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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Chorizo Recipe (Fresh, Homemade Mexican Chorizo Sausage!)
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Keto Zucchini Boats with Chorizo (Chorizo Stuffed Zucchini)
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Ina Garten Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe (Copycat)
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Air Fryer Rack of Lamb (Air Fryer Lamb Rack Recipe)
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Ninja Foodi Breaded Chicken Breast (Ninja Foodi Fried Chicken)
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Blended Overnight Oats Recipe (Biscoff Overnight Oats)
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MyPlate Meals Examples (MyPlate Meal Planner Food Guide)
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Frozen Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer Recipe (Crispy Skin!)
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High Protein Buddha Bowl (Vegan Mexican Tofu Bowl Recipe)
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Air Fryer Roast Beef (Recipe + VIDEO!)
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Instant Pot Fries (Pressure Cooker French Fries Recipe + VIDEO!)
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Sugar Free Lassi (How to Make Mango Lassi without Sugar Recipe)
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Strawberry Banana Mango Smoothie with Milk Recipe
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Air Fryer Popcorn Recipe (Does microwave popcorn in air fryer work?)
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Black Bean Curry Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
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Chicken Hearts (Chicken Heart Recipe)
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Ninja Foodi Popcorn Recipe
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Air Fryer Jicama Fries with Dipping Sauce Recipe (Keto, Low Carb, Vegan)
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Potatoes From a Can (Canned Potato Recipe)
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Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad Copycat Recipe
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Watermelon and Banana Smoothie (Banana Watermelon Smoothie)
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Orange Roughy Recipes (Pan Fried, Baked, or Broiled Fish Fillet)
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Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake (Diabetic Strawberry Shortcake)
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Instant Pot Lima Beans (Butter Beans Pressure Cooker Recipe)
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Bacon Egg and Cheese Oatmeal (Stovetop or Instant Pot Savory Oats)
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Vegan Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot, Dairy Free, Creamy!)
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Old Fashioned Beef and Vegetable Soup (Pressure Cooker)
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Instant Pot Seafood Chowder Recipe (Fish Chowder)
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Instant Pot Paneer Recipe (Pressure Cooker)
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Palak Paneer Instant Pot Recipe (Pressure Cooker Saag Paneer)
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Turkey Wild Rice Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
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Sardine Cakes (Air Fryer Sardine Fritters Recipe)
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Air Fryer Plantains (Maduros, Frozen, and Crispy Tostones Recipes!)
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Summer Berry Salad (Gluten Free, Low Carb, Keto)
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Chocolate Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Recipe + VIDEO!)
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Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats (PSL Oatmeal Recipe)
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Homemade Italian Fennel Sausage Recipe (Meat Grinder)
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Pulled Pork Salad Bowl Recipe (Keto, Low Carb Carnitas)
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Ready Meals in Air Fryer (Can you cook ready meals in an air fryer?)
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Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer (Salmon Fillets Recipe)
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Air Fryer Stuffed Burgers with Cheese (Juicy Lucy Recipe)
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Frozen Burgers in Air Fryer (Hamburger Patties Recipe + VIDEO!)