Moderate-Calorie Recipes
The moderate-calorie recipes are what I refer to as “level 2” in the recipe notes. These recipes may help those who have met their weight goal and are transitioning to their maintenance calorie level. Some smaller and/or less active folks may maintain here.
On the other hand, some individuals may succeed with weight loss using mostly moderate-calorie recipes. These calorie levels are for people who eat three meals per day (plus possibly 1-2 snacks). Those who prefer to eat fewer meals will likely need to bump up to higher calorie dishes.
Meals in this category contain 501-700 calories per serving. Snacks in this category provide 101-200 calories per serving. These dishes usually contain no flour and no dried fruit (though I have made some exceptions).
During weight loss, women should not go below an average of 1200-1500 calories per day without consulting with their medical provider. Men should not let their daily average intake dip below 1500-1800 calories without approval from their doctor or dietitian.
For those with higher or lower energy needs, you will find ideas to modify these dishes in the recipe notes. These tips will help you to reduce the calories without removing the most satiating foods in the dish. It’s also fine to adjust your portion if the serving size listed is not right for your needs.
The high-calorie dishes are not the only delicious dishes on this website. We think that the recipes listed here are just as tasty as the higher calorie dishes. To get you started, here are a few of my family’s favorite moderate-calorie meals on the site:
And here are the most recent recipes in this category:
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Costco Yakisoba Stir Fry (Costco Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles)
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Keto Zucchini Boats with Chorizo (Chorizo Stuffed Zucchini)
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30+ WFPB Snacks (Whole Foods Plant Based Snacks) Vegan
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Chorizo Recipe (Fresh, Homemade Mexican Chorizo Sausage!)
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Salmon Cheesesteak Recipe (Salmon Cheesesteaks Sandwich)
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Ninja Foodi Breaded Chicken Breast (Ninja Foodi Fried Chicken)
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Air Fryer Rack of Lamb (Air Fryer Lamb Rack Recipe)
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Roasted Paneer (Baked Paneer Recipe)
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Beef Kidney Recipe (How to Cook Cow Kidney or Ox Kidneys)
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MyPlate Meals (MyPlate Meal Planner Food Guide)
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Air Fryer Catfish (Frozen or Fresh Catfish Fillets Recipe)
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Beef Hearts (How to Cook Beef Heart Recipe)
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Biscoff Overnight Oats (Blended Overnight Oats Recipe)
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25 Buffalo Mozzarella Recipes (Recipe Ideas for Bufala Cheese)
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Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs Recipe (Crispy Skin!)
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Instant Pot Fries (Pressure Cooker French Fries Recipe + VIDEO!)
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Air Fryer Roast Beef (Recipe + VIDEO!)
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Mexican Buddha Bowl (Vegan Protein Bowl with Tofu Recipe)
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Air Fryer Popcorn Recipe (Does microwave popcorn in air fryer work?)
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Banana Mango Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
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Protein Overnight Oats Recipe (Overnight Proats Protein Oatmeal)
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Sugar Free Lassi (How to Make Mango Lassi without Sugar Recipe)
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Recipe for Orange Roughy Fish Fillet (Pan Fried, Baked, or Broiled!)
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Banana Watermelon Smoothie (Watermelon and Banana Smoothie)
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Spicy Southwest Salad Chick-Fil-A Copycat Recipe
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Potatoes From a Can (Canned Potato Recipe)
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Air Fryer Jicama Fries with Dipping Sauce Recipe (Keto, Low Carb, Vegan)
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Ninja Foodi Popcorn Recipe
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Chicken Hearts (Chicken Heart Recipe)
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Black Bean Curry Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
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Air Fryer Halibut Recipe (Time and Temp)
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Lamb Chops in Air Fryer Recipe
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Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake (Diabetic Strawberry Shortcake)
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Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup (Vegan, Dairy Free, Creamy!)
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Bacon Egg and Cheese Oatmeal (Stovetop or Instant Pot Savory Oats)
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Instant Pot Lima Beans (Butter Beans Pressure Cooker Recipe)
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Palak Paneer Instant Pot Recipe (Pressure Cooker Saag Paneer)
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Instant Pot Paneer Recipe (Pressure Cooker)
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Instant Pot Seafood Chowder Recipe (Fish Chowder)
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Instant Pot Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe