Top 10 low-calorie side dishes: proven recipes with photos

Healthy side dishes for weight loss include dishes made from vegetables, legumes and low-calorie cereals. They can be cooked separately from each other or combined, supplemented with mushrooms. In the morning it is better to eat oatmeal and peas, and have vegetable dishes for dinner. They can be varied with herbs and tomato paste, but don’t get carried away with vegetable oil. Dishes should be boiled, stewed, baked, not fried.

How I choose low-calorie side dish recipes

When choosing side dishes for my top ten, I am guided by several principles:

calorie content - no more than 100 kcal per 100 grams
availability of ingredients - all products can be bought in a regular store
ease of preparation - almost all recipes for low-calorie side dishes consist of one product and are prepared very quickly
the taste of the dishes and the reliability of the recipes - all the recipes have been tested by me personally, the side dishes turn out very tasty.

Ten is presented in the form of a countdown: closer to the finish line - fewer calories.

Leader in usefulness

Nutritionists, without a doubt, put vegetable side dishes in first place. And if stewed broccoli with asparagus already makes you sick, you can easily replace them with more tasty grilled vegetables. The ideal low-calorie side dish for fish is salad. This supplement will not only help you lose weight, but will also give you a boost of vitamins, slow-digesting carbohydrates, essential microelements and fiber, which fills your stomach and ensures a feeling of fullness.

The ideal low-calorie side dish recipe is a salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. All this is seasoned with a spoon of olive oil and served to the table. Zucchini, pumpkin, beets, and carrots are also considered the lowest-calorie side dishes.

You can diversify the taste of these products by adding green peas, beans or mushrooms to the dish. But you will have to give up sauces and fatty dressings.

This already includes dishes containing starch. Buckwheat, pearl barley, wild rice, and durum wheat pasta are suitable. All this can be consumed even while losing weight, but only if you follow the following rule: such side dishes must also be combined with vegetables.

But you will have to give up frying, fatty sauces and oil. They will only ruin the whole usefulness of the dish.

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Boiled buckwheat

Buckwheat is one of my favorite side dishes, and the only representative of cereals in the low-calorie top ten. Why? It contains 100 kcal and is a dietary product, a source of vitamins B, P, E, macro- and microelements. On a plate it goes well with any meat and chicken. Can be served with some fish dishes. I also consider boiled buckwheat a self-sufficient dish. This is a complex carbohydrate, I ate buckwheat and I don’t feel like eating for a long time. It would seem: what could be easier than cooking buckwheat? But this cereal has its own quirks, I’ll tell you about them.

Number of ingredients: 2 Cooking time: 30 minutes Calories per 100 g: 100 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 5.9 / 2.5 / 30.6

Ingredients:

Buckwheat – 1 cup
Salt to taste

In the store, I choose dark-colored cereals with whole grains, without excess husks and small particles at the bottom of the package. There is no need to sort out such grains before cooking.

Products for preparing buckwheat porridge

I rinse it briefly, drain the water a couple of times, and that’s enough. During labor lessons at school, the teacher said that buckwheat is one of the cleanest grains; it doesn’t need to be washed. But I wash it anyway.

Now the proportion: the cereal is filled with water, the volume of water is 1.5-2 cm above the surface of the buckwheat in the pan. If I’m afraid to miss by eye, then I cook according to the generally accepted proportion: one part buckwheat to 2 parts water.

I cook in a saucepan with a thick bottom; buckwheat will increase in size by 3 times during cooking, so I take the correct size of dishes.

I pour buckwheat 1-2 cm

I fill the cereal with cold water, put the pan without a lid on maximum heat, add salt, and bring to a boil. I use iodized salt and am stingy with my salt: less salt equals healthier food.

Cover the buckwheat with a lid after boiling

After boiling, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and leave to cook for 20 minutes. I keep an eye on the time: it’s better to undercook buckwheat than to overcook it.

Shortly before it’s ready, I check whether there is enough water in the pan: you can hear it in the gurgles and you can carefully check it with a spoon. If the water has boiled away, you can add a little boiling water to prevent the buckwheat from burning. I don't mix buckwheat because... The integrity of the grains is very easy to break. If I constantly open the lid and stir the dish, my crumbly buckwheat will turn into a messy porridge.

After 20 minutes, I remove the pan from the heat and leave it to simmer for 5-10 minutes. The microclimate inside the pan and the thick bottom help with this - it gives off heat.

Then I mix it very carefully with a spoon.

I put crumbly buckwheat on a plate

OK it's all over Now. Boiled buckwheat is ready: a crumbly, aromatic, low-calorie and tasty side dish!

Millet: gold of the highest standard

Golden crumbly millet will always come to the rescue if you need a quick side dish. Do you want it to be truly useful? Prepare it from National millet. This polished cereal is made only from selected red millet, which gives it a rich, appetizing color. In addition, the millet underwent additional cleaning and calibration, which ensured its unsurpassed quality.

Since millet is quite nutritious in its properties, the side dish can overload too rich meat dishes. Try to choose lighter variations: steamed or stewed meatballs, lasagna with minced chicken, poultry chops. Millet also feels quite comfortable next to fish. The main thing is that these are white dietary varieties, such as tilapia, pollock, hake, cod or haddock. But with vegetables you can fantasize without any restrictions. Carrot or cabbage cutlets, stuffed eggplants, vegetable sauté and ratatouille coexist harmoniously with a side dish of millet.

Baked champignons

I included mushrooms in my top ten for their low calorie content. Champignons can be bought all year round in almost any store: fresh, canned or frozen. This recipe is with fresh mushrooms. The dish turns out aromatic and juicy: it can be included in the holiday menu.

Number of ingredients: 5 Cooking time: 45 minutes Calories per 100 g: 77 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 4.2 / 4.2 / 5.7

Ingredients:

Set of products for baked champignons

Champignons – 300 grams
Onion – 100 grams
Sour cream 15% – 50 grams (2 tablespoons)
Vegetable oil – 5 grams (1 teaspoon)
Salt to taste

Washing fresh champignons under running water

I dry the champignons on a towel.
I wash the champignons under cold water and place them on a towel to remove excess moisture.

I cut off the stems of the champignons and chop them finely

I cut off the legs and plates and cut them into 5 mm cubes.

Finely chop the onion

Champignons and stuffing with sour cream, onions and champignon legs for baking

I chop the onion, mix it with mushroom stems and sour cream, add salt.

Stuffed champignon caps before baking

I put the caps in a form greased with vegetable oil, and put the prepared mixture on top.

I bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 190 degrees.

Baked champignons are ready

Baked champignons on a plate

Mushrooms can be eaten with any main course. And they are also very tasty on their own!

Side dish for chicken chops

Chicken fillet chops are a light, satisfying, soft and juicy dish that allows you to experiment with additional ingredients. Chicken chops can be prepared with mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes. Chicken meat does not require mandatory pre-marination; it does not need to be thoroughly beaten. Various grains are good as a side dish: fried rice, pearl barley, lentils or buckwheat. Chicken chops go perfectly with an exquisite side dish of French origin - potatoes baked in cream. As a side dish, you can prepare a vegetable stew from potatoes, carrots, zucchini, white cabbage or cauliflower.

Eggplant with tomatoes and cheese

Number of ingredients: 3 Cooking time: 40 minutes Calories per 100 g: 70 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 3.7 / 3.7 / 5.6

Ingredients:

Eggplants – 700 grams
Tomatoes – 200 grams
Garlic – 2 cloves
Cheese – 100 grams
Vegetable oil – 5 grams
Salt to taste

Fresh washed eggplants
Wash the eggplants and cut them into long slices.

Sliced eggplants are soaked in water and salt

I soak it in salted water to remove the bitterness. While the eggplants are undergoing spa treatments, I chop the garlic and tomatoes and grate the cheese.

Drying the eggplants on a clean towel

I blot the eggplants with a napkin and place them on a baking sheet. I don't add salt.

Sliced eggplants with garlic on a baking sheet

I grate and sprinkle the eggplants with garlic.

I put the tomatoes on the plates.

Eggplants before baking

I sprinkle cheese on top.

I send it to bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 200 degrees.

Baked eggplants with garlic, tomatoes and cheese

The crust was baked, but not burnt, and the eggplants were cooked well.

162 gram serving of baked eggplant

Delicious, aromatic and the side dish is ready! This serving is 114 kcal. Pairs well with meat and poultry dishes.

Wheat sprouts of goodness

Do you think a wheat side dish can’t be original? Then make it from sprouted wheat. Soak a glass of sprouts in water for an hour. Then fill them with fresh water in a ratio of 1:2, lightly salt them, cook until tender and drain in a colander. Heat 100 ml of sesame oil in a frying pan, add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tsp. coriander, ¼ tsp. chili powder and a pinch of salt. Keep the mixture on the fire for a couple of minutes, cool and water the wheat sprouts. Season them with a mixture of 30 ml balsamic vinegar and 30 ml soy sauce. This spicy variation will conquer even unapproachable gourmets.

Braised cabbage

Stewed white cabbage as a side dish is a classic of the genre; we have been accustomed to it since kindergarten. I love it for its familiar taste, lightness and accessibility. This type of cabbage could be at the top of the low-calorie side dish table. I tried boiling it without salt or steaming it, but in my opinion it was not tasty.

Therefore, I offer a proven recipe, this cabbage will appeal to adults and children, and is suitable for those losing weight.

Number of ingredients: 6 Cooking time: 35 minutes Calories per 100 g: 55 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 2.1 / 1.7 / 7.8

Ingredients:

White cabbage – 500 grams
Carrots – 100 grams
Onion – 100 grams
Tomato paste – 10 grams
Vegetable oil – 10 grams
Salt - to taste

Finely shred the cabbage
Wash and chop the cabbage.

Add water to fresh cabbage

Cabbage under a lid in a frying pan

I put it in a frying pan, add a little water, and put it on high heat. The water boils, reduce the heat and close the lid for 15 minutes so that the cabbage softens. After 5 minutes, the cabbage will be like in a sauna and will begin to release water on its own.

Shredded carrots and onions

I cut the onion into cubes and grate the carrots on a coarse grater.

Carrots, onions and tomatoes in a frying pan

I fry the onions and carrots in vegetable oil in another frying pan. As soon as the onion turns golden, add the carrots, then the tomato paste. Paste gives sourness and beautiful color to the cabbage. If there is no paste, you can replace it with tomato.

I combine a mixture of carrots, onions and tomatoes with cabbage

I combine cabbage and fried vegetables. I simmer them together for about 15 minutes. If the cabbage is not young and tough, then you need to make sure that it does not burn and you can increase the cooking time by 5-7 minutes.

Stewed cabbage in 35 minutes

A serving of stewed cabbage is 129 kcal.

The stewed cabbage is ready, you can serve it with meat and fish dishes! To my taste, it goes perfectly with chicken fillet with tomato and cheese in the oven - recipe with photo at the link.

Pickled eggplants

If you go to a barbecue, you don’t need to swallow your mouth while watching everyone gobble up the fatty meat. Eggplants, which are ideally cooked over a fire, can be no less tasty.

And to marinate them, first chop or grate carrots, peppers, and cabbage on a regular grater. Salt and remember all ingredients. Now you can start eating eggplants.

Together with the tomatoes, you need to cut them in half, add garlic and lay out all the vegetables in layers, pressing down with pressure. You can try the marinade after 5-7 days.

If you don’t really want to bother with cooking, you can simply boil the asparagus and prepare a healthy mustard sauce for it.

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Zucchini baked with tomatoes and herbs

Number of ingredients: 4 Cooking time: 30 minutes Calories per 100 g: 41 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 0.8 / 1.6 / 5.8

Ingredients:

Zucchini – 700 grams (3 pieces)
Tomatoes – 300 grams (2 pieces)
Vegetable oil – 5 grams
Greens – 10 grams
Salt to taste

Preparing fresh zucchini
I wash and peel the zucchini and cut it into slices.

Zucchini cut into circles and laid out on a baking sheet

Place on a baking sheet greased with vegetable oil and add salt.

I put tomatoes on the zucchini

I put the tomatoes cut into slices on top. I put it in the oven, heated to 200 degrees, for 20 minutes.

Chopped herbs - dill, parsley and a mixture of Provençal herbs

I prepare the greens - finely chop the dill, parsley, add dried herbs de Provence, a little salt, you can add a few drops of vegetable oil, saved on greasing the mold.

After baking, sprinkle with herbs and put in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Baked zucchini with tomato and herbs

Greens in the oven reveal their aroma and give the dish an unusually fresh taste.

A portion of baked zucchini

But a serving of side dish is 150 grams, which is approximately 82 kcal. You can also eat supplements! Baked zucchini goes well with meat, chicken and fish. This dish is so simple, tasty and low-calorie that I included it in my selection of zucchini recipes for weight loss. The link is clickable: in the article I tell you what to cook from zucchini for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Porridge is the head of everything

We already know that cereal porridges are also an excellent low-calorie side dish. For fans of proper nutrition, buckwheat and brown rice take first place. The advantage of these cereals is that they perfectly satiate, dull the feeling of hunger and contain a minimal amount of fat, along with useful microelements and vitamins.

As for buckwheat, you need to cook it only in water, without adding oil, otherwise the whole diet will end before it even begins. Of the cooking methods, proper nutrition only approves of stewing, baking, boiling and steaming. After all, you can fight extra pounds with low-calorie side dishes only if they are properly prepared.

Don't know what to cook with meat? Then this collection will help you! ?

? ? 1.

Vitamin side dish: the perfect complement to meat? per 100 grams – 48.25 kcal?

Used – 2.07/1. 63/6.

Ingredients: Green beans 450 g Onion - half or 1 small onion Lemon 1 pc. Corn 100 g Bunch of dill Olive oil Dijon mustard 1 tsp. Salt and pepper to taste Preparation: Steam the beans for 5-7 minutes. Finely chop the onion and dill. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice from the lemon. Stir canned corn, onion, dill, lemon juice, zest, mustard, salt and pepper in a deep bowl. Add the beans to the bowl and stir gently. If desired, you can add a little sesame seeds.

2. Korean-style tomatoes. This light side dish will add piquancy to any fish or meat dish? per 100 grams – 53.29 kcal? USED – 0.74/3.66/4.51?

Ingredients: 2 kg tomatoes (coarsely chopped) 4 pcs. bell peppers 2 heads of garlic red hot pepper 2 pcs. greens Dressing: 100 g vinegar 100 g olive oil stevia, salt to taste Preparation: Grind pepper, garlic, red hot pepper in a meat grinder. Mix. Cut the greens. Place in layers in a 3-liter jar: tomatoes, then a mixture of vegetables, herbs. Close the jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator upside down on the neck. This is so that after 8 hours it will be ready to eat on top. Done in the evening, ready in the morning! And then you can hold it in your normal position. It tastes even better the next day!

3. Side dish for chicken breast? per 100 grams – 51.9 kcal? USED – 2.01/0.26/10.54?

Ingredients: Carrots 1-2 pcs. Onion 1 pc. White cabbage 500-800 g Natural tomato juice 100-500 ml Brown rice 100 g Herbs, spices, salt, pepper to taste Preparation: 1. Chop the cabbage. Why 500-800 g? It depends on what you like more: rice or cabbage. Cut the onion into large cubes and cut the carrots into slices. 2. Simmer the onions and carrots in a non-stick frying pan without oil with the addition of water or tomato juice. Add green onions. 3. Add cabbage and simmer over maximum heat until caramelized. Stir constantly to prevent the cabbage from burning. When it is slightly fried, add tomato juice and spices. Stir and reduce heat to low. 4. Add rice and add twice as much water (or better yet, replace it with tomato juice - it’s much tastier) than rice. That is, if there is 0/5 cup of rice, then 1 cup of water. 5. Close the lid and simmer until the rice is ready. Sprinkle the dish with parsley.

4. Dietary vegetable pancakes? per 100 grams – 58.58 kcal? Used – 2.75/1.4/8.52?

Ingredients: Egg - 1 piece Zucchini - 300 g Carrots - 170 g Whole grain flour - 2 tbsp Salt, pepper - to taste Preparation: Grate carrots and zucchini. Add salt and mix. Let stand for about 10 minutes - during this time the liquid will release from the vegetables. which needs to be drained and even slightly squeezed vegetables. Add egg and flour, mix. Fry the pancakes in a drop of oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Serve as a side dish for meat or poultry (we have chicken breast) or as an independent hot appetizer.

5. Oven Roasted Carrots are a great healthy side dish that is easy to make. ?per 100 grams – 52.28 kcal? USED – 2.14/1.2/7.52?

Ingredients: 1 kg. small carrots (cut in half lengthwise) 1 tbsp. l. olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt 5 thyme shoots dill or parsley for decoration Preparation: 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 3. Place carrots on a baking sheet, pour olive oil, salt and stir. Place thyme sprigs on top. 4. Bake carrots for 35-40 minutes, turn over after 20 minutes. 5. Remove the thyme and serve, garnishing the carrots with parsley or dill.

6. Green beans, a low-calorie side dish! ?per 100 grams – 49.82 kcal? USED – 3.22/2.21/4.37?

Ingredients: 300 g green beans 1 onion 2-3 fresh tomatoes several cloves of garlic 2 eggs greens walnuts Preparation: 1. Boil the green beans in salted water. 2. In a deep frying pan, fry the onions until golden brown, place the beans in the frying pan and pour in a little of the broth in which they were cooked. 3. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Peel the garlic, finely chop the fresh herbs, and add to the beans. You can add red or black ground pepper to taste. 4. Add the beaten eggs, mix everything, close the lid and immediately remove the beans from the heat. 5. Before serving, the finished beans can be decorated with chopped walnuts.

None Nov 23, 2017Olga

by admin | posted in: Side dish in a slow cooker, Side dish in a double boiler, Dietary dishes from vegetables, Dietary side dishes, Vegetables in a slow cooker, Vegetables in a double boiler Rice with pumpkin is an autumn version of vegetarian pilaf. Sweet porridge made from rice and pumpkin is common. Pilaf with pumpkin is a completely different savory dish from the accepted version. A steamed dish without meat is prepared with the addition of pumpkin, carrots, onions and spices. … Read more

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Eggplant recipes

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Beans with vegetables are a hearty dietary dish, stewed with a minimum of vegetable fats. Stewed beans with vegetables is suitable for dietary nutrition, a vegetarian table, a Lenten menu and a healthy diet for the whole family. The beans for this dish are mature and green. Dry red, white, variegated... Read more

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Bell peppers baked in the oven are delicious, healthy, bright and appetizing. Bell peppers baked in the oven, served as a side dish and are an ingredient in various dietary dishes. Peppers are baked in the oven with a minimum of oil, without absorbing it, preserving their beneficial properties as much as possible. For dietary… Read more

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Vegetarian pilaf is a lean version of steamed dietary pilaf. Vegetarian pilaf in a double boiler is prepared similarly to a meat dish, only without meat (beef, pork, turkey, chicken). The vegetarian interpretation of the dish is not inferior in taste to the traditional one and steamed with meat. Taste... Read more

Pilaf in a steamer, Rice in a steamer

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Pumpkin baked in pieces in the oven is a delicious recipe for a dietary, vegetable, seasonal savory dish, served on its own or as a side dish. This vibrant, healthy melon crop is a rare guest on Russian tables. The main reason is ignorance of recipes and inability to cook it. The knowledge of the majority... Read more

Pumpkin Recipes

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Pilaf in a steamer, Rice in a steamer

Everyone knows that a side dish is an addition to the main dish. That is why there are so many different types - from the simplest to the multicomponent ones. It’s nice that different dishes are served with different side dishes that go best with them. These are the kind of unspoken rules in the kitchen that are best known and followed diligently. Therefore, there is a side dish for meat, poultry, fish, seafood and other dishes. Probably, when you wonder what to serve as a side dish at home, potatoes or rice immediately come to mind. These are perhaps the most affordable and most popular options for preparing such a side dish at home for dinner or lunch. But this is far from the limit, believe me! The world of food is much wider and richer than you think at first glance.

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Pumpkin baked in the oven

A few words about the benefits of pumpkin: it contains carotene, vitamin E, dietary fiber, and a lot of other benefits. This vegetable is even called healing, and I couldn’t help but include this delicious pumpkin side dish on my list.

Pumpkin 1 kg

I try to buy a ripe bright orange pumpkin - I ask the seller, or I go to a store where the largest specimens are cut into halves. Pumpkin is a seasonal vegetable; you can’t get enough of it in the fall for the whole year. Therefore, during the season, I freeze pumpkin as a semi-finished product in 500 g bags, and it can be cooked all year round.

Number of ingredients: 1 Cooking time: 30 minutes Calories per 100 g: 40 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 0.9 / 0.4 / 6.1

Ingredients:

Fresh pumpkin (you can use frozen).

I clean out the middle of my pumpkin with a spoon
and cut it into several pieces. I clean out the middle, using a tablespoon for this.

Peeling a pumpkin using 2 tools

Peeling the pumpkin is the most difficult part of the recipe. For convenience, I cut it into smaller pieces. It is much easier to peel the thick skin from a small piece. You can use a vegetable peeler or knife.

If you come across a specimen with a particularly hard peel, I give step-by-step instructions with photos in the article on how to peel a hard pumpkin.

Cooking pumpkin without oil on baking paper

I cut the pumpkin into pieces, maybe into strips. Place in a pan on baking paper and place in a preheated oven. I don't add salt. Can be cooked with curry seasoning - a great combination.

I bake for 30 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees.

If you cut the pumpkin into strips, the baking time is shorter - only 20 minutes. For large pieces, the cooking time increases to 40 minutes.

60 calorie serving of baked pumpkin

Low-calorie pumpkin side dish is ready! Slightly sweet in taste, translucent baked pumpkin goes well with meat; I like the combination with poultry dishes.

Vegetable side dishes for chicken

Legumes go great with chicken. Boil the beans and peas, grind them in a blender, add garlic and a little olive oil.

No less tasty will be a side dish for chicken made from bell peppers and tomatoes, which need to be baked on the grill.

With chicken kebab, you can serve a few pieces of potatoes and celery by steaming them and adding garlic dressing.

Many of us have loved rice porridge since childhood. It is tasty and nutritious. In addition, rice is an excellent side dish for many dishes, including chicken. But you won’t get a tasty side dish of rice if you don’t cook the grains correctly. Only then can you achieve the taste and sophistication of a chicken dish.

As a side dish for chicken, rice with the addition of a variety of vegetables is perfect. You can use vegetable mixtures that are sold in supermarkets. A portion of frozen vegetables and washed rice should be filled with water, then olive oil and salt should be added and the whole thing simmered over low heat. With this side dish it is good to serve boiled chicken, as well as grilled chicken.

Baked sweet pepper

Sweet or baked bell peppers are a source of vitamins and microelements and contain the hormone of joy. Once our children, while playing cats, ate a piece of dry cat food. They said it greatly improves mood. I do not advise anyone to try the food. And for a good mood, I included a recipe for baked sweet peppers in the list of low-calorie side dishes. In order not to lose a lot of joy - without salt and oil.

Number of ingredients: 2 Cooking time: 35 minutes Calories per 100 g: 38 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 1.9 / 0 / 7.3

Ingredients:

Bell pepper – 500 grams
Greenery

Fresh bell peppers

I cut the bell pepper into 6-8 pieces.
I wash the pepper, cut off the tail and top, and clean out the middle with the seeds. I cut the bell pepper into slices.

Bell peppers before baking

I put the peppers in a glass dish and pour 2 tbsp on the bottom. water. Place in an oven preheated to 190 degrees for 30 minutes.

Bell peppers baked in the oven for 30 minutes

Before serving, sprinkle with herbs.

Baked bell peppers with herbs

I take out the bell pepper when the edges start to darken. The pepper has not yet become limp and cooked, and is no longer raw. Retains a slight crunch. Perfect for meat dishes. That's it, you can eat, lose weight and be happy!

Useful video

Watch this video on how to prepare a side dish of rice:

Steamed green beans

Number of ingredients: 1 Cooking time: 13 minutes Calories per 100 g: 32 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 2.4 / 0.1 / 4.9

Ingredients:

Green beans – 500 grams
Salt to taste

Rinse green beans
I used fresh green beans in this recipe, but sometimes I use frozen ones.

I rinse the beans under cold water.

Trimming the tails of green beans

I cut off the ponytails on both sides - this is the most difficult part of the recipe. I collect the pods in small bunches of 5-6 pieces and cut off the tails in bulk, so I can do it faster.

Steamed green beans

Place the beans in a steamer for 11 minutes. You can add a little salt. If I cook frozen beans, I increase the cooking time by 5 minutes. If you don’t have an electric steamer, no problem. In a separate article, I described how to steam without a steamer. Go ahead and read about the most unexpected ideas and devices.

Ready green beans

The beans should remain green in color and not turn brown. A side dish of green beans goes well with meat, various fish dishes and chicken.

Main conclusions

A side dish can be present on the menu of a person losing weight, as it is an additional source of nutrients necessary for the full functioning of the body.
If you are on a diet, be careful about the choice of products included in the side dish. Frying and adding fatty sauces add extra calories, and the dish becomes unsuitable for those losing weight.
Side dishes are prepared from legumes, cereals and vegetables. Each type of dish is characterized by special cooking rules that reduce its energy value.
It is advisable to serve fish and meat with dishes of cereals and vegetables. It is advisable to eat legumes with vegetables, not meat.

Do you know any interesting recipes for making side dishes for people who are losing weight? Share your method of preparing your favorite dish in the comments.

Steamed broccoli

I have a special relationship with broccoli. Imagine: a small child sitting with khaki green broccoli puree smeared all over his face. Not very aesthetically pleasing. But it is tasty and healthy - this vegetable contains a lot of vitamin C and K, microelements and antioxidant substances.

Sometimes children's preferences determine what foods are on our table. Broccoli is a universal side dish, suitable for meat, poultry and fish. I like the combination with red fish: I tell you how to cook trout in a frying pan in a simple step-by-step recipe. Follow the link, cook and eat with broccoli! I often cook broccoli dishes; the steamed recipe is very simple and quick.

Number of ingredients: 1 Cooking time: 17 minutes Calories per 100 g: 28 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 2.6 / 0.3 / 4.4

Ingredients:

Broccoli – 1 package of frozen cabbage or kachan (flower) of fresh cabbage.

I defrost frozen broccoli.
I first leave the package of frozen broccoli for 30 minutes at room temperature so that the cabbage flowers are not frozen. I don't defrost it completely.

Cutting large broccoli florets

I cut large inflorescences. The size of each is no more than 5 cm, so the cabbage will thaw and cook evenly.

Place the broccoli in the steamer

I pour boiling water into the pan and place a colander insert with broccoli in it. I use the simplest type of steamer - a regular insert into a pan with holes.

Steamed broccoli does not lose its color

I leave it covered for 15 minutes. If I use fresh cabbage, I reduce the steaming time to 10 minutes.

Steamed broccoli is ready: it looks even tastier on a plate

That's the whole secret of preparation: in 15 minutes. the broccoli has time to thaw and take a steam bath. It does not have time to cook, and does not lose its beautiful green color and beneficial properties.

The best side dish options for weight loss

First, let's figure out which side dishes are best suited for diets and proper nutrition. We’ll also find out which ones you should give up in order to lose weight.

Vegetables. The variety of vegetable side dishes will definitely not let you get bored! They contain a large amount of fiber, which cleanses our gastrointestinal tract and provides long-term saturation. The most suitable vegetables for weight loss are onions, peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, asparagus, carrots, garlic, and green peas. But the consumption of potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and beets should be limited - the glycemic index of these vegetables is above average.

Important! Did you know that when cooked, the glycemic index of vegetables increases, but the amount of fiber in them, on the contrary, decreases? To preserve the benefits of vegetables and their low calorie content, cook these side dishes until al dente (not fully cooked, so they have a little crunch).

Cereals. Due to the content of slow carbohydrates, cereals perfectly satiate for a long time. Give preference to those that contain protein: buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, amaranth. Brown rice, couscous, oatmeal, pearl barley, and polenta are also perfect for the diet. You should avoid white rice and semolina porridge. This, by the way, also applies to pasta.

Legume family. Such side dishes not only contain slow carbohydrates, but are also rich in protein. The amount of amino acids in them reaches 20 g (for comparison, chicken breast has 23 g of protein). An excellent option would be any variety of beans, mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas. There are no taboo products among legumes.

When choosing a side dish, consider the timing of your meal. Vegetable side dishes contain fewer calories and carbohydrates, and are also rich in fiber - so they are ideal for dinner. But you should include cereals or legumes in your morning or lunch meals. The slow carbohydrates they contain will give you energy.

When preparing side dishes, do not skimp on spices, because they burn fat well. But you shouldn’t add a large amount of salt - it can cause fluid retention in the body.

Boiled cauliflower

Cauliflower prepared according to this recipe turns out to be tender, not overcooked, and pleasant to the taste. It is even given to infants as their first meal. Boiled cauliflower retains vitamins A, B, K, a loading dose of vitamin C, and a lot of useful substances - this is a dietary dish that is included in the diet when losing weight.

Number of ingredients: 2 Cooking time: 12 minutes Calories per 100 g: 23 kcal Proteins / fats / carbohydrates: 1.8 / 0.5 / 4.1

Ingredients: