23 Low-Carb Dinners That Are Good for Your Heart

January 08, 2021

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The next time you need a filling meal, try one of these heart-healthy dinners. These recipes are mindful of sodium and saturated fat while still being packed with nutritious vegetables. Plus, each dinner has no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Recipes like Mushroom-Swiss Turkey Burgers and Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon are delicious and perfect for healthy eating.

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Chinese Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy

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All of the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too. Look for Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster-flavored sauce in the Asian-foods aisle of your grocery store. It has the most concentrated oyster flavor.

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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

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Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes.

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Mushroom-Swiss Turkey Burgers

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In this gluten-free turkey burger recipe, lean ground turkey stands in for ground beef, and portobello mushrooms produce a juicy, flavorful alternative to the traditional bun. Melted Swiss cheese, sliced tomato and arugula top off this delicious low-carb dinner!

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Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

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Use your Instant Pot as a pressure cooker for this easy beef bourguignon recipe. If desired, serve this stew with whole-wheat egg noodles to soak up the delicious sauce.

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Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh

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Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.

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Salmon with Chopped Tomatillo Salad

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We made this chopped salad with pico de gallo in mind. Tangy tomatillos add fresh crunch to the classic mixture of tomatoes, cilantro and onion to brighten up this broiled salmon recipe.

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Louisiana Chicken Drumsticks and Tomatoes

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Get a taste of the south with this chicken drumstick recipe. Thyme, hot sauce and black pepper lend flavor to this perfect weeknight dinner option.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.

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Chicken & Pepper Sauté

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A zesty low-calorie tomato, sweet pepper and garlic sauce dresses up succulent quick-fried chicken.

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Mushroom and Beef Soup

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Kale adds vitamins and an enticing cabbage-like flavor to this mushroom and beef soup. Be sure to use fresh kale as it can become pungent if stored too long.

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Pork Medallions with Cranberry-Onion Relish

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Ready in just 30 minutes, this pork tenderloin dish will please the whole family!

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Tarragon Scallops on Asparagus Spears

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In this 15-minute recipe, crisp and tender asparagus spears serve as a vibrant base for lemon- and tarragon-flavored sea scallops.

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Trout Amandine

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Trout Amandine is a classic French dish with a crunchy almond crust that's fried in a brown butter sauce. Our makeover version is baked instead of fried, and because the fillets are coated in buttermilk and breadcrumbs, you'll still enjoy a crispy and golden crust.

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Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice

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This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don't like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.

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Balsamic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

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Oil and balsamic vinegar are the simple flavors that merge roasted chicken and vegetables together in this healthy recipe.

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Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops

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This quick-and-easy pork chop recipe can be on the table in just 15 minutes. The chops are topped with an apricot-cinnamon glaze, grilled and then finished off with a sprinkling of fresh thyme.

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Baked Herb Salmon

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This salmon recipe is simple--just top the fillet with fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and lemon slices and bake for 20 minutes. Serve alongside a rice pilaf and roasted or sautéed vegetables for a complete meal.

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Five-Spiced Pork and Soba Noodle Bowls

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This Asian-inspired, one-bowl meal is chock full of vegetables, tender pork strips and soba noodles. Just before serving, the broth base is enhanced by the addition of a little orange juice.

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Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

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These whole-wheat panko breadcrumb-coated pork chops get just as crispy as fried chops, but they're healthier. Oven-frying saves you fat and calories while producing chops that are crispy on the outside, yet juicy inside. Serve with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

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Garlic Shrimp on Spinach

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Parmesan cheese lends an intriguing flavor accent to garlic- and lemon-steamed shrimp in this recipe. And it's under 200 calories per serving.

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Snapper Piccata

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Lean snapper in a buttery lemon-caper sauce is a simple main dish, ready in just 30 minutes.

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Basil-Tomato Chicken Skillet

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Quick cooking chicken tenderloins and packaged spinach make this dinner recipe come together in just 25 minutes.

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Open-Face Barbecue Tilapia Sandwiches

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Grilled fish nestled on a bed of crunchy coleslaw and capped off with a drizzle of barbecue sauce makes these diabetic-friendly sandwiches sure to please.

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