10 Cozy Casseroles Under 350 Calories

The time has come to elevate your dinner with a classic one-pot wonder, otherwise known as the casserole. Whether you prefer veggies and rice or spicy sausage and noodles, there’s something for everyone in this roundup of comforting casseroles. Now gather round the table with family and friends and dive into a scrumptious bowl of comfort–all under 350 calories per serving.

1. Vegetable Rice Casserole | 24 Carrot Life
Sneak a serving or two of veggies into the kiddos’ dinner with this creamy mix of mushrooms, spinach, brown rice, and cheesy goodness galore. To reduce prep time even further, use frozen spinach and brown rice. For an extra fiber boost, swap out the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 250; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 429mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 10g

2. Chicken Enchilada Casserole | Cooking Light
Craving Southwestern-style comfort food? Look no further than this simple, flavorful one-pot meal made with chicken thighs, corn, fresh cilantro, salsa and spices. Add a hefty pinch of cayenne for extra heat! Top with cubed avocado and chopped cilantro. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 3/4 cups each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 346; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 22mg; Sodium: 709mg; Carbohydrate: 36g; Dietary Fiber: 5g;  Sugar: 7g; Protein: 24g

3. Hatch Green Chili and Tomato Egg Casserole | Cotter Crunch
This unique casserole is made with fresh hatch green chiles, crusty bread, juicy tomatoes, and provolone cheese. It’s quick, easy, and even gluten-free. Feel free to add lean chicken sausage or ground turkey for the hungry carnivores. Recipe makes 6 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 194; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 218mg; Sodium: 542mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 2g;  Sugar: 5g; Protein: 11g

4. Slow Cooker Cheesy Eggplant Casserole | Clean Eating
Skip the breading and frying without sacrificing the cheesy, saucy goodness that is classic eggplant Parmesan. Slow cooking the eggplant adds moisture and keeps the flavors intact without all that extra oil. Serve with mixed greens and balsamic or steamed veggies to round out the meal. Recipe makes 6 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 165; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 2.5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 344; Sodium: 53mg; Carbohydrate: 16g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 10g; Protein: 14g

5. Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Casserole | iFoodReal
Dabble in the greatness of spinach and artichoke dip without all the guilt! This lighter version uses whole-grain quinoa, almond milk, and lots of fresh spinach instead of the typical mayonnaise and sour cream found in heavier versions. A casserole that’s hearty, filling, and full of fresh flavors–what more could you ask for? Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 244; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 383mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 11g

6. One-Pot Taco Casserole | Fit Foodie Finds
The best part about these terrific tacos is that they require next to no clean up! Mix everything together in a bowl, dump it in a casserole dish, and pop it in the oven. Lean turkey, corn, black beans, salsa, and spices make this a winner for adult and kiddos alike. Serve with taco shells, Greek yogurt and diced tomatoes. Recipe makes 8 servings at 1 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 316; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 94mg; Sodium: 734mg; Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 6g;  Sugar: 5g; Protein: 28g

7. Healthy Green Bean Casserole | Hummusapien
This decadent, comforting dish features lighter ingredients that won’t leave you looking for more because, guess what? Green bean casserole isn’t just for Turkey Day! Whip it up this weekend for a vegan flavor powerhouse that the whole family will enjoy. Hooray for baked crispy onions! Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 139; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 863mg; Carbohydrate: 21g; Dietary Fiber: 5g;  Sugar: 3g; Protein: 4g

8. Unstuffed Beef & Cabbage Casserole | Give Recipe
When you don’t feel like slaving away all day in the kitchen (and who does?), whip up these quick and easy deconstructed stuffed cabbage rolls instead. You get all the flavor of the original in half the time. Serve with plain yogurt and a crisp salad. Recipe makes 6 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 246; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 47mg; Sodium: 107mg; Carbohydrate: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 5g;  Sugar: 6g; Protein: 20g

9. Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole | Eat Yourself Skinny
Swap out pasta for spaghetti squash in this tasty, comforting casserole. Not only is it an excellent way to sneak in more vegetables, but it’s also kid-approved. The best part is that the leftovers taste even better the next day. Top with fresh torn basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Recipe makes 10 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 142; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 31mg; Sodium: 265mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 3g;  Sugar: 6g; Protein: 12g

10. Baked Ziti with Creamy Kale and Sausage | Clean Eating
What better way to sneak in kale than with pasta, mozzarella cheese, and spicy Italian sausage? Whole grain noodles, low-fat milk, and whole-wheat flour lighten it up without reducing the flavor factor. Bring it to a potluck, or serve it for Sunday night dinner alongside roasted veggies. Recipe makes 12 servings at 3/4 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 338; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 36mg; Sodium: 481mg; Carbohydrate: 43g; Dietary Fiber: 2g;  Sugar: 6.5g; Protein: 19g
Source: blog.myfitnesspal

Why Grains Are Unhealthy

I find that grain bashing makes for a tasty, but ultimately unsatisfying meal.

You all know how much I love doing it, though. But no matter how often I sit down to dine on the stuff (and I’ve done it with great gusto in the past), I always leave the table feeling like I left something behind. Like maybe I wasn’t harsh enough about the danger of gluten, or I failed to really convey just how much I hated lectins. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the mere mention of grains was eliciting a crazy insulin-esque response and throwing my satiety hormones all out of whack. I was filling up on anti-grain talk, but I just couldn’t fill that void for long.

Well, I’ve got the hunger today, and this time I aim to stuff myself to the point of perpetual sickness. I don’t ever want to have to look at another anti-grain argument again (yeah, right). If things get a little disjointed, or if I descend into bullet points and sentence fragments, it’s only because the hunger has taken over and I’ve decided to dispense with the pleasantries in order to lay it all out at once.

Apart from maintaining social conventions in certain situations and obtaining cheap sugar calories, there is absolutely no reason to eat grains. Believe me – I’ve searched far and wide and asked everyone I can for just one good reason to eat cereal grains, but no one can do it. They may have answers, but they just aren’t good enough. For fun, though, let’s see take a look at some of the assertions:
 
“You need the fiber!”

Okay, for one: no, I don’t. If you’re referring to its oft-touted ability to move things along in the inner sanctum, fiber has some unintended consequences. A few years back, scientists found that high-fiber foods “bang up against the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract, rupturing their outer covering” which “increases the level of lubricating mucus.” Err, that sounds positively awful. Banging and tearing? Rupturing? These are not the words I like to hear. But wait! The study’s authors say, “It’s a good thing.” Fantastic! So when all those sticks and twigs rub up against my fleshy interior and literally rupture my intestinal lining, I’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s all part of the plan, right?

Somehow, I’m not convinced that a massive daily infusion of insoluble grain fiber is all that essential. And that “lubricating mucus” sounds an awful like the mucus people with irritable bowel syndrome complain about. From personal experience I can tell you that once I completed my exodus from grains, the IBS completely stopped. If you’re not yet convinced on the fiber issue I’ll refer you to Konstantin Monastyrsky’s Fiber Menace. Anyway, there’s plenty of fiber in the vegetables and fruit I eat. Which takes me to the next claim:
 
“You need the vitamins and minerals!”

You got me. I do need vitamins and minerals, like B1 and B2, magnesium and iron, zinc and potassium. But do I need to obtain them by eating a carb-heavy, bulky grain? No, no I don’t. You show me a serving of “healthy whole grains” that can compete – nutrient, vitamin, and mineral-wise – with a Big Ass Salad. What’s that? Can’t do it? Thought so.
 
“But it forms the foundation of the governmental food pyramid!”

You know, I should have just started the entire post with this one. I could have saved my fingers the trouble of typing and your eyes the trouble of reading. Governmental endorsements are not points in your favor, grain-eater; they are strikes against you. An appeal to authority (unless that “authority” is actually a preponderance of scientific evidence, of course) does not an effective argument make. Conventional Wisdom requires consistent, steady dissection and criticism if it is to be of any value.

There’s a reason grains are first and foremost on the list of foods to avoid when following the Primal Blueprint: they are completely and utterly pointless in the context of a healthy diet. In fact, if your average unhealthy person were to ask for the top three things to avoid in order to get healthy, I would tell them to stop smoking, to stop drinking their calories (as soda or juice), and to stop eating grains. Period. Full stop. They really are that bad.

I’ve mentioned this time and again, but the fundamental problem with grains is that they are a distinctly Neolithic food that the human animal has yet to adapt to consuming. In fact, cereal grains figured prominently in the commencement of the New Stone Age; grains were right there on the forefront of the agricultural revolution. Hell, they were the agricultural revolution – einkorn wheat, emmer, millet, and spelt formed the backbone of Neolithic farming. They could be stored for months at a time, they were easy enough to grow in massive enough quantities to support a burgeoning population, and they promoted the construction of permanent settlements. Oh, and they were easily hoarded, meaning they were probably an early form of currency (and, by extension, a potential source of income inequality). And here’s the kicker: they were harsh, tough things that probably didn’t even taste very good. It also took a ton of work just to make them edible, thanks to their toxic anti-nutrients.
 
Toxic anti-nutrients? Do tell.

Living things generally do not want to be consumed by other living things. Being digested, for the most part, tends to interrupt survival, procreation, propagation of the species – you know, standard stuff that fauna and flora consider pretty important. To avoid said consumption, living things employ various self defense mechanisms. Rabbits, for example, with their massive ears, considerable fast-twitch muscle fibers, and nasty claws, can usually hear a predator coming, outrun (out-hop?) nearly anything, and (in a pinch) slash a tender belly to shreds. Blue whales are too big to fit into your mouth, while porcupines are walking reverse pincushions. Point is, animals have active defense mechanisms. They run, fight, jump, climb, fly, sting, bite, and even appeal to our emotions (if you’ve ever seen a puppy beg for a treat with sad eyes, you know that isn’t just accidental cuteness) in order to survive. All the while, predators are constantly evolving and generating adaptations.

Plants, though, are passive organisms without the ability to move, think, and react (for the most part). They must employ different tactics to ensure propagation, and they generally have to rely on outside forces to spread their seed. And so various methods are “devised” to dissuade consumption long enough for the seed to get to where it’s going. Nuts have those tough shells, and grains have the toxic anti-nutrients, lectins, gluten, and phytates. (Of course there are some obvious exceptions. Fruits are tasty, nutritious, and delicious so that animals will eat them whole and poop out the seeds, preferably into some fertile soil. The seed stays intact throughout the digestive process; it is indigestible by design. No seed “wants” to be digested, because this would defeat the purpose. They “want” to be swallowed, or borne by the wind, or carried by a bee to the next flower, but they do not want to be digested.)

Some animals are clearly adapted to grain consumption. Birds, rodents, and some insects can deal with the anti-nutrients. Humans, however, cannot. Perhaps if grains represented a significant portion of our ancestral dietary history, things might be a bit different. Some of us can digest dairy, and we’ve got the amylase enzyme present in our saliva to break down starches if need be, but we simply do not have the wiring necessary to mitigate the harmful effects of lectins, gluten, and phytate.

Lectins are bad. They bind to insulin receptors, attack the stomach lining of insects, bind to human intestinal lining, and they seemingly cause leptin resistance. And leptin resistance predicts a “worsening of the features of the metabolic syndrome independently of obesity”. Fun stuff, huh?

Gluten might be even worse. Gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley, is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. Around 1% of the population are celiacs, people who are completely and utterly intolerant of any gluten. In celiacs, any gluten in the diet can be disastrous. We’re talking compromised calcium and vitamin D3 levels, hyperparathyroidism, bone defects. Really terrible stuff. And it gets worse: just because you’re not celiac doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to the ravages of gluten. As Stephan highlights, one study showed that 29% of asymptomatic (read: not celiac) people nonetheless tested positive for anti-gliadin IgA in their stool. Anti-gliadin IgA is an antibody produced by the gut, and it remains there until it’s dispatched to ward off gliadin – a primary component of gluten. Basically, the only reason anti-gliadin IgA ends up in your stool is because your body sensed an impending threat – gluten. If gluten poses no threat, the anti-gliadin IgA stays in your gut. And to think, most Americans eat this stuff on a daily basis.

Phytates are a problem, too, because they make minerals bio-unavailable (so much for all those healthy vitamins and minerals we need from whole grains!), thus rendering null and void the last, remaining argument for cereal grain consumption.

What, then, is the point to all this grain madness? Is there a good reason for anyone (with access to meat, fruit, and vegetables, that is) to rely on cereal grains for a significant portion of their caloric intake?

The answer is unequivocally, undeniably no. We do not need grains to survive, let alone thrive. In fact, they are naturally selected to ward off pests, whether they be insects or hominids. I suggest we take the hint and stop eating them.Source: marksdailyapple