Recipes

Sopa seca is a term used in Mexican cuisine to describe a side dish made with pasta, which is cooked until the soupy liquid is absorbed. Using quinoa instead of pasta boosts the protein and fiber content of this dish.

Nutty-tasting quinoa adds texture to a backdrop of creamy rich-tasting beans. A dash of smoky chipotle pepper gives this chili a meaty quality without all the fat.

This determined reader ditched the fatty salad dressings and greasy chips for a healthy potluck favorite that leaves her friends and family begging for more!

Thanks to the extra hit of fiber, sweet potato fries are a filling stand-in for white spuds. With just a light coating of olive oil, baking the potatoes adds a crispy, crunchy texture that garners Clean Eating approval while you indulge your craving.

Switch butter and whole milk with reduced-fat cottage cheese whenever you want to whip together your own flavorful, naturally low-fat mashed potatoes.

Pasta carbonara is usually made with bacon, eggs and loads of cheese, so to clean it up while keeping the dish taste bud-friendly, we've replaced the bacon with chicken, cut down on egg and cheese, and added mixed veggies to this healthy carbonara.

This reader came up with an easy morning meal option that's versatile enough to allow you to pop in your own favorite produce.

On days when you're pressed for time, skip the tedium of making individual quesadillas and spend 5 minutes assembling our cheesy casserole! It's rich in antioxidants thanks to one particular ingredient...

Our salmon burgers (packed with omega-3s!) get a whole lot of pizzazz with herbes de Provence, capers, olives and Dijon, then cool down under cucumber yogurt sauce. Oh, and the whole dish takes just 10 minutes!

Preparing a Thanksgiving turkey can be overwhelming for some, but we've broken it down into easy, manageable steps for a stress-free holiday.

Modern-day Italians serve cornmeal-based polenta as a simple side or hearty entrée, enriched with cheeses and herbs. Offering yet another take on the classic, our polenta is used to create a soft crust for a winter vegetable pie.

Chef and cookbook author Allison Fishman is all about simple, home-cooked dishes that let fresh, healthy ingredients shine. This Cajun-inspired recipe is a prime example!

It may not be the first cooking method that comes to mind when you think of chicken, but poaching is a great way to cook lean proteins that have a tendency to dry out.

A warm and comforting dessert without the usual calorie count (just 156), and ready in just 35 minutes!

These loaded paninis, or "little breads" in Italian, don't require a panini press - a toaster oven and a quick press with your hand works too. Alternatively, you can heat the pitas on a grill pan with another pan over top for pressure to get those signature grill marks. With Clean Eating, the options are endless!

Salad greens and zucchini noodles are tossed with a creamy, nutty and protein-rich pesto. Pistachios stand in for pine nuts (which are typically used to make pesto) and contain less fat, while creamy avocado adds a rich, velvety texture.

Las Vegas Chef Mayra Trabulse, owner of Pura Vida Bakery & Bystro, shared this vegan dish for the American Heart Association Flavors of the Heart competition, which we judged!

Top Chef's Angelo Sosa credits his Dominican father for his adventurous cooking style. His beet carpaccio is drizzled with herb-laced Italian honey and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

In Latin America, a picadillo usually consists of finely chopped well-seasoned meat and vegetables served alongside a bed of rice. Here, we've transferred the concept to the soup pot to spice up your cold winter nights.

This quick and easy clean eating pizza uses pita bread for a traditionally thin and crispy crust. Vary the toppings to your taste preferences: add diced Roma or sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives or even leftover cooked broccoli.

We add depth to the Tetra Pak tomatoes by simmering them with onions, tomato paste, garlic and red pepper flakes. This process also thickens the sauce so it lightly coats the penne instead of drowning it.

Tosca Reno's 30-minute cookies are a holiday favorite - she was even able to use the addictive sweets as a means of sneaking flax into her daughter's diet!

A generous swirl of creamy peanut butter adds an extra layer of decadence to these unbelievably clean brownies.

Our handy take on the classic German dessert maintains the decadent crumb topping but switches it up as personal-size cupcakes, with only 137 calories each!

Whip up a quick snack for the kiddies or a meal-on-the-go with just 4 ingredients and 8 minutes. Bonus: It's loaded with fiber!

Here's a good way to sneak some greens into your kids – and time into your schedule! These lasagna-style roll-ups can be made ahead of time and reheated for a quick, easy weeknight meal.

Bolognese sauce is a rich ragu that simmers for hours, coaxing flavor from aromatic vegetables. Our plant-based lentil bolognese honors its roots with steady (thankfully quicker!) preparation that persuades sweet notes from caramelized vegetables.

Baking in parchment keeps fish moist and makes cleanup practically effortless. Try substituting Pacific cod for similar results at a reduced cost, and reserve the second half of your fennel bulb for use in a salad: Try it with radicchio, toasted walnuts, cubes of pear and crumbled goat cheese.

Pappardelle - a wide, egg-based noodle - is topped with a sumptuous sauce made with ground beef and aromatic spices. Crumbled feta adorns the dish for a touch of saltiness to round out the meal.

This creamy Italian custard, which we've infused with a delicate orange scent, is light and refreshing and contains just 1 gram of fat.

Paella is composed of rice, meat and vegetables. In Valencia, where it's said to have originated, paellas are almost always single-protein dishes. Here in America, however, we like to mix fish, chicken and pork. Throw in some vegetables and you have a complete good-for-you one-dish meal.

A love for portobello burgers inspired this reader to find other ways to incorporate the meaty mushroom into her cooking. Her portobello mushroom recipe is filling enough to be eaten as a full meal!

An amazingly easy-to-prepare, delightfully sweet whole fish is paired with mild roasted fennel and onions, plus couscous – a complete meal with just 8 grams of fat.

Fake greasy takeout with this healthy twist on fried chicken, breaded with whole-wheat bread crumbs, cheese and thyme!

While poaching mild-flavored catfish in orange juice will help infuse this dish with a citrus fragrance, it's actually the orange zest that provides an intensely aromatic character.

Our clean chocolate cake is dense, fudgy and so visually appealing you'll want to serve it on a platter. While the taste and texture are truly indulgent, one slice rings in at a mere 160 calories and five grams of fat.

Here, we're using lamb chops, which look like miniature T-bone steaks. They're full of flavor and the fat is relatively easy to trim off.

This creamy curried chicken and lentil dish is brimming with flavor, and it’s even better the next day. Make it on Sunday and eat it for lunches and dinners all week.

Try this low-cal spread on multigrain crackers, as a dip for crudités, smoothed on whole-wheat bread in lieu of mayo for a flavorful sandwich or burger.

Eating a slice of our moist, slow-cooker pumpkin bread may actually improve your energy, thanks to its hearty dose of potassium.

Clean cook and host of FitTV's Healthy Decadence, Devin Alexander takes the fried out of a beloved chicken dish. It tastes so good you'll wonder why you've relied on the grease for so long!

Don't pay in pounds because you want a delightfully decadent brunch! These waffles are also delicious topped with low-fat ricotta and fresh berries.

We clean up our Greek lasagna by topping it with low-fat béchamel, and the meat-and-potato dish doesn't lose an ounce of comfort. Prepare the sliced potatoes, eggplant and red sauce a day or two in advance and refrigerate to save time!

Aside from ample health benefits in Sonja Finn's low-cal salad, there's a bounty of textures and flavors to experience – from the chewy feel of farro between your teeth, juxtaposed with smooth and creamy avocado, to the tangy taste of the Chile-Mint Vinaigrette.

Instead of simply slapping some cheese between two slices of bread (as usual!) why not add black beans and shredded chicken to the mix for a little Mexican infusion?

These vegetarian patties are simple, versatile and addictive! Enjoy them on their own with a dollop of our rich garlic aioli or sandwich one between thin whole-grain buns for a veggie burger!

Finally! A guilt-free 5-layer Mexican dip! Have a fiesta with fresh flavors that won't make you hesitate to dip your chip again and again.

Candice Kumai's salad gets an antioxidant boost from two kinds of berries, plus the heart-healthy omegas in raw walnuts and iron-laden spinach couple with a fat-free balsamic vinaigrette for a texturally satisfying, guilt-free lunch.

Brimming with fresh ingredients, this simple side comes courtesy of Las Vegas chef Shawn McClain.