Easy Recipes for a Balanced Diet
The healthiest diet adheres to some sensible and straightforward guidelines: Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and eat less meat. These recipes will help you happily comply through breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Easy Recipes for a Balanced Diet!
On any given day, choose any of these dishes, making sure to eat a variety of ingredients and strike a balance between heavier and lighter. For more healthy eating tips, see these guidelines for a balanced diet.
Loaded Scrambled Eggs
Bulk up scrambled eggs with colorful, healthy additions—cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, parsley—along with Cheddar cheese for extra protein.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 large eggs, beaten
- 3 ounces Cheddar, grated (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- crusty bread, for serving
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are just set, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Cheddar and cook, stirring, until just melted, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Banana-Blueberry Bran Muffin
Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, sunflower seeds, and lots of fresh fruit make these muffins a good-for-you breakfast option.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 3/4 cups white whole-wheat flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 3/4 cups wheat bran
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (from about 4 medium)
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Heat oven to 375° F. Coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter (or cooking spray, if desired). Whisk together the flour, wheat bran, sugar, sunflower seeds, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the banana, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and evenly moistened (do not overmix). Fold in the blueberries.
- Divide among the muffin cups. (The batter should come up to the rim of each cup.) Bake, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin (avoiding a blueberry if possible) comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Raspberry Chia Smoothie
Mild, nutty chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help ward off heart disease.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- Place the raspberries, apple juice, yogurt, banana, chia seeds, and vanilla, if desired, in a blender.
- Blend until smooth and frothy.
Toasted Pistachio Muesli With Apple and Fig
Combine the oats, pistachios, maple syrup, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, vanilla, ginger, and the salt in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets.
Ingredients
- 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup shelled roasted pistachios
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- milk, almond milk, or plain yogurt, for serving
- sliced apples, for serving
- sliced figs, for serving
- Heat oven to 350° F. Combine the oats, pistachios, maple syrup, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, vanilla, ginger, and the salt in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, stirring and rotating the pans once, until golden brown, 18 to 24 minutes.
- Serve the muesli with milk, almond milk, or plain yogurt, topped with sliced apple and fig.
Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Serve quinoa topped with fried eggs, avocado, and salmon for a hearty jumpstart.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 6 ounces smoked salmon
- fresh lemon juice, for serving
- sliced scallions, for serving
- Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook, covered, 2 to 4 minutes for slightly runny yolks. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- Serve the quinoa topped with the fried eggs, avocado, and salmon, dividing evenly. Drizzle with the lemon juice and top with scallions.
Five-Layer Veggie (and Ham) Sandwich
Arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, and mixed pickled vegetables help fill out this robust sandwich.
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- black pepper
- 3/4 cup chopped drained giardiniera (mixed pickled vegetables)
- 1/4 cup olive tapenade
- 6 ounces sliced ham or roasted turkey (or a mix of both)
- 4 ounces sliced provolone
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch arugula
- 4 soft whole-grain rolls, halved
- Combine the carrots, oil, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
- Divide the carrots, giardiniera, tapenade, ham or turkey, provolone, tomato, cucumber, and arugula among the rolls.
Barley and Lentil Soup
Chopped ginger, curry powder, and coconut milk give this soup an Indian spin.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 6 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 1 cup pearl barley
- kosher salt
- 1 cup yogurt
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and curry powder. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, lentils, barley, 4 cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and barley are tender, 35 to 45 minutes (adding more water if needed to loosen).
- Serve topped with the scallion greens and yogurt.
Black Bean and Feta Stuffed Burrito
Eat this vegetarian option as is, or add shredded rotisserie chicken for extra bulk.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus 1 cup whole leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- kosher salt
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 4 ounces Feta, crumbled (1 cup)
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage (from 1/8 small head)
- 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (optional)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- 4 burrito-size tortillas, warmed
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Combine the yogurt, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
- Divide the yogurt mixture, avocados, Feta, cabbage, beans, cucumber, chicken (if desired), and hot sauce (if desired) among tortillas, dividing evenly. Roll into 4 burritos.
Chili-Garlic Shrimp Noodle Bowl
Fresh and lively, this meal-in-a-bowl gets a bite from fresh lime juice and Asian chili-garlic sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces soba noodles
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (raw)
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage (from 1/4 small head)
- 2 cups halved snap peas
- 4 carrots, thinly sliced
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
- Toss with the lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of the canola oil.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing frequently, until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the chili-garlic sauce.
- Top the noodles and shrimp with the cabbage, snap peas, and carrots, dividing evenly.
- Serve with lime wedges and additional chili-garlic sauce.
Winter Vegetable Minestrone
Filled with navy beans, pasta shells, cabbage, and squash, this vegetarian soup won’t leave you hungry.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed
- 1 3-inch piece Parmesan rind (optional), plus grated Parmesan for serving
- 1/2 cup small pasta shells
- 1/4 Savoy cabbage, chopped
- crusty bread, for serving
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes (and their juices) and simmer until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the squash, carrots, beans, 6 cups water, and Parmesan rind, if desired, and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the pasta and cabbage. Simmer until the pasta is tender.
- Serve topped with grated Parmesan and with crusty bread on the side.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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