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  5. 26 Fall Dinners for Weight Loss in 20 Minutes or Less

26 Fall Dinners for Weight Loss in 20 Minutes or Less

A portrait of Alex Loh
Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD October 07, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Quick Shrimp Puttanesca

Try one of these healthy fall dinner recipes if you're looking to slim down. These dinners are low in calories, but still high in fiber, which helps keep you feeling full and satisfied. Bonus: these recipes can be on the table in 20 minutes or less. Recipes like Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry and Quick Shrimp Puttanesca are packed with flavor and can help you meet your nutrition goals.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Beefless Vegan Tacos

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Take taco night in a new direction with these healthy vegan tacos. We've swapped crumbled tofu for the ground beef, without sacrificing any of the savory seasonings you expect in a taco. You can also use the filling in burritos, bowls, taco salads and to top nachos.

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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.

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Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad

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This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead.

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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.

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Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

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This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar.

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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.

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Quick Shrimp Puttanesca

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Because refrigerated fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, this Italian pasta dish will be on the table lickety-split! Puttanesca, traditionally made with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and garlic, gets a makeover with shrimp for extra protein and artichoke hearts to boost the vegetable servings (and the fiber!). If you can't find frozen artichoke hearts, sub in drained canned artichoke hearts.

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Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas

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This healthy high-fiber salad comes together in just 10 minutes. Serve it right away or pack it in individual servings for four super-satisfying high-fiber lunches for the week ahead. To cut down on prep time, we're using preshredded Brussels sprouts from the produce department and store-bought roasted chickpeas. Look for roasted chickpea snacks with the healthy snacks or nuts at your grocery store.

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Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Hearty and piquant, this quick cauliflower gnocchi dinner incorporates several healthy convenience ingredients, including turkey sausage and tender artichoke hearts, so dinner is on your table fast.

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Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

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These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.

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Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

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Substituting riced cauliflower for rice trims calories and carbs in this veggie-packed dish. Use the vibrant flavors of traditional fried rice--ginger, scallions and tamari--to create a low-carb fried rice version of the classic take-out meal.

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Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole

Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole
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This easy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare, meaning that seared steak can be a weeknight meal. Cooking herbs in the pan with the steak releases their aroma, infusing it into the meat while creating a crispy garnish. After the steaks and herbs are pan-seared, the escarole is cooked in the same skillet, so this healthy dinner requires minimal cleanup too.

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Barbecue Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches

<p>In this vegan copycat recipe of barbecue pulled pork, we swap out meat for jackfruit, a tropical fruit that, when not fully ripe, has a texture similar to shredded pork. The mild-flavored fruit soaks up the delicious homemade barbecue sauce for a finger-licking-good sandwich filling. Top the sandwiches with a fresh slaw for a satisfying meal.</p>
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In this vegan copycat recipe of barbecue pulled pork, we swap out meat for jackfruit, a tropical fruit that, when not fully ripe, has a texture similar to shredded pork. The mild-flavored fruit soaks up the delicious homemade barbecue sauce for a finger-licking-good sandwich filling. Top the sandwiches with a fresh slaw for a satisfying meal.

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Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps

Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps
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For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.

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Chicken-Apple Sloppy Joes

<p>A sloppy joe is typically made with ground beef and a spicy tomato sauce, but not this one! This makeover sandwich combines lean ground chicken breast with green peppers, and is topped with sweet apple slices.</p>
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A sloppy joe is typically made with ground beef and a spicy tomato sauce, but not this one! This makeover sandwich combines lean ground chicken breast with green peppers, and is topped with sweet apple slices.

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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).

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Easy Vegetarian Taco Salad

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Taco salad doesn't always have to contain beef--this 15-minute version uses tofu or black bean crumbles, which taste delicious and offer up a healthy dose of protein. This vegetarian meal is so tasty that even meat-only eaters won't miss the beef.

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Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens

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Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.

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Quick Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

<p>Long day at the office and feeling pressure to get dinner on the table? This quick taco recipe is the answer. It takes just 15 minutes and six ingredients and will relieve your stress and satisfy your hunger at the same time!</p>
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Long day at the office and feeling pressure to get dinner on the table? This quick taco recipe is the answer. It takes just 15 minutes and six ingredients and will relieve your stress and satisfy your hunger at the same time!

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Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

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Smoked Salmon Quesadilla

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Smoked salmon, peas, and red onion are mixed with cream cheese and spread between layers of a soft tortilla wrap--resulting in an easy-to-make quesadilla with a mouthwatering and melty filling.

 

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Mediterranean Lentil & Kale Salad

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The kale and lentils in this Mediterranean-inspired salad recipe are combined with sweet red peppers and a bold garlic and dried tomato vinaigrette. To cut down on prep time, we use refrigerated steamed lentils, but offer instructions on preparing your own.

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White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

 

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Fish Taco Wraps

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These quick-and-easy fish tacos are full of chili-crusted halibut, crunchy cabbage and fruity salsa. Using prepared salsa and coleslaw mix means this recipe is on the table in just 20 minutes.

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Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
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Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

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    1 of 26 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
    2 of 26 Beefless Vegan Tacos
    3 of 26 Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
    4 of 26 Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
    5 of 26 Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta
    6 of 26 Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes
    7 of 26 Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
    8 of 26 Quick Shrimp Puttanesca
    9 of 26 Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
    10 of 26 Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi
    11 of 26 Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos
    12 of 26 Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice
    13 of 26 Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole
    14 of 26 Barbecue Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches
    15 of 26 Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps
    16 of 26 Chicken-Apple Sloppy Joes
    17 of 26 Mediterranean Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives
    18 of 26 Easy Vegetarian Taco Salad
    19 of 26 Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens
    20 of 26 Quick Crunchy Black Bean Tacos
    21 of 26 Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu
    22 of 26 Smoked Salmon Quesadilla
    23 of 26 Mediterranean Lentil & Kale Salad
    24 of 26 White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi
    25 of 26 Fish Taco Wraps
    26 of 26 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

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    26 Fall Dinners for Weight Loss in 20 Minutes or Less
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