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  6. 20 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

20 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

A Portrait of Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD February 11, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD
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Eating a dinner that is around 500 calories can help promote weight loss. We took it a step further and gathered up some low-calorie dinners that are ready in 20 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights. These delicious dinner recipes are packed with nutritious vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, and all clock in at 500 calories or less.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl

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It seems Buddha bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies! Source: EatingWell.com, August 2017

 

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

 

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One-Pot Greek Pasta

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A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish Mediterranean pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2018

 

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Loaded Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad

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Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017

 

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Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas

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We love sausage, but it can be high in sodium. In this fast, healthy dinner, we make our own turkey sausage with crushed red pepper, garlic, fennel seeds, paprika and just a touch of salt. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2016

 

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Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
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Treat your Buddha bowl to a vacation south of the border! This black bean and quinoa Buddha bowl has the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the greasy fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2017

 

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Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

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We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020

 

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Mexican Quinoa Salad

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Enjoy this Mexican quinoa salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

 

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Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

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This zesty quinoa salad is delicious all on its own, with some serious Mediterranean flair. Make a double batch for lunches later in the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2020

 

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019

 

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Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

<p>Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019</p> <p> </p>
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Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

 

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Mediterranean Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

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Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well). Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

 

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Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

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This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food--no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

 

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Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

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This crowd-pleasing and easy dinner recipe takes just 20 minutes to make, start to finish, so it's perfect for weeknights! When tomatoes are at their in-season best, just a quick chop and a few ingredients are all you need to make a spaghetti sauce in minutes. Store-bought chicken meatballs keep the low-effort theme going all the way to the table. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2019

 

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

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You might not think to use hummus as a pasta sauce, but the creamy dip makes the perfect backdrop to the bold flavors of this healthy Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

 

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Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Take taco night to a new level with sweet potato taco "shells." Tender sweet potatoes pair perfectly with spicy taco meat, creamy cheese and crisp lettuce. Let everyone customize their taco potato with their favorite toppings. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2019

 

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Salmon Couscous Salad

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This healthy and easy salad is designed to be made with precooked or leftover salmon. To quickly cook salmon, lightly brush with olive oil, then roast in a 450 degrees F oven until the fish is opaque and firm, 8 to 12 minutes. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019

 

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Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
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A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

 

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Beef Pad Thai

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We've bulked up the serving size of beef pad thai by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice pad thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

 

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Chopped Cobb Salad

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This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2018

 

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    1 of 20 Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl
    2 of 20 Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
    3 of 20 One-Pot Greek Pasta
    4 of 20 Loaded Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad
    5 of 20 Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas
    6 of 20 Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl
    7 of 20 Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta
    8 of 20 Mexican Quinoa Salad
    9 of 20 Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad
    10 of 20 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    11 of 20 Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls
    12 of 20 Mediterranean Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives
    13 of 20 Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
    14 of 20 Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
    15 of 20 Mediterranean Pasta Salad
    16 of 20 Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    17 of 20 Salmon Couscous Salad
    18 of 20 Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
    19 of 20 Beef Pad Thai
    20 of 20 Chopped Cobb Salad

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    20 Healthy 500-Calorie Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes
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