Quick & Easy Low-Fat Recipes

Find delicious, quick and easy low-fat recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie

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This easy fruit smoothie recipe calls for just three ingredients--yogurt, fruit juice and whatever frozen fruit you have on hand. Mix up your combinations from day to day for a healthy breakfast or snack you'll never get bored with.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick-Cooking Oats

Sometimes basic is better. At breakfast, that can certainly be the case. These easy oatmeal recipes teach you the basic methods so you get creamy, tender oats every time. The flavorings and toppings are up to you.
By Erin Alderson

Carrot Cake Energy Bites

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These no-cook energy bites keep well in the fridge or freezer and are easy to grab on the go for a healthy snack.
By Beth Lipton

Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

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Sweet, sticky dates act as the glue for these no-bake energy balls. Perfect for hikes or during sports, this healthy snack travels well. For the best flavor and texture, use Medjool dates--the largest and most luscious date variety. Look for them in the produce department or near other dried fruits.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

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Unlike quick-cooking oats, old-fashioned oatmeal has time to turn extra-creamy and luscious with just a few minutes more of cooking time. With a bit of milk and the toppings of your choice, this oatmeal recipe can be your go-to morning staple for a filling, healthy breakfast.
By Erin Alderson

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This incredibly simple and quick recipe for roasted sweet potatoes relies on the most basic of seasonings--olive oil, salt and pepper. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a great side dish for a family dinner on a busy weeknight but because it's so easy and delicious, it can also be doubled or tripled and served at larger gatherings.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Shrimp Scampi

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Shrimp scampi is a favorite dish at many Italian restaurants but our version takes just 20 minutes to prepare, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner at home. Large shrimp are cooked with garlic and then served over linguine pasta with a buttery-wine sauce.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chocolate-Banana Protein Smoothie

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Red lentils give this smoothie a plant-based protein boost. To make this smoothie vegan, try using unsweetened coconut beverage or almond milk in place of the dairy milk.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Basic Quinoa

This foolproof recipe for perfectly cooked quinoa is fast and easy! Use cooked quinoa as a simple healthy side dish, in a salad or as a base for a delicious main dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Easy Steamed Zucchini

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How long does zucchini take to cook? This foolproof way to cook zucchini is also the easiest and fastest. Just steam it on the stovetop for a few minutes and you have a healthy vegetable side dish to add to dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Shrimp and Scallop Vegetable Stir-Fry

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This seafood stir-fry is bursting with flavor and it's ready in 30 minutes!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Pineapple Nice Cream

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All-fruit, dairy-free and with no added sugar--these are the hallmarks of nice cream, a healthy alternative to ice cream. This pineapple nice cream has tropical flavors, thanks to a hit of mango and lime. It takes just minutes to make this naturally sweet frozen dessert in the food processor or a blender. Enjoy it alone, or top with fresh fruit and toasted coconut.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry with Green Pepper, Pineapple & Bacon
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This sweet, spicy and super-easy shrimp-and-vegetable stir-fry starts with a very small amount of bacon in the wok, which creates drippings that add tons of smoky flavor to the vegetables and shrimp that go in next. Keep the salt in check by using reduced-sodium tamari sauce. To complete this easy healthy dinner, add cooked brown rice.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Sauté
Mix up these nutrient-packed cruciferous vegetables for a flavorful and healthy side dish.
Steamed Butternut Squash
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Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic
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This weight-loss tonic might help you slim down, even though it's not a quick fix for healthy habits. Apple cider vinegar's sour flavor (the acetic acid) may help you eat less and stay more satisfied. Green tea has caffeine and antioxidants that may help boost fat loss. Ginger might help you burn more calories. And maple syrup adds a touch of natural sweetness to this hydrating drink. Add this tonic to your diet in addition to sensible eating and exercise to help boost your weight-loss efforts.

All Quick & Easy Low-Fat Recipes

Vidalia Onion & Cucumber Salad

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For this old-fashioned Southern cucumber and onion salad, thin slices of cucumber and onion marinate just long enough to develop a touch of tanginess without any sharp bite. Serve with sweet dishes like barbecue to lend a refreshing balance.
By Virginia Willis

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

When you learn how to make steel-cut oatmeal, you may find yourself doing it daily or weekly so you have a bowl of hearty, chewy and filling oats for breakfast each morning. This recipe makes a classic version. Toppings are up to you.
By Erin Alderson

Tomato-Vegetable Juice

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This healthy tomato-vegetable juice recipe contains all the components of a healthy salad, such as lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, celery and carrot, but with less salt than bottled vegetable-blend juices.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sautéed Peppers & Onions

This simple technique of cooking onions and peppers is a useful way to get your veggie servings in. They're quite versatile--use these peppers and onions on a burger or sausage sandwich, stuff them into quesadillas or layer them into casseroles.
By Katie Webster

Yogurt with Blueberries & Honey

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A simple combination of Greek-style yogurt and blueberries gets an extra touch of sweetness from golden honey. It's the perfect balance of protein and fiber to keep you energized.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Quick Applesauce

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This quick homemade applesauce recipe makes a healthy snack or fruit dessert for kids. Applesauce is also a fabulous complement to potato pancakes or latkes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fresh Fruit Salad

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This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.
By Carolyn Casner

Fruit Energy Balls

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Make a big batch of these no-bake energy balls to keep on hand when hunger strikes or you need a healthy pick-me-up.
By Joyce Hendley, M.S.

Wake-Up Smoothie

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With a stash of berries in your freezer, you can jump-start your day with this nutritious, tasty smoothie in just minutes. It provides vitamin C, fiber, potassium and soy protein.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Healthy Gut Tonic with Chia

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When you're feeling backed-up, this high-fiber chia concoction can help make your bathroom routine smoother. The chia seeds form a gel-like consistency to help move digestion along easily, and the kick of cayenne pepper acts as an intestinal stimulant.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Mango-Ginger Smoothie

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Red lentils are a sneaky source of plant-based protein in this healthy smoothie recipe. The lentils add 3 grams more protein than an equal-size portion of nonfat plain yogurt and 4 grams more fiber than a typical serving of protein powder.
By Hilary Meyer

Ginger-Beet Juice

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In this healthy ginger-beet juice recipe, we pack in vegetables by adding kale and a carrot, and sweeten with an orange and apple. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this beet juice recipe in the blender.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Warm Honey Green Tea

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Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and has been shown to keep your blood sugar stable. We like it flavored with orange, lemon, and honey in this easy recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Herbal Chamomile Health Tonic

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Immunity-boosting ingredients--ginger, lemon and rosemary--are steeped with soothing chamomile tea and honey for a homemade health tonic. While the drink may help when you're sick, it's not a quick fix. Drinking wellness tonics, like this one, regularly over time may help boost your immune system. Serve hot, room temperature or cold.
By Carolyn Casner

Quick Creamy Tomato Cup-of-Soup

This 3-ingredient easy soup recipe is perfect for a satisfying and healthy afternoon snack or a quick lunch.
By Joyce Hendley, M.S.

Yogurt with Blueberries

Blueberries add all the sweetness you need, naturally, to protein-rich Greek yogurt in this satisfying snack.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Quick Mixed Berry Pancake Sauce

In this healthy, quick pancake sauce recipe, berries--such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries--are microwaved until hot and thickened. Serve along with maple syrup, or skip the syrup altogether and enjoy the natural sweetness from the berries.
By Stacy Fraser

Mojito Mocktails

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These minty mojito mocktails would be great at a luncheon, a brunch, a baby shower, a pool party--basically whenever you find that a cool, refreshing beverage would be welcome. Be sure to add the ice cubes and sparkling water just before serving to avoid diluting this pitcher cocktail (which is easily doubled to serve a crowd, by the way).
By Karen Rankin

Creamy Coleslaw

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Red and green cabbage and bright orange carrots make a colorful, healthful combination. For an especially nutty flavor, use Savoy instead of regular green cabbage.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Green Juice

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This healthy green juice recipe combines parsley, spinach, pears and celery to make a juice packed with bone-supporting vitamin K. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this green juice recipe in a blender.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Strawberry-Cucumber Juice

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This refreshing, healthy strawberry-cucumber juice is also made with an apple and carrots, making it taste like the farmers' market in a glass. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this strawberry-cucumber juice recipe in a blender.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Green Smoothie

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Get your daily dose of dark leafy greens any time of day with this delicious green smoothie. Ground flaxseed adds omega-3s. Pour any extra into a freezer-pop mold and have it later as a frozen green smoothie pop.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Nonalcoholic Strawberry Margaritas

A frozen virgin strawberry margarita is a refreshing way to cool down on warm days. This margarita mocktail, which calls for only five ingredients, uses a bit of agave nectar to blunt the tartness of lime juice and fresh strawberries.
By Ivy Odom

Greek Yogurt with Strawberries

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Protein-rich Greek yogurt and sweet strawberries make for a super-simple and satisfying snack.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.
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