6 summer dishes under 450 calories

Emma White - Nutritionist | 26 Jun, 2022

BBQ burger

BBQ burger

Serves 5 - 407 kcals per serving

Kcals 407
Fat 12.6g
Sat fat 6g
Carbs 39.9g
Sugar 10.7g
Fibre 3.9g
Protein 35.8g
Salt 1.87g

Ingredients

  • 500g extra lean beef mince
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 medium egg
  • Frylight
  • 5 reduced fat cheese slices
  • 75g mixed salad
  • 5 soft brown rolls
  • 5 squirts of tomato ketchup

Method

  1. Use a food processor to chop the onion and garlic. Alternatively, use a knife to chop as finely as possible.
  2. Put the onion and garlic into a mixing bowl then add in the beef mince, Worcestershire sauce and egg.
  3. With your hands, thoroughly combine the ingredients until everything is mixed together.
  4. Roll the mixture into 5 balls and flatten between the palms of your hands, or by using a burger press to make your burgers (lightly flour the burgers if they begin to stick).
  5. Leave the burgers for a couple of hours in the fridge to firm up.
  6. Grill the burgers on the BBQ, spraying each side with one spray of Frylight.
  7. Once cooked through, serve in a bun with a slice of reduced fat cheese, salad and ketchup.
BBQ Thai chicken skewers

BBQ Thai chicken skewers

Serves 4 - 325 kcals per serving

Kcals 325
Fat 3.4g
Sat fat 0.9g
Carbs 41.5g
Sugar 17g
Fibre 8g
Protein 35.1g
Salt 0.53g

Ingredients

  • 4 small chicken breasts (approx. 125g each)
  • 2 red chillies
  • 2 tbsp chilli flakes
  • 1 root of ginger
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 2 medium red peppers
  • 4 small sweet potatoes
  • Frylight
  • 1 bag mixed salad leaves
  • 4 tbsp balsamic dressing
  • Half a cucumber
  • 12 cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tsp paprika

Method

  1. Dice the chicken breasts and place into a bowl.
  2. Finely chop the ginger and chilli.
  3. Juice the limes and place into a bowl, add the ginger, fresh chilli and chilli flakes. Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts and leave to marinade for 2-3 hours in the fridge (overnight if you have time).
  4. Preheat your oven to 180°C and fire up the BBQ!
  5. Cut the sweet potato into chunky wedges and spray an oven-proof tray with Frylight. Place the sweet potato wedges onto the tray and sprinkle over the paprika. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning over occasionally.
  6. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water, to avoid them burning on the BBQ, and skewer the meat. Place the chicken onto the BBQ when the sweet potato has been in the oven for 10-15 minutes along with the two whole peppers, turning every 5 minutes or so to ensure they are cooked on all sides.
  7. Place a quarter of the mixed salad on each plate, with a little cucumber and the tomatoes. Once the peppers are charred, finely slice them, add to the salad and drizzle with the balsamic dressing.
  8. Once the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato wedges are golden brown, serve and enjoy!
Seared tuna steak salad

Seared tuna steak salad

Serves 2 - 371 kcals per serving

Kcals 371
Fat 7.6g
Sat fat 1.3g
Carbs 38.1g
Sugar 10.4g
Fibre 4.9g
Protein 40g
Salt 1.43g

Ingredients

  • 2x tuna steaks (110g each)
  • 160g iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 120g cucumber, sliced
  • 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 100g crusty white bread
  • 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Large handful of basil leaves
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • Juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Frylight
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. Fire up the BBQ and pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Season the tuna steaks on both sides, and set aside.
  3. Make the dressing by blending the olive oil, basil, anchovies, honey, lime juice, mustard, white wine vinegar and some ground black pepper until well blended. Put in the fridge to chill.
  4. Heat a large frying pan and coat with Frylight.
  5. Chop the bread into large croƻton sized pieces, and fry in the Frylight until just golden.
  6. Put the bread in the oven for 5-10 minutes, to further crisp up.
  7. Grill the tuna steaks on the BBQ for 3-4 minutes each side, until cooked to desired level.
  8. Place the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes on two plates, top with the croutons and then the tuna steak. Drizzle over plenty of dressing and serve!
Griddled chicken and salsa

Griddled chicken and salsa

Serves 4 - 274 kcals per serving

Kcals 274
Fat 8.4g
Sat fat 1.8g
Carbs 13.3g
Sugar 12.6g
Fibre 2.3g
Protein 37.2g
Salt 0.23g

Ingredients

  • 4 medium skinless chicken breasts (approx. 150g each)
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 400g pineapple, cut into cubes
  • 1 small avocado, skin removed and cut into cubes
  • 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

Method

  1. Brush the chicken breasts with a little olive oil and place in a griddle or frying pan, on a medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn over and cook the other side until cooked through.
  2. Meanwhile, mix together the pineapple, avocado, chilli, red onion, most of the parsley, lime zest and juice.
  3. Serve the chicken, topped with the pineapple and avocado salsa. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and a wedge of lime or lemon.

Meal suggestion: Serve with wholegrain (brown) rice. Allow 50g dried rice per person. (Add 178 kcals, 1.5g fat to each serving).

Salmon and prawn linguine

Salmon and prawn linguine

Serves 4 - 444 kcals per serving

Kcals 444
Fat 10.2g
Sat fat 3.5g
Carbs 52.5g
Sugar 4.9g
Fibre 2.5g
Protein 33.7g
Salt 2.69g

Ingredients

  • 280g linguine, dried
  • 200g smoked salmon, sliced
  • 250g cooked and peeled prawns
  • 160g courgette, spiralized
  • 125g low fat garlic soft cheese
  • Handful of spinach leaves

Method

  1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the pack instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan and warm through the prawns and salmon.
  3. 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the courgette ribbons and cook through.
  4. Drain the pasta and courgette, then add back to the pan with the prawns, salmon, spinach and cream cheese and warm through.
  5. Stir through, season and serve.
Mozzarella and Quorn peppers

Mozzarella and Quorn peppers

Serves 2 - 402 kcals per serving

Kcals 402
Fat 7.1g
Sat fat 2.9g
Carbs 56.1g
Sugar 13.1g
Fibre 15.1g
Protein 27g
Salt 0.72g

Ingredients

  • 2 green peppers
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 10 sprays of Frylight
  • 200g Quorn mince
  • 250g passata
  • 100g brown rice, dried
  • 60g light mozzarella, cut into 3 slices
  • Salt and pepper, to season

Method

  1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the rice and cook according to the pack instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the green peppers in half, de-seed them and blanch them in boiling water for a minute then cool under cold water.
  3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with the Frylight, and sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
  4. Add the Quorn mince and cook until brown, and then add the passata and plenty of salt and pepper.
  5. Once the rice is cooked, drain and add to the Quorn mix.
  6. Mix everything together and stuff the pepper halves with the mix.
  7. Top each pepper with a slice of light mozzarella.
  8. Bake in a 180°C pre-heated oven for 25 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Nutritionist Emma White (ANutr), MSc Human Nutrition is passionate about how food science applies to the human body, and how the nutrients in what we eat affect us and ultimately have an impact on our health.

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