10 Minutes Is All You Need: 20 Healthy Meal Recipes Anyone Can Make at Home
When you think of healthy eating, fast, inexpensive, and flavorful are not necessarily the first words to pop into your head. Sometimes it is just easier to order take-out or grab a pizza from the freezer. But, are they the best choices for your good health? Probably not, and certainly not on a daily basis.
These easy and healthy home-cooked meal recipes take less time to prepare than a trip to your favorite take-out restaurant or to thaw out a pizza. And, they are full of nutrition and flavor. Your body will thank you!
Breakfast choices include:
- Peach Cobbler Oatmeal
Peach cobbler oatmeal almost sounds more like dessert than breakfast. But it is a very quick and healthy breakfast option consisting of oatmeal (not the flavored individual packs), fresh peaches, chopped nuts, and cinnamon. For other healthy recipes and nutrition facts, check out nutritionrealm.com while you eat your oatmeal. Start off your day on the right foot.
- Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
Avocado toast is delicious and nutritious, so how could it get any better? Add a poached egg with a little cheese and some herbs of your choice. This nutritionally well-rounded and tasty dish is sure to get your day going in the right direction.
- Oatmeal Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes
Blueberry pancakes are so delicious but can be heavy and full of calories. Try making them with bananas, oats, vanilla, yogurt and, of course, blueberries, and you will discover a gluten-free, high-protein plate of deliciousness.
- Scrambled Tofu
Scrambled tofu is a vegan breakfast option that is full of flavor and nutrition, offering as much protein as traditional scrambled eggs. Add cheesy nutritional yeast, turmeric, cumin, and smoked paprika for a wonderful early-morning treat.
- Pumpkin Oatmeal
Breakfast that tastes like pumpkin pie is always a winner. Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and dried cranberries to your oatmeal for a fabulous start to your day.
- Omelet in a Mug
A well-rounded and delicious breakfast doesn’t get much easier than an omelet in a mug. Mix eggs, cheese, breakfast meat, and salsa in a mug and microwave for one minute. Stir and heat another 30-45 seconds and that’s it—no fuss or mess.
Lunch choices include:
- Healthy Ramen Bowl
Ramen is a perfect midday meal but, instead of the traditional microwaved cup, try making your own with healthy ingredients. Rice noodles and butternut squash soup form the base. Add your favorite Ramen flavors such as pea shoots, spinach, and tofu for protein.
- Mediterranean Panzanella
Adding a taste of the Mediterranean livens up your lunch salad. Add olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese along with homemade croutons using toasted pita bread. Panzanella will become a staple on your lunch menu.
- Salmon and Bean Salad
Making a salmon and bean salad is just so easy. Mix a can of salmon with a can of creamy cannellini beans and add vegetables and fresh herbs of your choice. Grab some crackers or pita bread and you are ready to eat a delicious, nutritious lunch.
- Chicken Burrito
A chicken burrito does not have to be unhealthy or from an expensive Mexican restaurant. Make your own using leftover chicken mixed with avocado and cheese. Maybe add some vegetables such as onions and peppers before wrapping everything up in a tortilla and cooking it. A wonderful treat for your midday meal.
- Caprese Quesadilla
Another Mexican favorite, this time with an Italian twist. Simply fill a tortilla with mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and basil and cook until the cheese is melted. A balsamic drizzle at the end is the icing on the cake.
- Herb and Onion Frittata
Breakfast for lunch is a favorite for many people. Using either liquid or real eggs add diced onions, your choice of herbs, and some cheese to make this delicious and nutritious frittata.
- Turkey Wrap
A turkey sandwich is a traditional lunch food. You can make it a step above the rest by adding provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato, and a good helping of avocado mayonnaise. You will never eat a plain turkey sandwich again.
Dinner choices include:
- Pasta with Pesto
Pasta is a favorite dinner food for many but is often passed on due to high calories and gluten. By using spiralized zucchini instead of boxed pasta and adding nutrition-filled cashews to the pesto, a traditional pasta dinner is transformed into a healthy and flavorful feast.
- Vegetable Fried Rice
Vegetable fried rice is such an easy and tasty dinner option. Simply mix cooked rice with peas, corn, eggs, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Of course, you can also anything else you have a taste for. Saves you a trip to your local Chinese restaurant.
- Cilantro Shrimp with Honey-Lime Sauce
Shrimp is a quick and easy main dish. Season the shrimp with paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon, and then sauté it in butter for a few minutes. Sprinkle it with cilantro and serve with a homemade honey-lime sauce.
- Salmon with Arugula and Avocado Salad
Salmon is not only delicious but is considered a heart-healthy food. This quick and tasty recipe makes it easier to have it more often. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and sear it on the stove for 10 minutes. While that is cooking, assemble your arugula and avocado salad and dress it with a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. The result? A healthy and well-balanced fish dinner in under 15 minutes.
- Black Beans and Rice
Black beans and rice is a traditional dish that can be spiced up simply by adding flavors of your choice. For example, add sofrito, cumin, and chili powder to the rice and you have a Latin flavored dish. Include black beans for their protein and green chile peppers for their heat and you have a quick and delicious dinner.
- Chili
Chili can be a little high in fat and carbohydrates. Swap out the ground beef and replace it with ground turkey and add spices for flavors such as cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and garlic. Once heated, add some salsa and whatever garnishes you favor. Because it is so healthy and flavorful, you can have a second guilt-free bowl.
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
Everyone likes pizza, but rather than ordering out, make your own in a short time with your personal choice of toppings. Use a whole-wheat pita as the crust and, for the BBQ chicken pizza, add barbecue sauce, red onion, mozzarella and leftover chicken. To make the prep time even quicker, microwave the pizza until the cheese melts and you are good to go.
These are just a sampling of the many healthy and delicious recipes that can be made in a fraction of the time it would take you to run out for take-out. Make one or two and you will be amazed at how easy it is to eat healthy.
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