7 Dinner options with less than 500 calories

Everyone that knows me knows that I love good food! And while I have made the commitment to eat healthy I refuse to eat boring for dinner, hell no! That’s the one meal I’m looking forward to the whole day. Thus for my own sake and sanity I decided to look for tastier dinner options that would not be packed with calories. I went and did my homework and found this super delicious recipes for dinner options with less than 500 calories. My first thought? Let's share this will all my Fit Girls out there who know the struggle!

I think we've all been at a point where we don't know what to eat for dinner at least once in our lives. I realized that this feeling got worse once I decided to start eating healthier because I didn't know how to make a "healthy"  dinner tasty. I got mixed up in the mindset that eating healthy meant eating boring. Yet the first 10 months of my Fit journey I managed to eat a lot of salads for dinner and plane fish and chicken. Until I got fed up with it!

The last couple of months I have been feeling even more clueless as to what to eat for dinner. Seriously you have no idea how hard it can get for someone who is trying to eat healthy and completely sucks in the kitchen, to get creative. Obviously I needed some help so I went on to search healthier dinner options that would look like a real fatty meal while actually being healthy.

At first when I came across this recipes I thought there was no way there were actually less than 500 calories. I mean, hamburgers and nachos for dinner? But then I found out that this recipes are by Dawn Jackson Blatner who is a registered dietitian nutritionist, so  I was sold! This receipes are really easy to make (believe me, I always search easy when it comes to recipes ?) and totally delicious!

Top 7 dinner options with less than 500 calories

1) Cajun shrimp with polenta

You will need: 

• ¼ yellow cornmeal
• 12 large shrimps
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 onion
• Chill powder
• Paprika powder
• 1 green bell pepper
• ½ cup black beans
• Polenta

How to prepare:

First you need to pour ¼ cup of yellow cornmeal into ¾ cup of boiling water. Let it cook at low heat for 10 minutes while stirring frequently. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese. Set some polenta aside.  Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil at low fire in a medium pan. Pour in ½ cup chopped onion, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 minced garlic clove and ½ teaspoon paprika for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of frozen corn, ½ cup black beans and 1 cup of chopped green bell pepper. Let this cook for 6 more minutes. At last, add 12 cooked shrimps and mix until they are warm enough. Serve this over polenta.

2) Tortilla – crusted Salmon with Santa Fe Rice

You will need:

• 4 tortilla chips
• 1 egg
• Olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 table spoons canned chopped green chilies
• 2 cups diced bell pepper
• ½ cup brown rice (cooked)
• 1 table spoon chopped cilantro
• 1 table spoon lime juice
• served with salmon

How to prepare:

First step is to preheat your over to 350 degrees. Beat 1 egg. Crush 4 tortilla chips in a zip lock bag (or any bag that prevents the tortilla chips from getting out of the bag). Dip 1 salmon fillet (of 4 ounces) in the egg and coat it with the crushed tortilla chips. Place this on a baking sheet with parchment paper around it and let it bake for 15 minutes. On the meantime heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium pan on medium heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons of canned chopped green chilies, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ cup cooked brown rice, 2 cups diced bell pepper. Pour in 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro and lime juice and stir. Serve with salmon.

3) Pork with Cherry Chutney and spiced sweet potatoes

You will need: 

• 3-ounce boneless pork chop
• Olive oil
• 1 ½ cups diced sweat potato
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ cup frozen unsweetened tart cherries
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

How to prepare:

First thing you need to do is preheat your oven at a regular temperature. Place one (3-ounce) boneless pork chop on a foil-line baking sheet and let it broil in the oven for 12 minutes. In the meantime heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium pan at a medium heat. Pour and mix in 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 ½ cups of diced sweet potato, 1/8 teaspoon chili powder and a dash of salt (to taste) for 8 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ½ cup frozen unsweetened tart cherries, and ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger for 4 minutes in a small saucepan. Top the pork chop with the sauce you just prepared and serve with sweet potatoes aside.

4) Eggplant parmesan pasta

You will need: 

• 1 egg
• ½ inch –thick eggplant slices
• 2 tablespoons panko
• 2 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
• ½ cup warmed marinara
• 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

How to prepare:

First thing you have to do is to preheat your oven to 245 degrees. Beat 1 egg and dip two eggplants (1/2- inch-thick) in the egg. Cost it with 2 tablespoons panko, and add salt and pepper to your taste. Place this on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray nonstick cooking spray over it and let it bake for 10 minutes per side. Thus a total of 20 minutes in the oven. In the meantime, cook 2 ounces of whole wheat angel hair pasta (or spaghetti) with ½ cup of warmed marinara and place on top the baked eggplant, 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves. As a last touch add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.

5) Orange chicken with asparagus

You will need:

• Sesame oil
• 4 ounces of chicken
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Asparagus
• 1 table spoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup brown rice.

How to prepare:

In a large pan heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil at medium heat. Mix in 4 ounces of chicken in slices, 1 minced garlic clove and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for 7 minutes. Add and cook for 3 more minutes 2 cups of chopped asparagus. Mix together in a small bowl 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce and the juice and zest of 1 orange. Pour this in the pan and cook for 1 minute. Serve over ½ cup cooked brown rice. Add orange pieces on top to give it a nicer touch and look.

6) Guacamole burger

You will need: 

• 4 ounces lean ground beef
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 table spoons chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup guacamole
• 1 tomato slice
• 2 half wheat hamburger buns
• 1 cup watermelon

How to prepare:

First step is to preheat your oven at a regular temperature. Mix 4 ounces of lean ground beef with  2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon chili powder and form into a patty (this means you need to give it the shape of a hamburger meat yourself). Place patty on the half of a whole wheat hamburger bun and add on top ¼ cup of guacamole, 1 tomato slice and top it with the other half bum. Serve this with 1 cup of cubed watermelon.

7) Potato nachos

You will need: 

• 1 medium potato
• Baking sheet
• 3 ½ ounces lean ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 table spoon taco seasoning
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded romaine
• ½ cup diced tomato
• ¼ cup low-fat plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 sliced scallion

How to prepare: 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1 medium potato into 8 wedges (you can also give it a round shape if you prefer) place them on a baking sheet and spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Let them bake for 30 minutes, and while they are baking flip them of side once. Pour into a medium pan heated at medium heat, 3 ½ ounces of lean grounded turkey, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning and 3 tablespoons water and mix this for 8 minutes. Top the potatoes with some cooked turkey, 1 cup shredded romaine, ¼ cup shredded cheddar, ¼ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt, ½ diced tomato and 1 scallion (thin slices). Bon' a petite!

There you go Fit Girls, dinner time will never be boring again! Which one is your favorite recipe from the ones above? Do you know any more delicious recipes with less than 500 calories? Let us know in the comments below!