The Best Recipes To Help You Eat Healthier
16 recipes to help you be your best self in 2016
We're going clean in 2016-and not only because it rhymes. Recharge and renew yourself with our favorite healthy recipes.
We're halfway through the month. Maybe you're right on track with your resolutions. If so, congratulations. But if you need a subtle reminder, these 16 recipes will help you be your best self this year. And don't worry: Dessert is definitely not off the table.
Chia-Pomegranate Pudding
Work on bettering your eating habits even while you're asleep. Before you go to bed, stir chia seeds into an almond-milk mixture and place it in the refrigerator. Wake up, and you have pudding for breakfast.
Green Juice
We can't talk clean eating without sneaking in a green juice somewhere. A glass of this in the morning (or any other colorful juice), and you'll be shining from the inside out.
Goji-Poppy Bran Muffins
Greek yogurt takes the place of butter in these wholesome baked goods. The poppy seeds and turbinado sugar on top crisp up for a muffin top you'll actually be proud of.
Shiitake Mushroom and Herb Broth
Don't let bone broth get all the attention. Mushrooms' meatiness makes them a fine alternative to an animal-based version of this versatile clean broth.
Ford Fry's Nam Prik Pao Sauce
One way to make healthy eating enjoyable is by adding a flavor-packed condiment to a plate of "bland" food. The head-clearing spiciness of 10 Thai chiles and a hefty cup of sweet chile paste are sure to perk up any vegetable dish you've been avoiding.
Pickled Mushroom and Miso Brown Rice Salad
This is a salad that will actually fill you up—it has a hearty brown rice base mixed with all that kale. Top with adorable briny beech mushrooms that look like they came straight out of a game of Super Mario Bro., and you're good to go.
Sweet Green Pea and Herb Falafel
Even when it's winter, you can still make this portable Middle Eastern meal by using frozen peas and pulling the curtains down to hide the snow. We like the falafel in warm pita, but you could just as easily serve them over greens to make it gluten free.
Upside-Down Pineapple Granola Bars
Snacking is always important, which is why we're big fans of always having one of these granola bars on hand. Mix and match with different add-ins or follow our recipe for a treat that rivals its cake-shaped relative.
Spicy Stir-Fried Pork
Eating healthy isn't synonymous with eschewing meat. Strips of lean garlic- and ginger-marinated pork shine in this one-pan meal.
The Tasting Table Macro Bowl
If we've learned one thing, it's that 85 percent of recipes that contain the word bowl in their name are net positive in health benefits. Follow the recipe as is or use our guideline to find your own ideal blend.
Green Papaya Salad
This salad was inspired by a severe noodle rut, so you, too, can put take-out noodles in the corner in favor of this bright textural wonder.
Amaranth "Polenta" with Tuscan Kale
Give cornmeal a time-out and use pint-size amaranth instead for this Italian side. It's also another way to sneak just a few more handfuls of greens into your life.
Chicken in Whole Spices
Creamy tikka masala can take its toll, so swap it for this braised Indian dish. It's worth investing in the various spices if you don't already have them—especially turmeric, which gives the chicken pieces their gilded glow.
Matcha Gingerbread Cookies
Desserts don't have to be gut busters. Balance the green juice in your left hand with a couple of green matcha-avocado cookies in your right.
Pink Pepper Pavlova with Grilled Cherries
Tracy Obolsky's pavlova is the most delicious tongue twister we've had. When good cherries are elusive, sub in your fruit of choice, a spoonful of jam or just enjoy the cumulus cloud of meringue on its own.
Spiced Sweet Potato Bread
Eating your vegetables and calling it dessert is a no-brainer. To make it even healthier, leave out the turbinado sugar—or don't. Live a little.