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11 Simple Recipes for Lightened-Up Street Food

Street food is everywhere these days. From taco trucks to BBQ shacks to portable pushcarts, street vendors are attracting the attention—and the appetites—of food lovers with simple bites that are loaded with flavor and are fun to eat right on the spot. There are so many varieties of street food, offering you different tastes from the wide world of cuisines. But many popular types of street food come with excess calories, fats, salt and sugar.

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Good news: With these easy recipes, you can get in on the joys and satisfactions of eating street food while staying on track to your weight loss goal.

1. Air Fryer Drumsticks >

drumsticks

The meaty chicken legs satisfy your hunger (more than scrawny wings ever will!) and the coating of zesty Cajun spices give you that finger-licking good flavor you crave. Cooked in the easy-to-use air fryer, these drumsticks come out with a crispy exterior while the meat inside stays moist and tender.

Counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

2. BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich >

jack fruit

The sweet and savory tastes of this sandwich, topped with crunchy slaw, will remind of a visit to a roadside barbecue shack. The seasoned jackfruit gives you the tang and texture of BBQ meat, but none of the saturated fat. Better yet, you get just 195 calories in this filling sandwich.

Counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable and 2 Extras

3. Chicken Kebabs With Peanut Dipping Sauce >

chicken kebabs

Skewered meats are popular street foods all over the world, because they’re so filling, flavorful, and simple to eat out of hand. These kebabs start with tender, lean chicken breast pieces seasoned with Asian-style marinade. To take the flavor to the next level, try them with the easy-to-make dipping sauce.

Counts as: 2 PowerFuels

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4. Fish Tacos >

Fish tacos

Tucking into tacos is a quintessential street-food experience because they’re such fun to eat. Our Fish Tacos are made with light and mild-tasting halibut, which is high in protein to keep you energized, yet very low in calories. Add tomatoes, avocado and our homemade sauce, and you’ve got a handful of flavor that you can enjoy for a healthy lunch or dinner.

Counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel, 2 Vegetables and 3 Extras

5. Air Fryer Dry Rubbed Chicken Bites >

chicken bites

These little nuggets of crispy chicken come out of the air fryer warm and fragrant, just like the most irresistible street food. They’re seasoned with savory spices that are “fried” into the meat, so they taste as delicious as they smell.

Counts as: 2 PowerFuels and 1 Extra

6. Air Fryer French Fries >

french fries

Warm, salty fries you get at a festival, fair, or street-corner vendor can be weighed down with 300 or more calories in a serving. Make a fresh batch of these fries and you get all the enjoyment of biting into hot, tender potatoes and only 114 calories in a serving.

Counts as: 1 SmartCarb and 1 Extra

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7. Chipotle Turkey Meatballs >

street food

Meatballs are bite-size street food, but they’re filling enough to fend off hunger for hours. We made these with lean ground turkey, so you don’t load up on excess fats. Whip up the lightly spicy dipping sauce to add an extra zing to these savory meatballs.

Counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

8. Honey Sriracha Meatballs >

street food

One of the best things about street food is that you can sample exotic flavors in small doses. Sriracha, a spicy and sweet chili sauce that originated in Thailand, gives these turkey meatballs a tingly heat that will light up your taste buds but not scorch your palate.

Counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 3 Extras

9. Spicy Inside-Out Cheeseburger >

street food

Cheeseburgers are kind of the original eat-out-of-hand street food in this part of the world. We made these burgers with the cheese on the inside, so you get a blend of creamy and meaty tastes in every bite.

Counts as: 2 PowerFuels, 1 SmartCarb and 1 Extra

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10. Healthier Raspberry Scones >

raspberry scones

Yes, you can enjoy the sweet pleasure of a flaky, fresh scone and stay on track to your weight loss goal. Made with tasty berries, whole-wheat flour, and skim milk, you get just 170 calories and all the baked goodness in each one of these scones.

Counts as: 1 SmartCarb and 2 Extras

11. Raspberry Lemonade Slushie >

street food

Whether you’re strolling through a street fair or relaxing on your deck, a fruity slushie is cool refreshment on a hot summer day. With just three ingredients (plus ice and water), this chilled drink is ready in minutes.

Counts as: 1 SmartCarb

No time to cook? No problem! Check out our menu full of classic foods! >

The post 11 Simple Recipes for Lightened-Up Street Food appeared first on The Leaf.



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