We’re in the heart of summer. That means, opportunities for pitchers of sangria, guacamole and chips, BBQ everything and of course, ice cream.
But hey, we all deserve it – after a long winter indoors (at least for those of us who live with the seasons), there’s nothing better than fully enjoying summertime.
So, if you went out to that new hip outdoor spot for some cold refreshing beers at lunchtime with your coworkers, had that 3pm trip to the frozen yogurt spot and now need a low-calorie, low-fat healthy dinner to end your day on a light note…. I’ve got you covered.
Overindulging during the day a bit doesn’t mean you need to spend hours at the gym just to maintain that bikini bod. In my experience, diet is more important (you know my story.) And “diet” doesn’t mean eating a bowl of spinach with lemon juice on it – just eat Inspiralized and you’ll always feel nourished and satisfied. Put the celery sticks away.
Whether you’re trying to eat healthy, trying to lose weight, trying to maintain your weight, or simply looking for some easy lunch options that won’t weigh you down, today’s your day!
Every few months, I like to round up my spiralized recipes that are under 300 or 350 calories. You can check out previous posts here:
- 24 Healthy Spiralized Recipes Under 300 Calories
- 5 Spiralized Meals Under 350 Calories
- 10 Healthy Spiralized Recipes 350 Calories
When you’re trying to lose weight, unfortunately, it is a bit of a numbers game – calories in versus calorie burned. I haven’t counted calories since I was in college. Simply, I’ve read into what foods I need for different reasons and also, after reading nutritional labels and studying nutritional values of various proteins, fruits, veggies and legumes, I have a general idea of what’s “too much” and what’s “too little.”
For example, I know that if I have about a serving of salmon (about 3 ounces), it’s around 180 calories. I know that a sizeable sweet potato is about 160 calories. I know that half an avocado is about 160 calories. Knowing these basic calorie counts (along with their micronutrient values) helps me portion myself when making meals, without calorie counting. I can look at my plate and say, “That looks like a balanced meal, both nutritionally and calorically.”
By cooking for yourself more often and “understanding” the calories for serving sizes of different types of foods (ie apples, broccoli, carrots, quinoa, chickpeas, almonds), you’ll free yourself from the restrictions of a calorie counting App on your phone.
It took me a while to get there, and this blog has helped me tremendously – having to generate nutritional value counts on all the recipes has made me much more aware of all of that information.
Having said all of that, if you are someone who needs to calculate calories exactly to keep on track, don’t let anyone tell you you’re wrong. If it helps you, do you. It’s your life, your body, your peace of mind, and whatever works, works.
Long story short, here are some summer-friendly zucchini noodle recipes to take the guesswork out:
Top right: Thai Zucchini and Cucumber Noodle Collard Green Wraps with Almond Butter Sauce (206 calories)
Bottom right: Chicken Zucchini Noodle Soup (290 calories)
Left: Vegan Creamy Ginger-Coconut Zucchini Noodles (159 calories)** add a protein to this one to feel fuller, longer
Top left: Gluten-Free Zucchini Spaghetti with Fried Egg (213 calories)
Bottom left: Easy Three Bean Zucchini Noodle Macaroni Salad (146 calories)
Top right: Sesame Chicken and Bok Choy Zucchini Noodle Bowl (296 calories)
Bottom right: Basil Zucchini Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes (168 calories)
Left: Zucchini Spaghetti with Clams (220 calories)
Top right: Spiralized Vegetable Bibimbap (299 calories)
Bottom right: Zucchini Noodle and Arugula Salad with Ricotta, Corn and Bacon (227 calories)
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