have it, these are some delicious meals that you can try over the course of the new week for a healthier you. Trust me, it is totally worth it, and by the time that you begin to consciously adapt to a healthier lifestyle, you’ll start noticing the changes in your body and your mood. Happy healthy eating, and don’t forget to give me feedback on what recipe you tried, and how it worked for you. I really enjoyed my meals when I made them.