Here are my top 20 tasty quick healthy recipes to get you back on track for the new year, or to give you some ideas to change up your menu to keep eating healthy, interesting, and exciting.
Here we are in 2020, and many of your New Year’s resolutions may surround health or fitness. To have a sustainable healthy lifestyle, you cannot cut one group of food completely. In fact, doing that might just make you crave that particular section more. Unless you are allergic to certain foods, I would not recommend cutting out anything. I personally believe in eating everything as long as you’re conscious. If you like desserts, try making healthier desserts with coconut sugar or maple syrup and have just a small portion of it to satisfy your sweet cravings. Eating is important! Fueling your body with good food is good for your body and mind.
After a lot of trial and error, understanding food, my body, and my life, I’ve started looking at food differently. It’s funny being a food blogger and saying that. I LOVE FOOD, and I can’t not eat good food when I see it. Good food — tasty and hearty food. I’ve tried quite a few diets, Jenny Craig, juice cleanses, slim fast shakes, salad diets, and few more that really don’t work in the long run. To exercise was and has always been a part of my life. A habit, an addiction that I love. However, to be on a healthy track, we need to watch what we eat along with our workouts. To keep my health on track, I’ve been careful about how I eat and look at food. One thing I’ve been following consciously for a year now is intermittent fasting (more on that later). I eat pretty much everything in moderation. If I want cake, I’ll eat half a slice on Sundays. What I’ve realized is that if I like pasta, I’ll add a ton of veggies and just a bit of healthy multigrain or chickpea pasta. If you crave rice, have it. Just 1/4 cup white rice, but loaded with curries and sides.
It’s all about giving your body what it likes and deserves, but being mindful and making good choices. What I’ve done in the last few years is eating veggie-loaded meals, and the following few meals are on repeat. What is common among all the meals I’ve shared here is that they are lower-carb, veggie-loaded, and balanced.
Here are my top 20 tasty quick healthy recipes to get you back on track for the New Year. Hope you begin 2020 exactly the way you want it. Lots of love and wishes.
Also very important: DO NOT forget water. It is a must, half a gallon of it.
1. HEALTHY QUINOA GRANOLA
This really is the best healthy granola recipe! It’s quick and easy to make, naturally sweetened with (just a little) maple syrup, and so flavorful and delicious. Healthy Quinoa Granola is our new favorite. It’s always nice to have a sweet snack every day (especially for those of you with a sweet tooth). I eat this mostly with 2% Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt, a tsp of maple syrup and 1 oz of granola. If you want to eat it for breakfast, add lots of fruits and an ounce of granola and any milk of your choice.
2. SHORTCUT MEXICAN CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
This flavorful shortcut chicken tortilla soup is loaded with beans, corn, tomatoes, and chicken, and it comes together in under thirty minutes. To serve, garnish with your favorite tortilla chips or toasted corn tortillas cut into strips, along with avocado, cilantro, cheese, and onions. Sometimes, eating healthy can be a challenge. This recipe is super easy and loaded with all good stuff. Leave out the crispy tortillas or add very little. A full bowl will keep you satiated and you won’t even realize you just had such a healthy meal.
3. CHINESE “CHICKPEA” SALAD
Healthy, plant-based, gluten-free Chinese chickpea salad will change your salad game forever. The crunch from the chickpeas, the sweetness from the oranges, and the sweet and spicy dressing create a delicious mix of flavors. Salads get a bad rapport. I wasn’t a big fan of salads either until I made it my way. This salad, in particular, is so healthy. If you don’t have oranges in season, add grapes for that sweet touch. The dressing is easy, and you will be eating this without feeling like you are eating healthy. I PROMISE.
4. KOHLRABI/NOOLKOL EDAMAME FRY
Being an Indian, I need my Indian food at least once a day. South Indian food in particular is heavily vegan-centric and highly nutritious. Don’t be intimidated by kohlrabi/noolkol! This root vegetable is easily adaptable to many flavors and keeps its crunch. Delicious and nutritious. This kohlrabi/noolkol edamame fry is a vegetarian lovers’ meat dish. I usually make this with two boiled eggs on the side, 1 small gluten-free roti, and some yogurt. It is a lunch rich in flavors and filling.
5. BROCCOLI FRIED RICE TOPPED WITH CRISPY GARLIC AND ONION
This can be served as a quick and tasty side dish or a full meal. This broccoli fried rice with crispy garlic and onion will blow you away. No one will never know it’s healthy. You can modify this recipe to include any veggies you choose. I came up with this recipe because I love rice. You can have your rice and enjoy it guilt-free too. I prefer adding 1/4 cup of cooked rice to 1 cup of broccoli and top it with crispy egg for lunch. The best part is you can use leftover rice as well as any frozen veggies to it to make it even more nutritious. When you are hungry, you tend to eat anything in front of you. So, if you can make quick meals like this, which taste good, wouldn’t you? Make a lot of it and save it for the next day too.
6. CARRIBEAN STYLE SHAKSHUKA WITH BEANS AND SWEET FRIED PLANTAINS
Shakshuka is an easy and healthy breakfast (or any time of day) recipe that comes from Israel and other parts of the Middle East and North Africa. This Caribbean style shakshuka has fried plantains and a popular spice known in that region called adobo. Shakshuka is a simple combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices, and gently poached eggs. It’s nourishing, filling, and one recipe I guarantee you’ll make time and again.
Eggs obviously are a pattern here. They are filled with good stuff and easy to cook. Here, I love the plantains as carbs and the beans and eggs are a great source of protein. Have a bowl of this, and you’ll never miss the bread or cheese. I usually eat this as a brunch and finish it off with some yogurt and granola.
7. BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER GOAT CHEESE QUINOA PATTIES WITH AVOCADO CREAM
These crispy, healthy, gluten-free broccoli cauliflower goat cheese quinoa patties are simple and nutritious. If you want, skip the cheese and use vegan cheese to make it fully vegan. These patties are very versatile. You can make them with different vegetables and your choice of cheese. Your meat lover will love it too.
Patties are an easy way to add any about of veggies and they taste good. For me, these are easy, they freeze well, and they make great lunchbox meals. I have this with a big green salad. I do not drench the salad with dressing; the avocado cream is just for dipping lightly for a healthier option.
8. CAULIFLOWER CHILI STIR FRY AKA CHILI GHOBI
Homestyle Chili Ghobi aka Cauliflower stir fry is spicy, delicious and nutritious. It’s an easy Indian side dish, requiring only a few ingredients. It goes perfect as a side with rotis or chapatis.
Cauliflower belongs to the cabbage family that is naturally high in fiber and B-vitamins. It provides antioxidants and nutrients that can protect against cancer. It also contains fiber to enhance weight loss and digestion, choline that is essential for learning and memory, and many other important nutrients. So, include cauliflower in your diet as much as you can. I love to eat this with a big bowl of beet raita and 1 gluten-free roti, or sometimes not even that because there’s starch from the potatoes.
9. CRISPY THAI TOFU TACOS WITH AVOCADO CREAM
Crispy Thai tofu tacos with avocado sauce, oh yum!! Once you make this tofu once, you’ll not stop. It’s so addictive. A good tip is to use a non-stick pan and a little oil, to begin with. A non-stick flat bottomed large pan makes it much easier to crisp the tofu. Think paper-thin radishes, creamy avocados, hot jalapenos, and the crispy tofu, all drenched in a delicious sauce with sour cream and avocado. Wrapped in the scrumptious corn tortillas, it is a delectable meal. It’s a total flavor punch, and you will be addicted to making (and eating) it.
I love my tofu and I love tacos. I make this at least once a week. I have this with coconut wraps that are gluten free, paleo, non-gmo, no salt and super healthy. Two of these, and you are good to go.
10. QUICK CHICKPEA WITH SPINACH CURRY – 30 MINUTE DISH
This quick golden-hued chickpea spinach curry is simply the perfect cozy meal on a cold evening. Who doesn’t love a good curry?! I love my curries. I try to add a good dose of veggies to my curries which is quite untraditional but healthy. Instead of having with rotis or rice, I prefer it with quinoa. Skip the quinoa if you don’t care to add carbs. It’s SOO SO GOOD!
11. VEGETABLE-QUINOA ROLLS WITH SWEET AND SPICY GREEN CHUTNEY
Every now and then I crave Vietnamese rolls and want that crispy clean crunchy flavors. This always satisfies that craving keeping it tasty with the spicy green chutney. The rice papers are 20 calories and you can have ten of these and not feel guilty. Take a bit of prep, but hey..so good. When eating healthy, boredom is common. So, to keep it exciting, having meals like this is key.
12. STIR FRY TOFU WITH PEPPER WRAPS -15 MINUTE RECIPE
These easy stir fry tofu pepper wraps are healthy, balanced meals. Eat it on some noodles, or wrap it in lettuce! A good gluten-free and healthy vegetarian meal. Tofu is naturally high in protein and filling. Many people fear or dislike the texture, which is quite common. When you make it like this, you’ll not feel that slimy texture, and it’s so good in wraps. Again, go easy on the sauce, and your meal can be an entertaining one.
13. VEGAN CRUNCHY KALE CORN SUMMER ROLL WITH TAHINI MISO DRESSING AND SPICED ALMOND CRUMBLE
These refreshing Crunchy Kale Corn summer rolls with cherries and miso-tahini dressing are a breeze on a hot day. The spicy almond crunch is the perfect touch to this salad roll.
14. PARSNIP LEEK SPICY PANCAKES -GLUTEN FREE VEGETABLE PANCAKE AND VEGAN
This savory, gluten-free, and vegan treat is so versatile, and this combination of parsnip and leek is delicious. The sweetness from the parsnips and the onion-like crunch from the leeks make this gluten-free vegetable pancake a perfect snack, or lunch on a bed of salad.
Pancakes like this are easy, and customizable. Have it wrapped in coconut wraps or on a salad, and it’s just perfect.
15. INDIAN INSPIRED SPICY CARROT SOUP WITH WALNUT CRUMBLE
This is a super healthy soup that gives you all the fresh, warm fall flavors. The spicy carrot soup is easy on the ingredients and boasts big flavors. It’s loaded with ginger and garlic, lime juice for punch, with some sesame seeds. It is tangy, nutty, very creamy and intensely flavored, Made with few ingredients and 30 minutes, this is an incredibly easy and delicious meal any time of the year.
I’m not a fan of many soups, it has to be flavorful for me to enjoy and want to crave it. This is one of those soups, mildly spicy with the walnut crumble. Add any noodles or try the miracle noodle to make it much healthier or leave it. I love a little body and feeling like I’ve had noodles without all those heavy calories.
16. AMARANTH CHICKEN PATTIES WITH APPLE CORIANDER CHUTNEY
The patty freezes very well. If you have a surprise guest, NO PROBLEM, defrost and pan fry it and you will be a star. The patties are so easy to make and so moist. Adding greens to your chicken patties automatically heightens the health aspect. It not only is healthy but is also so tasty. Add beet greens, spinach, dill or any green. Just make sure not to fry to too much oil. Have two patties with a side fresh salad and it’s a balanced delicious meal.
17. SHEET PAN BAKED SALMON AND BEANS WITH PEANUT BUTTER MISO DRESSING
The convenience and simplicity of this sheet pan meal is extra awesome. Baked salmon with beans is a complete meal on one pan full of flavor. This sheet pan salmon and beans with peanut butter and miso is perfect. The best part is the easy cleanup. Change up the veggies throughout the year. Everyone knows by now salmon is a great healthy meal option. Add some veggies, cucumber salad and this flavorful meal is definitely going to be a winner. The only thing is that I would go easy on the dressing.
18. SHEET PAN BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN AND VEGGIES
The convenience and simplicity of this chicken dinner make it extra awesome. This sheet pan bruschetta chicken is fast, family-friendly, no-brainer dinner you need to make tonight! The best part is the easy cleanup. Change up the veggies throughout the year—the balsamic garlic sauce is good on all of them!
When cooking healthy, you want it quick and tasty. Sheet pan meals are just that. This is another meal I make almost every week. Enjoy the chicken with veggies and tomatoes, skip the bread to keep it clean and healthy.
19. SPICY YOGURT CHICKEN WITH CUCUMBER MINT CHUTNEY
This simple grilled spicy yogurt chicken recipe has a few ingredients in the marinade that makes it juicy, flavorful and absolutely delicious. It’s the best grilled chicken I’ve made. You’ll make this recipe again and again!
This chicken probably might be over made at my home. It basically can go in wraps, have in on a salad, just on the side with some quinoa veggie pulao. Versatile and easy.
20. FESTIVE FROYO BARK/ FROZEN YOGURT BARK
Snack time just got exciting with this recipe for energy-boosting Frozen Yogurt Bark; FAGE greek yogurt sweetened with honey and topped with chocolate chips, poms, pistachios and sugar-free sprinkles!
I have a sweet tooth. My sugar craving is real you guys. I make this and put it in Ziplocs and have it anytime I have a sugar craving. I’ve made it with coconut yogurt, oat yogurt, and even almond yogurt. I use less of the maple syrup or honey to keep it healthier. Add stevia if you prefer. Add any kind of nuts you like. I like chocolate, so chocolate is in there to satisfy my craving.
