Nutritious food comes in all shapes, sizes, textures, flavors, and temperature profiles. A healthy meal could look like a protein-topped salad, but it could also look like a fragrant beef bulgogi bowl, a spicy chickpea curry, or a pecan-crusted salmon filet. In other words, not everything tasty is a guilty pleasure, and not everything healthy is bland.
Here, Embody readers share the healthy meal ideas they enjoy and actually make the most.
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Hearty Vegetarian Favorites
“Cauliflower curry with onion, carrot, and potato. It’s so easy — use bottled curry simmer sauce (brand of your choosing), cut up the vegetables, and simmer them in the sauce until they’re done. Tasty and nutritious.” —M., California
“Chickpea curry. Almost no fat, tons of fiber, lots of flavor!” —Suzanne, Canada
“Omelets. I throw in baby spinach and grated cheese.” —Charlotte, New Zealand
“Pesto pasta. Any pasta with jarred pesto sauce works. Pair with cherry tomatoes, fresh peppers, and parmesan cheese.” —Jenny, New Jersey
“Slow cooker minestrone. It’s healthy, with spinach for iron, and you get loads of leftovers to freeze or eat throughout the week!” —Jo, Australia
“Zucchini feta bake with thyme. This is always on the menu during zucchini harvesting season.” —Laura, Colorado
More ideas:
- Peanut tofu bowls
- Sesame garlic tofu
- Sweet potato enchiladas
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Savory Salads
“Avocado salad. Avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper.” —An Embody Reader
“Taco salad. Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, sliced olives, shredded cheese, broken tortilla chips, avocado chunks, sauteed soy or meat crumbles with taco seasoning and a little salt. Mix together and drizzle with olive oil and white wine vinegar.” —Terri, Oregon
“Cucumber salad. Sliced cucumbers, sliced onions, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar (or honey). Keep in refrigerator — it gets better and better every day.” —Ellen, Pennsylvania
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Simple Chicken and Fish Dishes
“Sheet pan Mexican chicken and veggies. Use chicken strips, sliced red bell peppers and red onions, and mix in Mexican spices: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Spread on foil-lined sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. Serve with rice and beans or roll into tortillas.” —Kim, North Carolina
“Protein and rice bowls. The protein might be chicken breast, smoked salmon, or tofu. Often, I'll poach or boil an egg too. I add in a lot of spinach and sauteed bell peppers or vegetables. It's really easy and quick — and quite healthy.” —Juni
“Salmon, sweet potato, broccolini, and quinoa. Very healthy, and if you use a mustard lemon maple syrup sauce, it's delicious!” —Beth, Australia
“Quinoa bowl. Add black beans, shrimp, avocado, and edamame. So quick and simple.” —AnEmbody Reader in Georgia
More ideas:
- Keto broccoli and chicken casserole made with cauliflower rice
- Chicken and white bean instant pot chili
- Chicken Provencal with tomatoes and olives
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Healthy Comfort Food
“Spaghetti Bolognese. I pack it with carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic and serve with whole-grain pasta and parmesan.” —Andree, England
"Korean beef bowl. I've tweaked it over the years, and it's easy to add whatever vegetables you like, such as broccoli, zucchini, snow or snap peas, celery, or any Asian vegetable.” —Carol, Canada
“Turkish chickpea with beef stew. My husband is Turkish, so we often enjoy healthy and flavorful Turkish cuisine. This dish is best prepared using a pressure cooker, as it helps make the meat tender and enhances the overall texture.” —Alicia, Texas
“Spinach lasagna with pear stuffing. This has tons of veggies. The pear stuffing has sourdough bread, Italian sausage, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and pears. Use Italian seasoning and chicken broth. Cover and bake at 425 for about 20 min and then 5 more minutes, uncovered.” —Sara, Alabama
“Loaded baked potato soup. It can be vegetarian or you can put bacon on top. I add lots of cauliflower so it’s not just potato but it doesn't taste like it!” —Carley, California
More ideas:
- Spinach feta turkey burgers
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Power Snacks
“Chicken nacho protein dip. Mix cottage cheese, taco seasoning, canned corn, diced chicken, shredded cheddar. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well and eat with tortilla chips. I make a lot and store in sealed individual containers in the fridge for the week.” —Tara, Minnesota
“Easy no-bake peanut butter bites. Mix peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, honey, and a pinch of cinnamon. Scoop into 1.5-inch balls on a baking sheet covered with parchment and freeze.” —Renee, Wisconsin
“Power and comfort cookies. I found this as a lactation cookie, but they’re delicious and nutritious — a staple in our house. Contains healthy whole wheat flour, oats, ground flaxseed, walnuts, dark chocolate, and nutritional yeast.” —Sophia, Denmark
“Banana bread. I tend to let bananas get too ripe, so I make a lot of banana bread. I usually halve the sugar and add in one or two more bananas if I have them. A helping of banana bread helps curb my cravings for something sweet without introducing too much sugar.” —Ezra, New Mexico
