15 Recipes Low in Saturated Fat

By Alyssa Sparacino
August 22, 2011
These recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all low in saturated fat
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Day-to-night meal ideas

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These recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all low in saturated fat—great news for your heart!

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Breakfast: Hearty Pancakes

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Pancakes are a morning staple, but they aren't all that healthy if made with milk and eggs and slathered with butter and syrup.

This recipe uses applesauce to cut down on fat content and add some fiber as well. What's more, walnuts give a slight crunch and "good" monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Saturated fat: 1 g

Try this recipe: Hearty Pancakes

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Tropical Fruit Parfaits

Your favorite grab-and-go parfaits can be made just as easily at home. These use tropical fruit (usually best in the summer), but any in-season variety will do. Low-fat Greek yogurt is found in countless healthy recipes and diet plans—and also happens to be a CarbLovers Diet favorite. You don’t have to be watching your figure to enjoy this vitamin-packed breakfast.

Saturated fat: 0 g

Try this recipe: Tropical Fruit Parfaits
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De-lish Oatmeal

While oatmeal, in general, is one of the 10 best foods for your heart, this version is not just healthy but also "De-licious." To cut down on saturated fat, use fat-free milk. The pecans are a source of polyunsaturated fat, and apple cider and dried cranberries offer a tasty twist to plain ol’ oatmeal.

Saturated fat: 0.9 g

Try this recipe: De-lish Oatmeal

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Morning Glory Muffins

Start the day with these healthy muffins that contain only 1 gram of saturated fat and nearly 3.5 grams of fiber.

The muffin’s fiber content, due to a hearty mix of whole-wheat flour, dried fruit, nuts, and oatmeal, can fill you up and slow down the spike in blood sugar, which can occur after consuming low-fiber meals.

For a light but filling breakfast, eat your muffin with fruit and a low-fat dairy product, such as yogurt or a glass of milk.

Saturated fat: 0.5 g

Try this recipe: Morning Glory Muffins

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Artichoke Quiche

Artichokes might seem like an unfamiliar ingredient (other than in fat-laden dips). Still, they contain high levels of folate, which is thought to be good for your heart. It’s not the dish to make if you’re rushing out the door to work in the morning, but you can prepare it ahead of time or serve it at a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch.

Saturated fat: 1.8 g

Try this recipe: Artichoke Quiche
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Lunch: Southwest Cilantro Fish Stew

Most varieties of fish contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and this stew uses cod, a great source of heart-healthy B vitamins and folate.

Keep in mind that this savory lunch does contain 122 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. However, it has only 1.2 grams of saturated fat. So as long as you limit your daily intake of cholesterol from other sources, you can enjoy this Mexican-inspired dish without guilt.

Saturated fat: 1.2 g

Try this recipe: Southwest Cilantro Fish Stew

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String Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad With Shrimp

In as little as 15 minutes you can sit down to a satisfying salad that tastes like it took much longer to prepare. Most dressings are creamy and can quickly add a surprising amount of calories and fat—more than most people would imagine.

But this salad’s homemade vinaigrette, made with Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill, provides just the right amount of tang without any extra fat.

Saturated fat: 1 g

Try this recipe: String Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad With Shrimp

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Warm Black Bean and Orange Salad

When regular greens (yawn) just won’t do, try this warm—yes, warm—salad that’s anything but boring. Black beans are low in saturated fat and high in fiber. The extra fiber can help fill you up and quash any snack cravings until dinner.

Saturated fat: 1 g

Try this recipe: Warm Black Bean and Orange Salad
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Chicken Burgers With Guacamole, Cheddar, and Charred Tomatoes

Using chicken instead of beef in burgers lowers saturated fat intake, and avocados are loaded with heart-healthy fats. This fruit can help lower bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and raise good (HDL) cholesterol levels. (You can also substitute a few avocado slices for mayo on sandwiches, in general.)

Get rid of the burger’s cheese for an extra health boost—this flavorful dish doesn’t even need it.

Saturated fat: 1 g

Try this recipe: Chicken Burgers With Guacamole, Cheddar, and Charred Tomatoes

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Gingery Lentil Soup

Lately, everyone’s talking lentils. They are touted as a great alternative source of protein and are packed with fiber. But—jackpot!—they are also low in saturated fat. If you haven’t prepared them before, this simple soup is an easy place to start. With 0 grams of saturated fat, you’d think this soup would make for a bland lunch, but with spices like cumin and ginger, it’s anything but.

Saturated fat: 0 g

Try this recipe: Gingery Lentil Soup

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Dinner: Beef Kebabs

You don’t have to give up meat to have a healthy heart. Beef kebabs are practically effortless to prepare for dinner, and can be made year-round on a stove-top grill pan. Choose a lean cut of meat with a low meat-to-fat ratio (around 85:15 or even 90:10), and add tons of your favorite veggies. Tomatoes are a smart choice; they contain lycopene, an antioxidant that may help your heart.

Saturated fat: 3 g

Try this recipe Beef Kebabs
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Sesame-Chile Chicken With Gingered Watermelon Salsa

Skip the fatty cream sauce and choose this fresh salsa instead. It adds a Southwestern kick to chicken while sparing you the saturated fat. If you can’t find a watermelon out of season, substitute another ripe melon like cantaloupe or crenshaw, add some heart-healthy tomatoes, or double the veggies.

Saturated fat: 0.9 g

Try this recipe Sesame-Chile Chicken With Gingered Watermelon Salsa

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Mediterranean Turkey With Swiss Chard Over Polenta

Enjoying turkey dishes is not limited to the holidays, nor do you have to serve turkey swimming in a pool of gravy next to a pile of mashed potatoes made with whole milk.

The peanut oil in this recipe is loaded with monounsaturated fat, and the lemon juice contains vitamin C. Swiss chard adds an extra boost of folate.

Saturated fat: 1 g

Try this recipe: Mediterranean Turkey With Swiss Chard Over Polenta

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Maple-Glazed Salmon With Pickled Cucumber

When there’s talk about heart-healthy foods, salmon usually comes to mind. This fish is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, a "good" fat, and some research suggests it may be beneficial for joint health. You’ll find 0 grams of saturated fat and only 250 calories per serving in this sweet and tangy salmon dish.

Saturated fat: 0 g

Try this recipe: Maple-Glazed Salmon With Pickled Cucumber
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Baked Stuffed Shells

These stuffed shells hit the spot for those looking for great Italian food without the high-fat content. In this dish, tofu provides protein and bell peppers add fiber, while low-fat turkey sausage gives it a meaty flavor.

In addition, using part-skim mozzarella means cholesterol and saturated fat will be lower than in the traditional version. This dinnertime staple really is comfort food at its best.

Saturated fat: 4.8 g

Try this recipe: Baked Stuffed Shells
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