There is no denying that finding and creating healthy recipes is a daunting task. Often, it feels as if most recipes don’t contain enough nutrients and sustenance to keep the body fueled throughout the day. Even so, there are still many recipes that you can try if you want to find healthier options. Here are some of my favorite recipes for each meal of the day that are filling, budget-friendly and energizing. 

Breakfast

Avocado toast

Ingredients: 2 pieces of bread, 1 avocado, ⅛ tsp of salt, 1 tsp of everything bagel seasoning (optional), ¼ cup of green onions, pickled red onions (optional)

1. Warm up two pieces of any bread of your choosing.
2. Mash up the avocado in a bowl.
3. Add salt, everything bagel seasoning and green onions into the bowl. Then, mix everything together.
4. Spread avocado mixture onto both pieces of bread. 
5. Top the bread with pickled red onions.

Tip – Add eggs on top of the toast for protein.

Lunch

Veggie sandwich and yogurt

Ingredients: 2 pieces of bread, butter, hummus, feta cheese, ½ of an avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, salt, black pepper               *Use as much of each ingredient as you like

1. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
2. Flip both pieces of bread over and spread hummus on the other side.
3. Put feta cheese on top of one slice of bread with the hummus side facing up. 
4. Cut up as much lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado as you like and then place  them on top of the bread with the feta cheese.
5. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper on top of the veggies. 
6. Put both pieces of bread together and place the sandwich in a pan on the stove at medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until each side is golden brown.
7. Place your sandwich on a plate and grab some of your favorite yogurt.

Tips: Add in any sort of meat for protein. Feel free to add other veggies that you enjoy!

Snack

Apples with peanut butter

Ingredients: 1 apple, 1 tbsp of peanut butter  

1. Cut an apple into bite sized pieces and place on a plate.
2. Put one spoonful of peanut butter on the plate.
3. Dip an apple piece in the peanut butter and enjoy!

Tip – Sunflower seed butter is a great alternative to peanut butter if there are any allergies.

Dinner 

Spinach and tomato pasta

Ingredients: 3 cups of whole grain pasta, 2 tbsp of butter, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of grape tomatoes, 1 cup of spinach, 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of garlic powder, ½ tsp of crushed red peppers, 1 ½ cups of heavy cream, 2/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

1. Put a pot of water on medium heat, and once the water is boiling, add the pasta.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the tomatoes into halves and the garlic and spinach into small pieces. 
3. Once the pasta has cooked, drain the water out of the pot and set the pasta aside.
4. Put another pan on medium heat and melt the butter. Then, saute the garlic and tomatoes in the butter. 
5. After 2 minutes, add the tomato paste, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and ½ TSP of salt. Let all of this cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
6. Once the tomatoes have softened, add the heavy cream and mix everything together.
7. Next, add in another ½ tsp of salt and add the parmesan cheese. 
8. Finally, add in the pasta and mix everything together. 

Tip: Top the pasta with more parmesan cheese for even more flavor. 

Dessert

Haystacks 

Ingredients:  ⅓ cup of butterscotch chips, ½ cup of peanuts (optional), 1 cup of chow mein noodles

1. Melt butterscotch in a bowl.
2. Mix chow mein noodles and peanuts into melted butterscotch. 
3. Take one spoonful of the mixture and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat this step until all of the mixture has been used. 
4. Place haystacks in the freezer.
5. After 10 to 15 minutes, take out and enjoy!

Tip: Instead of using butterscotch, try using your favorite chocolate!