The Healthy Recipes thread

[Winged Mermaid]

I love to trade recipies with people, because a diversity of food is a must have for this picky eater ;) And I'm always trying to eat healthier, but sometimes that can be a challenge. I was raised in West Virginia (the state that is constantly trading off with Mississippi for highest obesity) and with very poor eating habits. (My Dad use to drop us three kids off at Kroger with his credit card and say "Go buy groceries" while he waited in the car. You can imagine what kind of food habits that instilled.) I've done a lot of life style changes with my food since then but I didn't like a lot of vegetables then, and still don't like a lot of them- but I'm always trying to find new ways to prepare veggies so I'll learn to like them! So I thought I'd make a thread where we can post healthy delicious recipies :)

I know "healthy" can mean a lot of different things for different people. Some are vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and some none of the above! To some people healthy is eating whole unprocessed foods, even if that means things like whole milk, while others view healthy as low calorie. So we'll just say that "healthy" part of this is objective, as long as you don't go posting stuff that clearly isn't ;)


I'll start out with a few of my favorites!

Vegetarian Chickpea Sandwich Filling (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegetarian-Chickpea-Sandwich-Filling/Detail.aspx)
This is really good stuff, especially if you let it sit overnight and let the flavors blend. Unless you want it to be onions galore I would suggest 1/8-1/4 cup finely chopped onion, but other than that it's perfect. If you want a little extra protien, mush up a hard boiled egg in with the chick peas (I use a food processor to mash them)- it tastes great!
Put this on a sandwich with slices of cucumber and avocado and it's delicious!

Greek Lentil Soup (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Greek-Lentil-Soup-Fakes/Detail.aspx?evt19=1)
This is SO good, cheap, and easy- I make it all the time! I've made it a million times and tweaked it to what I like best- Only changes I make are to use 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of oregano and 1 teaspoon rosemary, and 3 tablespoons tomato paste. I really suggest the red wine vinegar (half to one tablespoon in the whole pot) to give it more depth in flavor. It's also really good served with crumbled fetta and/or sriracha!

Cowboy Caviar (http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=29527)
This is so delicious! Only change I make is to use 2 avocados instead of one, cause I love avocado! You can eat it as is, or eat it with tortilla chips!

Chicken and Avocado Soup (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/chicken-and-avocado-soup.html)
Perfect as is, though maybe with a bit of sriracha at the end ;) So tasty!

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta (http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/)
I'm seriously addicted to this stuff! I use half a recipe to make myself one bowl at a time. I used dried basil and it works great- I just use 1 teaspoon for the half recipe. It's quick and easy, and it so delicious and very satisfying! I use whole wheat thin spaghetti.

Greek Penne Chicken (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Greek-Penne-and-Chicken/Detail.aspx?evt19=1)
Wonderful dish full of flavor! Changes I make are to use marinated artichoke hearts and use the marinade to cook the chicken in, as well as using chopped tomatoes in a can that are the kind with basil, garlic, and oregano. And of course whole wheat penne ;)

Chicken with Leeks and Sundried Tomatoes (http://http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/chicken-with-leeks-sun-dried-tomatoes.html)
So good! I use the jarred sun dried tomatoes cause I can't find the dry ones. They really pack a punch of flavor!

Fiesta Chowder (http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/2010/11/recipe-fiesta-corn-potato-chowder.html)
This is perfect as is, although some topping it with shredded cheese and some sriracha after is great! I know it has a lot of starch with the corn and potatoes, but it's a great alternative to creamier soups when it's winter and you just need something nice and warm and thick :)

That's a good bit to start off with! I'll end with those who have a sweet tooth but want to keep it healthier/lighter. I LOVE the blog Chocolate Covered Katie! She makes versions of sweets that are light and healthy, and gives nutritional facts and substitutions for those who have specific diets. Just take it easy with the intake if it has a lot of xylitol- if you're not use to it, it can upset your stomach and act as a bit of a laxative if you have too much at once! So it's good that it forces portion control cause dang this stuff is good! Here are my two favorites from her so far.

Healthy Lemon Squares (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/05/07/healthy-lemon-squares/)
So good! Hubby and I had a hard time not eating the whole pan at once :P

No Bake Coconut Crack Bars (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/08/30/no-bake-coconut-crack-bars/)
Super tasty and easy! If you're having a hard time finding non sweetened coconut, look in your grocery's bulk food section (where everything is in bins or dispensers and you fill up a bag with how much you want).


I have more but that's all I'll post for now. C'mon everyone, share those yummy healthy recipies!

[Raayvhen]

One of my favorite meals is something I've learned from my mom.

1lb ground pork or turkey
1 can chicken broth
3 fresh or frozen tomatoes, skin on, quartered
1 large potato, cubed
1.5 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 onion, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, diced
Soy sauce, salt, pepper to taste

Brown the meat in a wok. Add seasonings according to taste. Push meat to the side and sauté garlic and onion. Add broth, tomatoes, potato, and frozen veggies. Let boil until sauce has completely simmered down.
Serve over rice.

[Anahita]

I wish my English was good enough to share recipes. But I have a really hard time with it because not only am I translating foods that maybe just don't have an equivalent in English, but I actually have to try and figure out measurements. (Since everything is handed down through example and practice, I learned from eyeballing and tasting rather than "a cup of this" or "a hundred grams of that" so it makes for a very confusing and frustrating recipe to everyone else)

But i do know that without a recipe, if you purée plums and spread them out in a thin layer to dry in the sun, you get a delicious, tart, easy snack. It's still not 100% healthy because fruit has loads of sugar, but it's healthier than the processed and preserved fruit leather you buy in the grocery stores.

[Raayvhen]

Since everything is handed down through example and practice, I learned from eyeballing and tasting rather than "a cup of this" or "a hundred grams of that" so it makes for a very confusing and frustrating recipe to everyone else
This is how it is in my house too. All the spices and everything in the recipe I posted is estimated.

[ShyMer]

This is fun :)

I used to hate vegetables. My family boils them into mush. My grandmother one time got ahold of the asparagus I brought for a dinner. They were the saddest gray color. I had never thought I'd want to cry over asparagus before then :(

I found that I like most vegetables roasted, though. I've also started to enjoy some things steamed with a bit of cheese or even plain, depending. I like to use a bamboo steamer most of the time.

One of my favorites is kale. I love it so much.
I have a dehydrator, so when I have the time,I make kale chips (http://www.dehydratorreview.net/articles/kale-roundup-six-recipes-dehydrated-kale-chips). I tried the oven method once... they didn't turn out well. I imagine some people have made it work, but it's better if you can dry it at a lower temperature. I generally just make salt, Olive oil, and vinegar.
I also like to make my own pizza, and it's not the most healthy, maybe, but roasted garlic, portabella, and kale pizza (http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-portabella-kale-pizza-with-roasted-garlic-sauce/) is one of my favorites.

I like to collect recipes for bento lunches. Blanched spinach with soy sauce and sesame seeds is nice cold and keeps well until lunch. I can't find the link at the moment though.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I love raw vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, tomatos, celery, any veggie that can be eaten raw. I like the crunch and the juice.

Has anyone heard of the raw food diet? Or caveman diet? I read about it last night, it seemed interesting but no sugar, meat, dairy or legumes. How do they get all their vitamins?

[Azurin Luna]

I follow the Paleo diet, and though it requires a bit of recipe craftyness, as we change original ones into 'paleo' versions of them, I like it so far. No sugar, potatoes, pasta's, rice or anything with wheat in it.
But we do still have hamburgers, but then with slices of roasted pineapple instead of the buns ^_^

[Ilyena]

Many recipies on here I'd like to try.

I know this is simple but i love it. Lightly steamed vegetables, I prefer broccoli, carrots, couliflower etc (so their soft but not mushy, my mum likes over cooking them DX), then dress with lemon juice, a little bit of olive oil and salt

[Chrissy]

We love to BBQ. I love to have all sorts of grilled veggies, I just cut up some veggies drizzle some olive oil and slat and paper and grill away with usually chicken or a pork tenderloin!!!! So good!

[AniaR]

this is so awesome. I struggle with healthy eating because I have so many food limitations. with IC certain foods are too acidic and cause scar tissue in your soft tissue because they corrupt it when it's absorbed :( I can't have anything with potassium (bananas, potatoes) I can't have any citric fruit or veggies (no oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, pineapple, tomatoes, onions) or any high acid veggies (peppers). There's about a million spices I can't have, cant have sulfates, can't drink milk (that's a separate issue), no whole wheat (because of how it absorbs, it's not a celiac or gluten thing) and I can only eat berries when they are in season because otherwise they're too acidic. Ugh! No soy! No fruit juices unless they are blueberry or watermelon (not easy to find), no caffeine, no pop (or as you call it soda), I'm not supposed to eat spicey but I do anyway hahaha, very very limited alcohol. No Apples usually.

I have a chart on my fridge with foods I can eat and it's not like you can make any meals from them! I find myself eating a lot of starchy foods and a lot of meat cuz Im so darn hungry and sooo many things make me sick and those don't. I've found though since I got my dental appliance in I am eating way less because my teeth hurt so bad. I had to start drinking those supplement drinks. to keep the headaches away.

So, if anyone has any ideas for me (it's a long shot hahaha) I am open to them. And sometimes I can substitute things. eg. I make spaghetti sauce by blending sweet peppers (lower acidic) with kale and spinach and spices. Same with pizza sauce. I try to make smoothies too but it gets boring after a while hahaha. Im really interested in soups and stews.

Great list so far everyone!

[Mermaid Morgann]

In order to be ready for Comic Con and look my best in my tail and top, I started trying to eat healthier on top of doing quite a lot of cardio. People make the mistake of thinking they should cut out certain foods, which is usually not necessary. If you increase working out, increase your protein intake. Also, make sure to eat plenty of a variety of fruits and vegetables. I've discovered that mangos are an incredible fruit. They're delicious, and they act like a "cleanse" for your body without you requiring a drastic week-long diet change to make it work. I have taken to eating a mango daily and have actually been quite surprised with how much water weight I was holding. I'm almost positive that I shed five or ten pounds just by eating a mango daily. c:

That said, I wish I could contribute more to the thread! Unfortunately I'm a baker and not a cook, so everything I have recipes for involves lots of sugar and isn't the best thing for you. However, one my my favorite things to eat at meals is Mexican rice mixed with salsa and/or guacamole. Guess that's what I get for having a Hispanic roommate, but nothing in my mind beats fresh guacamole.

If you take an avocado and add a pinch of season salt and some rice vinegar, it's a delicious snack. Avocados are so good for you, too, that it's one of my go-tos when I am trying to be healthy. For good guacamole, I hand-mash an avocado and mix it either with fresh-cut salsa or simply sliced tomatoes, and then throw in a little lime juice for good measure.

[Mermaid Galene]

Raina, I have many of the same dietary restrictions as yours: gluten intolerance, no acidic foods due to laryngopharyngeal reflux, and I must avoid many kinds of fruits and vegetables due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These resources have been immensely helpful to me:

Dropping Acid, by Jamie Koufman, MD (http://www.amazon.com/Dropping-Acid-Reflux-Diet-Cookbook/dp/0982708319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409324545&sr=8-1&keywords=Dropping+Acid+%282010%29+by+Jamie+Koufman +MD)
Low FODMAP diet explained (http://www.aboutibs.org/site/treatment/low-fodmap-diet/)
Low FODMAP diet chart (http://www.ibsgroup.org/brochures/fodmap-intolerances.pdf)

We also try to eat mostly organic, locally sourced produce. And we have abandoned the use of plastic food wraps, bags, and containers, because they all leach estrogenic chemicals that give me migraines.

It's a lot of work to find healthy foods to eat, but for some of us, it's the only way to survive!

[AniaR]

Thanks Galene! I've read a lot of books on acidity the problem is, foods that are alkaline to most people are still acidic to me. E.g. lemons are often used for alkaline purposes but are the worst thing I can put in my body :( I'll def look the links over though.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

One of my favorite healthy snacks is Sweet Potato Chips. There are tons of recipes for them, but I've found keeping it simple works best.

Sweet Potatoes of any number (however many chips you plan on making)
Slice your potatoes into thin wafers and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning(s). I like sea salt and garlic.
Bake them on a low temperature until they have become thin and crispy. I use the oven, but you can dehydrate your chips if you wish.
Cool, and enjoy!

[SeaGlass Siren]

i'm craving cheese but i cant eat cheese and i refuse to take pills for them... SO I FOUND A WAY TO MAKE VEGAN CHEESE YAYY!!!


Now i'm not vegan but i feel like this was a life saver. I CAN KILL MY CHEESE CRAVINGS!!!

[SeaGlass Siren]

I ALWAYS use this recipe for cheese cakes.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/32007/raw+strawberry+cheesecake+vegan

[Winged Mermaid]

Thanks for the feedback guys! You know, I haven't tried kale chips yet.. I bought some and my husband ate them so I didn't get any :P I should because I'm skeptical.. so far anything with kale in it I have not liked at all. I WANT to like kale, but so far no go :P Even putting it in a usually tasty veggie juice made the whole juice gross. I do, however LOVE wheatgrass juice. I wish I could get a juicer specifically for that, cause I actually crave it! But :money: .. maybe at some point. I had wheatgrass juice with coconut milk one time, and oh my god it was amaaazing!

Made my first batch of Chia seed pudding.. was awful. I'm hoping it was just the recipe. I'm going to give it another go. If I find good ones I'll post 'em!

I'm feeling lately like I just don't want meat. Suddenly my body just doesn't want it. Which is fine, i wanted to find and try out more vegetarian recipies anyway ;)

Here are a few more:

Baked Bananas (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/10/baked-bananas.html) - so tasty, I love eating this in oatmeal or just as is
Avocado Egg salad (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/10/baked-bananas.html) - yummy as a sandwich filler (it's too rich for a wrap IMO)

Also if you're looking for a new way to cook eggs (I always am) give this a go! I was super skeptical, but it's really tasty and very filling.
Eggs-n-oats (http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1043893)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I love soups! I have no idea about your allergies Raina but have you tried Chinese soups? Some of them can be quite tasty, esp the ones made with pork bones (bones for flavouring and the marrow is so nice), beef chunks, Chinese veggies, chicken, seaweed and many more types.

[artorias]

Hi all! I used to be convinced that any healthy food was by default unpalatable and could do nothing to surprise my taste buds, but as it turns out, I was wrong. I recently went to a friend's house and he made chicken and rice. This dish was incredibly delicious and he shared the recipe with me. As it turned out, he was cooking with this chicken rice recipe (https://www.ajinomotofoodbizpartner.com.my/recipes/chicken-rice/). This recipe was very easy to make, but the result is incredibly delicious!

[Randolph2]

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