15 Low Calorie Air Fryer Recipes

If you’re anything like me you’ve heard the hype about, but aren’t really sure what it’s all about. This article will go into just that and give you some of my favorite Air Fried Recipes.

Air fryers are just as they sound. They “Fry” your food using air instead of oil. This method of cooking works because the air blowing around in the oven is extremely hot allowing a crisp crust to form, making them have a delicious crunch. 

Unlike the traditional method of frying, an air fryer uses about 80% less oil.  In turn, this allows you to enjoy your favorite deep fried foods, for 80% less calories. Now doesn’t that sound great! (this is the one I’ve been using)

What Can You Cook in the Air Fryer?

Cooking in the air fryer is simple and essentially the exact same as cooking anything in the oven. I love when the foods I make have a nice little crunch, but sometimes cooking for as long as needed can be very time consuming.

In my opinion, some of the best things cooked in an air fryer are vegetables like squash, brussel sprouts,  broccoli and cauliflower (really any vegetable that you like to roast in the oven!) or things that you want a crispy edge to like chicken tenders, fried chicken, wontons, tater tots or frozen foods that fry well. 

I am still learning how to best use these appliance, but some of the things I have tried and enjoy are healthier crab rangoons, reheated or cooked pizza (homemade or store bought), roasted vegetables, potatoes and chicken tenders.(Anything that is wet, oozing or contains a lot of liquid is best not in an air fryer.) 

Cons of an Air Fryer

One concern with air fryers are their potential development of different carcinogens and the process of which your food is cooked. It is shown that the A2 carcinogens are not present when cooking with the air fryer.

This has been a concern due to the high temperatures found with in, there is a chance of creating some carcinogen but generally it isn’t present. 

One of the biggest downfalls of an is that it only can cook generally 1 to 3 lbs of food depending on the size of your fryer. 

When using on of these cooking devices, you need to be sure and watch what you are cooking.  Air fryers allow you to cook food approximately 25°F lower and in about half of the time, than what you would cook using an oven. 

This is because the space is a lot smaller in an air fryer compared to an oven. The general recommendation is when cooking food when the time is halfway through take it out and flip it.

15 Air Fryer Recipes

Some of my favorite healthy menu items that you can cook in an air fryer are listed below. These include anything from meals to snacks to desserts. However, just because something is air fried doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy. So be sure to check your Macros.

1. Chicken Tenders : Calories: 291, Carbohydrates: 16.5g, Protein: 38.5g, Fat: 7g
2. Crab Rangoon: Calories: 182kcal  Carbohydrates: 21g Protein: 6g  Fat: 8g
3. Roasted Vegetables varies

4. Garlic Parmesan Potatoes Crab Rangoon: Calories: 188kcal  Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 5g  Fat: 7g
5. Tatar Tots: Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g
6. Cheesy Chicken Taquitos:  Calories: 145 Fat: 7g Carbohydrates: 9g Protein: 10g

7. Chicken and Broccoli: Calories: 224kcal, carbohydrates: 4g, protein: 25g, fat: 11g
8. Cauliflower: Calories: 141kcal Carbohydrates: 4.5g Protein: 1.6g Fat: 14.1g 
9. Eggplant Pizza: Calories: 239kcal Carbohydrates:10g Protein:13g Fat:17g
10. Coconut Shrimp: Calories: 304kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 15g

11. Baked Apples: Calories: 171, Fat: 6g, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 1g
12. Strawberry Turnovers: Calories: 265kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 17g
13. Fish Tacos: Calories: 211kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 10g

14. Chicken Wings Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g Fat: 13g Protein: 15g (One way to lower fat is by not eating the skin!)
15. Egg White Frittata with Spinach Calories: 94g Carbohydrates: 3g Protein: 9g Fat: 5g

In the end, most foods can be made in the air fryer. The air fryer is a great way to cook foods quickly, reheat and get a wonderfully crunchy kick. It is the perfect alternative to deep frying, which allows less calories and a healthier option for everyone!

What are some of your favorite healthier air fryer foods?

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