High Fat Meal Makeovers

Low Fat Pad Thai

This low fat take on a pad Thai is super simple to make and is just as tasty as the full fat version so perfect if you are following a weight loss plan.
Ingredients:

  • 100g dried rice noodles or soba noodles
  • 2 egg whites
  • 150g chicken breast, cubed
  • 100g broccoli florets
  • 1 red pepper
  • 50g green beans
  • 1 small white onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp. each of fish sauce, lime juice and chopped peanuts (optional)
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 small shallot
  • Oil spray

Method of Preparation:

  1. Soak the noodles in hot water for twenty minutes until soft.
  2. Thinly slice the onion. Slice the red pepper in half then remove the seeds and white pith before slicing into strips. Crush the garlic cloves and slice the ends off the green beans.
  3. Make the sauce by finely dicing the shallot before mixing with the fish sauce, lime juice and honey. Stir in the garlic and then set to one side.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites together. Spritz a wok with oil spray and add the egg. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, then remove from the wok and set to one side on a plate.
  5. Spritz the pan again with the oil spray and add the onion. Cook for one minute, then add the chicken and cook until browned and sealed on all sides. Add the broccoli, red pepper and green beans and cook for another five minutes or so. The veggies should be just tender and the chicken should be completely cooked.
  6. Add the egg back into the pan along with the sauce you made. Mix well then add the drained noodles. Toss to combine and then sprinkle with the peanuts to serve.

Recipe serves 2, calories per serving: 330. Make the calorie content even less by omitting the peanuts.
Calories per serve – 289

Low Fat Beef Stroganoff

You can make a simple stroganoff using one cheat’s ingredient – light cream cheese.
Ingredients:

  • 250g lean beef steak, fat and sinew trimmed and removed
  • 150g mushrooms
  • 100g light cream cheese
  • 100ml skim milk
  • 1 onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. grainy mustard (optional)
  • Oil spray

Method of Preparation:

  1. Thinly slice the onion, crush the garlic clove and quarter the mushrooms. Slice the steak into thin strips.
  2. Spritz a pan with oil spray and fry the onion gently until soft and sweet, around 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set to one side. Add the beef and brown on all sides, then add the mushrooms and brown and cook until the juices run out of them. Continue cooking until the juices evaporate, then add the onion back into the pan along with the garlic.
  3. Stir the cheese into the pan until melted and coating the ingredients in the pan. Gradually add the milk and then stir well until fully combined. Simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Stir in the mixed herbs, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Simmer for another five minutes or so then serve.

Keep this meal low calorie by serving it over wholemeal pasta, spaghetti squash or mixed vegetables. Recipe serves 2, calories per serving: 216

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 250g macaroni (use wholemeal if desired, this will keep you fuller for longer)
  • 1/2 tbsp. reduced fat butter
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 450ml skim milk
  • 200g low-fat sharp/mature grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • Frozen peas
  • Sun dried tomatoes
  • Spinach or rocket leaves

Method of Preparation:

  1. Put the pasta into a saucepan of boiling salted water and cook according to packet instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Once frothy, add the flour and stir in. Keep mixing and cook for a few minutes, stirring all the while so that it doesn’t catch on the pan.
  3. Add a dash of milk and stir vigorously. The mixture in the pan should swell and absorb all the milk. Keep adding milk a little at a time, stirring so that the mixture does not go lumpy, until all of the milk has been added to the pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes so that it thickens, then stir in the mustard and three-quarters of the cheese.
  4. Cook until the cheese has melted, then season well.
  5. Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce, then spread into a baking dish.
  6. Add in the peas and sun dried tomatoes
  7. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and then put into a 200C oven for 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
  8. Stir in the spinach or rocket leaves

Recipe serves 4. If you don’t want to make a white sauce, melt down 400g low-fat soft cheese with a dash of skim milk. Top with 50g low-fat cheese and cook in the same way.
Calories per serve – 459
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Thai Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 200ml reduced-fat or half-fat coconut milk
  • 200ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste
  • 4 spring onions
  • 8 baby sweetcorn
  • 125g frozen peas
  • 125g sugar snap peas
  • Handful fresh spinach
  • Small handful freshly chopped coriander
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp. oil

Method of Preparation:

  1. Cube the chicken. Shred the spring onions and slice the sweetcorn in half.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chicken and brown on all sides then add the curry paste, coconut milk and chicken stock.
  3. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender, then add the sweetcorn, sugar snap peas, frozen peas and spinach. Add more stock if needed.
  4. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are tender and then stir through the coriander and salt and pepper.
  5. Serve with the spring onions sprinkled over the top.

Serve the curry with wholemeal rice, basmati rice (this is low GI) or with a low-fat naan bread. Recipe serves 4.
Calories per serve – 379

Low Fat Butter Chicken

This lovely butter chicken recipe is still just as rich and creamy as the full fat version.
Ingredients:

  • 450g chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tsp. low fat or light butter
  • 1 tsp. minced ginger
  • 1 tsp. corn flour
  • ½ tsp. each chilli powder, garam masala, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp. tomato puree
  • 150g mushrooms
  • 200ml warm water
  • 125g low fat plain yoghurt with chopped cucumber
  • 1 x bunch of fresh corriander

Method of Preparation:

  1. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic clove. Thinly slice the mushrooms.
  2. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another ten minutes over a low heat until soft and tender.
  3. Add the chicken, along with the ginger, chilli powder, garam masala, cinnamon, turmeric and pepper. Cook together until the chicken is sealed on all sides and the spices begin to release their fragrances. Add the chopped corriander at the end of cooking
  4. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes, then add the water and mushrooms and simmer until the chicken is cooked, around 15 minutes.
  5. Dissolve the corn flour in a few tbsp. of water then stir into the curry to thicken. Season with salt to taste.
  6. To serve, pour the yoghurt and chopped cucumber on top of the curry.

Use 0% fat plain yoghurt if you like in place of low fat yoghurt – the only difference will be that the flavour of the curry will be less rich and creamy. Recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 290.

Tuna Mornay

Ingredients:

  • 150g fusilli pasta (wholemeal as this will keep you fuller for longer)
  • 1 400g tin tuna, drained of brine
  • 1 400g tin sweetcorn, drained
  • 450ml skim milk
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 1/2 tbsp. reduced fat butter
  • 200g low-fat sharp/mature grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp. grainy mustard
  • 150g frozen petit pois
  • Salt and pepper

Method of Preparation:

  1. Put the pasta into a saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook according to packet instructions.
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, put into a casserole dish with the tuna, peas and the sweetcorn.
  3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan until frothy. Add the flour and mix well, then cook for a few minutes, stirring all the while so that it doesn’t catch on the pan.
  4. Add a dash of milk and stir vigorously. The mixture in the pan should swell and absorb all the milk. Keep adding milk a little at a time, stirring so that the mixture does not go lumpy, until all of the milk has been added to the pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes so that it thickens, then add three-quarters of the cheese and the mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Simmer until just thickened and then pour the sauce over the ingredients in the casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese and put into an 180C oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Recipe serves 4. For extra flavour add a garlic clove to the white sauce.
Calories per serve – 500
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Low-fat Potato Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 medium baking potatoes
  • 450ml skim milk
  • 1/2 tbsp. reduced fat butter
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 1 tsp. oil or oil spray
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pinch red chilli flakes

Method of Preparation:

  1. Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic clove. Heat 1 tsp. oil or oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion until sweetened and caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes then season with salt and pepper.
  2. In another saucepan, heat the butter until frothy. Add the flour and stir, cooking for a few minutes, being careful that it doesn’t burn or catch on the bottom of the pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the while until all of the milk has been used and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
  3. Thinly slice the potatoes into half cm rounds.
  4. Arrange half of the potato in the bottom of a dish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper then arrange half the onion mixture over the potatoes.
  5. Make another layer of potatoes and then arrange the onion over the top of the potato. Pour the white sauce evenly all over the potatoes.
  6. Cook the bake in an 180C oven for 50-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

You could easily add other root vegetables to this recipe, such as carrot and parsnip. Recipe serves 6.
Calories per serve – 250

Chicken Satay

Ingredients:

  • 450g skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. minced ginger root
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic clove

For the sauce:

  • 2 tbsp. smooth peanut butter (use low-fat if you can find it)
  • 2 tbsp. lime juice
  • 1/2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic clove

Method of Preparation:

  1. Pre-soak eight wooden bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes.
  2. Cut the chicken breasts into eight strips or 16 chunks.
  3. Put the chicken into a bag with 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. lime juice, 1 tsp. ginger and 1 tsp. garlic. Marinate the chicken for at least one hour in the fridge.
  4. Thread the chicken onto the eight skewers. Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and cook for ten minutes, turning once.
  5. To make the sauce, mix the peanut butter, lime juice, honey, soy sauce and minced garlic. Heat over a low heat and add a little water to thin the sauce.
  6. Once the chicken is cooked, serve two chicken skewers per person with 1 tbsp. sauce on the side.

Use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth for extra crunch as the calorie content is relatively equal. This recipe serves 4.
Calories per serve – 256

Nachos

Ingredients:

  • Large corn tortillas
  • Olive oil or oil spray
  • 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes or 200g chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 small red chilli
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp. low-cal sweetener
  • 100g low-fat or half-fat grated cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp. 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped chives
  • 1 spring onion
  • Salt and pepper

Method of Preparation:

  1. Cut the corn tortillas into triangles. Spray with oil spray or brush with a tiny bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. paprika and salt and pepper, then cook in an 180C oven for five minutes until crisp.
  2. Meanwhile, finely chop the red onion. Slice the chilli in half lengthways, then remove the seeds with the back of your knife before dicing the flesh. Stir the onion and chilli into the tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, paprika and dried mixed herbs. Stir in the sweetener.
  3. Mix together the Greek yoghurt and chopped chives. Thinly slice the spring onion and stir this in, then season with salt and pepper
  4. Arrange the tortilla chips in a baking tray and top with the salsa. Sprinkle with the cheese and return to the oven for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the salsa has warmed through.
  5. Serve with the herby yoghurt on the side.

Recipe serves four. If you like, roast the tomatoes and the chilli in a low oven before dicing and chopping into the salsa.
Calories per serve – 298

Chicken & Chorizo Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 100g chorizo sausage, cut into small chunks (if you let the fat render down before using the chorizo, it’s actually quite low in fat and is full of protein)
  • 200g chicken breast
  • 200g mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 200g chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 125g dried fusilli pasta
  • Salt and pepper

Method of Preparation:

  1. Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms. Cut the chicken into small chunks. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat.
  2. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until some of the oil comes out of the chorizo. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
  3. Add the chicken and brown on all sides then pour in the tomatoes and season with mixed herbs and salt and pepper. Simmer for ten minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to packet instructions.
  5. Serve the pasta tossed in the chorizo sauce.

Recipe serves two. If you like, sprinkle the pasta with some grated Parmesan cheese before serving for extra flavour but little fat.
Calories per serve – 368

Low Fat Chicken Tikka Masala

This isn’t a traditional tikka masala, but it’s still wonderfully tasty and surprisingly low in fat and calories.
Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts, skinless, all fat removed
  • 150g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • ½ 400g tin chopped tomatoes (200g)
  • 200ml light or low fat coconut milk
  • 2 generous tbsp. tikka masala curry paste
  • 1 onion
  • Handful fresh coriander
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil spray

Method of Preparation:

  1. Chop the chicken breasts into cubes. Place into a bowl, along with the yoghurt and 1tbsp. of the curry paste. Season with salt, stir well and then cover with cling film before placing into the fridge overnight.
  2. When you come to cook the curry, wipe the marinade off the chicken. Place onto a baking tray and cook in a 220C oven for ten minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion.
  3. Heat the oil spray in a large pan and add the rest of the curry paste. Cook for two minutes until fragrant, then add the onion and turn the heat down low. Cook slowly for ten minutes until sweet and browned.
  4. Stir in the Passata and the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked chicken and then simmer for 5 minutes until cooked through.
  5. Finely chop the coriander and stir this through the curry before serving.

This recipe serves two, and contains 375 calories per serving. Add a 50g portion of cooked basmati rice for an extra 150 calories per serving or serve with some grated steamed cauliflower.
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For more meal makeovers see our Husband Friendly weight loss meals