Low Fat

By Food & Wine
Updated March 08, 2017
These low fat recipes are far from bland and boring. From Poached Chicken Breast with Italian Salsa Verde to Black Cod with Miso, these healthy recipes are bold and flavorful.
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Eggplant, Lentil, and Bulgur Salad

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It's two salads in one—a hearty, spicy mixture of lentils and eggplant and a crisp, cool combination of cucumber and tomato. Each is fine by itself, but they're even better when served together.

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Poached Chicken Breast with Italian Salsa Verde

Credit: © Sneh Roy
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Poaching is an overlooked method for cooking chicken breast. The gentle, even heat of barely simmering water results in juicy, tender meat that is perfect for shredding into a quick soup or making into chicken salad. Here, poached chicken is paired with a simple green sauce based on flavorful staples you may already have on hand: anchovies, parsley, olive oil and lemon zest. If possible, use rinsed salt-packed anchovies (rather than oil packed) for the best flavor.

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Miso Soup with Turmeric and Tofu

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Miso soup gets re-imagined by blogger Heidi Swanson, who adds earthy, brilliant yellow turmeric for additional flavor and color.

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4 of 17

Grilled Mustard-Herb Salmon

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This delicious salmon is grilled with mustard, herbs and spices.

5 of 17

Healthy Chicken and Quinoa Bowl

Credit: © Todd Porter & Diane Cu
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This healthy one-bowl dish layers hearty quinoa and juicy poached chicken with fresh summer tomatoes and basil.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Greek Yogurt

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Classic mashed sweet potatoes are made even sweeter with a touch of brown sugar and maple syrup, then given a dose of creaminess with a generous dollop of Greek yogurt.

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Black Cod with Miso

Credit: © Chris Court
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A signature at Nobu restaurants, this sweet-savory fish dish has been cloned by chefs all over the world. Nobu marinates the black cod in a good deal of the sake-miso marinade for two to three days, but the fish is also spectacular if you marinate it only overnight in just enough sake and miso to coat.

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Chinese Poached Chicken Breasts with Star Anise

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Chicken breasts poached in a broth flavored with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce is a Chinese classic. Traditionally you would save, not serve, the broth—it improves each time you use it—but we can never resist serving it with the chicken as a light sauce. If you like, boil noodles separately and add them to the broth for a meal in a dish.

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Citrus Lentil Salad with Kale Pesto

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The fragrant lentils in this salad get a jolt of freshness from juicy oranges. A dollop of healthy kale pesto rounds out this easy dish.

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Chicken-and-Rice Salad with Pesto Yogurt Dressing

Credit: © Dana Gallagher
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Dinner doesn't get much simpler than this: Boil some rice and toss it with pesto, yogurt, and rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Leftover cooked chicken or turkey will work just fine, too.

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Herbed Brown Rice Salad with Corn, Fava Beans and Peas

Credit: © John Kernick
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The Good News Cyril Renaud, who grew up in Brittany, had brown rice for the first time when his Irish-American wife, Brigette, introduced him to it. Now he loves this heart-healthy, nutty-flavored grain, especially because its chewy texture holds up beautifully in salads, like this slightly spicy one full of vegetables and herbs.

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Pineapple Carpaccio with Lemon Sorbet and Candied Zest

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Here's a refreshing dessert that looks and tastes spectacular. If you can find one, try a pineapple labeled gold; relatively new to the market, this hybrid is always lusciously sweet.

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Healthy Chicken and Roasted Acorn Squash

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Perfect as a holiday side or, paired with a nice green salad, as a quick and healthy weeknight meal, this cold-weather twist on traditional chicken salad is sure to satisfy.

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Zucchini Ribbons and Peaches with Macadamia Cream

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“I use macadamia nuts two ways in this summery zucchini-and-peach salad: chopped, for crunch, and also pureed, to make a dairy-free cream,” says chef Alyssa Gorelick.

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Sabzi Polo ba Mahi

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This traditional herbed rice pilaf is most often enjoyed during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, celebrated in late March. Originally served with rare local fish like Caspian kutum, any white fish will work fine.

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Turkish Lettuce Wraps

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The rich and luscious sesame sauce is key to these quick Middle Eastern–flavored lettuce cups.

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Baked Parmesan Tilapia

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Parmesan and panko give this quick-and-easy tilapia a deliciously crispy crust.

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