Skinny Versions of Top Most Google-Searched Recipes

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Ah, Google. It’s our best neighbor when it comes to borrowing a recipe, spinning something creative in the kitchen and enjoying a wide array of food ideas that we never would have fathomed without that convenient helping hand.

So, which ones piqued people’s interest most throughout 2018? Most are family favorites — things like meatloaf and Parmesan chicken — that unfortunately tend to be high in calories and on the unhealthier side of things.

That’s why we rounded up healthier, skinny versions of Google’s Top 10 Most-Searched Recipes of 2018 -- so that you can still enjoy these popular classics, without all those extra calories.
 

1. Pecan Pie

This homemade classic is often top-of-mind around the holidays, but for whatever reason, it’s also been top-of-mind for people year-round. Here’s the thing, a typical piece of pecan pie has a whopping 505 calories! And finding a healthy alternative is tricky. BUT, swapping out ingredients for healthier alternatives can shave off about 100 calories -- so budget accordingly and enjoy.

Yields: 8 slices (1 whole pie)
Calories: 414/slice

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw honey
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 eggs
1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp ground ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups raw pecans
1 bottom pie crust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine raw honey, coconut oil, eggs, fresh orange zest, sea salt, unsweetened almond milk, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, and whole wheat pastry flour. Stir to combine.

Arrange the raw pecans into the prepared 9-inch pie crust.

Pour the liquid filling mixture over the pecans, spreading some with a spoon if necessary.

Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes.

The pie will rise in the oven. You’ll know it’s done when it has small cracks in the top and is no longer giggly.
Remove from oven and allow to cool, preferably overnight.

Recipe courtesy: A Sweet Pea Chef

2. Meatloaf

Ah yes, the old family favorite is clearly not forgotten in 2018. It’s the kind of meal you want to come home to after a busy day at work -- especially when you consider all the unique ways it can be made and spiced up.

Yields: 4 servings
Calories: 377/slice
 

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound extra-lean (95%) ground beef
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 large eggs
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup shredded zucchini
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup ketchup, or to taste
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir green bell pepper and onion in the hot oil until onion is transparent and bell pepper is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, carrot, zucchini, salt, pepper, and bell pepper mixture in a large bowl; mix well using your hands. Press meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Spread ketchup on the top of the meatloaf and continue baking until bubbling, about 5 minutes more.

Recipe courtesy: NOLAMom on All Recipes
 

3. Beef Stroganoff

Few things are packed with as much creamy deliciousness as beef stroganoff. Noodles, mushrooms, garlic, beef -- all coming together with a creamy, delicious sauce that tastes like heaven on a plate. But some recipes can have upwards of 600 calories per serving (yikes!). Luckily, there are plenty of people out there who have managed to develop something just as tasty -- and cut the calories down bigtime.

Yields: 4 servings
Calories: ~ 300
 

Ingredients:

1 lb. wide egg noodles
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic grated
1 lb. button mushrooms cleaned and sliced thin
1 lb. top sirloin beef sliced into 1/4-1/8 inch slices
salt & pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 tablespoons fat free half and half

Directions:

Bring large pot of water to boil. Salt water and pour in egg noodles. Cook according to package directions and drain. Pour back into warm pot, drizzle with a little olive oil and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat deep skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Sauté onions and garlic until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and sliced beef. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
After 5 minutes or so, beef should be completely cooked and veggies should be tender. Stir in spices and beef broth. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Stir in sour cream. In a small bowl, whisk flour and half and half together to create a lump-free slurry. Pour this into the hot pot, stir and cook 5 minutes to thicken sauce. {*If you don't mind a thin sauce, you can skip this step.}

Taste, adjust seasonings and serve: spoon noodles into bowls and top with stroganoff.

Recipe courtesy: Lauren’s Latest
 

4. Pork Chops

Hurray for lean meats! Trim the fat, and pork chops are definitely one of them. They’re a great source of protein and can be prepared in so many ways, it’s darn near impossible to make them all. Here’s one of our favorites -- a version stuffed with feta and spinach.

Yields: 4 servings
Calories: 232/pork chop

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, diced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, tomatoes, and spinach; sauté until moisture evaporates.
Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and rind.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pocket.

Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper over pork.

Arrange pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan.

Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl; stir well.

Brush half of mustard mixture over pork. Broil 6 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; broil 2 minutes or until done.

Recipe courtesy: Cooking Light via MyRecipes
 

5. Chicken Parmesan 

Cheesy, saucy, crispy deliciousness -- yep, that’s a pretty accurate description of chicken parmesan. BUT, then you look at the calories, and a double-take is hardly doing it justice. We’re talking 567 calories in a typical serving. LUCKILY, there are options out there that still taste amazing but shave 200 calories off the total count.

Yields: 4 servings
Calories: 351/serving
 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-grain Panko bread crumbs
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese divided use
1 dash sea salt or Himalayan salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
2 large eggs lightly beaten
4 4-oz. raw chicken breasts boneless, skinless
1 cup all-natural marinara sauce no sugar added
¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Lightly coat medium baking sheet with spray. Set aside.
Combine bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl; mix well. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Place eggs in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken breast in eggs, completely coating, then bread crumbs; coating each evenly on all sides. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.

Preheat broiler on high.

Top each chicken breast evenly with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Recipe courtesy: Jessica Brown Fitness
 

6. Scalloped Potatoes

So many scrumptious versions of this classic are out there, but so many of those same versions often mean high-calorie cream, fat and more. Don’t sweat it, though. You can still munch down on this amazing-ness with a skinny version.

Yields: 7 servings
Calories: 160
 

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray
6 medium peeled yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch-thick (2 lb 4 oz peeled)
2 tbsp light butter, melted
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 oz (3/4 cup) shredded reduced fat Cheddar
1 cup fat free milk
1 bay leaf
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp thyme
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, butter, salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper.

Arrange half of the potato slices in the baking dish; top with 1/4 cup cheese. Add the remaining potatoes.
In a small saucepan, bring milk, thyme, bay leaf and nutmeg to a boil; pour over potatoes.

Top with remaining cheese and bake uncovered, for 45 – 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Recipe courtesy: Skinny Taste
 

7. Lasagna

Italy on a plate -- and so many different options and versions make it so you can almost have lasagna once a week and not get sick of it. (Seriously). And that means there are a myriad of healthy versions, too Yay!

Yields: 12 servings
Calories: 259
 

Ingredients:

12 whole-wheat or gluten-free brown rice lasagna noodles (8-oz)
½ pound lean ground beef
4 ounces finely chopped mushrooms
1 ½ teaspoon dry Italian Seasoning blend
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 5-ounce package fresh baby spinach
½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish if desired
1 large egg
1 16-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
½ teaspoon ground pepper
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, preferably part skim (2 cups)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese’
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna, stirring occasionally until soft and pliable but not yet al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Add beef, mushrooms and Italian Seasoning and set over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up beef with a wooden spoon until no-longer pink and the liquid is evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, while adding baby spinach by handfuls, stirring to wilt until the whole amount is completely wilted into the beef mixture, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in basil.
Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add ricotta and pepper and stir until completely combined.

Spread ½ cup tomato mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. (Tip: Remove any large chunks of beef and add them back to the skillet of sauce.) Layer three lasagna noodles vertically into the baking dish; cut one more noodle as necessary and place horizontally to fill in the space at the end of the other three. Top with 1 ½ cups tomato mixture. Dot with half of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella. Top with 3 ½ more noodles, 1 ½ cups tomato mixture. Dot with the remaining half of the ricotta mixture and top with ¾ cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining tomato mixture (about 1 cup) evenly over the top. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until the lasagna is steaming hot all the way through, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until the mozzarella on top is just melted but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Let lasagna cool 10 to 15 minutes before sprinkling with additional basil and slicing it into 12 servings.

Recipe courtesy: Healthy Seasonal Recipes
 

8. Brussel Sprouts

It’s hard to go wrong with brussel sprouts on the healthy front, but too much duck fat, grease and bacon can definitely get you there. But roast them with some olive oil and pepper, and you’re in seventh heaven (both calorie-wise and taste-wise).

Yields: 6 servings
Calories: 109
 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper.

Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt (I like these salty like French fries) and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook via Food Network
 

9. Snickerdoodle Cookies

Calories: 55/cookie
 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ww pastry flour or white flour (See below for notes on a gluten-free option)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (just under level)
1/4 tsp cream of tarter (optional)
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar or sucanat or evaporated cane juice (xylitol might work, but I haven’t tried)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 tablespoons milk of choice
1/4 cup “butter” of choice, such as Earth Balance (I haven’t tried a lower-fat butter sub in this recipe, so I don’t know if that would work.)
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 330 F. Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. In a separate bowl, melt the butter of choice, then stir in vanilla and milk.

Pour dry into wet and mix again.

Form balls. For true Snickerdoodles, roll each ball in a mix of cinnamon and sugar (either equal parts OR two parts sugar to one part cinnamon, depending on how cinnamon-y you want your cookies). If you want soft cookies, you’ll need to get the balls very cold. (So roll the balls, cover in the cinnamon-sugar, then fridge until cold.)

Cook for 9-10 minutes.

Recipe courtesy: Chocolate Covered Katie

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

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