5 Recipes for a Great Weight Loss Week
Looking for a simple weight loss meal plan? You’re closer than you think. Get ready for some great tips and healthy recipes for your successful – and delicious – weight loss week. Here’s the perfect week plan: the best weight loss recipes picked from the Hello Chef bank of hundreds and hundreds of recipes.
These dinner meals are much loved by Hello Chef customers, that is to say they have all scored 4.5 or more out of 5 stars in our recipe rating surveys. They have been on the weekly menu once or twice, and they will surely appear there many more times in the future! It seems that these ones tick all the boxes: they are low in calories, yet high on the tastiness, and they leave you feeling satisfied and craving for nothing (except maybe an espresso for dessert).
Some of our customers actually use the Hello Chef boxes as their weight loss meal plan, as there are always at least three or four “500&Under” choices within the 20 weekly changing recipes. (In a few coming weeks we’ll interview a few of our customers who lost weight, and share their success stories here in our blog!)
See how Olivia prepares a light yet indulgent dinner on our Youtube channel! Also, explore the Hello Chef Weekly Menu here and see which healthy meals you wish to choose into your next box. Get 4 recipes with matching fresh ingredients delivered to your doorstep!
Happy, healthy, easy cooking!
Zucchini Cannelloni Stuffed with Ricotta
Serves 2
Cooking time 35 min
Ingredients:
For sauce:
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp olive oil
300g tomato passata
100ml water
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tsp honey
100ml cooking cream
For cannelloni:
1 large zucchini
40g fresh basil
60g Parmesan cheese
250g ricotta cheese
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
For topping:
50g grated mozzarella cheese
50g grated cheddar cheese
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Peel and chop the red onion and garlic. Heat a saucepan over a medium-low heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 5-6 min or until softened. Add the garlic, tomato passata, measured water, crumbled vegetable stock cube and honey and cook for 10 min.
Meanwhile, using a peeler, carefully shave the zucchini until you are left with a pile of zucchini ribbons. Chop the basil leaves finely.
Grate the Parmesan. Add the Parmesan, chopped basil and ricotta to a bowl with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix up.
Using two teaspoons, divide the ricotta filling between the zucchini strips. Roll the stuffed zucchini strips up and arrange them in an oiled baking dish, seam-side down. Set aside.
Remove the tomato sauce from the heat, add the cooking cream and puree with a blender until smooth.
Pour the tomato sauce over the zucchini cannelloni and top with the grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 min or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Per serving:
Cal 509
Prot 38.9
Carb 37.3
Fat 24
Tip: Need more protein? Add a bit of beef mince or chicken mince into the tomato sauce!
Sesame Tuna with Rainbow Roasted Vegetables
Serves 2
Cooking time 30 min
Ingrediens:
For tuna steaks:
2 fresh tuna steaks
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp olive oil
For vegetable roast:
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 carrot
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
100g shelled edamame
20g fresh coriander
1 large green chilli
For dressing:
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 spring onion
Method:
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Cut the peppers into chunks. Peel the carrot and slice it. Add the peppers and carrot to a lined baking tray, drizzle with oil and roast for 25 min until browned.
Pat the tuna steaks dry with kitchen paper. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the steaks in sesame seeds, pressing them firmly into the surface. Set aside.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust the amount of chilli flakes and lime juice to your liking. Thinly slice the spring onions and mix them into the dressing.
Season the roasted vegetables with salt. Mix with the drained edamame beans, chopped coriander and sliced green chilli. Keep warm.
Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the sesame tuna steaks and cook for 1-2 min on each side until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest, then slice.
Divide the warm vegetable roast among plates. Arrange the sliced tuna on top. Drizzle with the dressing.
Per serving:
Cal 482
Prot 50.3
Carb 27.8
Fat 20.4
Tip: Ended up with a little bit of leftovers? Mix the remaining roasted vegetables and sliced tuna with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. Boil a couple of eggs, peel them and cut to quarters. Pack into lunch box, keeping the dressing in a separate small container until you’re ready to eat your wholesome lunch.
Chicken in Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce with Broccoli and Cauliflower
Serves 2
Cooking time 25 min
Ingredients:
Chicken sauce:
400g chicken breast
250g mushrooms
4 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp olive oil
100ml cooking cream
100ml water
0.5 chicken stock cube
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
20g Parmesan cheese
Vegetables:
1 broccoli
1 small cauliflower
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp black pepper
Method:
Clean and slice the mushrooms. Peel and mince the garlic. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Fry chicken breasts for 2-3 min on each side until nicely browned. Set aside.
Add a bit of oil and bring the heat to high. Fry the mushrooms for 7-8 min until nicely browned. Lower the heat to medium and add garlic. Cook for 1-2 min further.
Transfer the chicken breasts back to the pan. Add the cream, water, stock cube, salt and pepper. Simmer lightly, uncovered, for 8-10 min until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, separate broccoli and cauliflower to florets. Steam or boil the veggies: cauliflower for 7-8 min, broccoli for 4-5 min, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
When the chicken and the sauce are done, add the grated Parmesan. Serve the chicken and the sauce with the steamed or boiled vegetables
Per serving:
Cal 425
Prot 47.4
Carb 19.8
Fat 40.3
Tip: Cooking for one? The simple ingredients of this meal are easy to reduce to half. For example, freeze the remaining chicken for later use.
Brazilian Moqueca Seafood Soup
Serves 2
Cooking time 25 min
Ingredients:
For soup:
200g seabass
200g prawns
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chipotle chilli powder
1 tsp paprika powder
400g chopped tomatoes
600ml water
1 chicken stock cube
200ml coconut milk
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
1 lime
For serving:
1 red chilli
2 spring onions
Method:
Cut the seabass to cubes. Set aside with the prawns. Peel and chop onion and garlic. Cut red and yellow bell peppers to small cubes.
Heat oil in a large pot. Fry onion, garlic and bell peppers for 5 min. Add chipotle powder and paprika powder, stir for 1-2 min.
Add chopped tomatoes, water, vegetable stock cube and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer lightly for 10-15 min.
Add fish cubes and prawns. Boil for only 2–3 min further, then take off the heat. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Season with a generous squeeze of lime juice.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with sliced red chilli and spring onion.
Per serving:
Cal 285
Prot 32
Carb 28.9
Fat 6.1
Tip: Too light? Make it into a stew by not adding any water. Serve the stew with cooked brown rice.
Cheesy Mediterranean Chicken Casserole with Beans
Serves 2
Cooking time 30 min
Ingredients:
400 g chicken breast
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
15g fresh basil
1 Tbsp olive oil
0.5 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
200ml water
200g tomato passata
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 chicken stock cube
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
400g can of white beans
50g grated mozzarella cheese
60g grated cheddar cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Peel and dice onion. Peel and mince garlic. Pick basil leaves from stem. Finely chop stem, keeping it separate from leaves.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken breast with a pinch of salt and cook for 4 min on either side until golden. Transfer chicken to a casserole or baking dish and reserve pan.
Return pan to medium-low heat and add onion with pinch of salt. Fry for 4 min until soft. Once soft, add garlic, dried oregano and chopped basil stem and cook for 1 min further. Add balsamic vinegar, measured water, tomato passata, tomato paste, chicken stock cube and brown sugar. Season with black pepper and let simmer for 3-4 min.
Add white beans and the tomato sauce to the casserole. Top chicken breast with grated mozzarella and cheddar. Bake in the oven for 15 min until cheese is melted and golden.
Garnish with reserved basil leaves and serve immediately.
Per serving:
Cal 560
Prot 66.8
Carb 46.8
Fat 11.1
Tip: Want to take it easy the next day? Double the ingredients, so you’ll have another dinner for two already sorted. This one reheats well, and actually becomes even more delicious!
