Healthyish Recipes
It’s been a few years since I went on a strict diet come January 1st. I’ve quit making New Year’s resolutions and embraced balance. However, that’s not to say I don’t reframe my mind from all of the holiday indulgences. I do, in fact, I usually dedicate January to a sort of reset. The last few years I’ve done a “no going out to eat/takeout January” and a “no spend January” (I get lots of questions on ‘no spend’ so drop a note in the comments if you have any).
Part of said balance is making healthyish foods. When you literally make everything at home for an entire month, it can’t all be entirely healthy (well at least not when you love food as much as I do). I figure if at least I know what I’m putting in my body, and it’s not processed (much) then that’s better than not trying at all, right? And the deal-breaker is that it needs to taste good because I’m not trying to suffer.
This recipe roundup includes one from me (it would be bad if I didn’t like my own recipes) but most are from some of my favorite bloggers. If I come across a recipe I love from someone else, I stick with it. I’m not trying to recreate the wheel, and a lot of these bloggers are dedicated food bloggers and do a lot more recipe testing than I do.
All of these recipes I personally have made many times, and they are part of my regular rotation. I hope you enjoy as much as I do!
Healthyish Breakfast Recipes
I love breakfast foods but during the week I intermittent fast. Any given weekday I’ll make one of these for lunch, or I’ll have them for breakfast during the weekend. If you’ve seen my travel guides, you know brunch is my favorite meal.
Cherry Pecan Oatmeal by Very Obsessed (Pictured)
The only recipe of mine on the roundup. Oatmeal is comfort food, the same way soup can make you feel better when you are sick. And January is the perfect time for a nice warm bowl since it’s usually freezing where I live. Don’t skimp on the homemade almond milk, it makes a difference.
Turkey and Egg Breakfast Casserole by Aimee Mars
What the title of the recipe doesn’t convey is that delicious sweet potato is the base and it totally sets it apart from typical egg casseroles. It’s really customizable and depending on what I have on hand I will throw it in. My favorite way to make it is to sauté onion and green pepper with the turkey and add tomato on top with the spinach. Yum!
Paleo Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread by Real Food with Jessica
I like this quick bread for either breakfast or dessert. I prefer to omit the glaze that is included in the recipe, so if you don’t have the ingredients for that, maybe try it anyway. The bread is not dry at all and if you throw it in the microwave to warm it a little it’s perfect. The cinnamon-sugar mixture inside the bread and sprinkled on top is sooo good.
Savory Recipes
This is where I probably where I struggle the most and am always in the search for new recipes to freshen up the menu. Ideal for lunch or dinner, feel free to modify ( I know I do).
The Healthiest Bread Ever by Clean Eating Goddess (Pictured)
I found this recipe via GLW and it is the best yeast-free, gluten-free, vegan bread recipe I have found. As you can see from the picture I like to go heavy with everything bagel seasoning. It makes a great open-face turkey sandwich and it’s perfect for avocado toast. I like to slice the loaf and freeze with parchment paper between the slices, just pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter or toast two cycles.
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup by Minimalist Baker
I love a good curry but hadn’t experimented with it much at home. If you haven’t either, be warned that your spoon will most likely get dyed so maybe use one you don’t love. I like to purée using an immersion blender and leaving some of the sweet potato whole, to give it some more texture. The baked chickpeas are the cherry on top!
Side note: you may not be familiar with a yeast-free diet (I know I wasn’t) but EatingWell has a great article about it if you are interested. When I received the results of my food sensitivity test yeast was listed as moderate so I like to reserve eating it for when I want pizza, beer, Small Cheval…you get the drift.
Marinated Red Onions by No Crumbs Left
Teri from No Crumbs Left calls this a magic elixir and she’s not wrong. Generally, raw onions would be considered…a condiment? But these are so much more, they actually elevate a dish. They aren’t pickled, they are marinated in a perfect blend of heart-healthy olive oil and vinegar. Perfect on salads, sandwiches, the above-mentioned avocado toast. But whatever you do, do not put them in the refrigerator.
BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Cole Slaw by 40 Aprons
If you are the type of person who likes coleslaw on your pulled pork sandwich then this is for you. The acidity of the coleslaw and the pickles cuts through the sweetness of the potatoes and adds a crunch to the bbq chicken. It really is a full spectrum of flavor profiles…a party in your mouth if you will. Full transparency, I don’t make the pickles, I buy them from the store. But I love pickles and have tried many brands, these pickles are by far the best.
Healthyish Dessert Recipes
Fun fact…I eat dessert every day.
Grain Free Birthday Cake Cookies by Ambitious Kitchen (Pictured)
These. Taste. Amazing. The secret (ok, not secret because it’s in the recipe) is the almond extract. Extracts make all the difference. Also…frosting on cookies? Count me in. I use vegan ‘butter’ for the buttercream and can’t even tell a difference. This is definitely on the ‘ish’ side of healthy-ish considering the butter and sprinkles, but so much better than buying a cookie from a bakery.
Paleo Blueberry Pie Crumb Bars by Real Food with Jessica
Making this recipe is a bit of a process, but I promise it’s worth it. I make this with refined coconut oil and I don’t even taste the coconut. Also, I’ve used frozen blueberries for the filling before and it works perfectly, just takes a little extra time on the stovetop. Honestly, they don’t even taste healthy, and that’s about as high a compliment I can give.
I store them in the refrigerator and either eat them cold or let them sit on the counter for a few minutes. I’ve also frozen the unfrosted cookies and they thaw beautifully. If you aren’t going to freeze them then I recommend eating within 3 days (they never last very long around here anyway, they’re that good).
Healthy Peanut Butter Twix Bars by Ambitious Kitchen
These are like the adult version of a Twix bar. It’s hard to believe they are gluten and dairy free (depending on the chocolate of your choosing), but they are. Yes, it’s a bit of a process, but I store them in the freezer so one batch lasts a long(ish) time. I like to make these with unrefined coconut oil so they also have a bit of coconut flavor, like if an Almond Joy and Twix had a baby. If you don’t love the flavor of coconut then just use unrefined oil.
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