Follow the Ruels

Avocado Muffins

These muffins are 100% inspired by our recent trip out to California. We were lucky enough to attend Billy’s work conference at a very nice luxury resort in Huntington Beach where they really pampered us with some good food. 

Considering that it is California, they really stuck to a healthy “California” themed menu and avocados were all over the place! Even in the muffins! I had never even heard of baking bread or muffins with avocados before (as the main ingredient and not a substitute for butter), but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised!

The avocado itself doesn’t actually provide a whole lot of flavor. But there is a subtle richness to the muffins that make them delicious all on their own. No fillings or mix-ins needed!

However, I can totally see myself making these muffins again and mixing in some blueberries, almonds, or any other favorite muffin mix-in! 

How to Make Them

First, cream together the mashed avocado and sugar just like you would butter and sugar.

Next, mix in the eggs.

Then, mix in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then mix in the milk until smooth.

I used a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour for these muffins to make them slightly healthier and I love the nutty flavor whole wheat flour provides. 

Then spoon the muffin batter into a lined muffin tin.

One thing I think these muffins need so they aren’t so plain is a little sprinkle of turbinado sugar. It creates a really crunchy sweet top that makes these muffins even better!

Finally, just bake until the tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes. 

And there you have it. Super yummy avocado muffins! Who would have thought of making a muffin with an avocado? I guess I have to thank our trip out to Huntington Beach for this one!

Supplies and Recipe

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Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

I have been looking for a little sweet treat that was both delicious and moderately healthy. I emphasize moderately. Basically, something that I could eat for breakfast and not feel totally guilty. 

Well, I think I found just what I was looking for in these raspberry oatmeal bars!

What makes them a tad healthier than your garden variety oatmeal bars is that they are made with almond meal instead of flour and I made my own raspberry jam with chia seeds, so it has absolutely no sugar! I’d say that almost qualifies as a breakfast food. 

How to Make Them

These oatmeal bars are very easy to make, even considering you have to make your own jam. Technically, you don’t have to. You can just use a regular raspberry jam. But I like the idea of making my own because I can control the sweetness of it. And it’s much easier to make than you’d think. 

In a small sauce pan, bring frozen raspberries, lemon juice, and honey to a simmer. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes until it has thickened slightly. Then remove from the heat and stir in the chia seeds. After about 20 minutes, the mixture will thicken even more, but won’t be quite the consistency of a normal jam.

While the jam thickens, move on to the oatmeal part of the bars.

Combine almond meal, oats, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl, then add cubes of cold butter. 

Use a pastry cutter or your hands to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms a coarse crumble.

To assemble the oatmeal bars, first pat half (or more than half) of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of a square pan. Then pour some or all of the jam on top. Lastly crumble the rest of the oatmeal mixture on top. You don’t need to form a solid layer, just sprinkle the rest overtop and pat down gently.

Pop the pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the oatmeal crumble on top has turned a lovely shade of golden brown.

After they come out of the oven, let them cool on the counter for at least an hour. I would recommend making them at night then leaving them out until the morning. It will ensure that the jam has settled making them easier to cut. 

I know it will be hard to leave them be, but it will be worth it, I promise. The jam layer will be slightly more solid and not drip out everywhere, and the crumbs on top will be nice and crunchy. 

Your reward will be these perfectly crumbly and sweet raspberry oatmeal bars. I happen to love that the raspberry layer isn’t overly sweet, so it perfectly balances the sweeter and nuttier oatmeal crust. Of course, feel free to substitute your favorite store-bought jam or swap out the raspberries for another favorite berry!

Supplies and Recipe

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Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding (Paleo and Vegan)

It’s been two years since I completed the dietary test that is the Whole 30 Challenge. And while I learned a lot from the experience and have toyed with the idea of attempting it again, most of the good habits and recipes I picked up have since fallen by the wayside. 

There is one recipe, however, that I have made over and over again. Not necessarily in an attempt to be healthy, but because it’s delicious and happens to also be healthy! 

And that is chia seed pudding. 

I have made several varieties of chia seed pudding over the past two years. One that I have perfected and turn to over and over again is chocolate chia seed pudding. 

This is hands down my favorite version because it absolutely tastes just like chocolate pudding. Except there is sugar, no dairy, and is chock-full of the superfood that is the chia seed!

How to Make It

And did I mention its SUPER easy to make? Maybe easier than real chocolate pudding?

Well, it is!

For this recipe, you will need some:

  • milk (whatever type of milk you prefer – almond, cashew, cow, etc.);
  • unsweetened cocoa powder;
  • salt, which will actually bring out the sweetness;
  • sweetener, such as honey, agave, maple syrup, sugar, or sugar substitute; and
  • chia seeds (obviously)

I also like to add a bit of coffee extract to my chocolate chia seed pudding because it really emphasizes the chocolate flavor. This is totally optional since I know not everyone has coffee extract on hand. But you could also add a couple drops of your morning espresso. 

First, mix together the milk, cocoa, salt, and sweetener until mixture is nice and smooth. 

Then, add all the chia seeds and mix them in until completely incorporated. Just make sure that they don’t fall all the way down to the bottom, as they will want to do.

Next, pour the mixture into individual jars. 

Or don’t. 

You can portion this out however you would like. 

Then, pop the pudding into the fridge and wait. 

Waiting is always the hardest part. 

 

After a few hours (or ideally overnight) you will have a delicious chocolate chia seed pudding! 

Now, for those of you who have not had chia seeds before or have not had chia seed pudding, I will warn you. The texture is a bit different. It’s actually a little bit like tapioca pudding or cottage cheese.

I don’t mind it in the least and I am pretty sensitive to weird textures. But it may take some getting used to for the chia seed virgins. 

The sooner you do, the sooner you will have a wonderfully rich, healthy, chocolate dessert. 

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Basil Pesto Hummus Recipe

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks. I pack it with my lunch along with some carrots and celery sticks for a healthy afternoon snack. Sometimes when my husband is out of town, I will just eat carrots and hummus for dinner. Don’t judge, guys. Sometimes even I don’t feel like cooking dinner! And carrots and hummus is a lot healthier than eating a carton of ice cream.

Which I have definitely never done. (She says as she looks around the room nervously.)

I buy so much hummus, sometimes I forget how easy it is to make at home. One of my favorite “flavors” to make at home is pesto hummus. I love pesto. I love hummus. Why not put the two together!?

One of the tricks I have picked up over the years of making my own hummus is microwaving the chickpeas in a little bit of the canning liquid before you blend them. It just makes the hummus so much more creamy! 

Also, can someone remind me next time I am taking picture in the kitchen to not wear a pink or red shirt. Geez! That pink glare is terrible!

Once the chickpeas are nice and toasty from the microwave, add them to a food processor then in the rest of the party- chickpeas, tahini, garlic, basil, and a bit of Parmesan. Then turn on your food processor and let that bad boy do the work for you. 

In seconds you will have delicious basil pesto hummus!

Of course this pesto hummus would make a great dip – pairing perfectly with pita chips and veggies! It would also be a great spread for sandwiches and wraps, or you can just put a big dollop on your salad. 

But I am just happy eating this delicious basil-chickpea dip with a big bad full of carrots. 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:141]

Fluffy Green Pancakes

With St. Patrick’s Day a couple days away, it seems appropriate to feature some green-hued foods, don’t cha think? These fluffy green pancakes were actually inspired by those pancakes the Internet gave Chelsea Clinton such a hard time about. I guess I wasn’t as disgusted as everyone else, because I thought they would be perfect for St. Patty’s Day! Also, what a good way to sneak some extra veggies into your diet?

Before you are completely turned off by spinach in your pancakes, let me assure you that they don’t taste anything like spinach. You can’t taste it at all! So you really could trick your kids into thinking you made green pancakes just for St. Patty’s Day!

These pancakes don’t just get their green color from the spinach. There is also a bit of matcha green tea powder in there to get it an extra umpf. It aslo gives these pancakes a bit of caffeine, which I am not going to turn down in the morning. 

Start by blending together the spinach, egg yolk, milk, lemon juice, and butter until it resembles that green smoothie you force down ever not and then (just kidding, I love green smoothies!). Then add the flour mixture to the blender so that the blender does all the work, not you. 

I would suggest adding just part of the flour mixture at a time, otherwise the blender will just get overwhelmed and you will end up stirring it yourself anyways. 

You should be left with a smooth, green batter. It’s okay if there are a couple lumps though. You don’t want your pancake batter over mixed. Then pour that batter into a bowl with some whipped up egg whites. 

Oh yeah, this is the key to light and fluffy pancakes. Separate your egg white from the egg yolk and whip it up until light and airy. Then fold the batter into the egg whites so you have a light and airy batter!

Spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter on to your cooking surface of choice. I prefer our electric griddle because it holds a constant, steady temperature ensuring I don’t under or overcook my pancakes. 

Then just stack up your pretty green pancakes and top them with your favorite pancake toppings. 

I prefer butter (and lots of it) and some maple syrup. Sure that sort of negates the “healthiness” of the spinach and whole wheat flour. But the way I see it, I would be dousing my pancakes in butter and syrup no matter what. So at least this way I am getting in a serving of veggies!

If the Chelsea Clinton green pancakes turned you off from adding spinach to your pancake batter, I hope I have helped sway you the other way. Because it’s always a good idea to trick your kids (or your husband…or yourself!) into eating more veggies. 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:140]

Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos

Leave it to me to start appreciating fish tacos only after I have moved away from the fish taco capital of the world (I assume). Despite growing up a stones throw from the beach and surrounded by amazing taco spots all with their own take on the fish taco, I didn’t eat my first fish taco until moving to North Carolina. That just feels wrong, doesn’t it?

Now a days if I want a fish taco I have to make the haul to the only spot in town that makes a decent one, or I can just make them at home. Since I am lazy and cheap, I tend to choose the later. 

And my go-to fish taco recipe? This easy and flavorful cilantro lime fish taco!

Start with some fresh (or thawed) fish. I used tilapia which is a nice light white fish that is great for fish novice’s like me.

Generously dust the fish with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Don’t be shy! In my opinion you can’t over season the fish. Then sprinkle on some cilantro; unless you are one of those weird people who hates cilantro, then skip it.

Now take a half a lime and squeeze the bejeezus out of it to get every ounce of juice over the fish. Then pop in the oven for a quick bake.

After about 10 minutes in the oven, the fish should be done and already flaking apart. All you have to do is take a fork to it to break it up into smaller chunks.  Now they are ready to be made into tacos!

I like to top my fish tacos off with a fresh mango pineapple salsa, which is the same salsa I used in the Jamaican Jerk Shrimp skewers. There is just something about fish and tropical fruit. I don’t know what it is. 

These tacos make such a nice fresh and healthy dinner that can be made in less than 30 minutes, easy! And if you are new to fish, kinda like me, this recipe will be great for you. Tilapia is a nice mild fish with that really takes on the flavor of whatever you season it with. It is also very easy to cook and practically fool proof. 

Trust me.

But if you are a fish connoisseur and tilapia is too mild for you, you can definitely substitute in some ahi tuna, mahi mahi, halibut, and any other favorite fish! Make it your own!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:139]

Paleo Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It’s incredibly healthy, low in carbs, delicious, and generally pretty easy to cook. It can also be swapped out in a lot of your favorite recipes, not just spaghetti! 

I have topped spaghetti squash with everything from chicken enchiladas to beef stroganoff. But one of my favorite recipes is this spaghetti squash lasagna! 

Now if you have never worked with spaghetti squash before you may be a little bit intimidated. I totally get it. I was right there with you once. Fortunately, my mom has been making spaghetti squash for years, way before it was cool, so I have learned a lot from her. 

The hardest part, by far, is cutting the darn thing! It’s seriously a pain in the butt, but I have a couple recommendations to make it a bit easier. 

  • Microwave the whole squash for 1 minute. This will soften the squash slightly, making it easier to cut.
  • Before cutting around the squash, cut off the stem. It will ensure you get to evenly sized halves. 
  • Use a serrated knife which will help cut through the outer shell.
  • Don’t cut using a saw like motion. Cut by sticking the tip of the knife all the way through and then pressing down with the base of the knife. It may take a couple cuts to get all the way through.

Once the squash is split in half, I scrape out the seeds then drizzle the flesh with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then off to the oven it goes!

There are of course other ways to cook a spaghetti squash, but when time is not really an issue, oven roasting them is my favorite! The flesh gets very soft, but also a bit caramelized, which makes it taste so much better. 

After a few minutes in the oven, the squash is ready to become spaghetti. Its as easy as dragging a fork across the surface. The flesh should be soft so that this doesn’t not require a lot of effort. If it does, pop it back in the oven or microwave until it’s soft. 

Ok, while the spaghetti squash was roasting, I worked on all the other components of the lasagna. First up, the meat sauce. I seasoned some ground beef with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Then I added in some whole tomatoes, which I smashed down into a sauce. 

The next component is the ricotta cheese. Or in this case, nut cheese. Did I mention this was Paleo? 

Don’t worry, you won’t miss the cheese. Nut cheese is surprisingly delicious and super flavorful. I love it because you still get that salty, savory, creaminess you would get from normal cheese. 

Nut cheese is also pretty easy to prepare. I basically blend up some soaked cashews with a bit of oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until its just short of cashew butter. It should still have a bit of texture, but not chunky. 

Finally, it’s time to assemble. I like to spread the nut cheese over the top of the spaghetti squash. You will probably pull up some of the noodles, but it’s okay – it doesn’t have to be pretty. I then top all of it with a generous helping of meat sauce. 

Now if you wanted to be a rebel and use real cheese, this would be where you swap in the ricotta and top this off with some mozzarella cheese. It won’t be Paleo, but it will still be a heck of a lot more healthy than your classic lasagna. 

After another quick bake in the oven so that all the components get nice friendly with one another, this Paleo spaghetti squash lasagna is ready to eat! Since everything was basically pre-portioned in the spaghetti squash itself, there is no messy cutting and serving of the lasagna. You know what I’m talking about. 

So the first few bites of this spaghetti squash lasagna are good and all, but when you get into the center where all that nut cheese is, it gets really good. The creamy savory-ness of that nut cheese just rounds out the whole thing, making you forget that there really is no cheese in this entire dish! 

Can you tell I love this recipe? That’s probably why I make it whenever I’m looking for something healthy, but comforting all at the same time!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:132]

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Yellow Curry Chicken Meatballs

Over the past year I have fallen head over heels in love with yellow curry. I really can’t explain it, but I love the stuff. Without fail, at every Thai restaurant we visit, I will try the yellow curry and compare it to the last yellow curry I had. Then I come home and tweak my yellow curry recipe or jut try something a little bit different. 

Like these yellow curry chicken meatballs. 

I started with some ground chicken and almond meal. These meatballs are unintentionally Paleo. I had every intention of making a typical meatball with breadcrumbs, but it turned out, we were out of breadcrumbs. Almond meal to the rescue! 

To the chicken I added some of my curry seasoning and an egg, and I mixed it all together. Then I formed them into golf-ball sized meatballs. I placed them into a hot skillet to brown on all sides. 

Once the meatballs had browned, I added in some sliced onion and let them sweat down until they were soft and slightly caramelized. 

After about 7 minutes, I sprinkled in the rest of the curry seasoning. I like to sprinkle this in before I add the coconut milk so that the spices can get a little nice and toasty. 

After that, I just added the meatballs back into the pan to cook the rest of the way through and to let them soak up all that nice curry flavor!

I served these up with some cauliflower rice, but jasmine rice would also be great if you aren’t Paleo. 

We loved the different take on the classic yellow curry chicken! The meatballs were super flavorful and tender. I have a feeling these would be a really great appetizer or party snack. I would scrap the rice for toothpicks instead.

They would probably be a great introduction to the world of yellow curry! Then someone else could fall in love with it as much as I have! 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:131]

Delicious Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ok folks, I know what you are thinking, “cauliflower pizza crust….real original!”. Oh yeah, I can hear your sarcasm from here. But here me out, guys! This one is actually really good! 

I have tried a lot of cauliflower crusts over the past couple years and they have always been a little lack-luster. Of course cauliflower crust will never be like pizza crust. It’s made of vegetables after all. But I knew it could taste better than bland old cauliflower. 

My solution: roasting the cauliflower. 

To me, roasting the cauliflower makes a HUGE difference. It not only gives the cauliflower a nice nutty flavor, but it helps to dry it out so it’s not so watery when it’s processed. 

My other secret to this anything-but-bland cauliflower pizza crust is roasted garlic. I just threw a couple of cloves in the with cauliflower while it roasted. Then everything got thrown into the food processor to transform the cauliflower and garlic to something that resembled mashed potatoes. 

Now at this point the cauliflower still has quite a bit of moisture in it. So to get rid of some of the excess moisture, I laid out two big paper towels and dumped the cauliflower mixture on top. Then I wrapped the towels around the cauliflower and pressed out any remaining moisture. 

Once my cauliflower was as dried out as it was going to get, I mixed in some spices, an egg, and cheese.

Then I dumped the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pressed it into a rectangle (although, a circle will also work) that was about 1/4 inch thick. I wanted this crust to be pretty thin so that would get nice and crispy all the way through. Nothing is worse than a soggy crust that just falls apart. 

To make sure it was nice and crispy, I baked it first before adding the toppings. Then I added my favorite pizza toppings: sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. 

After another turn in the oven, the cheese got nice and melted and the crust crisped up even more around the edges. 

While this cauliflower pizza crust will never fully take classic pizza crust’s place in my heart, it has found it’s own cozy corner. It is healthy without really tasting like it. Sure, you will know you are eating cauliflower. But it’s flavorful, roasted garlic cauliflower. Basically the best kind of cauliflower there is. 

So if you want a healthier pizza option that still tastes delicious and that crispy crust that you love about pizza, you need to try out this crust. Especially if you have tried and been very disappointed by other cauliflower crusts. I think this one will win you over, and may even win your heart. 

That was cheesy….just like this pizza. 

Ok, I’m done. 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:129]

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Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

A couple years ago I posted this recipe for blueberry quinoa muffins. Even back then when I could count my blog readers on one hand, the recipe took off on Pinterest. Even today, it’s one of my most saved Pins. Who would have thought?

I have gotten some feedback on the old recipe from a few people. But since I haven’t made the recipe in a while, I didn’t really feel I could offer much advice (or come to my own defense!). It was time to go back to the drawing boards and retry the recipe! 

A couple people mentioned that the original recipe resulted in soggy muffins. Who wants a wants a soggy muffin? Definitely not this girl, so clearly something had to change. The first thing I thing I did differently was blend half the quinoa into a flour to mix with the rest of the dry ingredients. 

I cooked the rest of the quinoa, just like in the original recipe, but this time I used milk! While this also helped reduce the sogginess, it also had another unintended consequence. A good consequence, I should add! You know that distinct nutty flavor quinoa has? Well the milk really helped tame that flavor a bit. And let’s be honest, no one is out there craving a muffin that tastes like quinoa. 

Other than these couple steps, I didn’t change a whole lot else about the recipe. I mixed the quinoa flour with whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, sugar, and baking powder. To that I mixed in all the wet ingredients – the remaining milk, apple sauce, eggs, and coconut oil – until it formed a thick batter. That’s when I folded in the cooked quinoa. 

Now these blueberry quinoa muffins wouldn’t be blueberry quinoa muffins without blueberries. Actually, they don’t have to be blueberry muffins. They can be any berry you want, or no berry at all. But I wanted to go with the classic blueberry! So I mixed the clean blueberries into the batter until they were evenly dispersed throughout. I would recommend, however, that you toss the berries in a bit of flour before mixing in (unlike me). This will help prevent the berries from sinking to the bottom of your muffins. 

After a quick bake, these muffins were ready to be scrounged up. You might think from the photo above that I artistically arranged the muffin tin so that I could highlight both the blueberries and the quinoa. Nope. I just had some muffin tins to fill after eating a couple muffins before I could remember to take pictures. 

Self control has never been my strength. 

I am definitely a fan of the quinoa muffin recipe 2.0. The texture is much more like a traditional muffin – light, airy, and slightly moist. The quinoa flavor isn’t as distinct, which I think would turn a lot of people off to this recipe. But it is still super healthy!

There is much less sugar in this recipe compared to my traditional muffin recipes. Also, the quinoa adds some extra protein, which makes it a great, well-rounded breakfast!

I would love to hear from anyone who made the original recipe and how you think this recipe compares! Let me know which one you like better! I certainly know which recipe I would vote for!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:125]

Zoodle Pad Thai

My husband and I are lucky enough to live within waking distance of some pretty great restaurants. We have everything from good old Southern fried chicken to a raw-vegan restaurant. While my husband refuses to go to the raw-vegan restaurant, it is definitely one of my faves when my body is just craving something healthy. It was there that I was first introduced to the zucchini noddle (zoodle) pad thai. Even without the meat and the noddles, it was amazing and I have been itching to try something like it at home!

But in order to make thing something that my husband would eat, I had to add some meat and lightly cook the veggies. While he’s pretty good at trying everything I make, I think he draws the line at a bowl of uncooked vegetables. 

I started by sauteing thin slices of chicken breast in a bit of sesame oil until the were browned and completely cooked through. I created some space on the pan and cracked in one egg, scrambling it and letting it cook through. Then I added in the shredded carrots (pre-shredded from the store), julienned red bell pepper, and my zoodles and gave them a good toss in the remaining oil and chicken. After about a minute, I poured over a very simple (and light!) pad thai sauce. 

It only took about another 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken and caramelize around the strands of zucchini noodle, and for the veggies to get nice and tender. 

After that, I just plated it up with some crushed peanuts, sprouts, and cilantro! Now I had my very own zoodle pad thai!

It was so delicious, but not overly heavy like a traditional pad thai can be with it’s thick peanut butter sauce. It was the perfect light dinner that I bet even my husband would enjoy!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:122]

Chicken Zoodle Soup

As soon as our feet hit the ground back in Charlotte after the holidays, both my husband and I immediately got a cold. It was like our bodies knew not to get sick during the holidays and waited until the very second we got home. So not only were we exhausted from the trip, now we were sick, and Charlotte was also about 30 degrees colder. As you might imagine, nothing sounded better to us than chicken soup! Scratch that; nothing sounded better than chicken ZOODLE soup. 

Zoodle (zood-l) n:  a noodle made from zucchini.

Chicken zoodle soup isn’t a whole lot different than chicken noodle soup. In fact, they are exactly the same recipe. The only difference being the zoodles which makes this classic comfort food that much healthier. It was exactly what the doctor ordered….if that doctor were me or WebMD. 

First I sauteed carrots, celery, and onion. Once they were a bit tender, I added in the chicken and chicken stock. I let the whole thing come up to a simmer, then I covered it and left it alone. I find that most soups are better when the have a chance to just sit and hang out for a while. All the ingredients warm up and get friendly with each other. It just seems to help the flavors develop.

At the very end, just when I was ready to serve, I added in the zoodles. Just like your classic noodle, the zoodles can get really mushy if they are cooked too long. And it doesn’t take very long for zoodles to get mushy. I prefer my zoodles to still have a little bit of a bite to it, like an al dente spaghetti noddle, which is why I liked to add them at the very end. 

All that was left was to assemble a couple big bowls to soup for the both of us! The broth was so soothing for our soar throats. And we didn’t miss the noodles a bit. I think it helped to eat something so healthy! We both bounced back pretty quickly and got over our colds relatively quickly. Well, some more than others. 

If you are on a no-carb or gluten-free diet, you need this recipe! Especially if you get sick! This will help you get through any cold…and who know, maybe it will actually help! Or at the very least, it will be a nice comforting, healthy meal to get you through the Winter. 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:117]

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17 Healthy Recipes to Kick-Off 2017

I don’t know about you, but I have a few Christmas pounds to lose. After a week of eating carbs, carbs, and more carbs, it’s about time I get back to some clean eating. 

Fortunately, around this time last year I went through the exact same thing, and even took it to the extreme by going on the Whole 30 diet. While I have no plans to do that again, I do have a stash of super healthy recipes to help me get back on track. Since I know I am not the only one, I thought I would share my favorite top 17 healthy recipes to kick off the new year and get us all on the right track!

 

1 | Burger Bowl – This is one of my absolute favorite healthy meals that doesn’t actually feel like a healthy meal. I ditched the bun for a bed of lettuce and ate my burger like a salad (P, W30, GF)

2 | Creamy Tomato Soup – Even though this soup is rich and creamy, that doesn’t mean it’s packed with lots of cream. The secret ingredient is actually Greek yogurt which gives it that lush creaminess without the extra calories. (LF, V)

3 | Zucchini Lasagna – Lasagna is a classic comfort food. But when you swap the noodles for zucchini and beef for lean ground turkey, it’s actually one healthy meal! (GF)

4 | 5-Minute Cauliflower Rice – This side dish is a staple in my house! I use it as the foundation for a burrito bowl or as a side for some teriyaki chicken (see below). (P, W30, GF, V)

5 | Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps – When you think of healthy recipes, you probably don’t think of buffalo chicken. But this easy slow-cooker recipe is surprisingly healthy and delicious! (P, W30, GF, LF)

6 | Berry Quinoa and Kale Salad – Sometimes my body just craves everything healthy, and that’s when this salad comes in handy. Not only is it packed with kale, but also heart healthy nuts, avocado, and chickpeas as well as nutrient-rich berries. (V, GF)

7 | Chicken Fajita Roll Ups – Skip the tortilla and just wrap your fajita in the chicken itself! It makes the perfect low-carb, Paleo, and Whole 30 compliant meal! (P, W30, GF, DF, LF)

8 | Chicken and Quinoa Stuffed Avocados – Don’t let the fat in the avocado scare you away. A little fat, especially the good fat in avocados, is actually really good for you and your waistline. (GF)

9 | No Churn Strawberry Banana Ice Cream – What I love about this “ice cream” is that it actually has no cream in it whatsoever. It is made entirely of fruit! But the processed frozen bananas create that light creamy texture without the calories. (P, GF, LF, DF, V)

10 |Thai Salmon and Spiralized Vegetable Salad – While I am not a huge fish eater, this was one of my favorite recipes from the past year. The seasoned salmon and the crunchy spiralized veggies make it a perfectly healthy lunch or dinner option. (P, W30, GF)

11 | Cuban Pork Chops – This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. And it’s one of my most popular recipes for a reason – it’s delicious! There is so much flavor in the pork chop, you won’t even think you are eating healthy. (P, W30, GF)

12 | Slow-Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork – Another oldie but goodie. The best part about this recipe is that it’s only a couple ingredients that are cooked in a slow-cooker. The only work you have to do it to pull it apart. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard! (P, W30, GF)

13 | Homemade Acai Bowl – Don’t spend money on an expensive acai bowl when you can make it at home for a fraction of the price. It’s just like making your morning smoothie, but more fun! (P, W30, GF, V, DF)

14 | Paleo Beef Stroganoff – Again, beef stroganoff doesn’t really scream “healthy recipe”, but when you swap out a couple things, like the cream and the noodles, its much healthier! (P, W30, GF, DF)

15 | Almond Joy Bites – When cravings hit and it takes every ounce of will power to say “no” to the candy bar. Make these Almond Joy Bites instead. They taste like a candy bar but have no sugar whatsoever! (P, GF, V)

16 | Slow-Cooker Teriyaki Chicken – Teriyaki sauce is one of those food items that is surprisingly packed with sugar! Instead, make your own for this easy slow-cooker recipe! (P, GF, LF)

17 | Paleo Ranch Dressing – If you are on the Whole 30, you know you miss salad dressings! Make this Paleo version to use as dressing, dip, or to top off your Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps! (P, W30, DF)

(Note: I used the following letters to designate each recipes allergen and dietary information: P- Paleo, W30 – Whole 30 approved, GF- Gluten Free, V-Vegetarian, DF- Dairy Free, LF- Low Fat)

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Healthy and Hearty Turkey Chili

Healthy Turkey Chili

As soon as the temperature gets below 70 degrees, I break out my stock pot and make a batch of chili. I love chili. I could eat it year round, but I can really only enjoy it when it starts to get a little cold and you can tell that Fall is right around the corner.

This particular chili recipe is one that I have been tinkering with for years. I made my first batch of chili using the recipe on the back of the seasoning mix you pick up at the store. Over the years, I have made a quite few changes. Mainly, trying to make it more healthy and more flavorful. Not that there is anything wrong with that classic chili. 

Hearty Turkey Chili

But just because I have made this chili a bit healthier, doesn’t make it any less filling and satisfying. Every spoonful is packed with lean ground turkey, kidney beans, tomatoes, and other delicious veggies. I personally like to sneak in any extra veggies I can find into my chili. I almost always make mine with onion, bell pepper, tomato, and jalapeno. Sometimes I will sneak in some carrot, spinach, or kale. And if I have an extra sweet potato lying around, I will dice that up and throw it into the pot as well. 

Turkey Chili recipe

But it wouldn’t be chili without the spices. I use 5 different chilies and peppers to spice my chili: chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and a jalapeno. To compliment the chilies, I like to add a generous amount of garlic, a touch of cumin, and a splash of Worcestershire.

I let all of those flavor meld together over the stove for at least 30 minutes, then when it’s ready I spoon an very healthy serving into a bowl and top with some of my favorite chili toppings: cheese, sour cream, and avocado. I will also sometimes toss on some cilantro, chives, maybe even some oyster crackers! And of course, I always have a piece of corn bread on hand to sop up all that extra chili goodness. 

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Hearty Turkey Chili 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:91]

 

Watermelon, Feta and Cucumber Salad

Watermelon Cucumber Salad-7

I don’t know about you, but it was drilled into me from high school through grad school, “cite your sources!”. It’s now a huge pet peeve of mine when people (especially bloggers) don’t acknowledge the source of the inspiration. That’s why I have no problem telling you where the inspiration for my recipes comes from (got to give credit where credit is due!), Like this particular salad which was 99.9% inspired by this recipe.

Watermelon Cucumber Salad-11

I saw it posted over at the Kitchn, and I was smitten. I mean, it’s just so pretty! I had to make it the first chance I got. Fortunately, that chance would come pretty quickly when I had to make a salad to bring to our Small Group dinner on Sunday.

The salad was pretty much constructed based on the picture alone and I didn’t actually consult the recipe (not that I needed to, the picture speaks for itself). That’s why my recipe is just a tad different, like the addition of lettuce, dressing, red onions, and balsamic reduction. 

I started with a bed of romaine lettuce that I lightly dressed with some white balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I topped it with the spiralized cucumber that I cut into smaller noddles to make it easier to serve and eat. Next came the watermelon balls and the chucks of feta. I kept my feta pretty big because I wanted everyone to get a big hunk of cheese with every bite. I then topped it with thinly sliced red onion, mint, and the balsamic glaze (from Trader Joes). 

Watermelon Cucumber Salad-10

All of these flavors go so well together. The sweet from the watermelon, crispness of the cucumber, saltiness from the feta, bitterness from the onion, and tangy-ness from the balsamic. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite (and super easy) appetizers. It’s so refreshing and flavorful. It’s a great salad to make during these hot and muggy dog days of summer. 

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:66]

 

Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini-Lasagna-

 

After a weekend of eating like crap, the first thing I cut out of my diet is processed carbs, like bread and pasta. That is, of course, until the next weekend when apparently all carbs are back on the table. Fortunately this little diet roller coaster has made me somewhat of an expert at making my favorite dishes without those pesky carbs, like this zucchini lasagna. 

This healthy zucchini lasagna has quickly become one of our favorite dinners. To me, is tastes exactly like a classic lasagna, but better because I know I am not eating all that pasta along with it. 

I will say, though, that cooking with zucchini can be a little tricky. If not prepared right, zucchini can get really soggy and mushy once it’s cooked. So for this particular dish, I sliced the zucchini really thinly on a mandolin. Then I laid all the slices out on paper towels and sprinkled then with salt to draw out all the moisture. 

While the zucchini was doing its thing, I prepared the rest of the ingredients for the lasagna, including the meat sauce. I made the meat sauce with ground turkey and my classic pasta sauce. 

To assemble, I could have layered everything in a casserole dish like you would normally make a lasagna. But for this zucchini lasagna I baked it in this mini loaf pan which makes it so much easier to portion out and serve. 

I started by spooning a little bit of the sauce down at the bottom of the pan, then topped it with strips of the zucchini. On top of the zucchini, I spread on a bit of ricotta and sprinkled on some mozzarella cheese. After that, I just repeated all those steps, starting with the sauce. I ended with a layer of sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. 

Zucchini Lasagna-8

Once everything has baked together, and the cheese has melted over the sauce, and the sauce has soaked into the zucchini, I can barely tell that I am eating a healthy version of lasagna. It’s packed with all the same flavors and textures of a classic lasagna. 

Zucchini Lasagna-9I can honestly say that I would prefer this lasagna over the pasta filled version. Not only does it taste just as good, but it doesn’t have all that guilt. This is one of my husband’s favorite meals that I make. Not just one of his favorite healthy meals. Favorite meals. That’s saying a lot.

Zucchini Lasagna-6

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:52]

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