8 Healthy, Delicious, and Satisfying Recipes!
Updated: Feb 1, 2023
Who doesn't love a really good healthy meal? I am so excited to be sharing a few of my current go to recipes
this month. This list ranges from vegetarian curry to fruit bowls to 2 ingredient pancakes! And yes, you did read that right. Clean eating doesn't mean boring. It's much easier to eat fun, healthy meals than you may realize. When I sat down to think about which recipes I wanted to share on this list, I thought about easy cooking, variety, and jam packed flavor. All but one recipe on this list take between 10-30 minutes to make, and the one is chili so still easy, which makes them perfect for week day eating! Some of these are great for meal prepping, or can be served in different ways. I hope after checking out these meals you'll feel inspired to try out some new healthy eating for yourself, and if you decide to give any of these delicious dishes a try, please let me know!
Pearl Couscous Salad
This is my current go to salad. I am obsessed! Recently, I was craving a warm salad and for some reason I couldn't get couscous off the mind. I decided to try making a "pasta" salad with couscous and this was the result. The apple and maple syrup add a great sweetness to the salad, while the arugula and Dijon add a peppery, spice flavor that balances out the dish. I've had many taste testers on this dish now. Not a single complaint yet!
Cook Time: 30 min | Yields: 4 servings |
Salad Ingredients | For The Dressing |
- 8 oz pearl couscous - 1 medium apple, thinly sliced - 1 shallot, thinly sliced - 1/3 cup almonds, sliced or chopped - 2-3 cups arugula | - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 1 tbsp maple syrup - fresh parsley, chopped - half a lemon, squeezed - salt, pepper to taste |
Instructions |
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Suggestions: Not only is this salad really satisfying, it's also a wonderful dish to meal prep with! It's great as a weekday lunch, or served with chicken over top.
Coconut Curry Cauliflower
Coconut Curry anything is my jam right now. I want all the coconut, all the time. This is a great weeknight meal that is easy to make and sure to satisfy! To make things easiest, grab a yellow curry paste from the grocery store. You can make your own, but it is a bit more time consuming and it does take quite a bit of ingredients. I tend to make things super complicated by going all out, but for the sake of "easy weeknight dinner that takes under 30 minutes to cook" let's use a store bought curry paste.
Cook Time: 25 min | Serves: 4 |
Ingredients | Instructions |
- 2 heads of cauliflower
- 1.5 cups of rice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 6 oz frozen peas and carrots
- 1 oz of yellow curry paste
- 12 oz of canned coconut milk
- 1 oz tomato paste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
- fresh parsley, chopped
- salt, pepper
| - Preheat oven to 350 °. Remove the cauliflower from the stalk and chop into bite size chunks. - Spread the cauliflower onto a sheet pan. Drizzle in olive oil, add salt and pepper, toss, then put into oven. - Bake cauliflower at 350 ° for 15 minutes, then broil at 500° for 5 minutes to charr. - Rinse rice well before cooking to remove excess starch, then add 1 cup of water, half a can of coconut milk, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy. - Add 1 tbsp of organic virgin coconut oil into a large pan over medium high heat, then add diced onion. Add salt and pepper, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent. - Add the garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste. Stir. - Cook the tomato paste down some, then add the coconut milk and curry. Mix well and bring back up to a low simmer. - Once simmering, toss in the frozen carrots and peas, then keep at a low simmer for 15 minutes. - Loosely chop parsley. Add to the curry and stir. - When cauliflower is finished, add to the coconut curry sauce and combine well. - Serve over rice. |
White Chicken Chili
My white chicken chili has it's own post on the blog, but it's seriously so good and doesn't have any incriminating ingredients to it! It's another great prep meal as well. To make it a little healthier, try substituting Greek yogurt for the sour cream in the crema! You can't even tell the difference. I started switching mine out a few months ago and love it. Head over to my White Chicken Chili post to get the recipe or keep scrolling!
Cook Time: 45 min | Yields: 4 servings |
Ingredients | Spices |
-1lb Chicken Breast -1 8oz cans of great northern beans -1 large onion or 2 small onions, diced -(1) 4oz can of mild green chilis -1/3 cup of rice -32oz chicken stock -8 oz canned, unsweetened coconut Milk -1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped -1/2 cup green onion, chopped -4 cloves of garlic, minced | - 1 tbsp cumin - 1 tsp garlic powder -1 tsp chili powder - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika - dash of cayenne |
For The Crema:
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 1/3 cup of the fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup of the green onion, sliced
- salt, pepper to taste
- combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until well combined. Spoon over the chili when serving.
| Instructions - If cooking chicken, generously salt and pepper each side of the chicken. Sear over medium high heat in a large stock pot on each side for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then shred when cool enough to handle. - Add olive oil to the pot then add onions. Stirring well to get all of the chicken goodness from the bottom of the pot. - Once the onions are translucent, add the chilis, and the seasonings. Combine well and cook for another few minutes. - Drain and rinse the beans, then add to the pot. - Add the chicken stock, bringing the stock to a boil, Then add the rice and chicken. - Give a good mix, reduce heat to medium low, and cover with lid. Cook for 30 min. - Chili is finished when the rice and chicken is cooked through. To Serve: ladle chili into a bowl, spoon over desired amount of crema, and top with cilantro and green onion. Chips and cheese are optional. |
Mango Kale Salad
I love a good balance of sweet and savory in a salad, and my mango kale salad is exactly that! I love this stuff. Although, this recipe isn't the best for meal prep. The salad will lose it's crunch / texture if it sits for too long. Best served immediately!
Cook Time: 30 min | Yields: 4 servings |
Salad Ingredients | For The Dressing |
- Bundle of Kale - 1 mango - 1 cucumber - 1 avocado - half bundle of brussels sprouts, sliced - 1/2 small onion, diced - fresh chives - Fresh cilantro and parsley, chopped - 1/3 cup crispy onions - 1/4 cup sliced almonds | 1 lemon, squeezed
1/2 orange, squeezed
zest of half a lemon
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red chili flakes
- salt, pepper to taste
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Instructions |
1. Begin by removing the kale leaves from the stalks. Chop into bite size strips then add to a large salad bowl. 2. Dice, slice, and chop the rest of the produce. Add to bowl. 3. Toss in the almonds and crispy onions. 4. For the dressing, combine all ingredients into a jar. Shake well then pour over the salad. 5. Thoroughly mix the salad. 6. Serve immediately. |
Smoothie Bowl
Love a good smoothie bowl. The other night, Emily (my sister) and I were trying to decide on a late night dinner. We weren't very hungry, but we wanted to eat. We landed on a smoothie bowl! I love these because you can load with all kinds of nutrients. Plus, there are endless variations of bowls. We went for an "orange" themed bowl the other night with mango, pineapple, carrots, and strawberries as the produce base.
However, my favorite is an avocado smoothie base. Obviously, this is a great breakfast, lunch, or a lightweight dinner. This made the list for me because I'm not sure how many people realize how easy it is to make a good smoothie bowl at home, and as a lightweight dinner - it checks all the boxes. It also saves me from my sweet tooth!
Cook time: 10 min | Yields: 2 Servings |
Emily's Smoothie Bowl | My favorite bowl |
-1/2 cup mango - 1/2 cup fresh carrots - 1/2 cup strawberries - 1/4 cup pineapple - 1/2 banana - 4 oz canned coconut milk - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt - 1/3 cup 100% apple juice | - 1 cup avocado - 1 cup spinach - 1/2 banana - 1/2 cup mango - 1/4 cup pineapple - 1 tsp spirulina - 8 oz canned coconut milk - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt |
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend until well combined and smoothie consistent is thick and creamy.
| Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend until well combined and smoothie consistent is thick and creamy.
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Suggested Toppings: Strawberries, Blueberries, Gluten Free Granola, Banana, Kiwi, Flax Seed, Chia Seed, Bee Pollen, Honey, Coconut shavings, Turmeric, Dragon fruit, Cashew, Almond butter, Top with more bowl ingredients, Green or Blue Spirulina
Turkish Eggs
If you're looking for a lightweight, savory dish to have for breakfast or lunch, look no further. I was on a roll not too long ago with Turkish eggs. I could not get enough of this stuff. So easy to make, super easy on the gut, and this dish packs a punch! Best part is it only takes a few minutes to put together. Traditionally, Turkish Eggs are made with a spicy browned butter which is delicious. However, if you're wanting a slightly healthier option, I have laid out my go to version when I'm not in the mood for the butter. Although, I definitely recommend giving traditional Turkish Eggs a try when you get a chance. So good.
Cook Time: 15 min | Yields: 1 serving |
Ingredients | Instructions |
- 2 eggs, poached - 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt - 1 clove of garlic, minced - fresh dill, loosely chopped - juice and zest of 1/4 lemon - salt, pepper, - drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - toast of choice - I love sourdough for this | - Add the yogurt to a small mixing bowl, then add the minced garlic. Mix. - Spread the yogurt over a shallow dish or plate, then gently lay the poached eggs over top. - Squeeze a lemon wedge over the yogurt and eggs. - Toss in some loosely chopped, fresh dill. It needs to be fresh! - Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. - Top with a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper. - Break into the Turkish eggs with some toast, and voila! |
Banana Pancakes
Would you believe me if I told you it only takes 2 ingredients to make banana pancakes? It's true. You can make delicious pancakes with only two ingredients! Bananas and eggs. That is it! What you add from there is your business. I personally like to add cinnamon and vanilla extract to my batter. If you're looking for gluten free, sugar free pancakes, this recipe is for you! This recipe is also kid friendly. They'll never know they are eating a healthy breakfast. Just top with maple syrup and fresh fruit and you are set!
Cook Time: 15 min | Yields: 4 servings |
Pancake Batter | Instructions |
- 4 eggs - 4 bananas, mushed - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1 tsp cinnamon - dash of salt | - In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas down until you have a consistency you like. I like there to still be small chunks of banana in mine. - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together then add to the bananas. - Add the rest of the batter ingredients. Mix well. -Cook as you would regular pancakes - in butter over medium low heat. Flipping when the base feels solid and the top is bubbling. |
Miso Ramen
Ramen is another great dish to make your own. All you need are noodles, broth, and toppings. From there, you can add what you want to it. Miso Ramen is always a great hit, but there's a coconut curry ramen from servingdumplings.com that is delicious! I'm on a coconut curry kick right now. I can't get enough of the stuff. It's so comforting!
Cook time: 30 min | Yields: 2 servings |
Ingredients | Instructions |
- 8 oz ramen noodles - 5 cups broth of choice - protein of choice: extra firm tofu, chicken, pork - 1 tbsp white miso paste - 6 oz shitake mushrooms - 2-3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced - 1 tsp sesame oil - 1 tsp olive oil - 1 tbsp soy sauce -1 tbsp rice wine vinegar - green onion, sliced - salt, pepper - black sesame seeds - cilantro, chopped - optional: soft boiled egg. | - If adding protein: prep and cook as you wish. I love to pan sear chicken breast or make fried tofu. - In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add olive oil and toss in the mushrooms with some salt. Cook the mushrooms down until the moisture is removed from the mushrooms. 4-5 min. - Set mushrooms to the side of the pan. Add the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger to the middle of the pan and stir until fragrant. Mix in mushrooms. - Add the miso, stirring constantly for 1 minute. - Add in the broth. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. - Once boiling, add the noodles and cook according to package instructions. - For final touches, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Stir well. To Serve: Pour Ramen into a bowl, then top with preferred toppings. I like to add green onion, cilantro, black sesame seeds, and a soft boiled egg. |
As always, Thank you for checking in! Let me know if you give any of these recipes a try. Have a great week!
x Lauren
Love these recipe ideas! Can't wait to try the miso ramen soup - I've never made one before but it looks too DELICIOUS to pass up!