Feed and Fuel Your Body – My Favorite Health-Conscious Recipes
By: Kaitlyn Hughes
I don’t know about you, but to me, selfcare means nourishing and caring for your entire body, both inside and outside. Although I try to exercise, take time for myself, do my skin care and hair care routines, sometimes I find that none of that gives me the results that I want. However, I have noticed that when I am conscious about listening to what my body needs and ensuring that I am fueling it with both satisfying and balanced meals, I receive the best results. The truth is, I feel the best about myself—in terms of my mood, my skin, and my energy levels—when I am cooking consistently.
When my family first started attempting to cooking more healthy meals at home, it was difficult for us to find meals that were as satisfying as the high calorie meals we were used to, while cutting down on some of the higher fat ingredients. However, with the help of the Cooking Light cookbook as well as some inspiration from TikTok and other sources, we have found quite a few recipes that are both health conscious and delicious.
1. Tik Tok Chicken Orzo Pasta
This is the newest recipe that I have tried out, and let me tell you, it was a hit in my house. The 4-ingredient pasta is beautifully balanced with chicken breast, spinach, and lower fat cheese such as Parmesan that makes a creamy and filling meal. For more information on this dish and how to make it, check out this TikTok by @nutritionalsarah
2. Healthier Shepard’s Pie
Believe it or not, this healthy Shepard’s Pie may be my favorite meal that my family has made. This recipe is a newer take on regular Shepard’s Pie and features key substitutions that make the meal better for you than you may expect. For example, this recipe substitutes the traditional ground lamb meat for ground turkey. Additionally, my mom chose to switch out the mashed potatoes on top for mashed cauliflower, creating a lower carb alternative. Although this meal is made almost entirely of protein and vegetables, in my opinion, it is just as satisfying as the traditional Shepard’s Pie dish. Trust me, this meal is amazing. Check out the recipe down below!
Link:
https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/spring-vegetable-shepherds-pie
3. Chicken Casserole
This chicken casserole is another fan favorite meal in my household. Although it contains a fraction of the calories and fat that normal chicken casserole has, it doesn’t sacrifice any creaminess or the volume of food in each serving. The first time my family made this dish we were absolutely shocked that something so creamy and delicious could be a “light” meal. Here’s the trick: substitute the regular cream for lower fat “cream options” such as low fat/nonfat Greek yogurt or canola mayonnaise. If this sounds like something you or your family would love, you’re in luck, I’ve attached a copy of the Cooking Light recipe down below.
Link:
https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/creamy-broccoli-cheddar-casserole
4. Buffalo Chicken Salad
Buffalo Chicken Salad! One of my favorite easy to make recipes, perfect for lunch or dinner especially in the Spring and Summer months. Now I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to eat salad for dinner!” Believe me, I said the same thing before I tried it. The good thing is with homemade salads, you control the portions of every ingredient, so you can eat a high volume of veggies or chicken while limiting the unhealthier ingredients such as the dressing. My family’s favorite way to do this is to purchase the low calorie bottled salad dressings that use Greek yogurt as the base. These dressings are only about 30-50 calories per tablespoon but taste just like the real deal. This recipe is originally made with the low-calorie Bleu Cheese dressing, but for those like me who aren’t a fan of Bleu Cheese, you can easily substitute it with the low-calorie Ranch.
Here’s what we include:
- Shredded or cubed chicken breast seasoned and cooked in your favorite buffalo sauce
- Romaine lettuce or spring mix, your choice
- Red onion
- Avocado
- Bell pepper (red is the sweetest, but choose your favorite)
- Optional: Carrots
- Low-calorie dressing (Bleu Cheese or Ranch)
Note: I don’t own the rights to these recipes, these are simply my family’s favorite recipes that we have found from other sources. All rights go to the respective owners.