Recipes

Our cleaned-up redo of this timeless classic conjures up memories of your favorite Italian restaurant meal, but with less fat!

Traditionally defined as a cooking method in which meats are seared and then simmered in a closed pan to maximize flavor, braising can also be used to add taste and tenderness to vegetables.

We've taken your classic potato skins and given them a southwestern makeover, using hearty black beans, cilantro and a kick of spicy jalapeño. Both the potatoes and the filling can be made in advance and simply assembled and baked the day of your party.

An honorary mention in our AHA collaboration, this heart-healthy southwest quinoa salad comes from Chef Jean Hertzman, PhD, CCE, assistant professor of food and beverage management at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.

Our version of holiday sweet potatoes puts an end to the usual maple syrup-induced sugar shock, opting instead for roasted garlic and rosemary (plus beaten egg whites for a fluffy texture!)

Flank steak is an affordable, lean cut, which benefits from quick cooking. Since it does not have extensive marbling, cooking to medium rare or medium, and slicing thinly against the grain, will result in the most tender texture.

Go ahead, eat this burger! We've transformed a diner classic so you can indulge while keeping fat and calories way down. One bite and you'll never go greasy spoon again.

Our modern take on this traditional dish offers a lighter, crisper combination of vegetables, allowing you to truly experience the fresh flavors.

Ditch high-sodium beef dips – they can be labor intensive and replete with artificial flavor enhancers. With just five ingredients, our all-natural sandwiches keep sodium in check, offering 32 grams of protein and letting your slow cooker do most of the work!

Let hardy vegetables, tender chicken and aromatic spices mingle all day in your slow cooker, and come home salivating to the delicious smell of this lightened-up Italian classic!

Flip on your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a rich, warming vegetarian stew topped with a cornmeal crust. Comfort at its finest!

Get out your crock pot and try the easy, clean and comforting slow cooker chicken barley stew that helped one of our readers shed 200 pounds!

The use of boneless, skinless chicken and low-fat yogurt helps to reduce the fat that is commonly found in this zesty Indian dish.

Use your own canned tomatoes (or your favorite boxed variety) to make this bone-warming Spanish chicken and rice skillet, a breeze at just 20 minutes of prep!

Searing a large piece of beef and then roasting it in the oven gives you the best of two worlds: crisp, caramelized edges and a tender, juicy interior. Our herb-laced Dijon rub is the icing on this sirloin roast.

Panko bread crumbs and crushed walnuts join forces with dried herbs to create a crispy, flavorful coating for our roast – in perfect textural contrast to its creamy blue cheese sauce.

This protein-rich dinner is only $2 per serving, but that doesn't mean it can't have rich flavor! The process of reduction intensifies the sauce's flavor, lending the sirloin a pleasing tang.

Whip up a hearty French salad in just 25 minutes! Ringing in at just $8, this healthy recipe suits your wallet as well as your waistline.

Mighty little sunflower seeds have been shown to reduce the risk of developing asthma, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, diabetes and heart disease. That and their great taste are why we chose to feature them in this clean granola recipe.

Stew doesn't have to simmer for hours. This one cooks up in a jiffy, thanks to quick-cooking ingredients like shrimp and small potato wedges.

We've taken your classic shrimp salad sandwich and amped up the flavor even more with fresh dill, crunchy celery and Dijon. In our version, Greek yogurt stands in for mayonnaise, providing creamy texture without the fat.

Adding beaten egg whites to these luscious cheesy grits increases their volume (so you'll feel like you're eating more!), yet gives them a light texture. And if zucchini's not in its prime, substitute any seasonal vegetables you love!

Lean ground turkey and buttermilk-mashed Yukon gold potatoes give this seasonal family favorite all the flavor and creaminess you'd expect from a shepherd's pie—with none of the actual butter or cream. Translation: a low-cal, low-fat meal sure to soothe any wintertime craving, guilt free.

Fennel, shallots and olives are a popular combination, making this light and elegant flatbread a surefire hit. We've tossed the shallots in a bit of lemon juice to brighten their flavor and roasted the fennel to bring out its natural sweetness.

Toasted sesame seeds turn these pork tenderloin medallions into a dramatic-looking dish, while sweet apple butter and savory tamari combine to create a luscious sauce for a sideof steamed baby bok choy.

The flavor of nutrient-rich sesame punctuates this punchy dish double time, in seeds toasted atop the garlic-roasted chicken and in the Middle Eastern-inspired tahini sauce.

Our slightly browned scallops nestle on a bed of puréed peas, as satisfying in texture as they are nutritionally robust.

Bridge the gap between surf and turf by serving up seared scallops, a dinner option that's as fresh and delicate as it is substantial and rich.

With a vibrant sauce and a bit of flair in its presentation, this dish looks and tastes great for so little effort. Scallops take literally minutes to cook, making them the perfect fast food when you need a touch of elegance in a flash.

Broiled scallops sprinkled with a crunchy, toasted bread-crumb and almond mixture and cloaked with a thick, smooth, lemony avocado sauce is our lean, culinary ode to this New Orleans signature sandwich.

Bloody Mary fans will love this hearty drink, especially if you spike it with a dash of Worcestershire sauce or some horseradish!

The success of the homemade potato chips in this $2 dish really depends on your knife – sharper knives cut thinner slices for crispier chips! Toss your chips with dill only after they've come out of the oven so the dried herb doesn't burn.

The tart green cilantro sauce in this recipe balances out the salmon's rich flavor - and perfectly complements the color - making this dish worthy of serving at your next big dinner party.

Leftover fish, whole grains and a crisper drawer's share of produce, and this reader made dinner!

A short marinade infuses the salmon with citrus flavor and helps keep it moist. Plus, since only a small fraction of the marinating liquid is absorbed, this easy step keeps calories low!

Our rustic take on the classic Italian pie has a swirl of savory fillings and just 175 calories per slice.

You can make both the potatoes and onions the day before so that your pre-party preparation is extra fast and easy. After assembling the dish, either bake it at home and serve it within an hour or so (it's equally delicious at room temperature), or take it to the host's place and bake it there.

The subtle sweetness of roasted red pepper pairs perfectly with succulent grilled shrimp in this cozy 10-minute soup. Enjoy with a side of crispy garlic toast!

While protein-rich Greek yogurt and milk are a harmonious egg substitute, this modernized dish also harkens back to time-honored recipes by calling for mild and nutritious farmer's cheese, a light variety similar to cottage cheese.

You might not think that you can make pasta in your slow cooker, but this scrumptious, Mediterranean-inspired rotini will prove otherwise. Shrimp adds lean protein while roasted peppers and olives add some extra zing.

Roasted chicken can sometimes get boring. With our cherry barbecue sauce and toasted almonds, this Sunday dinner staple takes on a starring role.

You'll love our crispy garlic, bread crumb and walnut topping! Try it on all your favorite pastas and casseroles.

These aren't your grandmother's Brussels sprouts, considering the subtly mild zip you get from the apple cider vinegar and the nuttiness from the chestnuts.

If your favorite part of ravioli is the creamy ricotta filling, then you'll go wild for my homemade ricotta dumplings.

Frittatas are the quintessential quick meal and perfect any time of day. Try this spinach frittata tonight with a simple green salad, then munch on leftovers tomorrow morning with a side of oatmeal or in a tortilla for a wholesome lunch.

Nosh on red bell peppers like those found in this Middle Eastern-inspired side dish and know you've chosen one of the most nutrient-dense foods around. A 3 1/2-oz serving of red peppers boasts plentiful vitamins C, A and B6, fiber, thiamin and folic acid.

Surprise! Nutritious rhubarb can be eaten raw! Serve this simple compote over nonfat Greek yogurt, homemade granola or even savory dishes such as grilled pork tenderloin.

Now being gentle to bean-sensitive tummies won't mean having to sacrifice authentic taste: if we didn't know better, we'd swear this reader recipe was full of garbanzo beans!