You’ll want to make these all the time.
Thomas J. Story
When you think of “healthy” food, sad, tasteless salads, boring chicken breast, and bland grains might come to mind. That image can seem entirely unappealing. You want to enjoy what you’re eating and, we daresay, have fun with it!
Well, “healthy” eating has come a long way, and we’ve got the recipes to prove it. These meal ideas are easy, flavorful, delicious, and yes, packed with those good-for-you nutrients and vitamins. Take a look at some below and add them to your meal prep list.
1 of 17Iain Bagwell
Saffron Tomato Chickpeas with Spiced Freekeh and Shaved Brussels Sprouts
One of the pros of this dish (aside from its deliciousness) is that the components can last a week in the fridge and months in the freezer. It’s perfect for meal prepping, and you can pull it out on nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
2 of 17Erin Kunkel
Chicken Sausage and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper
Sheet pan dinners are the easiest thing to pull together on busy weeknights. This sausage and veggies option is adapted from Nicole Tam and Henry Fong’s Nom Nom Paleo cookbook, Ready or Not!
3 of 17Thomas J. Story
Lemony Kale Avocado Sandwiches
You probably won’t even notice that there’s no meat in this fresh and flavorful sandwich. And the ingredients are minimal: Kale, lemon, olive oils, parmesan, avocados, and salt and pepper, and sandwich rolls.
4 of 17Thomas J. Story
Grilled Chicken Breast with Greens
“This kind of ‘chicken salad’ of sorts can change with the seasons,” says Lulu chef David Tanis (who created this dish with Lulu founder Alice Waters). “The base recipe is a grilled chicken breast, salad greens, and a seasonal vegetable garnish.”
5 of 17Photo reprinted with permission from Penguin Random House
Vegan Winter Greens Stew with Herb Dumplings
Looking for a comforting, yet healthy dish? This hearty soup by Tanya Holland is a “vegan play on chicken and dumplings.”
6 of 17Iain Bagwell
Red Quinoa Bowl with Swiss Chard and Poached Egg
With superfood quinoa, this bowl is packed with fiber and protein.
7 of 17Annabelle Breakey
Miso-Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Miso)
You can serve the eggplant as a side dish, or pair it with rice for a vegetarian-friendly dinner.
8 of 17Erin Kunkel
Salmon and Grains Salad with Pistachio Salsa Verde
Hearty ingredients like salmon, wild rice, and black quinoa make this salad far from boring.
9 of 17Annabelle Breakey
Vegetable Minestrone
This minestrone has pumped-up flavors, thanks to a variety of vegetables and legumes and a parmesan rind. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
10 of 17Annabelle Breakey
Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl
Perfect for colder nights, this dish features a flavorful ginger and garlic broth. Top with green onions for a little bit of crunch.
11 of 17Victor Protasio
Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwiches
Get the grill ready—this veggie sandwich calls for grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant. Pair with a crusty ciabatta loaf and you’re all set.
12 of 17Iain Bagwell
Sweet and Spicy Red Kuri Squash Bowl
Make the most of winter squash season with this bowl. It features roasted squash and spiced brown basmati coconut rice. And don’t forget to add some chili sauce for a spicy kick.
13 of 17Thomas J. Story
Tamarind Chickpea Curry
If you want to add some complexity to the dish, you can top the curry with Greek yogurt, cubed paneer, chopped cooked bacon or sausage, or a sunny side-up egg.
14 of 17Thomas J. Story
Composed Mediterranean Salad
Love Niçoise salad? Love antipasto salad? This salad is a mix of both.
15 of 17Annabelle Breakey
Shrimp and Spicy Mango Sauté
When you serve this dish people are going to think you spent a long time on it. But they don’t have to know that the recipe employs a flavorful shortcut—Indian mango relish—as the main flavor base. It will only take you 20 minutes to cook.
16 of 17Thomas J. Story
Grilled Chicken Cutlets
From cookbook author and writerJ. Kenji López-Alt, this recipe upgrades what could be boring chicken cutlets. He calls for adding half of the hearty vinaigrette to the chicken right before it’s cooked and then drizzling the other half after it’s grilled.
17 of 17Thomas J. Story
French Lentil Salad with Broccolini and Soft-Cooked Eggs
Sad and boring salads can leave you hungry, but this lentil salad from Alice Waters’ restaurant, Lulu, is definitely not sad and boring. Along with filling lentils, it features crisp broccolini and eggs.
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