.
- Thread starter vxaX
- Start date
I love John West "Tuna Light Lunch" meals - the salsa one is gorgeous and you can eat it cold using the folding fork that comes with it. It's only 180 cals for the whole thing. Not dead cheap but good to have in for when the rest of the family is having a takeaway and I'm not cooking.
im sure there was a thread a few weeks ago where everyone was adding their meals... have a look and see what you can find that is new.
A good thing for me has been counting calories in meals i like, and weighing how much i have to fit in with my cals.
i was shocked by how little i should be eating, and even more supriced that when i got used to smaller portions i wasnt hungry after eating less.
A good thing for me has been counting calories in meals i like, and weighing how much i have to fit in with my cals.
i was shocked by how little i should be eating, and even more supriced that when i got used to smaller portions i wasnt hungry after eating less.
PurpleButterfly
16lb to go!
Ooh ooh I got creative with shepherds pie yesterday 
Will share what I did because it was low calorie and Yummy! Ingredients were just what I had in the cupboard to use.
(serves 2)
base:
Quorn mince 150g
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 smallish onion
100g apple, finely chopped
fresh mint, roughly chopped
spray oil
Top:
butternut squash (about maybe 300g?)
carrot (3 medium)
salt & pepper.
(optional) cheddar cheese to top - 20g
Steamed squash & carrot til mashable: 15mins ish
Whilst that was steaming I fried onion in spray oil til softened, added the rest of the stuff and left it to cook.
Mash the squash/carrot with salt & pepper (I used a hand whizzer).
Add mince into dish, top with mash, add SMALL amount of grated cheese on top. Grill.
I calculated it to be about 250calories per serving!
It tasted lovely, all fresh and light, and very yummy.
You could try a variation of that, depending on what you have in the cupboard?
Will share what I did because it was low calorie and Yummy! Ingredients were just what I had in the cupboard to use.
(serves 2)
base:
Quorn mince 150g
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 smallish onion
100g apple, finely chopped
fresh mint, roughly chopped
spray oil
Top:
butternut squash (about maybe 300g?)
carrot (3 medium)
salt & pepper.
(optional) cheddar cheese to top - 20g
Steamed squash & carrot til mashable: 15mins ish
Whilst that was steaming I fried onion in spray oil til softened, added the rest of the stuff and left it to cook.
Mash the squash/carrot with salt & pepper (I used a hand whizzer).
Add mince into dish, top with mash, add SMALL amount of grated cheese on top. Grill.
I calculated it to be about 250calories per serving!
It tasted lovely, all fresh and light, and very yummy.
You could try a variation of that, depending on what you have in the cupboard?
You can keep Jacket potatoes and fillings fairy low. Baked beans, cheese, tuna, cottage cheese, salads, etc or homemade coleslaw:
Grated cabbage and carrots, mixed with fat free fromage frais or natural yoghurt. You can add a bit of chilli powder too, if you like it with a little kick.
I've also started to make my own pizzas, which aren't bad in cals.
I use a pitta bread, or a yiros bread, 1oz mozzarella cheese, and lots of veggies, mushrooms, red onion, capsicum etc. Also, a couple of slices of pancetta isn't bad (just remove the fatty parts). Very yum!
Or make your own pasta sauce (I do these in batches, and freeze them).
Tinned tomatoes
Onion
Tomato paste
basil, parsley, oregano
teaspoon of sugar or sweetener (if preferred)
mushrooms
red capsicum
Then when your ready for them, just defrost and add to pasta and cheese (optional).
Grated cabbage and carrots, mixed with fat free fromage frais or natural yoghurt. You can add a bit of chilli powder too, if you like it with a little kick.
I've also started to make my own pizzas, which aren't bad in cals.
I use a pitta bread, or a yiros bread, 1oz mozzarella cheese, and lots of veggies, mushrooms, red onion, capsicum etc. Also, a couple of slices of pancetta isn't bad (just remove the fatty parts). Very yum!
Or make your own pasta sauce (I do these in batches, and freeze them).
Tinned tomatoes
Onion
Tomato paste
basil, parsley, oregano
teaspoon of sugar or sweetener (if preferred)
mushrooms
red capsicum
Then when your ready for them, just defrost and add to pasta and cheese (optional).
Last edited:
PurpleButterfly
16lb to go!
Definitely about the portion size! I found I had 2 sizes of bowl, I always thought of one size as 'normal' and one 'small'... Now I start measuring out proper portion sizes, I realise the 'normal' bowl was actually 'large', and the 'small' bowls were actually normal size! Hence I use that smaller bowl now. It really does help keep portion sizes from creeping up too much.
I also use a side plate for dinner to stop myself from overloading it. I find it does help!
I also use a side plate for dinner to stop myself from overloading it. I find it does help!
rhuba
i really don't know life
i made a loverly turkey and rice salad last night. i made a huuuuge batch - enough for dinner for a few nights and it is reeally yummy and filling.
i weighed everything, and then weighed the lot at the end and it works out as 95 cals per 100g. i then weighed myself a 400g portion - 380cals and it was MASSIVE! i was full before the end. so...winner!
i'll post the recipe later on
i weighed everything, and then weighed the lot at the end and it works out as 95 cals per 100g. i then weighed myself a 400g portion - 380cals and it was MASSIVE! i was full before the end. so...winner!
i'll post the recipe later on
PurpleButterfly
16lb to go!
Sounds lovely rhuba! It's great having meals like that, that are so filling, low cal and yummers at the same time..
It's great having meals like that, that are so filling, low cal and yummers at the same time..diminishingreturns
Full Member
I make really low cal/low fat curries.
Chop up an aubergine and a green pepper, dust with chili powder and roast in the oven until cooked. Meanwhile, in a frying pan with the teeniest tiniest splash of olive oil, lightly toast the following all together. Cumin, garam masala, curry powder, cardamon pods, thumb sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped and 3 cloves of chopped garlic. After 30 seconds or so, add chopped red onions and mushrooms - cook until slightly softened. Then add about a pint of vegetable stock and tip in a cup of red lentils. Simmer until the lentils are softened and have absorbed most of the stock, add some cooked king prawns, a few handfulls of spinach, chooped fresh coriander if you have it, and heat through. Then add the roasted veggies. Yum yum yum! And if it's too spicy, add some low/zero fat natural yoghurt and stir through.
I'm not sure of the exact calories, but that would do 3 meals when served with a toasted wholemeal pitta (no rice) and you could bulk it out with all kinds of veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, courgettes) and omit the prawns, add more lentils, chick peas or add cooked turkey breast if you prefer.
Chop up an aubergine and a green pepper, dust with chili powder and roast in the oven until cooked. Meanwhile, in a frying pan with the teeniest tiniest splash of olive oil, lightly toast the following all together. Cumin, garam masala, curry powder, cardamon pods, thumb sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped and 3 cloves of chopped garlic. After 30 seconds or so, add chopped red onions and mushrooms - cook until slightly softened. Then add about a pint of vegetable stock and tip in a cup of red lentils. Simmer until the lentils are softened and have absorbed most of the stock, add some cooked king prawns, a few handfulls of spinach, chooped fresh coriander if you have it, and heat through. Then add the roasted veggies. Yum yum yum! And if it's too spicy, add some low/zero fat natural yoghurt and stir through.
I'm not sure of the exact calories, but that would do 3 meals when served with a toasted wholemeal pitta (no rice) and you could bulk it out with all kinds of veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, courgettes) and omit the prawns, add more lentils, chick peas or add cooked turkey breast if you prefer.
diminishingreturns
Full Member
Yes, it's really really easy and I sort of invented it myself a couple of weeks back - I had never made curry from scratch before so thought I would be brave! Once you've got the spices, it's dead cheap and much better than buying jars of curry sauce full of creamy calories, much as I love them : (
Iris
Full Member
Oh I love these too! They've been a saviour for me. I love the Mediterranean tuna (220) - I tried the salsa but I found it a bit vinegary, maybe I just wanted the 40 extra calories.
My new favourite is the Salmon Light Lunch, though. Moroccan style with bulgur wheat, potatoes, harissa sauce. Have you tried it? 200 calories and it's very delicious!
