Simple Healthy Meals to Cook At Home

by | Apr 22, 2020

After being in quarantine for over a month now, you may have noticed a change in the way your body looks and feels.Trying to maintain a healthy diet during quarantine is difficult, to say the least. The anxieties about the current state of the world right now mixed with constant access to the fridge can reek havoc on anyone’s health and overall diet. Here are a few healthy and easy recipes that could inspire you to switch up your diet for the better:

Avocado Pasta

This unique pasta dish not only takes just 20 minutes to make, its vegan, creamy and delcious!


Ingredients
  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed
Instructions
  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  2. To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn.
  4. Serve immediately.

Recipe via Damn Delicious

 Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

Looking for a cozy and savory soup? This chicken noodle soup recipe has a short list of ingredients that pack a lot of flavor.


INGREDIENTS
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  •  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
  • 7 to 8 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
  • 8 ounces dried egg noodles, cavatelli or other small shaped pasta
  •  Crème fraîche, chopped fresh parsley and dill, and lemon zest, for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until starting to crumble, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and celery seeds (if using), and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken into a small lidded bowl (to retain moisture); cover and set aside.
  2. Add the carrot, celery, shallot, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until slicked with fat, 3 minutes. Add the stock (7 cups for a stew-like soup or up to 8 cups for a brothy soup) and bring to a boil over high.
  3. Add noodles and cook over medium-high until al dente according to package directions. (If the noodles absorb a lot of liquid, add more broth according to taste.) Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices and heat until warmed, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top with a spoonful of crème fraîche, a fistful of torn herbs and lemon zest.

Recipe via The New York Times

 

One Pot Burrito Bowl

This easy one-pot burrito bowl will satisfy your cravings for Mexican takeout without the calorie overload. It also is an extremely versatile recipe that can be used for tacos, stuffed peppers, nachos, taco salad, you name it.


Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/3 cup Medium Thick n’ Chunky Salsa
  • 15 ounce can black beans , rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can corn , drained
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder , use 1-2 tsp if you like more spice
  • 2 cups chicken stock , or vegetable broth works too
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  • In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and red peppers. Add in hamburger and cook until browned. Drain grease. 
  • Stir in salsa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, jasmine rice, taco seasoning and chili powder. Pour in chicken stock and then bring to a light boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is all the way cooked.
  • When rice is done,  add salt and pepper to taste. Top with your favorite toppings. You can serve over lettuce in a salad bowl and eat with tortilla chips. You can also use this mix to top over nachos or place in a tortilla to make burritos.

Recipe via I Heart Naptime

5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken with Asparagus

This recipe uses 5 main ingredients- Chicken, Flour, Lemon Pepper, Asparagus and Lemons. It’s a perfect recipe for a lazy night in.

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1–2 cups chopped asparagus
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons honey + 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
  • parsley for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Chicken: Cover the chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound until each pieces is about a 3/4 of an inch thick. (NOTE: If your chicken breasts are really thick,you can just cut them in half horizontally to make thinner pieces rather than pounding. Works like a charm.) Place the flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and gently toss each chicken breast in the dish to coat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; add the chicken and saute for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown, sprinkling each side with the lemon pepper directly in the pan. When the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, transfer to a plate.
  2. Asparagus and Lemons: Add the chopped asparagus to the pan. Saute for a few minutes until bright green and tender crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lay the lemon slices flat on the bottom of the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side without stirring so that they caramelize and pick up the browned bits left in the pan from the chicken and butter. (NOTE: adding a tiny pat of butter in with the lemons also helps prevent sticking and promote browning.) Remove the lemons from the pan and set aside.
  3.  Layer all the ingredients back into the skillet – asparagus, chicken, and lemon slices on top.

Recipe via Pinch of Yum

Roasted Garlic and Beef Vegetable Stir Fry

This delicious stir fry takes only 15 minutes to make and easily satisfies takeout cravings!


Ingredients
  • 1 cup water
Instructions
  1. Mix cornstarch, water, soy sauce, seasoning blend, and ginger in small bowl until smooth. Set aside
  2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef in several batches; stir fry 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed.
  3. Add vegetables to skillet; stir fry 3 minutes. Return beef to skillet.
  4. Add soy sauce mixture to skillet, stirring constantly. Bring to boil on medium heat and boil 1 minute. Serve with cooked rice, if desired.

Recipe via Shape

 

 

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