How often do you think there’s NO WAY?
I’m talking about those times when you look at your dinner, lunch, breakfast or snack and think, there’s absolutely NO WAY that is going to fill me up?
You followed the recipe step by step because you know you MUST not go over your calorie limit for the day.
And the recipe sounds healthy and the ingredients look great.
But then you see the meal on the plate.
Are You Always Hungry?
Learn how to lose weight without feeling hungry with the FREE Essential Volume Eating Course
And you just know you’ll be hungry 30 minutes later and go looking in the pantry for a little something else.
I’ve been there.
Where Diets Can Get it Wrong
Often, diets that focus on restricting calories have recipes that are just way too small to fill up hungry humans.
When food becomes just a number, we overlook the importance of how nutrient rich the food we consume is.
Nutrient rich eating should always be our number #1.
I’ll show how it is possible to reduce the calories of a meal whilst maintaining the volume of food using the volume eating approach.
Basically, you’ll be able to eat more, feel full and still lose weight (if this is a goal).
The recipes I share below are on heavy rotation in my household, but once you see the magic of this approach you’ll be able to adapt any of your favourite dinners.
*Note: All recipes are single-serve so multiply the ingredients by the number of mouths to feed.
Let’s do this.
How to add the volume eating approach to a simple meal
More High Volume Dinners
1. High Volume Lamb & Cous Cous salad
With all the dinners I’ll have a comparison so we can really see how small tweaks to our dinners can make a huge difference.
What’s the difference between these recipes?
720 cal to 450 cal is quite the difference.
Remember the calorie comparison is just to show us the effectiveness of high-volume foods on a plate, not to get caught up in calories. Comparing calories to highlight a point like this is good. Obsessing over calorie counting is not so good.
What’s really great is because we volume up our dinner with high volume foods we will fuller for longer and the foods we’re using are nutrients.
Normal Recipe
- 1 cup of cous cous
- ¼ cup roasted zucchini
- ¼ cup roasted carrot
- ½ cup spinach
- Red onion
- 130g lamb
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Dresssing: 2 tsp lemons juice, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, torn mint, salt & pepper. 2 tsp tzatziki to serve
Volume Up Recipe
- 1/2 cup of cous cous
- 1/2 cup roasted zucchini
- 1/2 cup roasted carrot
- ½ cup spinach
- 1/4 Red onion
- 80g lamb
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Dresssing: 2 tsp lemons juice, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, torn mint, salt & pepper. 2 tsp tzatziki to serve
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Add lamb and chopped carrot, capsicum, zucchini and onion to an oven tray or roasting pan and spray lightly with extra virgin olive oil./li>
- Cook cous cous according to packet instructions and also combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and mint. /li>
- Once vegetables and lamb are cooked remove from oven, combine with cous cous and spinach.
- Top with lemon and olive oil mix and tzatziki and serve.
2. Beef stir fry
Volume Eating Recipe: Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients: 100g capsicum, 50g zucchini, 3 stalks broccolini,1 large mushroom, 40g beans,1/2 small onion, 100g beef (when cooked), Spray oil, 1tsp Sriracha, 3tsp oyster sauce, 2tsp lime juice, 1/2 cup cooked rice.
Method:
- Cook onion and beef under just brown. At the same time, boil rice.
- Add vegetables and sauces to the stir fry and cook until tender.
- Serve.
3. Chicken and vegetable pasta
Volume Eating Recipe: Chicken & Pasta
Ingredients:100g chicken,1 tsp capers, 1/4 large capsicum, 4 large florets broccoli, 2 medium mushrooms, 1 cup cooked pasta, 100ml passata, 1Tbsp tomato paste, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 1/4 sliced red onion, 2 anchovies (chopped), chilli, herbs, salt, pepper, 10g low fat cheddar,
Method:
- Cover bottom of pan with a small amount of water and add chicken, garlic and onion. At the same time, boil the pasta.
- Once chicken is cooked through add chopped vegetables, passata, tomato paste, herbs, chilli, salt, pepper and chopped anchovies. Cook until vegetables are tender.
- Mix sauce with pasta and top with cheese
4. Steak and vegetables
Volume Eating Recipe: Steak & Vegetables
Ingredients: 100g cooked steak, 1 medium, 2 cups leafy salad, with balsamic vinegar, 2 florets broccolini,15g avocado, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil spray.
Method:
- Grill steak and broccolini without added fat.
- At the same time, add salt, pepper and a light spray of extra virgin olive oil to the potato and bake in the oven or in foil on the barbeque.
- Top a leafy salad with balsamic vinegar.
- Plate all and serve.
5. Tacos
Volume Eating Recipe: Tacos
Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil spray,1/4 diced brown onion,100g extra lean beef mince,1/4 sachet taco seasoning, 1/2 medium zucchini, 1/2 carrot, 1 taco shell, 2 lettuce leaf cups, 1/2 tomato, 1/4 cob corn, 25g avocado,15g cheddar cheese, 3tsp salsa, fresh coriander
Method:
- Add onion and mince to a pan with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil spray oil.
- Cook until meat is brown.
- Add taco seasoning, zucchini and carrot to the mince mix. 3) Cook taco shell according to packet instructions.
- Serve mince mix in a combo of the taco shell and lettuce leaf cups.
- Top mince mix with the tomato, corn, avocado, cheese, salsa and coriander.
Why do these easy high volume recipes keep you full?
It’s all to do with the benefits of the volume eating approach:
- High volume foods help you feel full
- Volume eating focuses on including mostly low calorie density or ‘dial up’ foods
- When following the volume eating approach you do not need to count calories or macros
- The foods are nutrient dense – they contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
- Volume eating does not require you to completely cut out any foods
Did you notice how all these recipes are very easy to make?
I haven’t told you to rush out and buy a super expensive supplement that promises to help keep you full.
I haven’t mentioned ingredients that are impossible to find or have a huge price tag.
No tricks are needed.
All the recipes are easy to prepare, have everyday ingredients and taste delish.
More importantly, we didn’t have to do any obsessive calorie counting.
What steps could you take next?
Make a pledge to yourself that you’ll try one volume eating recipe this week.
- You could be super courageous and adapt a favourite recipe of your own (Send it to me if you would like feedback, I’ll reply).
- Or grab a recipe from above that sounds appealing to get your feet wet
Both options are good but this is key:
Have a specific day as to when you are going to try your new volume eating recipe. And have the ingredients organised ahead of time.
When you’ve finished preparing the meal look at the plate and see how much more appealing it looks.
Dive in and know this recipe will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
Get the Free Essential Volume Eating Course and Learn How to Lose Weight Without Feeling Hungry
Join the FREE Essential Volume Eating Course Today
Lessons include:
- How volume eating helps you feel full and satisfied without the guilt
- How to manage calories without counting or obsessing
- Why volume eating works for weight loss
Plus: Receive a recorded Masterclass on volume eating verse other approaches.