4-Ingredient Meals with Healthy Ingredients

Oct 2 2020
Looking for some shortcuts? We've got 'em! The key: Keep versatile basic ingredients in your kitchen at all times. Here are some simple recipe hacks for meals and mini meals with just 4 main ingredients each…



Bean & Cheese Tostada Entire recipe: 228 calories, 7g total fat (3.5g sat. fat), 611mg sodium, 25g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 1g sugars, 18.5g protein

Green Plan SmartPoints® value 7*
Blue Plan SmartPoints® value 6*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 6*

Mexican tostada time! Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake a 6-inch corn tortilla for 5 minutes. Flip and spread with 1/4 cup fat-free refried beans. Top with 1/3 cup meatless crumbles (thawed, if frozen) and 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese. Bake until tortilla has lightly browned and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.

 

Caprese-Style Salad Entire recipe: 233 calories, 6g total fat (2g sat. fat), 248mg sodium, 9.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 6g sugars, 33.5g protein

Green Plan SmartPoints® value 4*
Blue Plan SmartPoints® value 2*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 2*

This salad is simple but full of flavor. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 3 oz. cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast, 1 stick light string cheese sliced into coins, and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. Toss to mix. (Add fresh basil if you’ve got it!)

 

Peanut Shrimp & Veggie Bowl Entire recipe: 287 calories, 7g total fat (0.5g sat. fat), 809mg sodium, 23g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 34g protein

Green Plan SmartPoints® value 5*
Blue Plan SmartPoints® value 4*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 4*

This dish is so easy to make, thanks to frozen veggies like the kinds by Green Giant. Microwave 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower and 1 cup frozen broccoli florets for 3 minutes, or until hot. Stir in 3 tbsp. Thai peanut sauce/salad dressing with 65 calories or less per 2-tbsp. serving, and mix well. Top with 4 oz. cooked shrimp. (We get ours in the freezer aisle and thaw overnight.) Heat for 1 minute, or until hot.

 

Chicken Fajita Burrito Entire recipe: 188 calories, 4.5g total fat (1g sat. fat), 546mg sodium, 21g carbs, 10.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 23g protein

Green Plan SmartPoints® value 3*
Blue Plan SmartPoints® value 2*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 2*

Hey there, handheld mini meal! Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup each sliced bell pepper and onion, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. fajita seasoning. (Spices don’t count as a main ingredient.) Cook and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 oz. cooked and shredded skinless chicken breast and another 1 tsp. fajita seasoning; cook and stir until hot and well mixed. Place in the center of a low-carb flour tortilla with 70 calories or less (like the kind by La Tortilla Factory). Wrap it up, and dig in.

 

Chicken Pot Pie Bowl Entire recipe: 225 calories, 3.5g total fat (0.5g sat. fat), 400mg sodium, 16.5g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 5g sugars, 30g protein

Green Plan SmartPoints® value 4*
Blue Plan SmartPoints® value 1*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 1*

Get ready for comfort food in a flash! Microwave 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower and 1/2 cup frozen petite mixed vegetables for 3 minutes, or until hot. Mix in 3 oz. cooked and chopped chicken breast and 1/4 cup chicken or turkey gravy. Microwave for 1 more minute, or until hot. SO. DARN. GOOD.

Click to see how it's made!

Top Amazon Find of the Month!

Al Dente Pasta Company Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine

1 1/2 cups (2 oz.) dry: 170 calories, 1.5g total fat (0g sat. fat), 15mg sodium, 24g carbs, 7g fiber, 2g sugars, 15g protein -- SmartPoints® value 4*

We featured this carb-slashed, protein-boosted pasta a few weeks ago, and it’s since become the MOST ORDERED Amazon find we highlighted in all of September, as determined by the Hungry Girl fans! The texture and taste are like regular egg noodles, and it cooks up in just 3 minutes. The Al Dente folks make a slew of other noodle varieties too: Check ‘em all out here, and stock up!
FYI: We may receive affiliate compensation from some of these links.



Chew on this:

October is National Pizza Month. Try this microwavable Deep Dish Cauliflower Pizza Bowl for a pizza fix ASAP.

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*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.

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