What's the secret to making a pasta-less mac and cheese just as irresistible as the classic? Cauliflower. The cruciferous vegetable is the perfect vehicle for a cheesy, creamy sauce made from cheese, coconut milk, butter, and coconut flour. While the resulting dish is gluten-free and under 400 calories, note that it's high in saturated fat, so enjoy this comforting dish in moderation.
Even if you regularly toss in protein powder to boost your smoothie's nutrition, sometimes you need a break from the blender. Skip that shake and try one of these four inventive recipes instead. Each has a sweet twist to help incorporate the powder and hit your daily recommended protein intake deliciously.
Single-Serve Pancake
The sky-high protein content in this quick single-serve vanilla pancake recipe comes from the combination of low-fat cottage cheese and protein powder. In under 10 minutes, you can have a satisfying, 350-calorie breakfast treat with more than 37 grams of protein.
Pre-Workout Bites
Skip all the prep, and opt for this quick pre-workout snack that reserves your energy for your workout. These peanut butter protein balls taste like chocolate chip cookie dough but offer the perfect blend of protein and carbs for a strength-training session.
Keep reading for two more recipes that are packed with protein.
When you're in a rush, those convenient breakfasts often found in the pastry display aren't exactly the best place to look if you're gluten-free. The solution? Make a batch of these egg, broccoli, and turkey sausage muffins over the weekend to grab and go during the workweek. At 150 calories and 12 grams of protein, these muffins are a smarter choice over any coffee shop pastry.
Whether you're looking to balance out meals or shed a few pounds, try snacking on some of these low-carb, high-protein snacks throughout the day.
A tall frozen piña colada may taste like a tropical vacation, but this cocktail can clock in at 245 calories with a whopping 31.5 grams of sugar! Leave prepackaged mixes for the amateurs, and blend up a fresh colada-inspired smoothie that cuts out 102 calories and nearly half the sugar content.
The interesting array of tropical ingredients in this recipe create a drink with a flavor and texture even more satisfying, but still true, to the original. Whether you prefer an alcohol-free mocktail or a boozy treat, this refreshing drink is well worth the five minutes of prep time. Ready for a taste? Keep reading for this simple and fresh recipe.
For many, the key to successful weight loss is eating more throughout the day and ending with an early, light dinner. Eating late can lead to sleep issues or cause you to eat more calories than you would if you ate earlier. If you're trying to turn your dinner habits around but can't seem to shake the 9 p.m. fridge stop, here are tips on how to make your light dinner a success.
Who says raw vegetables can't pack plenty of flavor? This vegetable sushi roll, made with creamy avocado and crunchy cucumber and carrots, has two secret ingredients: gomasio and umeboshi paste. Gomasio literally means "sesame salt" in Japanese. This condiment is sprinkled onto Asian cuisine like salt and is made from crushed, toasted sesame seeds and salt. Unlike salt, which only adds one dimension of flavor to a dish, gomasio gives food a nutty, roasted quality. Just be sure to keep your bottle in the fridge, because sesame seeds go rancid quickly, and nothing is worse than ruining a dish with rancid seasoning!
Also contributing to the saltiness of the sushi is umeboshi paste, or puréed, pickled Japanese plums. What does this bright purple paste taste like, you might be wondering? Umeboshi paste is at once extremely salty and full of savory umami flavor (the Western equivalent, in terms of texture and flavor, would be concentrated bouillon paste). Even just 1/4 of a teaspoon of umeboshi paste smeared on a sushi roll will give the sushi sufficient seasoning, so much so that you probably won't be tempted to dip the roll in a dish of soy sauce.
To see how this simple vegetable sushi roll is constructed, keep reading for the recipe.
I consider brownies the perfect barbecue dessert. My standard recipe is similar to most; it contains a whole stick of butter, a couple of eggs, and a cup-and-a-half of sugar. That is until I found this recipe in Shape; compared to my go-to, the final calorie count per brownie dropped by 170 calories!
For a lightened-up recipe, these brownies were rich and tasty. To keep the flavor quality prime, be sure to use high-quality cocoa and chocolate chips. Keep reading to see this slimmed-down recipe.
It's a staple at Summer BBQs, but when you're trying to make healthy choices, many macaroni or pasta salad recipes are far too high in fat, calorie, and sodium. Swap out your old recipe for this fiber-filled salad; crisp veggies, whole wheat pasta, plus a low-fat dressing come together to create a tasty pasta dish that's less than 215 calories per serving and packed with vitamins A and C.
Between the chopped pickles and tangy dijon mustard, the flavor of this vegan Summer side is so good you won't even miss the mayo! Keep reading to learn all about your new favorite pasta salad recipe.
When she's not setting records, celebrated long-distance runner Deena Kastor can be found in her kitchen. Deena, an avid lover of food and wine, has learned over the years that the success of her runs is often determined by the food she's been eating. "Don't think of food as calories, but energy. Think about how you want to fuel yourself and the kind of energy you need to make it happen," Deena told us at a recent cooking demo hosted by Asics.
For Deena, that means combining nutritious ingredients in every meal. Healthy fats, lean proteins, and organic produce are what you'll mostly find on Deena's plate — and the fresher, the better. "The more quality ingredients you add, the less junk you eat," she said. Sounds easy enough, but Deena understands that healthy eating doesn't come easy for everyone. Her advice? Make it look good.
Surround yourself with beautiful food, and it becomes hard to resist the temptation of eating healthfully. For Deena, that means displaying pretty bowls of organic nuts throughout her house; she also keeps glass jars on her countertops filled with quinoa, whole grains, and seeds. And taking it a step further, she creates produce arrangements out of the fruits and vegetables she has on hand; it's not at all unusual to find a tall vase in the Kastor home filled with dino kale. Head to the grocery store and heed Deena's advice: "When you start out with good ingredients, you will have energy for the day. Cut your produce, make beautiful arrangements with food, use glass containers — just make it pretty."
