Vegetables ARE carbs. But unlike starchy carbs that put your blood sugar through the roof, you can load up on fibrous veggie carbs that give you ultimate satiety for minimal calories. Yes, 300 grams is recommended for just one person and you can eat much more than that if you want to. Consider them your secret weapon to losing fat without ever feeling hungry.
Simple Oven-Roasted Broccoli
You need your veggies. Try to get 2 cups with every meal or at least lunch and dinner. Not just for the vitamins, but also for satiety. You are much less likely to reach for the wrong food when you're stuffed to the gills with low-calorie vegetables. Not being hungry helps you lose weight, so get used to stuffing your mouth with roasted goodness like this broccoli.
Lovely Lentil Soup
Beans, Seeds and Pulses are PCOS-friendly foods. That puts lentils right up at the top of our menu card. Enjoy this satisfying soup that fills the belly and heart with satisfaction. And have seconds! It's less than 300 calories per serving!
Tofu Crisp With Balsamic Tomatoes
Coated with nutritional yeast & olive oil, tofu crisps up beautifully in your oven and is offset nicely both in taste and texture with lovely tomatoes and red onions laced with balsamic vinegar. Enjoy.
Zucchini Parmesan
This zucchini parmesan pulls on red pepper flakes to give it such a special zip, you'll want another serving. In food production, this is called the 'bliss point.' That's the point at which a food is so well balanced and flavored that you it gives absolute bliss to the taster. Can you tell we love this little Parmesan? We hope you will too.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
As with every baked goods recipe featuring erythritol, you need to keep an eye on the cook time because the cookies will brown a little quicker than typical sugar-laden varieties. But a little hawk vision while cooking will be rewarded with a tasty treat. Erythritol has the tendency to taste very sweet, so you may not even get through the single serving of 3 cookies before you're superbly satisfied. Enjoy with a little milk if you're not sensitive, or better yet a steaming cup of hot tea for dunking. Enjoy!
Stir-Fried Asparagus with Shiitake Mushrooms
In 20 minutes you can pull together this slightly exotic side that will impress your guests and beautifully supplement a high protein dinner with much needed greens. Serve crisp-tender for a beautiful crunch.
Treat Day: Peanut Butter Poppers
If you love peanut butter and chocolate but you aren't visiting the candy aisle due to your big, fat, audacious goals... have we got a treat for you. Peanut buttery, chocolatey, heaven between your fingers. And not too shabby for your biceps either. If you're prone to over-indulging be sure to only take a single-serving and put the rest back in the fridge. Enjoy!
Steamed White Asparagus with Pink Pepper
The pink pepper is mostly for show. But what a pretty pink show it is. Steamed white asparagus is spring's gift to veggie-lovers. Remember to peel white asparagus so every bite is tender and delicious.
Creamy Spinach Pepper Casserole
Spinach lends itself to cheesy, creamy dips and casseroles. Here we pare down the non-desirables and leave you with a hot, comfort casserole that delivers on flavor as well as nutrition.
Simple Protein Yogurt & Berries
We love yogurt before bed because it is a slow-digesting protein that helps with recovery and reduces muscle breakdown while we sleep. That's why you see lots of yogurt snacks in our recipe library. They are best before bed. We say this, knowing that some women are sensitive to dairy. But whether you're enjoying real yogurt or dairy-free, the fresh berries and slivered almonds add a little mmmmm.
Simple Spinach & Egg Whites
Take a metric ton of raw spinach and place it on the stove. Just kidding. Sort of. Spinach cooks down to a very small portion so you can always start with an absolutely HUGE amount for one person. We go with 6 cups here. Cook it in a dry pan for just a little longer before adding the egg whites if you like it a little crispy. This breakfast is light. Double up if you like.
Simple Oat Bran, Egg Whites, & Avocado
Avocado brings smooth hedonism to almost any breakfast. The sheer variety of this simple morning meal with minimal prep will start you off smiling.
Simple Protein Yogurt with Chocolate Chips
This snack is a great top up to your protein for the day touting 19 grams. If you're sensitive to dairy, it works nicely with a non-dairy yogurt, just mind your calories.
Simple Dijon Cabbage
This is a simple recipe we use again and again. The reason is also simple. Cabbage is a miracle vegetable. You get an absolute TON of bulk for very little calories. So you can stuff your tummy like a goop! And give it a semi-spicy flair with grainy Dijon mustard. Tasty and calorie-cutting!
Green on Green Side Salad
You're not exactly eating the rainbow with this salad, just the tastiest color. Enjoy everything green salad ingredients bring, most notably great taste.
Deep Dish Cabbage and Ricotta
Vegetables baked in the oven transcend what you'd think they're capable of. Cabbage is one of our favorites because you get soooo much quantity for the calories. Here we flavor it with onion, dill, and ricotta.
Oven Baked Eggs Florentine
We had this breakfast as a treat meal initially. But after re-examining the nutrition, we can't find any reason not to have it as a daily meal. It just tastes so darn good. At least one of our husbands on the tasting committee requested it 2 mornings in a row. Always a good sign.
Parmesan, Spinach, and Egg Casseroles
We microwave some of the ingredients in this recipe to simplify and speed up the cooking process. Oven-baked egg casseroles in ramekins are a delight. And you get two! Enjoy.
Tomato Frittata a Go Go
Our single-serving frittatas are fast to make and versatile to have hot or cold. This Italian-inspired version gives you a punch of tomato and Parmesan. Not the worst way to start your day. Pair it with a little breakfast salad for a perfect meal.
Oat Bran ‘Buttermilk’ Blueberry Pancakes
These may be our favorite pancakes. The name suggests an extra grainy pancake and they deliver. After mixing the batter, you let it sit an hour so the mix can really blend and the powders can activate. We hope you love them as much as we do.
Blueberry ‘Jam’ Yogurt Pops
Summertime calls for a cold dessert and these healthy popsicles will keep you enjoying freezer sweets with everybody else. Lovely layers of yogurt, berries, and oats will put a summer smile on your face.
Salted Caramel Banana Cake
Salted caramel protein powder allows for so many delicious treats while delivering a muscle-building dose of protein. Some of us were raised on sweet treats daily and it's hard to go from that to zero. For you, please enjoy this banana and salted caramel cake sure to satisfy the sweetest sweet tooth with all approved daily foods.
Lemon Pudding Cakes With Sugared Berries
A dessert with part pudding and part cake sounds about as decadent as it gets. We worked hard to find the right consistency and temperature and cooking time to get it right. Honestly, the fails were still delicious. ;)
Layered Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
Parfaits are all about presentation. They're fun to make to see if you can get the layers perfectly separate. But whether you do or your don't, it tastes great all the same.
Acha Hai Sweet Saffron Yogurt
Yogurt is a snack go-to if you aren't sensitive to dairy. It's a good source of protein and lends itself to mixture with flavored protein powder. We eat it often. Which is why we're always looking for ways to 'spice it up.' We've done that literally here with saffron and cardamom. Say hello to New Delhi.
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Ranch Yogurt
It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's actually pretty simple to whip up. You go from stove top to oven and while it bakes, you have the time to combine all the homemade ranch dressing ingredients and simply stir. What a treat to taste buffalo wings sans the wings. Perfect for game night.
Cauliflower au Gratin for Two
Hot and toasty, right from the oven. This cauliflower au gratin is flavored with garlic, turkey bacon, and Parmesan cheese. You get that oven-cooked comfort food feeling, without the love handles.
Char-Grilled Tomatoes
This healthy veggie side straddles the flavor fence of fresh tomatoes and roased tomato sauce. It's simple and smells amazing as it cooks.
Roasted Broccoli With Sesame Garlic Sauce
You had us at roasted broccoli. But adding tahini, fresh lemon, and red pepper??? Wow. Wow. Wow. This side veg is a good'un.
Garlic Soy Cucumber Salad
Fresh and bright. Perfect for an outdoor summer lunch.
Skinny Broccoli with Toasted Garlic, Sesame, and Orange
With just a few added ingredients normal broccoli gets a top hat and monocle. Enjoy the lift sesame, garlic, soy, and orange gives to your go-to vegetable.
Steamed Broccoli with Grapefruit Dressing
New and inventive ways to get your veggies is our daily charge. This is one of the highlights in our collection. It is divine.
Seared Tofu & Snap Peas with Cashews
Some are sensitive to soy. In that case, sub the protein of your choice. This dish is nice and light with the soft textures of tofu and Shirataki rice, the firmness of sugar snaps, and the tenderness of toasted cashews. The mint and red pepper brighten.
Treat Day: Double-Chocolate Pancakes
They're deep. They're dark. You would not think you were getting any nutritional value at all. But you'll indulge and walk away with a smile. Not to mention your kids if they're joining you.
Lemon Cloud Pancakes
What a dream these lemon cloud pancakes, floating into your mouth. Lemon zest brings the zing. Cottage cheese and egg whites that lovely protein count. What a day for a daydream!
Vanilla Flan Oat Bran
The difference between a flan and crem brûlée is the runny caramel sauce. Vanilla protein, vanilla extract, vanilla sauce, vanilla extravaganza!
Treat Day: No-Bake Cocoa Oat Cookies
In addition to being a delightful treat day snack, these no-bake cookies are a huge life-saver when you're on the verge of wrecking your progress and NEEEEED something sweet during the week. Whip up a batch. They're super fast. We find after eating about half a cookie, the cravings calm and we're good to go. Nice to have on hand for emergencies. ;)
Before Bed Brownies
When you're craving warm, rich brownies without the sugar and guilt, here's your go-to. Cut the stevia in half for a deeper flavor.
Crisp Kale Chips with Chile and Lime
Kale chips on their own are a pretty good texture relief from your typical 'diet food,' This recipe adds lime and chili powder to the mix bringing a downright exotic feel to the mix. The serving size is small, but satisfying.
Cocoa Yogurt with Chocolate Chips
This chocolatey yogurt snack is topped with Lilys Dark Chocolate stevia-sweetened chips. Every word in that description is important -- It has to be stevia-sweetened. It has to be dark chocolate. All Lilys products aren't good for you, so take care. And enjoy!
Vanilla Berry Yogurt
We love a quick yogurt and protein powder treat in the evening. Use your favorite protein flavor to boost your protein count for the day. Fresh berries brighten.
Oven Toasted Asparagus
It couldn't be simpler. Slather fresh asparagus stalks with your olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then broil, baby broil, to a nice golden brown.
Treat Day: Pot-Roasted Artichokes
Whether as a standalone vegetable or a topping for salad, this delectable artichoke recipe is a winner.
Oven-Roasted Cauliflower
It is amazing what can be accomplished with just a head of cauliflower and some olive oil. Brown, roasted cauliflower is one of our favorites.
Garlicky Green Beans with Parmesan and Almonds
Almonds give a different texture to these green beans and Parmesan adds a zip.
Roasted Mushrooms and Spinach
Yes this recipe is just for one person. Get in the habit of piling your plate high with veggies and you'll never find yourself in a wild snacking mode. Shallots and garlic bring the flavor to this spinach and mushroom side.
Pan-Fried Zucchini
Fill up the tank with this mega-low calorie veggie side. A whopping 450 g serving is just scratching 200 calories. You'll be full and happy the rest of the night.
Zucchini with Shallots
Filling up on large veggie sides goes a long way to help us reach our goals. More low-calorie bulk, less snaking. This recipe brings a twist to zucchini in the pan with delicate shallots and browned oat bran.
Treat Day: Tomato Basil Vegetable Soup
Carrot, onion, and diced tomatoes bring your daily veggie servings to life in a delicious way. Basil and parsley brings the flavor.
Treat Day: Grilled Cheese Half Sandwich
The reason we have treat day is so that we can still enjoy a lot of the tastes and flavors we love with zero guilt and then our bodies feel a little less tension because we aren't missing out. What's more comforting than a good ole grilled cheese? Just keep your bread low-GI.
Dark Chocolate Pudding
The psyllium husk gives this after-dinner treat it's firmness. We put it through the test kitchen a few times to find the perfect quantity. Blending with a blender is strongly recommended for this recipe. Otherwise you may not get a smooth, enjoyable consistency. At the end of the day, it's warm, it's chocolatey. We were audibly saying, "YUMMMM," as we were testing it. Grab your spoon!
Banana Oat Yogurt Muffins
These banana oat yogurt muffins are dense, sweet, and best of all, filling. A couple of these and your sweet tooth will be satisfied in a most guilt-free, low-GI way. Easy to pop in your bag when you need to run out the door. Warm them up in the microwave to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven taste and texture.
Berry & Almond Baked Oat Bran
Oat bran in the morning is a warm and filling way to start the day. But this baked incarnation is a whole another animal. Wow. The texture is somewhere between oatmeal and omelet -- warm, moist, mildly sweet with pops of color with every berry bite. Straight from the oven, you will be truly delighted.
Tasty Tofu Cabbage Stir-Fry
If fat-loss is your goal, find a cabbage dish you love, and eat it often. Cabbage is a dream vegetable in that it's low calorie so you can eat more of it! When your belly is full you aren't tempted to snack. You're more satisfied and satisfaction while eating healthful foods is what it's all about.
Now that we've got the nutrition part out of the way, this recipe is really tasty. The peppers and savory flavorings lift our hero cabbage ingredient to a place of delight. Add in the varying textures of vegetables, tofu, and almonds -- you've got yourself a new favorite. We ate the same daily menu 4 days in a row and this cabbage dish was the one we looked forward to the most. Enjoy!
Treat Day: Chocolate-Chip Banana Bread
Erythritol is a dream when it comes to adapting classic sweets to your healthy eating regime. We find it to deliver a little extra sweetness when used for baking, so feel free to cut the quantity. This chocolatey banana bread is quick to brown in the pan, so take care to cover with a little foil. Despite the dark bake, it comes out truly delicious.
Swedish-inspired Cardamom Oat Bran Pancakes with Fruit & Nuts
Many of the pastries you'll encounter in Swedish coffee shops are spiced with cardamom, a somewhat intense flavor often related in the US to Christmas cooking. We use 1/2 a teaspoon to keep it light, but if you love cardamom, go ahead and bump it up to a full teaspoon. Delicious, nutty, and fruity.
Ginger Chocolate Brownie Bites
These small tablespoon-size brownie bites have enough rich chocolate flavor to satisfy you with just one. The good news is you get 4 cookies in one serving. They're pretty easy to put together and delicious fresh out of the oven. To re-create that melty dark experience, just microwave a few cookies for 15-20 seconds days later. They hold up great. As with any dessert sweetened with erythritol, feel free to cut the 'sugar substitute' down and you'll still get lots of sweetness.
Spicy Cucumbers with Zesty Yogurt
Cucumbers make a high-volume, low-calorie veggie side dish which allows you to eat big with small calories. The cucumbers are flavored and the yogurt base is loaded with herbs so every bite is absolutely packed with flavor.
Spanish Pink Gazpacho
We had our doubts about putting this gazpacho through a strainer to achieve the final results, but we were absolutely delighted with the super-smooth, drinkable juice we ended up with. The perfect veggie complement to a high-protein lunch. Now, if you don't want to strain the veggies, you still win because a more fibrous cold soup you can eat with a spoon will treat your digestion as well as taste buds. Prepare to be refreshed.
Baby Spinach and Feta Omelet
Spinach and egg whites are two of our favorite breakfast ingredients. They are elevated with just a sprinkling of feta. This omelet is fast and protein-packed. Enjoy!
Blueberry Muscle Muffins
These muffins are simple and tasty. You'll feel spoiled that you get to eat so many, all in the name of building your beautiful lean body! Enjoy!
Onion and Zucchini Frittata To Go
You get a great serving of veggies in the zucchini and onions that beautifully balance this frittata. Copious amounts of egg whites brings the protein serving up to 31 grams. So, you're well on your way to hitting your protein count for the day, in the most delicious way.
Treat Day: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Part-skim ricotta cheese and lemon takes this recipe to the clouds. Not to mention whipping egg whites with erythritol. These pancakes get puffed up like delicate clouds. Perfect for a Sunday breakfast with zero-calorie maple syrup, fresh fruit, or yogurt for topping. But honestly, you can eat them alone and be satisfied.
Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta with berries
We typically pack our snacks full of protein which is wonderful. But it does dial up the calories. If you're eating high-calorie meals you may need a light snack to stay within your deficit. Enter Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta with berries. We put it through the test kitchen 3x to get the consistency just right. Just set and creamy.
Salted Caramel & Chocolate Chip Yogurt
We've seen lots of versions of this recipe from different training programs. Stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips, like Lilys, make it possible. All Lilys chocolates are not great choices, but the dark chocolate baking chips are a staple around here. Walden Farms caramel sauce on top raises this from tasty to, 'Oh my heavens!' We used whey protein, but you can sub your favorite kind, including caesin, which is said to break down a bit better overnight. In any case, delish!
Easy Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms
We made this recipe using Chanterelle mushrooms, known as Pfifferling in Germany. Just wow. They are the perfect mushrooms for scrambled eggs. Garlic and oil brings out their beauty. Of course our scrambled eggs are packed with egg whites to boost the protein count. The few yolks and almond milk keeps them from getting rubbery. We went to extremes, making multiple servings one day and re-warming them every morning. While this doesn't always work with eggs, they help up and were enjoyable 4 days in a row. Of course, we recommend them fresh. Enjoy!
Super Smooth Cauliflower Soup
We have served this cauliflower soup at dinner parties and women are always asking us for 'that healthy veggie soup recipe their partners actually like.' Well, here it is - all 4 ingredients! Adjust the amount of stock added to make it thicker or thinner. The thicker version is more like healthy mashed potatoes. The thinner, soup version will warm you through and through. Perfect as a light lunch or as a side to your main protein.
Hot Chocolate Mug Cake
Stevia-sweetened baking chocolate chips have opened the door to enjoying the intoxicating flavor and texture of chocolate to healthy ladies everywhere! There is something magical in the deepness of flavor a good lava cake offers. Here you get all the taste and sensory experience with a big shot of protein to nourish your muscles as well as your taste buds.
Broiled Caper Vinaigrette Eggplant
Eggplant is one of those dishes that cooks down, so the serving you end up with is plenty by normal standards, but as we like to stuff ourselves with veggies to stay full for longer, you may want a double servings. The condiments are so flavorful, you could easily add more eggplant only and keep the calories in check. The sweetness of the erythritol 'brown sugar' beautifully balances the sour of the vinaigrette. The eggplant flavor isn't obscured, but accented. We hope you love it too.
Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad
Potato salad is a summer staple and absolutely reeks havoc on a PCOS body. Thankfully cauliflower has been making the rounds filling a healthy position in many of our beloved recipes and holding its own! This faux potato salad is no exception. Cooked and chilled, covered in yogurt, green onions, and Canadian bacon, this cauliflower dish creates a new twist on a classic you can eat by the heaping bowlful for very few calories. So fill up!
Shiitake Shirataki Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli
Shiitake mushrooms give this stir-fry a lovely earthy flavor, but any mushrooms will deliver. If you love light tofu and vegetables sometimes to break up the meat monotony, you'll love this dish. The shirataki noodles help to fill you up, but you can rest assured that your full fiber belly will deflate quickly. This turned out to be one of our most satisfying recipes. Enjoy!
Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins
Jam-packed with protein and goodness, there's nothing like a 'health-i-fied' oatmeal muffin to answer your sweet cravings first thing in the morning. And you get to eat 2-3 of them! If you like a less sweet muffin, you can cut the erythritol significantly. These are heavy muffins and sometimes that's just what you need. Bon appetit!
Allll the Mushrooms Omelet
This breakfast omelet utilizes a rich mushroom sauce that goes well over steaks and pasta. Cook the mushroom sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. This way breakfast omelets will be ready in a snap!
Vanilla Lemon Sugar Pancake
We put this recipe through the test kitchen 3x to perfect its taste, lightness, and protein content. What we ended up with is a perfect, high-protein start to the day in a HUGE pancake that you get to eat completely guilt-free. Use the protein powder flavor of your choice. The erythritol will carmelize a little and the lemon juice will steam when you pour it on. Top with raspberries as a finishing touch. This is a favorite!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Coat Brussels Sprouts in olive oil, salt, and pepper then roast in the oven. They'll come out slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A sprinkling of red pepper chili flakes at the end gives the final touch. Very simple, so if you love the flavor of Brussel Sprouts, this one's for you.
Feta Broccoli Frittata
When you're feeling like an eggy, cheesy, savory breakfast, this broccoli frittata has got your back. It's best made with fresh broccoli to avoid too much water. But if frozen is what you have, just cover the frittata with a lid and drain from time to time. Fat-free feta delivers on richness without too many calories.
Golden Apple Crisp
We sent this one through the test kitchen 3 times to figure out the best way to get the crumbly topping to work. The stove top was far superior to the microwave and had much less chance of burning, while delivering that sweet, crunchy texture that adds so much interest to the hot, sweet apples. Vanilla stevia protein powder tops up your muscle-building nutrition for the day. Dig in!
Santa Fe Scrambled Eggs
Santa Fe eggs give you a flavorful protein and veggie start to the day. The serving is big, but the calories are low, so there's plenty of room for a coffee or additional healthy side to start your day.