Low-Calorie Family-Friendly Meals

Updated April 27, 2010
Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Bring lightened versions (under 350 calories!) of your family's favorites to the dinner table with these simple, satisfying recipes.

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Cheesy Chicken Cutlets with Ham and Jam

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Cheesy Chicken Cutlets with Ham and Jam Recipe

This recipe is a play on chicken cordon bleu that's far easier to prepare. Instead of stuffing chicken breasts with ham and cheese, we broil cutlets until done and simply top them with ham, cheese, and a touch of jam.

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Shredded Chicken Tortilla Soup

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Shredded Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Top this lightened-up (but no less delicious!) version of Chicken Tortilla Soup with homemade tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.

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Mongolian Beef and Vegetables

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Mongolian Beef and Vegetables Recipe

This takeout favorite is typically laden with beef and coated with a sticky-sweet sauce. Our makeover makes crisp-tender snow peas, broccoli, and carrots the star, with seared flank steak as the supporting player.

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Shortcut Risotto with Brussels Sprouts

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke

Shortcut Risotto with Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Our simple technique yields classic risotto texture in a fraction of the time. Precooked brown rice simmers with a flour-thickened mixture of milk and chicken stock, boosted with a touch of cream cheese for extra richness.

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Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Nuggets

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Nuggets Recipe

These crispy nuggets are worth nibbling—and a great way to use leftover quinoa. Rice flour keeps these nuggets gluten-free, but you can use whole-wheat or all-purpose instead.

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Sweet-Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Sweet-Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipe

This colorful chicken and veggie stir-fry features a sweet-spicy sauce and a topping of dry-roasted peanuts, which add delicious crunch.

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Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder Recipe

This 5-star corn chowder can be on your table in less than 30 minutes for dinner tonight thanks to convience items like rotisserie chicken and frozen corn.

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Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine Recipe

Your kids will be too busy enjoying the cheesy noodles to notice this recipe is packed with fresh produce and protein. It's a one-dish meal you'll feel good about serving .

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Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis Recipe

We add white cheddar cheese to this comfort-food favorite making it seem more indulgent than it actually is at less than 300 calories per serving.

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Superfast Salisbury Steak

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

Superfast Salisbury Steak Recipe

Bored with burgers? For a lean and tasty ground beef alternative, this dish will bring cheers to the table and can be made in less than 25 minutes.

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Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner

Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner Recipe

It doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying: a complete dinner in one pan in half an hour. Lemon brightens this cozy weeknight meal.

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Louisiana-Style Chicken Soup

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Ginny Branch

Louisiana-Style Chicken Soup Recipe

OK, so technically we can't call this a gumbo because there is no roux. But it certainly tastes like a gumbo, right down to the Cajun trinity of onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Serve with a crusty baguette for mopping up every last delicious drop.

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Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Credit: Raymond Hom; Styling: Pamela Duncan Silver

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce Recipe

By oven-frying these panko-covered fillets, you can get the flavor of crispy fried fish for far fewer calories. Save money on your meal by using budget-friendly tilapia.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Chicken Enchiladas are the ultimate in family-favorite dishes. Chicken breasts are poached in a highly-flavored liquid; then the liquid does double duty as a sauce when mixed with salsa verde and whipping cream and spooned over the chicken-filled tortillas. Use the freshest tortillas you can find for this dish since older ones tend to dry out and crack even though they're moistened in the flavorful sauce. We love La Tortilla Factory brand. Look for their low-fat, lower-sodium tortillas.

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Shrimp Pad Thai

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe

This lightened Pad Thai is packed with vibrant ingredients like crushed red pepper, sliced green onions, and dry-roasted peanuts to add great flavor.

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Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake Recipe

The right casserole gives you the opportunity to sneak extra veggies into meals your kids already like. With the added nutrients and loads of calcium, this recipe is a homerun hit for your team!

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Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup Recipe

We like our version extra chunky, so we only puree about a third of the broccoli mixture in step 3. For a thinner, smoother consistency, add more soup to the blender.

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Spring Risotto

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Spring Risotto Recipe

Fava beans must be shelled twice. First they're removed from their pods, then blanched, cooled slightly, and pinched to remove the outer skins. Fresh beans taste the best, but canned fava beans will also work when fresh are out of season. Look for sun-dried tomato paste with the other tomato products in the supermarket.

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Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry

Credit: Oxmoor House

Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe

Your family will love this delicious turkey and broccoli stir fry, and you will love that it's under 300 calories.

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Alabama Pulled Pork Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Cindy Barr; Leigh Ann Ross

Alabama Pulled Pork Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Biscuits take the place of bulky buns–making these Southern sandwiches easy for little hands to hold. Short on time? Use whole-wheat refrigerated rolls or biscuits in place of the homemade option.

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Shepherd's Pie

Credit: Karry Hosford

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Fast and easy, this classic dish is perfect for busy weeknight meals. Kidney beans adds a healthy dose of fiber, and using prepared mashed potatoes and salsa saves on prep time and clean-up.

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Quick Pizza Margherita

Credit: Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard

Quick Pizza Margherita Recipe

Make a thin and crispy pizza in under 30 minutes with refrigerated pizza dough, plum tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.

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Sloppy Joes

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sloppy Joes Recipe

Sloppy Joes are a classic family favorite and, at 202 calories per serving, this version is sure to become a regular in your household. Skip the store-bought sauce and make these Joes from scratch to reduce the sodium content often found in canned sauces.

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Skillet Stuffed Peppers

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Cindy Manning Barr

Skillet Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Shepherd's pie gets a Tex-Mex makeover when you serve it in bell peppers and add taco seasoning. And why stop there? Add a side dish, such as black beans or guacamole, for a full-on Mexican meal!

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Three-Cheese Veggie Pizza

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Three-Cheese Veggie Pizza Recipe

Make cooking a family affair. Chop fresh vegetables, measure the cheese, and then let the kids go wild piling their picks atop a prepared pizza crust. In this case, more is healthier!

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Grilled Turkey and Ham Sandwiches

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Grilled Turkey and Ham Sandwiches Recipe

Sandwiches are a simple dinner solution any time of year. Pair with a fresh fruit salad on warmer nights or a comforting bowl of soup when the weather cools.

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Marinara Sauce Over Rotini

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Marinara Sauce Over Rotini Recipe

The key to smart meal planning is versatile recipes. Of course, this marinara sauce is perfect with pasta, but it also works well over grilled chicken breasts.

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Pork Chops with Country Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke

Pork Chops with Country Gravy and Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Country cookin' never looked so light! Because you're using quick-to-fix refrigerated potatoes, there's plenty of time to whip up the secret behind this meal: the savory gravy.

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Chicken with Southwestern Salsa

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Chicken with Southwestern Salsa Recipe

Spice up your chicken tonight with a flavorful homemade salsa. If your family loves salads, simply slice the chicken into strips and serve it (with the salsa) over a bed of fresh greens.

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