Anyone else focusing on their health & wellness as we start the new year strong?! I know I am! To get you started with some healthy habits for the New Year, I wanted to round up my Top 5 Healthy Recipes That Are Simple & Delicious that you can make in 30 minutes or less! The best part about these dinners is that they are high in nutrients, low in cost, and are absolutely tasty.
Ultimately, clean eating should not only be sustainable, but also taste good. I packed these recipes with plenty of veggies, protein, and healthy carbs to balance out your meal for optimal health!
Healthy Recipe #1: Greek Inspired Chicken Dinner or Lunch
This dish is 484 cals, tastes delicious, and is packed with veggies & the right amount of protein to keep you feeling full. I opted out of the feta cheese but you can totally add some in. I choose chicken thigh for the protein because they’re cheaper, delicious and totally worth a little bit of extra fat for all the flavor.
What you need:
- 2 mini cucumbers
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
- 1/2 cup chickpeas
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 lemon (or 1/2 lemon)
- 5 olives
- 1 chicken thigh (5oz)
- Sea salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Chop up the cucumber, tomatoes, and onion.
- Mix the veggies, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, & sea salt in a bowl. Pour on a plate, top with the olives and set aside.
- Coat the chicken thigh with olive oil spray and seasoning of your choice (I like @fitflavorspices)
- Cook on a grill or stove top. (About 5-6 min on grill flip over and cook for another 3-5 min or until no longer pink on the inside).
- Add the cooked chicken to your salad mix and enjoy!
Healthy Recipe #2: Cauliflower Rice, Veggies, and Eggs
Cauliflower rice is so easy to make and is a great choice if you’re looking for a more nutritious and lower calorie option. In this dish I combined it with sautéed veggies and eggs to create a nutritious and well rounded meal that’s only 404 calories.
Here’s what you need:
- 1/3 a cauliflower head (raw)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 a tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil (+ olive oil spray)
- Garlic
- Sea salt + pepper
- + a blender or food processor
Instructions:
- Cut up the raw cauliflower head into pieces and place in food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until it becomes a rice like texture. (Do not over-blend!)
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil & garlic to a pan.
- Add the cauliflower rice, sea salt & pepper.
- Cook until cauliflower is soft. Remove from stove.
- Add olive spray & mushrooms, tomatoes and onion to a pan. Add desired seasoning.
- While that’s cooking, fry two eggs in a separate.
- Add all food to a plate. Add more sea salt to cauliflower rice if needed.
- Mix all together. I love using the egg yolk as a sauce to the rice – YUM!
Healthy Recipe #3: Salmon with Zucchini Noodles and Veggies
I love this recipe because it’s only 395 calories, delicious and so full of flavor! There’s a lot you can do by adding garlic, sea salt & pepper to the mix as well.
What you need:
- 4oz wild caught salmon
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 tbsp pesto
- Handful of asparagus
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp olive oil
- garlic
- Sea salt
- Pepper
What to do:
- Spiralize the zucchini (I love the Paderno brand spiralizer)
- Chop up the mushrooms, tomatoes & asparagus.
- Spray a pan with non-toxic olive oil spray & cook the salmon stove-top (I like to cover the pan so it cooks more evenly).
- In a separate stove-top pan, add 1 tsp olive oil & garlic to pan. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes & asparagus. Sauté with sea salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms are soft.
- Once the salmon is cooked through (becomes soft and flaky), remove from the stove.
- Spray a clean pan with non-toxic olive oil spray. Cook the spiralized zucchini with the pesto for a short time (you don’t want it to become too soft)
- Plate and enjoy!
Healthy Recipe #4: Chicken Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles and Mushrooms
This 5 ingredient dinner is simple, easy and delicious – a total win. I love this combination because there’s plenty of volume from the veggies & the large of amount of protein that will leave you feeling full. Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes to make! If you’re in a rush or tired after a long day, this is a great recipe to cook at home, save money, and stay consistent on your wellness journey.
Ingredients:
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 cup mushrooms, cut in half
- 1 cup organic marinara sauce
- 6oz pasture-raised chicken
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- sea salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Use a spiralizer to turn the zucchini into noodle like shapes (I love the Paderno brand)
- Heat up a grill (or pan) for the chicken.
- Cover the chicken in olive oil spray & seasoning (I love @FitFlavorSpices) & place on the grill (on medium low). 4 – After about 9 minutes, flip the chicken over and grill for another 6-8 min. Set aside.
- Coat 2 separate pans with olive oil spray to cook the zoodles & mushrooms.
- Flash cook the zoodles with marinara sauce (not too long) & cook the mushrooms with 1.5 tsp olive, sea salt & pepper until the mushrooms are soft.
- Dig in!
Healthy Recipe #5: Eggplant Mozzarella with Grilled Chicken Breast
This delicious recipe is brought to you by my husband Chris! It’s tasty AF, and so easy to make. This will ensure you stay on track with your 2020 goals. This is also a killer recipe if you are entertaining!
What you need:
- 1 Eggplant
- 3 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce
- 3 Basil Leaves
- 5 oz of Chicken (if you want)
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Slice eggplant into 1/2” pieces, and sprinkle with black peppercorn and a little Himalayan or Celtic sea salt.
- Cut mozzarella into 1 oz slices.
- Lightly grill eggplant on both sides
- Put Eggplant in pan and place 1 oz slices of cheese, 2 tbsp marinara, and 1 basil leaf on each piece.
- Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Eat up!
I hope these healthy recipe ideas satisfy your taste buds and help you to stay on track! The goal is to stay consistent with your health & wellness in order to achieve the best results. All of these healthy, simple recipes allow you to save money, time, and encourage healthy eating habits. Leave a comment below if you’ve tried any of them!
