Healthy Recipes
These are healthy recipes that I recommend you use! Below each recipe I have comments to educate you on a some or all of the following:
- nutritional benefits
- cost
- time to prepare
- taste
Note: Not all of these products are 100% healthy, but all have health benefits and none have anything that should definitely be excluded from a healthy diet. This is important to note because you will find things that may not be good in excess, but in small amounts are fine a healthy diet.
Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Potatoes
- Oil
- Seasonings (various seasoning could include Italian, Adobe, Garlic Salt, Salt)
Wash and cut potatoes into larger french fry size. Place all cut potatoes into a bowl, pour oil and seasonings onto the potatoes, mix in so that all are covered with the oil and seasonings. Dump the potatoes onto a cookie sheet.
Baking time varies based on how thick the potatoes are, or if there is one or two layers of potatoes on the cookie sheet. Bake between 350 and 380 for 40 mins. to an hour. Test to see if it’s done with a fork. If you want a more crispy taste broil for 1 to 3 min. when they are about done. Do not broil longer than that, they will burn. You can also use this recipe with sweet potatoes. ~ Submitted by Hannah
Nick’s comment: I love these. Potatoes are extremely healthy and hi in resistant starch. Vegetable and Canola oil are high in poly- and mono-unsaturated fats which are “heart healthy”.
Mashed Cauliflower (Mashed Potato Alternative)
- Cauliflower
- Seasonings of choice (like you would season mashed potatoes)
Wash, and break off the cauliflower trunks. Steam the cauliflower. Once it has been steamed, mash the cauliflower with seasonings of choice. ~ Submitted by Hannah
Nick’s comments: Obviously vegetables are a necessary part of a healthy diet. It’s easier to eat a large quantity when you can eat it out of a bowl with a fork. Steaming it allows more nutrients to remain than boiling the cauliflower.
Spinach Shakes
- Spinach Leaves
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Bananas
Blend together spinach leaves, pinapple, grapes and bananas. When you blend the spinach it turns sweet. Blend enough so that you will not taste the chunk of spinach stems. If you use a can of pineapple the pineapple juice helps it to be sweeter. This is a great way to get in some fruits and vegetables. ~ Submitted by Hannah
Nick’s comments: Hannah is right! This is a great way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. None of the nutrients are lost from cooking either and it is easier to gulp down fruits and vegetables in liquid form than eat them one by one.
Turkey Meatballs
- Ground Turkey
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Salt
- 1 – 2 eggs
Put all the ground turkey in a bowl with some seasonings and 1 to 2 eggs. The amount of eggs depends on the amount of meat. One egg with one pound of ground turkey should be sufficient. Mix. Form the ground turkey mixture into balls. To make it less sticky add oats. Bake 350 degrees 20 to 40 min. ~ Submitted by Hannah
Nick’s comments: Making the meatballs with turkey instead of hamburger reduces the amount of fat. Also some believe that red meat increases the number of free radicals in our bodies. This is great to mix with a healthy tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta.
*If you have a recipe suggestion please contact me. If I feel it would be a valuable addition I will post it and put your name next to your recipe if you would like.