The Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days: Dinner Recipes Under 500 Calories

These delicious dinner recipes will keep you satisfied and still help you lose weight. Combine them with the healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack options for a total of 1,500 calories a day to help you lose up to 10 lbs in a month!

1. Italian Sausage and Veggie Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta
• 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
• 1 precooked Italian-style chicken sausage, sliced into rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Make It
Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat spaghetti sauce, sausage, garlic, and vegetables for about 12 minutes, until veggies are tender. Top pasta with sauce mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

2. Steak and Pepper Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 ounces steak strips
• 1 1/2 cups sliced green and red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 2 small (6-inch) whole-grain tortillas
• 4 tablespoons salsa
• 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

Make It
In a skillet, saute olive oil, cumin, and garlic for 1 minute. Add steak strips and cook about 5 minutes. Add pepper and onion slices and cook for another 8 minutes. Place mixture in tortillas and fold. Top with salsa and sour cream

3.  Stuffed Chili and Cheese Potato

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato
• 1/2 cup turkey or vegetarian chili
• 2 cups frozen broccoli
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Make It
Microwave potato for about 7 minutes. Wrap it in foil and let sit for 5 minutes. In a pot, warm chili and broccoli. Cut potato lengthwise, top with chili mixture, and sprinkle with cheese

4. Cajun Chicken with Dirty Rice

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried Cajun seasoning
• 4 ounces chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Few dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste
• 3/4 cup precooked brown rice

Make It
Sprinkle Cajun seasoning on chicken and bake or grill. Add oil to skillet; saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, and Tabasco for 2 to 3 minutes. Add precooked rice and saute for 5 more minutes. Serve chicken on rice

5.  Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl

Ingredients

• 2 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 piece (1 inch) ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
• 2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables
• 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
• 2 scallions, sliced

Make It
Cook pasta according to directions. In a skillet, saute peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute. Add edamame and vegetables and cook for 12 minutes until vegetables are tender; pour over pasta. Top with peanuts and scallions

6.  Eating out

Healthy Dinner from Olive Garden

Venetian Apricot Chicken from Olive Garden

Healthy Dinner from Applebee's

Tortilla Chicken Melt from Applebee's

From Lone Star Steakhouse

1/2 Delmonico steak
Side of steamed vegetables

From P.F. Chang's
Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Sauce
Large Garlic Snap Peas
From Domino's Pizza
2 slices of Thin Crust Onion and Green Pepper Pizza
Half a Garden Fresh Salad with croutons and light Italian dressing

7.  Black Bean & Zucchini Quesadilla

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 whole wheat tortillas
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons salsa

Make it: Saute first 4 ingredients for 5 minutes. Place mixture on tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Fold in half and cook in pan until cheese melts and tortilla is toasted. Top with salsa

8.  Bean Margherita Penne

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole wheat penne
• 1/4 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Make it: Cook noodles, drain, return to pot. Toss with next 5 ingredients, warm for 5 minutes. Top with Parmesan

9.  Shrimp Fried Brown Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 ounces precooked shrimp
• 2 cups bok choy

Make it: Saute first 5 ingredients for 3 minutes. Add shrimp and bok choy and cook for 5 minutes more.

10.  Lemon Basil Pasta With Summer Squash

• 2 ounces (2/3 cup) dry whole-wheat penne

• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini

• 1/2 cup chopped yellow squash

• 1/2 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Make it: 1. Boil pasta and drain. Toss with remaining ingredients

11. Grilled Chicken Sausage With Italian Tomato and Cucumber Salad

• 1 Italian-style chicken sausage link

• 1 whole-grain hot dog bun

• 2 tablespoons jarred spaghetti sauce

• 3/4 cup chopped tomato

• 3/4 chopped cucumber

• 2 tablespoons light Italian salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Make it:

1. Grill sausage and put in bun with spaghetti sauce. Combine tomato, cucumber, dressing, pine nuts and basil.

12.  Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Fajitas

• 1/2 cup sliced onions

• 1 cup sliced multicolor bell peppers

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 4 ounces precooked frozen shrimp, thawed

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 lime, juiced

• 2 whole-grain tortillas

Make it:

1. Saute onions and peppers in oil with garlic and cumin for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Toss thawed shrimp, cilantro and lime juice with hot vegetables. Fill tortillas with mixture

13.  Barbecue Salmon With Herbed Couscous and Asparagus

• 5 ounces salmon

• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

• 8 spears asparagus

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup whole-wheat couscous

• 2 tablespoons chopped basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Make it:

1. Brush salmon with barbecue sauce. Toss asparagus with oil. Grill salmon and asparagus for 8 to 10 minutes. Boil water, add couscous, remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and add basil and chives.

 

14.  Two-Cheese and Artichoke Flatbread Pizza With Garden Salad

• 1 whole-grain flatbread

• 1/4 cup jarred spaghetti sauce

• 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella

• 3 cups mixed salad greens

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

• 2 tablespoons light Italian salad dressing

Make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake flat bread on cookie sheet for 7 minutes. Top with sauce, artichoke and cheeses. Bake for an additional 12 minutes. Toss together greens, pine nuts and dressing.

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