The holiday season is often accompanied by an array of delicious, and often high calorie, foods. While this is by no means a bad thing, it can be intimidating when you are on your weight loss journey and work on achieving your goals as the New Year approaches.
Remember that filling and filling holiday meals still have a place in your diet and will not “ruin” your progress as is often claimed in the nutritional culture, eating other, more nutritious meals can be helpful You can sit back during the day if you want to nourish your body a little more. As we approach 2022, we’ve rounded up the six most important meals to throw in your pot this month for healthy and sustainable weight loss without sacrificing taste.
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Taco casserole
Tacos are a delicious and easy way to add plenty of vegetables to your diet, and this casserole recipe is no exception. This meal is high in protein from the ground beef, which can also be swapped for ground turkey for a leaner option, and healthy fats in cheese and avocado. This meal is perfectly balanced to meet all of your macronutrient weight loss needs.
ingredients: Avocado oil, ground beef, water, taco seasoning, bell pepper, onion, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, lettuce, avocado, coriander, sour cream
Full recipe
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Stuffed pepper soup
This colorful and filling soup naturally increases the feeling of satiety and reduces your desire to overeat throughout the day, helps with weight loss and makes great leftovers. This is another balanced recipe that will add carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat to your day, and is great for balancing out the heavy meals you are likely to have during the holiday season.
ingredients: Ground beef, onion, red peppers, green peppers, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, beef broth, white rice
Full recipe
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Beef ragout
If you are looking for a filling and filling meal full of protein and carbohydrates to keep your body energized, this stew is perfect for you. Since there is no shortage of vegetables to add to the nutritional value of this recipe, while also providing protein and carbohydrates in the form of beef and potatoes, this hearty dish will warm you from the inside out as the colder season hits the kitchen will be ready as soon as it comes the ingredients have been added to the pot!
ingredients: Beef stew, baby blonde potatoes, carrots, yellow onion, chopped garlic, fresh parsley, tomato paste, coconut aminos, salt, pepper, beef broth, frozen peas, arrowroot meal
Full recipe
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Vegetarian chili
A vegetarian diet doesn’t have to exclude you from these delicious and warming recipes, and this crock pot chili is the perfect source of protein to fill up your muscles and nourish your body. This recipe makes multiple servings and is packed full of beans and vegetables that are great to freeze if you decide to return to that meal after you’ve eaten your vacation scraps.
ingredients: Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, red onions, paprika, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, ground pepper, salt, bay leaves, jalapenos, fire-roasted tomato cubes, tomato paste, lime, masa harina
Full recipe
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Salsa Verde Chicken
Chicken is one of the best sources of lean protein that not only helps keep you feeling full longer, but also nourishes your muscles after your workout for better results. This simple and delicious chicken recipe is great for balancing the density of most other holiday dishes while adding some delicious condiments to get your metabolism started.
ingredients: Chicken breast, salt and pepper, yellow onion, cloves of garlic, roasted tomatoes, salsa verde, ground cumin, chili powder, chopped parsley or coriander, jalapeno rings
Full recipe
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vegetarian pad thai
If you prefer takeout, try this healthier version of pad thai at home, which is filled with vegetables without sacrificing taste. This dish comes together quickly in the pot and is a better alternative to * re-ordering *. Not to mention, it is less than 500 calories to maintain a reasonable deficit to meet your weight loss goals.
ingredients: Sesame oil, vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger, garlic, carrots, zucchini, spring onions, rice noodles, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, chopped radish, peanuts
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