Healthier Family Dinners

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Healthier Family Dinners

By The Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Are your jeans feeling a little tighter after all the holiday indulgence? We know the feeling! That’s why we’ve put together a few easy and healthy family dinners to help you feel great and keep your New Years resolutions (for a few weeks, anyways). Follow these meal ideas and you’ll be feeling like your usual svelte self in no time.

Light Meal

For folks looking for something hearty, but still healthy, try Re-Fashioned Turkey Meatloaf. It satisfies your cravings for something rich and decadent but keeps it on the healthy side with turkey and oats.

Instead of the usual side of mashed potatoes try Paula’s Mashed Cauliflower. Using cauliflower cuts down your carbohydrate intake and takes just minutes to prepare. This recipe is made with chicken broth instead of cream to cut down on fat and calories.

Lighter Meal

Still have some leftover holiday ham? Put it to good use in the Senate Bean Soup. This fuss free dish is perfect for post holiday cooking (inexpensive, easy, and only 5 ingredients!) Plus it makes a big batch so you’ll have a comforting light lunch made for the rest of the week.

Pair the soup with Fresh Green Bean and Tomato Salad for the perfect light supper. Be like Bobby and replace the mayonnaise with some reduced fat Greek yogurt for a change of pace (it’s a great way to reduce some calories and fat).

Lightest Meal

If you’re looking to go even lighter, try the nutrient dense and low cal Very Green Soup. We break this soup out every January for our post holiday diets. We love the bright green color that reminds us that we’re eating something good for us.

Serve along side with Paula’s Roasted Beet Salad with a Cocoa Viniagrette for some extra greens and veggies to make it a complete and satisfying meal. Make the goat cheese your splurge!

Happy healthy new year with love and best dishes!

Reader Comments:

I would love to have some of your recipes scaled down to Cooking For One. I am not good a scaling down recipes and still retain the flavor. If you could come up with some good recipes that are not for 10-16 people but more for 4 or 5 with minimal leftovers, that would be great. I love your show and your recipe books. Thank you Barb

By Barb Howe on January 26, 2013

mrs.paula deen i love ur recipes and i am learn to use some of them keep up the good work baby girl.

By annette wright on January 25, 2013

2011 christmas my bf bought me yr set of pots &pans; & just luv them!!!

By Tina valdez on January 09, 2013

Yummmmmm

By Debbie Bailey on January 09, 2013

I love my pots my husband bought me for Christmas 2 yrs. ago, they cook good,clean is easy even when u cook with cheese!U k how how cheese sticks to everything!! It wipes right out!!!!!!!!I tell everybody about them.

By Wanda Lucas on January 09, 2013

I made the Senate Bean Soup last night and it was delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!

By Kathy Reynolds on January 09, 2013

I really do enjoy ur shows.You are a very special person.Keep up the good work .Your boys are alot like their mom.I hope one of these I will be able to get some ur pots and pans.I love ur kitchen,So roomy.I just turn 66 on the 6th of this month.What a great age.Now to find the right man would be great but being a widow for 25yrs and never looked and picky.I am from Teaas,a small town called Elkhart.May God Bless you and your family all year round.Good luck with ur Diab.My sister has Diab.too,She is younger than I am.Thank God I do not have Diab. Well take care .

By Anonymous on January 09, 2013

Paula,I got a set of your cookware for Christmas, and I LOVE it.My little 8 year old grandaughter and I watch your show every time we get a chance. I even like the reruns.She said when she gets bigger, she wants a cooking show like Paula Deen. Keep on cooking, we love it

By Dorothy Manns on January 09, 2013

Hello Paula Deen, I just love you, Iknow you love fried chicken,but did you ever try oven fried chicken with cornflake crumbs, just wanted to share love Bev

By Beverly Hohner on January 08, 2013

Pauladeen.com

Healthier Family Dinners