Whew, that title is a mouthful.
Recently, I started tracking meals using MyFitnessPal (What I’ve Learned From Two Weeks Using MyFitnessPal). I haven’t talked about my nutrition goals much, though.
My nutrition goals are not only calorie focused. I also try to keep my macronutrients within a certain ratio. My target is 40% protein, 30% fat, and 30% carbohydrate. Without intending to do so, I’ve started a “macro diet.”
A macro diet goes a step further than typical calorie counting. For it, you count the macronutrients—grams of proteins, carbs and fats—you’re eating within your calorie goal, and in what ratios. (To clarify, the macro diet should not be confused with the macrobiotic diet, a fad diet with foundations in Zen Buddhism.)
CookingLight, What Is the Macro Diet—And Can It Help Me Lose Weight?
For my 1210 calorie per day goal, that works out to 121g protein, 40g fat, 91g carbohydrate.
I’m starting to collect some recipes that help get the job done. Here are a few favorites. Note that all of these are under 500 calories per serving.
My body treats me best when I avoid gluten and dairy, and my cooking skills/patience/attention span is next to nil. All of the recipes below meet my needs in terms of nutrition, dietary restrictions, and all my preferences as outlined in the Six ADHD Cooking Hacks post on this site.
The macronutrient ratios and grams I’ve included for each recipe account for the modifications I’ve indicated.
Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Soup from The Lemon Bowl
I love dump meals and this is a great one. I double the chicken when I make it.
Makes four servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 32% | 14% | 54% |
| 35.4g | 6.8g | 60.6g |
Shrimp and Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
Cut the pork in half and add 2 pounds of shrimp.
Makes 4 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 8% | 31% | 61% |
| 9.3g | 15.4g | 67.4g |
Instant Pot Beef and Bean Chili
Add an extra pound of ground beef.
(Note: I used 93% lean beef, and subbed in black beans rather than using the pinto and kidney called for in the recipe. There was no nutrient-based reason for the bean swap… I just really like black beans.)
Makes 8 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 29% | 30% | 41% |
| 31g | 14.3g | 42.9g |
https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/instant-pot-chili/
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
No modifications needed for this one. I usually serve this on cauliflower rice but if real rice fits your macros go for it.
Makes 4 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 11% | 40% | 49% |
| 9.7g | 16.4g | 45.5g |
Easy Paleo Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
No modifications needed. As a sidebar, this is my all-time favorite chicken soup recipe. There is at least one container in my freezer at all times because of how much I hate getting sick and not having any on hand.
Makes 8 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 31% | 11% | 58% |
| 17.1g | 2.7g | 31.4g |
https://civilizedcaveman.com/recipes/soups/paleo-chicken-soup/
Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili (tomato-free chili recipe!)
No modifications needed. I was super stoked to find (and then love) this recipe because my body hates me when I have tomatoes multiple days in a row.
Makes 5 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 31% | 29% | 40% |
| 35.8g | 15.1g | 46.3g |
Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Creole (Paleo, Whole30)
Another one that needs no modifications and that I usually serve on cauliflower rice.
Makes 4 servings
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 23% | 35% | 42% |
| 25g | 17g | 45g |
Un-stuffed Cabbage Bowls (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Double the ground beef. Calculations assume 93% lean ground beef.
Makes 5 servings.
| Carbs | Fat | Protein |
| 33% | 28% | 39% |
| 36.4g | 13.7g | 41.7g |
And that’s the current list! I’m always looking for more recipes, though, so if you have any others you like please post a link in the comments?