Your Low-Cal Meal Plan for February
Updated: Jan. 13, 2021Warm up with these low-calorie meals! Enjoy 28 delicious main dishes and sides for the month of February.
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Day 1: Chicken & Goat Cheese Skillet
My husband was completely bowled over by this on-a-whim skillet meal. I can’t wait to make it again very soon! —Ericka Barber, Eureka, CaliforniaGoes Great With: Ricotta Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce
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Day 2: Beef Brisket in Beer
One bite of this super tender brisket and your family will be hooked! The rich gravy is perfect for spooning over a side of creamy mashed potatoes. —Eunice Stoen, Decorah, IowaGoes Great With: Cauliflower Mash
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Day 3: Taco Turkey Meat Loaf
After buying a supersized package of ground turkey, I made this spicy taco turkey meat loaf using what I had on hand. It’s now become a family favorite! —Holly Battiste, Barrington, New JerseyGoes Great With: Toasted Mexican Ravioli
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Day 4: Pressure-Cooker Wine-Braised Beef Shanks
I adapted this from a slow-cooker recipe to one that takes about 2 hours start to finish, using a pressure cooker. Served over egg noodles or rice, it reminds me of Grandma’s house. —Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, CaliforniaGoes Great With: Marinated Mushrooms & Artichokes
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Day 5: Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice
This healthier take on kimchi fried rice is one of my favorite recipes because it's customizable. If there's a vegetarian in the family, leave out the bacon and add your favorite veggies. —Stefanie Schaldenbrand, Los Angeles, CaliforniaGoes Great With: Asian Cucumber Salad
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Day 6: Beef Tenderloin Roast
This beef tenderloin roast is a simple way to dress up dinner. Prepare the rest of your meal while it bakes in the oven. —Judith LaBrozzi, Canton, OhioGoes Great With: Slow-Cooker Marinated Mushrooms
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Day 7: Turkey Chili
I’ve taken my mother’s turkey chili recipe and made it thicker and more robust. It’s a favorite, especially in fall and winter. —Celesta Zanger, Bloomfield Hills, MichiganGoes Great With: BLT Twice-Baked Potatoes
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Day 8: Sausage-Topped White Pizza
I love cooking, and I learned from Nana and Mom. Pizza is easily one of my favorite dishes to prepare. I switched up this recipe to make it my own. —Tracy Brown, River Edge, New JerseyGoes Great With: Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
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Day 9: Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken
This slow-cooker butter chicken recipe is similar to the Middle Eastern version I had in Malaysia. I spent several years there eating a variety of Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian food. Butter chicken was one of my favorite dishes while I was there! —Shannon Copley, Upper Arlington, OhioGoes Great With: Broccoli Cauliflower Combo
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Day 10: Spinach and Shrimp Fra Diavolo
This quick dish is spicy, garlicky, saucy and loaded with delicious shrimp. Plus, with the addition of spinach, you’re also getting a serving of veggies. When you need a perfect low-fat weeknight meal that is easy to pull together, this is it. You can substitute arugula or kale for the spinach if you’d like. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, MarylandGoes Great With: Proscuitto-Wrapped Asparagus with Raspberry Sauce
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Day 11: Southwest Vegetarian Bake
This veggie-packed casserole hits the spot on chilly nights. It’s a healthy canned vegetable recipe that’s great for any time I have a taste for Mexican food with all the fixings. —Patricia Gale, Monticello, IllinoisGoes Great With: One-Bite Tamales
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Day 12: Pressure-Cooker Coq au Vin
Don’t be intimidated by the elegant name. The classic French dish is now made easier in one appliance! This Instant Pot coq au vin has all the classic flavors of a rich red wine-mushroom sauce but is so simple to make. My family loves it with whole grain country bread or French bread for dipping into the extra sauce. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, MarylandGoes Great With: Spiced Garlic Carrots
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Day 13: Spinach ‘n’ Broccoli Enchiladas
I like to top this wonderful meatless meal with lettuce and serve it with extra picante sauce. It’s quick, easy, filled with fresh flavor and definitely satisfying! —Lesley Tragesser, Charleston, MissouriGoes Great With: Pico de Gallo with Chips
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Day 14: White Wine Garlic Chicken
This garlic chicken is great over cooked brown rice or your favorite pasta. Don’t forget a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, too. —Heather Esposito, Rome, New YorkGoes Great With: Lemony Shrimp & Mushroom Linguine
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Day 15: Basic Meat Loaf
Since I can’t have much salt, I’ve come up with a recipe for easy meatloaf that is really tasty without it. —Lillian Wittler, Wayne, NebraskaGoes Great With: Mashed Carrots
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Day 16: Manchester Stew
While in college, I studied abroad. At the time, I was a vegetarian and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious and diverse vegetarian food in Britain could be. After returning to the States, I re-created my favorite restaurant dish and named it after the University of Manchester. When the enticing aroma fills my kitchen, I feel as if I’m back in England! —Kimberly Hammond, Kingwood, TexasGoes Great With: Grilled Cheese, Bacon and Oven-Dried Tomato Sandwich
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Day 17: Portobello and Chickpea Sheet-Pan Supper
This is a fantastic meatless dinner or an amazing side dish. It works well with a variety of sheet-pan-roasted vegetables. We enjoy using zucchini or summer squash in the summer, and you can also change up the herbs in the dressing. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, UtahGoes Great With: Spicy Sausage Rigatoni
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Day 18: Pastry-Topped Turkey Casserole
My friends tell me this is the best potpie. Hearty and full-flavored, this meal-in-one never lets on that it’s low fat and full of fiber. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, OntarioGoes Great With: Savory Roasted Carrots with Mushrooms
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Day 19: Makeover Meatless Lasagna
If you’ve never tried tofu before, this is the best recipe to give it a try. It blends in with all the other ingredients, adding protein without the fat and calories of ground beef. —Mary Lou Moeller, Wooster, OhioGoes Great With: Calamari Salad
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Day 20: Garlicky Chicken Dinner
Flavorful bone-in chicken is enhanced by herbs, lemon and hearty vegetables in this savory meal-in-one entree. —Shannon Norris, Cudahy, WisconsinGoes Great With: Potato Wedges with Sweet and Spicy Sauce
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Day 21: Spicy Pork and Butternut Squash Ragu
This recipe is a marvelously spicy combo that’s perfect for cooler fall weather and satisfying after a day spent outdoors. —Monica Osterhaus, Paducah, KentuckyGoes Great With: Hearty Italian Salad
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Day 22: Pepper-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Spicy stuffing balances the delicate flavor of pork in this dish that looks great on the plate—and tastes even better! —Margaret Allen, Abingdon, VirginiaGoes Great With: Fancy Baked Potatoes
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Day 23: Beef Daube Provencal
This dish is perfect on cold winter days, especially after we have been out cutting wood or white-tail hunting. If you are lucky enough to have venison, try it here for melt-in-your-mouth goodness. —Brenda Ryan, Marshall, MissouriGoes Great With: Herb Roasted Root Vegetables
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Day 24: Pressure-Cooker Sauerbraten
One of my all-time favorite German dishes is sauerbraten, but I don’t love that it normally takes five to 10 days to make. Using an electric pressure cooker, I think I’ve captured that same distinctive flavor in less than two hours. —James Schend, Deputy Editor, Taste of HomeGoes Great With: Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels
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Day 25: Italian Sausage Veggie Skillet
We love Italian sausage sandwiches, but because the bread isn’t diet-friendly for me, I created this recipe to satisfy my craving. If you like some heat, use hot peppers in place of the sweet peppers. —Tina Howells, Salem, OhioGoes Great With: Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce
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Day 26: Easy Poached Salmon
In 46 years of marriage, we had never tasted salmon until a friend told me about poaching it in a low cooker. I tried it and got flaky, moist results with little fuss. I added some soy sauce for extra flavor. — Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, ArizonaGoes Great With: Lemon Broccoli
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Day 27: English Pub Split Pea Soup
This family favorite is the same recipe my grandmother used. Now with the magic of the slow cooker, I can spend 15 minutes putting it together, walk away for five hours, and come back to “soup’s on.” Finish it with more milk if you like your soup a bit thinner. —Judy Batson, Tampa, FloridaGoes Great With: Thyme-Sea Salt Crackers
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Day 28: Slow-Cooked Ropa Vieja
I traveled to Cuba a few years ago and had some of the best food imaginable. This dish stuck out, and when I returned home, I began to experiment with making ropa vieja in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy the flavors of Cuba as much as I do. —Joshua Boyer, Traverse City, MichiganGoes Great With: Cheesy Mashed Potato Cups
Originally Published: January 13, 2021
CMU Unit
