Low-Calorie Vegetarian Recipes

At Vegetarian Times, we pay close attention to the calorie count in every recipe. After all, a low-calorie diet combined with an active lifestyle is the best way to maintain a healthful weight while enjoying good foods. These recipes are so packed with flavor and good-for-you ingredients that you won’t miss out on a thing—except unneeded calories.

In order to earn the title “Low-Calorie,” VT recipes must meet the following criteria:

Entrées or entrée salads: 400 calories or fewer
Appetizers, soups, side dishes, side salads, and breads: 200 calories or less
Desserts: 225 calories or fewer
Condiments, beverages, and sauces: 100 calories or fewer

We make it quick and easy for you to enjoy low-calorie dishes that are truly satisfying. Just check the Recipe Index in every issue to see which recipes make the cut, and for more great low-calorie options, just check “Low-cal” when searching for recipes on vegetariantimes.com.

Here are a list of tasty low-calorie recipes to try:

	Banana Buckwheat Pancakes Egg replacer keeps these breakfast treats tender without dairy or extra oil.
	Easy Blender Gazpacho This version of gazpacho does away with all the slicing and dicing, and blending the soup lets the flavors meld without a lengthy chill time. Any vinegar will work in this soup, but sherry vinegar brings it closest to its Spanish roots.
	Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Golden Garlic, Tomatoes, and Sage Sage and tomatoes pair beautifully in this light pasta sauce. Firm Roma tomatoes are your best bet here for a sauce that’s not too watery. If early-season tomatoes make the sauce taste too acidic, stir 1 tsp. sugar or honey in with the sage and olives.
	Deep South Slaw The key to perfect coleslaw is a creamy base, a hint of sweetness, a touch of tangy vinegar, and, in the case of Cajun versions, a little kick from hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
	Açai Sorbet In its pure state, açai pulp is sour and slightly bitter, but once a little sweetener is added, the flavor resembles concentrated blueberries with a hint of chocolate. "Agave nectar is a good option here because its lower-glycemic-load sugar is a better complement to açai's phytonutrients," explains Los Angeles–based nutritionist Ashley Koff, RD.
	Lemon-Rosemary Butter Cookies The rosemary and lemon aromas of these cookies will make your kitchen smell like an Italian bakery.
	Spinach, Feta, and Tomato Quiche The filling here can be replaced with your favorite veggies and cheese, and you can increase the amount of quiche batter for larger pies using this simple equation: count ı/2 cup milk for every egg used. The recipe will also work in a prepared piecrust.
	Malaysian Tropical Curry with Lemongrass and Shallots Sweet-and-sour combinations are common in Malaysian cuisine, which makes abundant use of the country's fresh fruits and vegetables.
	Braised Celery Root with Chickpeas and Saffron Large, melon-shaped knobs of celery root or celeriac may look tough to handle, but are actually very easy to cook with. Once peeled, they can be grated like carrots into salads, boiled and mashed like potatoes, sliced and added to soups, or cut and braised in stews. This recipe tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had a chance to meld. Serve with brown rice, if desired.
	Cumin and Bean Sprout Quesadillas The nifty thing about this quesadilla is that the sprout filling sticks inside, so you don’t have bits of veggies falling out when you eat it. If you’re making quesadillas for a crowd, simply assemble them on a baking sheet, and bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350°F, or until cheese inside has melted.

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Low-Calorie Vegetarian Recipes

Banana Buckwheat Pancakes

Easy Blender Gazpacho

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Golden Garlic, Tomatoes, and Sage

Deep South Slaw

Açai Sorbet

Lemon-Rosemary Butter Cookies

Spinach, Feta, and Tomato Quiche

Malaysian Tropical Curry with Lemongrass and Shallots

Braised Celery Root with Chickpeas and Saffron

Cumin and Bean Sprout Quesadillas