30 Veggie-Packed Recipes for When You’ve Eaten Too Many Carbs

November 27, 2020

Need to reset after a day of eating more carbs than usual? These veggie-packed meals will have you covered from breakfast to dinner. Plus, these recipes have no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Recipes like Green Shakshuka and Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Pizza are colorful, delicious and full of nutrients and vitamins.

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Green Shakshuka

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Shakshuka, or eggs poached in an aromatic tomato sauce, is a fast, one-pan breakfast staple in Northern Africa and Israel. This healthy recipe features spinach, herbs and tomatillos. Garnish with a touch of harissa--a fiery chile paste--and dip some toasted whole-grain country bread into the jammy yolks.

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Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

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Cauliflower rice, egg and shredded mozzarella combine to make an easy low-carb pizza crust. Top the gluten-free pizza with tangy Buffalo sauce, chicken and blue cheese for a flavorful dinner or game-day favorite. Fresh celery is added at the end for cool crunch.

 

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Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Bacon & Egg

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Breakfast salad? Oh yes! Start your day off right with this healthy breakfast recipe. A bowl of good-for-you greens, such as baby kale, will knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

 

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Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

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Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad. A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.

 

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Avocado Egg Salad

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This quick recipe takes classic egg salad to the next level with the addition of creamy avocado. Serve it on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread or inside a tender lettuce leaf. Avocados brown quickly, so plan on making it no more than two hours before you plan to serve it.

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Loaded Cauliflower Bowls

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Enjoy these comforting roasted cauliflower bowls topped with cheese, bacon, scallions and sour cream on their own, or add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal.

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"Egg in a Hole" Peppers with Avocado Salsa

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Colorful bell pepper rings stand in for bread in this healthy version of egg in a hole. Cook an egg inside the peppers and top with a vibrant avocado salsa for a cheerful breakfast.

 

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Mapo Tofu

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Mapo tofu is extremely popular both in and outside of China, perhaps because it was meant to be adaptable. The type and amount of both tofu and meat is often varied and even the spicy sauce can be tuned to the desired level of heat.

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Pickle Sub Sandwiches with Turkey & Cheddar

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Cut down on carbs by swapping out the bread for slices of pickle to make these fun turkey and Cheddar sandwiches. Roma tomatoes are the perfect oblong shape for these mini sandwiches but feel free to use regular tomatoes--simply cut the slices in half so they fit nicely on the pickle sandwich. These sandwiches are an easy lunch, but they're also great on a party tray for a casual get-together.

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Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese

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Let your muffin tin help you meal-prep a week's worth of protein-rich vegetarian muffin-tin eggs with a Southwestern spin to stash in the fridge or freezer for those extra-busy mornings.

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Turkey Meatballs with Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

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The flavor of the turkey meatballs is enhanced by the Asiago and prosciutto. We love keeping this turkey meatball recipe on hand for meal prep, since meatballs can be used in sandwiches, salads, pasta and more.

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Open-Face Spinach & Olive Melts

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These open-face sandwiches are a breeze to make and a pleasure to eat! Fresh spinach, fruity olives, and Dijon mustard are broiled on English muffin halves and topped with mild melted Gouda cheese--just 15 minutes from start to finish.

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Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce

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These pan-seared scallops come together in just 20 minutes for a delicious, easy dinner. You'll want some whole-wheat angel hair pasta or polenta to sop up all the rich, briny sauce.

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Sweet Potato Hash Browns

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Colorful, fiber-packed shredded sweet potatoes stand in for regular potatoes in this crispy hash brown recipe. Want to take it up a notch? Jazz them up by adding jalapeños or herbs. Or, serve them with fried eggs for a complete and satisfying meal.

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Herby Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms

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This Mediterranean fish recipe makes a tasty and healthful weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes.

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Chicken-Corn Tortilla Soup

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Using bone-in chicken thighs in this soup ensures the meat stays moist over the long cooking time. Not only are chicken thighs inherently juicier than breast meat, but cooking chicken on the bone also helps it stay succulent.

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Cauliflower Hash with Sausage & Eggs

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This easy and nutritious version of breakfast hash uses cauliflower rice instead of potatoes, and turkey sausage instead of breakfast sausage, for a healthier, low-carb breakfast. Top it off with fried eggs for a satisfying morning meal.

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Easy Salmon Cakes with Arugula Salad

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After making the salmon cakes, we firm them up for 5 minutes in the freezer before cooking so they don't fall apart when they hit the hot oil. You can also make these salmon cakes with canned salmon to make them pantry- and budget-friendly.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Olive, Orange & Fennel

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This technique sears chicken thighs before braising. Serve this vibrant skillet chicken dish with rice or cauliflower rice.

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Low-Carb Bacon & Broccoli Egg Burrito

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Instead of wrapping up eggs in a tortilla for a classic breakfast burrito, we're wrapping up veggies and bacon in a tortilla made out of eggs. Just whip up an easy omelet and nestle your cooked veggies inside to slash the carbs in this healthy, gluten-free burrito.

 

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Mushroom-Olive Frittata

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Serve this vegetable-packed frittata with fresh berries (or another fruit) and you'll be off to a great start on your 5-a-day fruit and veggie goal.

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Philly Cheesesteak-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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We've taken the key ingredients of a Philly cheesesteak--onions, peppers, thinly sliced beef and provolone cheese--and piled them into portobello mushroom caps to make a meaty and satisfying low-carb main dish.

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Smoked Sausage & Kale Quiche with Broccoli Crust

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Riced broccoli makes a crispy, low-carb crust for this healthy quiche recipe. Smoked sausage adds tons of flavor to the egg filling and kale gives you even more veggie servings in this crowd-pleasing brunch dish.

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Yucatan-Style Turkey & Vegetable Soup

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Leftover turkey is not just for sandwiches! This hearty soup recipe is full of shredded turkey and vegetables and the tasty toppings--cilantro, avocado and queso fresco--are what may just have you coming back for that second dish. Queso fresco is a mild Mexican cheese with a crumbly texture, similar to that of feta or farmer's cheese. Look for it at Hispanic food markets or larger grocery stores.

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Honey-Mustard Chicken Salad

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A simple dressing, using yogurt rather than mayo, moistens the chicken in this tasty lightened-up chicken salad. Plus, it's flavor-packed thanks to a quick-to-fix honey mustard. Whip up a batch while you're meal prepping for easy, packable lunches.

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Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Smoked Trout & Avocado

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Kale for breakfast? Oh yeah! Start your day off right with a breakfast salad recipe full of good-for-you greens and you'll knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

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Pepperoni Pizza Portobello Mushrooms

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Ooey-gooey cheese, pepperoni, bell pepper and onion top portobello mushroom caps in this low-carb version of classic pizza.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

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Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

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Crispy Roast Chicken & Carrots

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Nothing says comfort like a roasted whole chicken, but it can take a while to cook. Using parts instead puts this easy roast chicken on the weeknight menu. Fresh herbs, lemon juice and capers in this Italian salsa verde sauce brighten things up.

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Tandoori Grilled Tofu with Red Peppers & Broccolini

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Spiced yogurt does two jobs here as both the marinade and the sauce for this grilled tofu recipe.

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