Gain Great Health Recipes

Who says eating healthy can't taste good or has to take hours slaving in the kitchen?  As you will note, these simple recipes use real, fiber-rich foods and don't take long to prepare. Click on the title for cooking directions and try one of these quick and tasty recipes at your next meal.

Vegetable Side Dishes
Arabian Vegetable Medley
This flavorful side dish would go great with grilled shrimp or chicken and a side salad for a complete meal. Try to use low-sodium tomatoes.

Garlicky Roasted Asparagus
This quick asparagus recipe uses simple ingredients to make a tasty side dish.  Try putting in some onions too!

Lemon Green Beans
Try this recipe if you want to cook up your green beans in a new way.

Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar

This side dish is perfect for the fall season, and a great way to get in a natural source of Vitamin A.

Potato and Tomato Galette
Turn simple vegetables that we often have around the house into a fancy side dish (what's a galette anyway!?).  If you don’t have thyme, experiment with other herbs such as basil or oregano.  

Sautéed Bok Choy and Broccoli                Ever wondered how to cook up bok choy?  This simple, yet tasty, recipe may turn bok choy into a regular side dish in your home.  Bok choy and broccoli are both cruciferous vegetables which we should eat more of.  The antioxidants in cruciferous vegetables are good for cancer prevention.


Chickpea Delight
This Mediterranean-inspired dish can easily stand alone as a main dish for a meal, as it contains as much as 13 g of protein in a 1 1/2 cup serving.  Make the recipe your own by switching up the fresh herb that you use or adding additional veggies such as broccoli, spinach, or green pepper. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread or pasta and a side salad, and you and your family's stomaches will be good to go!


Soups

Quick Creamy Curried Pumpkin Soup
Bring the taste of gourmet soup into the comfort of your home. This easy soup is great for the fall or winter season as a side dish for a meal.






Tuscan White Bean Soup

This heart-healthy, chunky soup is great to serve on Meatless Mondays in your home. Serve with a large salad and a whole wheat roll as a stand alone meal.



Curried Lentil Soup

This curry and hearty soup is great for heart health and your pocket book! Lentils are a great source of protein (up to 18 g per cup) and fiber. Meanwhile, a 15-oz bag of dry lentils ($1.29-$1.69) makes up to 5-6 cups of beans. Don't hesitate to use your own flare and add more vegetables.



Curried Zucchini and Chickpea Soup

As you can tell, I am a big fan of curry; my Trinidadian background attributes to this. This certainly isn't a bad thing given that curry contains turmeric, a spice found to have antioxidant properties. Make sure to use low-sodium chickpeas/garbanzo beans, or even better, cook up dry garbanzo beans.

Bean and Vegetable Chili
This chunky and hearty bean chili is a great addition to a cold winter's day. But make sure to rinse off the beans to cut back on the added salt. Vary the recipes by including a variety of vegetables; your family might have a favorite combination!




Healthy and Delicious Desserts

Pineapple Raspberry Parfait
This simple dessert is great to seal off a sweet tooth and it’s made with non-extravagant ingredients.  Don’t have raspberries around, use another berry and make it a pineapple _______ dessert!  If you’re using canned pineapples, make sure it’s in 100% juice instead of heavy syrup.  

Oatmeal Apple Crisp
This quick apple crisp recipe goes great with Sunday dinner and provides a healthier alternative for an all-American classic.  Include whole-wheat flour in the 1/3 cup of flour that the recipe calls for and this combined with whole grain oatmeal, cinnamon, and real apples will help you remove any guilt with each bite! Add a dash of nutmeg for additional antioxidant benefits. 

Bran Muffins
Bran doesn’t have to be synonymous with nasty when it comes to these recipes!  These muffins will allow you to get in some extra fiber for the day and nip your sweet tooth in the bud.  Don’t hesitate to add walnuts to get in some omega 3’s or even throw in a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to spice things up!  

Banana Bran Muffins

Apple Bran Muffins

For more healthy dessert recipes, click here.