Tuna Burgers Tuna burgers are a great way to satisfy your craving while sticking on your diet.

If you happen to be on a low carbohydrate diet, rather than having the burger on a whole grain roll, place it between a couple sheets of lettuce and exchange the rolled oats for finely chopped vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 can tuna 1 egg white 1/4 cup rolled oats 1/8 cup chopped onion 1/8-1/4 cup mayonnaise Garlic and onion powder Directions:

Combine the tuna, oats, and whisked egg whites together. Stir in onion, mayo, garlic and onion powder and then form into patties. Place the patties on a skillet and flip at half time as you would with a regular hamburger.

'Spaghetti' And Meatballs When someone starts up on a diet, pasta is often one thing they miss the most. Since pasta is both high in calories and carbohydrates, it is often one of the first things that people will remove from their diet.

Luckily it's fairly easy to come up with a suitable substitution that will help satisfy your craving spaghetti squash.

Ingredients:

1 envelope dry onion soup mix 1 pound ground turkey 1/2 cup dry oats 1 egg + 2 egg whites 1 spaghetti squash 2 cups low-sodium prepared pasta sauce Directions:

Beat the egg whites together and then combine with remaining ingredients. Once moist, form into small balls and set aside. Next, half the spaghetti squash and then place cut side down on a microwaveable tray in about 1/2 an inch of water. Microwave for 6-8 minutes and then let stand for five.

Meanwhile, saute meatballs in a small amount of olive oil or chicken broth until cooked through. Scrape out the strands from the spaghetti sauce and top with heated pasta sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle over a small amount of light parmesan cheese.

High-Protein Berry Cheesecake For those of you who find you're constantly craving cheesecake, this is a fantastic recipe that you can use to help beat those cravings while giving your diet a boost in protein.

Ingredients:

2 cups low fat cottage cheese 2 eggs 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream 1/2 cup strawberry protein powder 1/4 cup Splenda

1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup frozen raspberries in light syrup Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a bowl together and blend until very smooth. Next pour into a non-stick or sprayed pie pan and place on the top rack of your oven.

Place another pan with water underneath it on the lower wrack and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees F. Let cool before spooning berries and light syrup over and serving.

Protein-Packed Pudding This simple recipe is great to kill your cravings while helping you reach your protein needs for the day. Play around with different flavours to match your individual taste preferences.

Also, keep in mind that you can easily make this into a parfait simply by laying the pudding with sliced fresh fruit and low-calorie Cool Whip.

Ingredients:

1 box of sugar-free, fat-free pudding mix 1 1/2 cups skim milk 1-2 scoops protein powder Directions:

Prepare the pudding according to package directions, using the slightly reduced volume of skim milk. After pudding consistency has been reached, blend in the protein powder and then chill to let set.

Note that the brand of protein powder you use will influence the consistency of the pudding - some protein powders tend to make it thinner, while others will make it thicker, so adjust the volume of milk added accordingly.

Peanut Butter Balls If you're working towards building muscle, getting in enough calories can become challenging. This recipe makes it easier by providing a healthy source of carbs, protein, and fat.

These are easily transportable as well, making it ideal for those who are looking for something to snack on at work or during class.

Ingredients:

2 cups peanut butter 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder 3/4 cup raw oatmeal 1 cup crisp rice cereal 1/4 cup honey Directions:

Microwave the peanut butter on low for about 30 seconds until slightly melted (not runny though). Stir in the honey and protein powder. Once mixed, add in raw oats and crisp rice cereal.

Form into balls and then place in the fridge to harden overnight. Note that if you prefer harder/softer peanut butter balls, you can adjust the volumes of the ingredients until your desired texture is reached.

All-Protein Banana Loaves

This is a great recipe for someone who is following a much more strict diet and is looking to maximize their protein intake while curing their craving for banana bread.

Note that this recipe can easily be adapted to whatever taste preferences you have, changing out the protein powder flavor and extracts.

Ingredients:

3 egg whites 1/3 cup water 1/2 tsp banana extract 1 scoop banana flavored protein powder 1 1/3 scoop vanilla flavored protein powder 1/4 cup Splenda 2 tsp baking powder Directions:

Whisk together the egg whites, banana extract, and water. In a separate bowl combine the protein powder, Splenda, and baking powder.

Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully blended together. Pour into six mini loaf pans until about 1/4 full and bake at 300 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.

Tilapia, Cabbage Tacos

Ingredients:

4 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes 1/3 c. thinly sliced green onions c. chopped fresh cilantro 2T. fresh lime juice 5 tsp. extra- virgin olive oil tsp salt 1 lb. tilapia fillets 1 teaspoon chili powder Eight 6 inch corn tortillas Directions:

Combine cabbage, tomatoes, onions and cilantro in a large bowl. Add juice, 1 T. olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Heat remaining 2 tsp. of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.

Click Image To Enlarge. Tilapia. Add fish to pan; cook 3 min. on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat and cut fish into bite-sized pieces. Warm tortillas

according to package directions. Spoon about 1/4 c. cabbage mixture down the center of each tortilla. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; fold n half. Serve tacos with remaining cabbage mixture.

Makes 4 servings. (Serving size: 2 tacos and about 1 c. cabbage mixture.) For less carbohydrates use low carb wraps!

Protein Pancakes

Nutrition: 269 calories, 35 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fat

Ingredients:

cup raw oats cup cottage cheese scoop protein powder cup egg whites

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients until a batter forms. Pour over a hot griddle. Flip when the edges start browning. Serve with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter smeared over top or with a handful of almonds on the side.

Delicious Morning Pick-Me-Up

Nutrition: 335 calories, 10 grams of protein, 58 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

Ingredients:

1 low-sugar, low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 banana 1 tbsp chopped walnuts

Directions:

Stir the walnuts into the vanilla yogurt. Serve as a fruit dip for the banana.

Healthy Caesar Salad

Nutrition: 266 calories, 26 grams of protein, 1 gram of carbs, 19 grams of fat

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach 4 oz grilled chicken breast, sliced 1 tbsp parmesan cheese 1 tbsp low-fat Caesar salad mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Spinach already comes in individual leaves, so you don't have to worry about ripping it apart in the morning when you're pressed for time. Grill some chicken over the weekend and freeze it to increase the simplicity of preparing a lunchtime salad. Add chicken to the spinach before going to work. In a separate container, mix the low-fat Caesar salad dressing with olive oil.

Healthy Chips And Salsa

Nutrition: 364 calories, 36 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbs, 17 grams of fat

Ingredients:

1 whole-grain soft tortilla 1 tbsp olive oil tsp sea salt 1 can tuna cup salsa

Directions:

The night before you plan to have a snack, heat olive oil in a pan over medium-to-high heat and tear up a soft tortilla into smaller bite-sized pieces. Place them in the oil and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Remove them from the oil and place on a napkin to allow the oil to drain. Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt for flavor.

Mix the salsa and tuna together and place in a container for the next day. Serve the tortilla chips with the tuna and salsa dip at work.

Tasty Fish Dinner

Nutritionals: 331 calories, 32 grams of protein, 26 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fat

Ingredients:

4 oz tilapia fish 2 slices lemon tbsp olive oil 2 cups broccoli cup sliced carrots 1 cup zucchini cup chicken broth

Directions:

Brush olive oil on tilapia fish and place in a casserole dish. Top with slices of lemon and other spices you desire. Place in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until fish flakes. Ten minutes before the fish comes out of the oven, place the chicken broth in a saucepan over medium to high heat. Add in broccoli, carrots, zucchini and cook until desired tenderness. Sprinkle any additional spices you enjoy and serve with fish right out of the oven. The chicken broth adds a nice hint of flavor to the vegetables. No butter is necessary during the cooking process.

1. Protein-Packed, Muscle-Building Chili This muscle-building chili recipe is jam-packed with protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber! Use it for a quick lunch on the go or between meals for a high-calorie snack. If you're not a barley fan, it can be omitted.

Don't make a scene, eat your beans! (Just don't forget the two pounds of poultry.) Nutritional Info (makes 10 servings): Calories: 420 Carbs: 50 g Fat: 6.8 g Protein: 40.5 g

Ingredients:

2 lbs Chicken Breast 1 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Green Bell Peppers 2 Red Bell Pepper 1 cup Mushrooms 1 Onion cup Frozen Corn Kernels 30 oz Light Kidney Beans 30 oz Dark Red Kidney Beans 15 oz Pinto Beans

2 cups Barley 30 oz Canned Tomatoes 15 oz Tomato Sauce 3 cups Water 2 tsp Chili Powder 1 tbsp Oregano 1 Garlic Clove tsp Ground Cumin 1 cup Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

Begin by spraying a large pot with non-stick cooking spray. Next, add olive oil and minced garlic over medium heat - bring to a boil. Add peppers, onions and mushrooms and stir until lightly tender. Then, add chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce and water - bring to a boil. Finally, if you choose, stir in barley and spices and cook for 25 minutes on low heat. Sprinkle with low-fat cheddar cheese to top it off.

2. Fat Burning, Stomach Filling Vegetable Soup This soup is a perfect option for those looking to lose weight and defeat hunger. The key to any fat loss diet is keeping your hunger levels low!

Come out of your shell! Fill up and melt fat. Not only is this recipe high in volume, but it warms your core to satisfy annoying cravings. This soup can be prepared with or without chicken. You can even start without and add poultry later if you feel its pull.

Nutritional Info (makes 10 servings): Calories: 84 Carbs: 7.7 g Fat: 1.9 g Protein: 8.2 g

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Garlic Cloves 1 Small Onion 2 Celery Stocks 2 cups Cabbage 2 Medium Carrots 1 Medium Zucchini 1 cup Baby Corn 1 tsp Oregano 1 tsp Dried Basil 1 tsp Dried Thyme 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth 2 cups Spinach 2 Green Onions 3 Chicken Breasts

Directions:

Begin by heating olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Next, add garlic, onions, celery and carrots and saut for seven minutes or until tender. Toss in zucchini, cabbage and corn cobs and saut for another 2-3 minutes. Add spices and broth with chicken (optional). Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Top with green onions and spinach and cook for two more minutes.

3. 'Souped Up' Chicken Soup This variation of the classic favorite is loaded with antioxidants, nutrient-dense, and designed to support your body-composition goals.

If you're building muscle, double up the pasta serving for more carbs.

If you're on a strict low-carb diet, prepare it without pasta for a leaner option that works with individual goals.

Nutritional Info (makes 10 servings): Calories: 98 Carbs: 13.2 g Fat: 1 g Protein: 9 g

Ingredients:

2 qt Chicken Broth 1 qt Water

2 Large Onions 2 Large Carrots 2 Large Celery Stocks 1 tsp Dried Thyme 3 Chicken Breasts 2 cups Egg Noodles 1 cup Cabbage

Directions:

Bring broth and water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large pot. Next, add onions, carrots, celery and thyme and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Add egg noodles with chicken and pasta and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes. 'Souped Up' Chicken Soup Recipe. 4. Oriental Noodle Bowl For something original, try this oriental noodle bowl. Many oriental dishes served at popular fast food chains are loaded with MSG, fat and sometimes sugar, but this soup offers wholesome nutrition.

Oodles of noodles! Slurp this soup, whole kit and kaboodle. If you like, liven it up with your favorite vegetables!

Nutritional Info (makes 10 servings): Calories: 83 Carbs: 5 g Fat: 1.2 g

Protein: 6.8 g

Ingredients:

2 tsp Vegetable Oil 1 Onion 2 Garlic Cloves 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger Root 2 qt Beef Broth cup Carrots 1 cup Broccoli cup Snow Peas 1 cup Celery 10 oz Shrimp 6 oz Rice Vermicelli 1 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce 1 cup Bean Sprouts

Directions:

Begin by heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger and saut for three minutes. Add broth, carrots, celery, snow peas, carrots and broccoli - bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Next, add noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes or until slightly softened. Add shrimp and simmer covered for 5-6 minutes. Finally, stir in soy sauce, sprinkle with pepper and top with bean sprouts.