50 Delicious, Healthy Dinners to Kickstart Your Weight Loss

Pack in the protein but skip the mess of frying with this lean, easy-to-eat take on hot wings. All you need are a few basic ingredients, about 20 minutes to pull it all together, and a taste for heat. Here's the recipe.

Bison meat tends to be leaner than beef.Four ounces of cooked, ground grass-fed bison contains 203 calories, 29 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fat. The same amount of beef has 272 calories, 28 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat. Try this recipe if you're new to the whole bison thing. You'll love it.

The chili powder, chipotle, ancho, and cayenne combine into firestorm of heat, tempered only by the enhanced sweetness of fresh pineapple rings grilled in pork juices. With a little mint and sea salt on top, it’s hearty and light all at once. Check out the video on how to make it.

This quintessential bachelor meal is a huge level up from ramen bricks. It features lean sirloin, bushels of vegetables, and a secret sauce. Perfect the date-caliber dish and you may not be a bachelor for long?

"Oh, this? It's just something I whipped up..."

Score the recipe here.

It's a quick fish dish with a kick.

What You'll Need:
1/4 cup pitted, chopped green olives
2 Tbsp capers
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 handful fresh parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh or pickled jalapenos, chopped (optional)
4 fillets snapper (or other firm white fish, like cod or halibut), 4 to 6 oz each
Salt to taste

How to Make It:

1. Heat the grill to medium low. In a mixing bowl, combine the olives, capers, cherry tomatoes, parsley or cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and jalapenos if using.

2. Fold four sheets of aluminum foil in half lengthwise, and then unfold and lay them on the counter. Season each fish fillet with salt and place it on one side of the foil, parallel to the crease. Top each fillet with one-quarter of the salsa. Fold the foil over so it covers the fish completely, and then roll the edges tightly to seal the package.

3. Place the packets on the grill grate and close the lid (with the lid down, the grill temperature should max out around 450°F). Cook the fillets until they're done all the way through, 8 to 10 minutes. Slash the packets open just before eating. Makes 4 servings

Bring the heat, and cool off, with this forkful of flavor.

What You'll Need:
1 lb flank steak
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp honey
1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce
1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup canola oil
1 bag watercress or 1 head Bibb lettuce
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
Handful of cilantro leaves

How to Make It:

1. Preheat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet on medium high. Season the steak with salt and pepper and cook it to medium rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes and then slice it thinly across the grain.

2. While the meat rests, combine the honey, sriracha, soy sauce, and lime juice with a pinch of pepper in a mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil.

3. In a large bowl, toss the steak slices with the vegetables and cilantro. Drizzle in the dressing and toss until the salad is lightly coated. Makes 4 servings

If salads just don’t fill you up, swap the greens for grains. They have more flavor, carry a strong dose of gut-filling fiber.

What You'll Need:
3 (8 oz) pouches microwavable farro, quinoa, or brown rice
1/2 cup bottled sesame dressing
1 cup halved green seedless grapes
1 cup small-diced seedless cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 lb grilled boneless skinless chicken breast strips

How to Make It:

In 4 storage containers, divide the grain, dressing, grapes, cucumber, parsley, and dill and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the chicken. Can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold. Will hold in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Who says you can't eat waffles for dinner?

What You'll Need:
2 high-protein freezer waffles (such as Kodiak)
2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup mixed strawberries and blackberries, chopped
2 Tbsp high-protein granola (such as Nature Valley)

How to Make It:

Toast the waffles according to package directions. While they’re warm, spread the peanut butter over one waffle. Top with the berries, granola, and other waffle. Let cool before wrapping in foil. Smush before eating. Makes 1 sandwich

Who needs a pot to make pot pie? Nobody. Grab a skillet and pop open the secret ingredient–beer.

What You'll Need:
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 leeks (dark-green parts discarded), chopped and rinsed
3 carrots, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup beer
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp flour
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (leaves only), finely chopped
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

How to Make It:

1. In a large cast-iron pan on medium high, heat 1 tsp oil. Add
the chicken and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Move the meat to a plate.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add the leeks, carrots, and peas. Cook until the leeks soften, 3 minutes or so. Add the beer and stock and bring to a boil; then drop the heat to medium low. Stir in the flour. Add the rosemary and meat and cook till thick, about 5 minutes.
3. Lay the pastry over the mixture. (Cut and patch if necessary.) Put the pan in the oven and bake per pastry instructions. Using oven mitts, remove and serve. Feeds 6.

The name of this dish suggests you’ve spent half the day in your kitchen in cozy socks and a shawl-collared cardigan tasting and perfecting and taking the time to get everything juuuuust right—for your your date, your leaf-peeping companions, whoever. Only it takes six ingredients to make. And one of them is premade gnocchi. And the fried sage takes 30 seconds. It’s a fast dish for a slow season.

What You’ll Need:
¼ cup canola oil
Leaves from 2 fresh sage stems
1 lb gnocchi
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb peeled, chopped butternut squash (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp freshly grated good-quality Parmesan

How to Make It:

1. In a small nonstick pan over medium-high, heat the oil. When it shimmers, add the sage and fry until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

2. In a large nonstick pan of boiling salted water, cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Carefully drain.

3. In the same pan over medium, add the butter. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is slightly browned and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash and cook till browned and fork-tender, about 5 minutes.

4. Return the gnocchi to the pan and stir well. Serve in bowls topped with the fried sage and Parmesan. Feeds 2.

This salmon by Jessica Gavin is simple and flavorful and it has a wonderful dark, crispy crust that adds some texture on top. Blending savory, spicy, and sweet, it creates the perfect balance in each bite, and it’s loaded with good fats from the fish to help you drop those pounds.

Another by Salt & Lavender, this chicken soup is spicy and nutritious, making it the perfect wintertime soup for weight loss. A tip? Use dark meat and cook for a full 8 hours for more tenderness. The crockpot is so easy—you can set it in the morning and it’ll be ready for dinnertime when you get home. Garnish with Greek yogurt or cilantro, if desired.

This recipe by Home Made Interest is super easy to make and you’ll save tons of time with clean up, as it only requires one pan. The crispy chicken thighs and curry flavors give you that indulgent feel, but the whole meal is under 400 calories. Plus, it’ll be ready in 40 minutes and can work well as leftovers for the week.

You have a can of chicken soup in your pantry and it's been there because canned chicken soup isn't exciting. Make it exciting.

In a medium pot over medium-high, heat the (15 oz) can of chicken soup. Stir in 1/4 cup of coconut milk, 1 tbsp red or green curry paste (if you have it), 1 garlic clove (thinly sliced), 1 Tbsp of fish sauce, and hot chili oil, to taste.

This protein-packed, meatless stew by Minimalist Baker is hearty and grounding—perfect for a chilly winter evening indoors. It has some great smoky, spiced flavors and it’s gluten-free and vegan, making it an easy option for those with dietary restrictions. Use brown rice if you’re looking for some added fiber in this healthy dish.

These burgers by Shaw’s Simple Swaps might be meatless but they’re heavy in flavor. Each burger has only 120 calories and you can easily make a bunch at once to save for easy meals throughout the week. Lentils provide a ton of lean protein and fiber to keep you satiated and the panko breadcrumbs and BBQ sauce make the burger feel incredibly indulgent despite its clean profile.

Maybe you frequently find yourself at a pizza buffet for dinner? Oops. Instead, take the flavors of pizza and increase the protein with this easy recipe.

What You'll Need:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp tomato paste1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 lb cooked Italian-style meatballs (such as Al Fresco or Aidells)
Crusty Italian bread, for serving

How to Make It:
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, Italian seasoning, a large pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and gently nestle the meatballs in the sauce. Cover and cook till the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Dole out into 4 containers and eat with a chunk of bread.

Shellfish is a great source of lean protein and healthy fats to fill you up and promote weight loss. It’s also an easy weeknight meal to get together fast, and this grilled shrimp recipe by The Seasoned Mom, once marinated, takes only 10 minutes to cook. And have some fun with flavor—this blogger uses garlic, chives, honey, lime, and Dijon mustard.

Not knocking tomato soup and grilled cheese, but homemade tomato soup with leftover roasted chicken, cubed avocado, crumbled queso fresca, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a shake of Tajin seasoning isn’t bad either. A can of soup works too.