50 Healthy Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Here’s a list of easy healthy recipes for any meal of the day: breakfast, lunch or dinner! Whatever the meal,…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a list of easy healthy recipes for any meal of the day: breakfast, lunch or dinner! Whatever the meal, we’ve got you covered.

Healthy recipes

For over 10 years, we’ve been creating healthy recipes that are both delicious and simple to make. Need inspiration for healthy meals? You’ve come to the right place! Our collection features the best nourishing recipes for any mealtime. Whether you’re looking for quick dinners, plant-based recipes loaded with veggies, lunch ideas or breakfast recipes, we have options for every type of eater. Our recipes, from easy baked salmon to eggplant pizzas, have been consistently popular at the dinner table.

What do we mean by “healthy”? This term can be controversial, but here’s our approach: Our recipes mainly follow the Mediterranean diet, focusing on seafood, colorful vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and cooking fats like olive oil. Each recipe is chosen for its high nutrient, protein, and fiber content. Enjoy these tried-and-true healthy recipes, perfected over a decade, for a balanced and tasty diet!

More healthy recipes? Try these Mediterranean Diet Recipes, Healthy Soup Recipes, Healthy Breakfast Ideas, Healthy Appetizers, Healthy Lunch Ideas, or Healthy Desserts.

And now…our top healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch & dinner!

More inspiration

Looking for other types of nutrient-dense recipes? We’ve got lots of other ideas for how to keep your meal ideas fresh. Try these options:

Got specific dietary needs? Head over to our Plant Based Diet Guide & Recipes or Whole Food Plant Based Diet Guide. Or try our Gluten Free Dinner Recipes or 20 Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas.

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50 Healthy Recipes for Every Meal


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3 to 4

Description

This easy cauliflower stir fry is an ideal healthy and easy dinner idea! It’s full of nutrients and covered in a punchy sauce. 


Ingredients

  • 1 medium head cauliflower (2 pounds)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 3 green onions
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar*
  • ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
  • 1 tablespoon light miso
  • ½ tablespoon gochujang (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (or maple syrup)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil (regular, not toasted)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil for stir frying, divided
  • To serve as a main dish: Add ¾ cup cashews with cauliflower**, add 1 cup shelled frozen edamame in the last 2 to 3 minutes, or add Marinated Tofu, Pan Fried Tofu, or Sauteed Shrimp and serve with rice

Instructions

  1. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Thinly slice the bell peppers. Thinly slice the white onion. Thinly slice the green onion.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, miso, gochujang, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch (or make the Go To Stir Fry Sauce). 
  3. In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil over medium high heat. Add the cauliflower and a pinch of salt and cook unstirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until charred. Flip the florets and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  4. Add the bell peppers, white onion, a pinch of salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook 4 to 6 minutes until tender.
  5. Turn off the heat. Pour in the sauce and add the green onions. Stir until the sauce coats everything and thickens. Serve immediately. 

Notes

*Or substitute the Go To Stir Fry Sauce for the sauce ingredients (oil free).

**Adding cashews would serve about 2 to 3 as a vegetarian main; adding tofu can stretch it to 4.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Healthy
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Healthy recipes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

40 Easy Christmas Appetizers

These brilliant easy Christmas appetizers make any spread more festive! Try all the best ideas like finger foods, dips, spreads,…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These brilliant easy Christmas appetizers make any spread more festive! Try all the best ideas like finger foods, dips, spreads, and more.

Cheese Board overhead with fruit, cheese, grapes, raspberries, focaccia bread, and rosemary

Throwing a party and looking for appetizer ideas? When the holidays roll around, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. So we put together this list of easy Christmas appetizers to make the festivities a breeze! These finger foods, dips and spreads are simple to put together and look stunning for Christmas Eve. Whip up an epic cheese board like a pro, or whiz up a few easy dips that will keep everyone coming back for more. (And how fun is that Christmas pizza?)

And now…easy Christmas appetizers!

More Christmas ideas

Looking for more inspiration? Outside of these Christmas appetizers, try these other holiday-themed recipes:

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Cheese Board

40 Easy Christmas Appetizers


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 10

Description

These brilliant easy Christmas appetizers make any spread more festive! Try all the best ideas like finger foods, dips, spreads, and more. Try this Ultimate Cheese Board, or scroll up for all the Christmas appetizer ideas. 


Ingredients

  • 4 ounce soft cheese, such as a blue cheese or goat cheese
  • 4 ounce aged cheese, such as English white cheddar or French blue cheese 
  • 4 ounce mild slicing cheese, such as Manchego
  • 4 ounce wild card cheese (anything that looks interesting!)
  • Bread and crackers: crostini, crackers, focaccia bread slices
  • Spicy mustard
  • Jellies or preserves: fig, blackberry, blueberry, apricot, lingonberry, peach, orange
  • Fruit: seedless grapes, sliced apples, pears, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries or black berries, dried or fresh figs 
  • Mixed pickles
  • Olives: ripe green or black olives, Castelvetrano olives, or other varieties
  • Salted nuts: marcona almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pistachios
  • Marinated artichokes
  • Peppadews
  • Cured meats like prosciutto, salami, chorizo, etc
  • Fresh herbs, for garnish (rosemary or thyme sprigs, or other)

Instructions

  1. Start by placing the 4 types of cheese onto the board. Slice cheese that slices easily, and add a knife for more crumbly cheese. Place the cheese at angles that look pleasing on the board. (If you have them, cheese markers are nice to label the cheeses.)
  2. Place the ingredients that need bowls into small bowls on the board, like the mustard, olives, and jam or preserves. Make sure the bowls aren’t too large so they don’t crowd the board.
  3. Fill in the remainder of the space on the board with piles of fruit, crackers, breads and other items. Arrange the ingredients with variation in color and shape in mind. Apple slices look nice placed in a fan, and other fruits can be casually dropped in groups. Stems of grapes always make a nice statement. Start with the largest ingredients and gradually fill in the smaller items.
  4. Once the board is mostly complete, tuck in a few sprigs of fresh herbs to complete the tray (like rosemary or thyme sprigs).
  5. Serve immediately, with small plates, forks and toothpicks if desired. The cheese board can sit out for up to 2 hours at room temperature. Make the board up to 24 hours in advance, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate: allow to come to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Appetizer
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Christmas appetizers, appetizers for Christmas, Christmas appetizer ideas

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

50 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

These delicious Thanksgiving side dishes will win over everyone at the table! They’re vibrant, colorful and classic. It’s easy for…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These delicious Thanksgiving side dishes will win over everyone at the table! They’re vibrant, colorful and classic.

Thanksgiving side dishes

It’s easy for a Thanksgiving table to feature lifeless mashed potatoes, brown mushy stuffing, or soggy green bean casserole. But pick the right recipes and your Thanksgiving side dishes can be vibrant, colorful, and absolutely delicious. Here are all our tricks on how to make the best side dishes that will be enjoyed by everyone around the table. We guarantee that they’ll ask for seconds!

And now, the top Thanksgiving side dishes to try!

More Thanksgiving recipes

We’ve got you! Here are more collections of Thanksgiving recipes to browse:

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Brussels Sprouts Casserole

50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 10

Description

This Brussels sprout casserole is pure bliss! Bake tender sprouts with a white cheddar cheese sauce and top with crunchy breadcrumbs.


Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, off the stem
  • 2 large shallots
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 ⅛ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups whole or 2% milk
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan cheese, with an extra pinch salt)
  • ½ cup plain panko (or breadcrumbs)
  • Paprika, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Chop: Slice off the tough ends of the Brussels sprouts and cut them into quarters, discarding any discolored outer leaves (cut any very large sprouts into sixths). Thinly slice the shallot. Mince the garlic.
  3. Sauté: Heat the olive oil in oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and fragrant. Add the Brussels sprouts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper and sauté on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and continue cooking until tender and starting to brown, another 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  4. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce: Grate the white cheddar cheese (if necessary). Measure out the butter, flour, milk, ⅛ teaspoon salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat; when it melts, stir in the flour. Heat the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. When the color starts to turn light brown, immediately reduce the heat to low. Add the milk very slowly: whisking constantly until the mixture is completely smooth before adding more. Then add the salt, onion powder, and garlic powder and continue cooking on low heat for about 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Gradually add the sharp cheddar cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese, and keep stirring until it is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
  5. Bake: Stir the cheese sauce into the cooked Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle with panko and bake 20 minutes until golden brown. If desired, dust with a pinch of paprika. Serve warm.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Thanksgiving Side Dishes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

135+ Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Looking for the best Christmas cookie recipes to make this year? Explore everything from drop cookies to cut-outs to chocolate favorites and everything in between. The moment Thanksgiving is over, I immediately shift into cookie mode. After all, is there anything more comforting than a batch of fresh Christmas cookies? While some families have their …

The post 135+ Best Christmas Cookie Recipes appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

Looking for the best Christmas cookie recipes to make this year? Explore everything from drop cookies to cut-outs to chocolate favorites and everything in between.
White platter filled with christmas-themed spritz cookies.
The moment Thanksgiving is over, I immediately shift into cookie mode. After all, is there anything more comforting than a batch of fresh Christmas cookies? While some families have their go-to Christmas cookie recipes that they have to make every year, other families love to change it up. I fall somewhere in the middle: I have a few must-makes but also love trying a few new recipes each holiday season. If you're on the hunt for something new to try, you've landed in the perfect spot. I've curated a collection of over 135 of the best Christmas cookie recipes that cater to all tastes and preferences. From delightful no-bake treats to intricately shaped cut-out cookies, and even scrumptious bar cookies, this list has something to satisfy every sweet tooth. Explore the joy of baking and make your holiday season even sweeter with these amazing recipes. And for those who prefer the convenience of enjoying homemade delights without the fuss, consider exploring the world of online delivery cookies for a hassle-free treat! Whether you try one or many of these recipes, I hope you enjoy baking them as much as you do sharing them with your loved ones. (more…) The post 135+ Best Christmas Cookie Recipes appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

What Our Line Cook-Turned-Editor Always Keeps in His Kitchen

For the second installment of our series exploring our favorite chefs’, content creators’, and Food52ers’ kitchens and pantries, we turned to our Editorial Assistant, Paul Hagopian. If you’ve spent time on our site, you’ve probably read at least one of…

For the second installment of our series exploring our favorite chefs’, content creators’, and Food52ers’ kitchens and pantries, we turned to our Editorial Assistant, Paul Hagopian. If you’ve spent time on our site, you’ve probably read at least one of his pieces—like the pastry chef who makes “infinite” desserts, the TikTok star disrupting the salmon industry, or his taste-test of 31 nonalcoholic beers. We asked the line cook-turned-writer to tell us the five things always in his kitchen—here’s what he said.


1. Homemade Pickled Jalapeños

To make this super-versatile condiment, Paul boils equal parts white vinegar and water, adds a big pinch of salt, then pours the brine over sliced jalapeños and some smashed garlic cloves. Once the whole thing cools to room temp, just store it in the fridge. Don’t forget about the brine: It’s a great marinade for chicken thighs and other proteins.

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7 Popular New Orleans Cocktails

Here are the most famous New Orleans cocktails that come from The Big Easy! This city’s cocktail culture is second…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Here are the most famous New Orleans cocktails that come from The Big Easy! This city’s cocktail culture is second to none.

Vieux Carre

There’s nothing quite like the food and wine scene in New Orleans! The Big Easy is home to some of the country’s greatest food traditions, and the cocktail culture is second to none. Several great drinks have risen to the top and solidified themselves as classics.

At A Couple Cooks, we’re cocktail experts with over 300 cocktail recipes under our belt. Here are our top most popular New Orleans cocktails to try! There’s the boozy Sazerac, with its surprising black licorice finish, centuries-old Milk Punch with its refreshing creamy sweetness, and the ever popular fruity Hurricane. Want to make them all? Let’s get started.

And now…the top New Orleans cocktails!

More cocktails

Looking for more cocktails outside of these New Orleans cocktails? Here are some of our favorite collections:

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Sazerac

7 Classic New Orleans Cocktails: Sazerac & More!


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink

Description

Here’s how to make a Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans! Cognac, whiskey and absinthe make up this famous drink that tastes like no other.


Ingredients

  • 34 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 1 teaspoon absinthe
  • 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) Cognac
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) rye whiskey
  • Lemon twist

Instructions

  1. In a mixing glass, add the sugar cube and coat it with the bitters. Muddle the sugar cube with a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon until mostly dissolved. Add the Cognac, rye whiskey and absinthe and fill the mixing glass with a handful of ice.
  2. Stir until cold. Strain the drink into a chilled low ball glass.
  3. Use a knife to remove a 1″ wide strip of the lemon peel. Squeeze the lemon peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass and serve.
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: Cocktails
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: New Orleans Cocktails

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

15 Delicata Squash Recipes for the Season

These delicata squash recipes are deliciously fun ways to eat this sweet root veggie! Make it roasted, fries, salads, soups…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These delicata squash recipes are deliciously fun ways to eat this sweet root veggie! Make it roasted, fries, salads, soups and more.

Delicata squash fries

Got delicata squash? This seasonal root vegetable is taking the world by storm. Why? It’s simple to prepare and its flavor is robust, buttery, and sweet. It’s so easy to cook, it gives butternut squash a run for its money! Here are our top delicata squash recipes for the season if you find a few at your farmers market or grocery. It’s so simple to roast, make into fries, and use for soups, salads and more!

But first, what is delicata squash? Delicata squash is an oblong winter squash that is creamy-white to yellow in color, with vibrant green and orange stripes. Delicata has edible skin, making it very easy to cook with no peeling required. The flavor is very sweet, with a rich, moist texture similar to a sweet potato. This type of squash has become popular in the past decade, and you can find it at many mainstream grocery stores and farmers markets.

And now…the top delicata squash recipes!

More squash recipes

Love squash? Here are a few more squash recipes to try:

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Delicata squash fries

15 Delicata Squash Recipes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

The best delicata squash recipe? Fries! These will become a fast favorite, especially with the creamy sauce for dipping.


Ingredients

For the delicata squash fries

  • 2 pounds delicata squash (2 medium to large)*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper

For the sauce

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons Mexican hot sauce (we like Cholula)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried dill

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. Wash the squash. Cut it in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into 1/2-inch half-moon shaped slices.
  3. Place the slices in a bowl. Mix with the olive oil, kosher salt, and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet in a single layer.
  5. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and slightly browned. Eat immediately. (Store leftovers refrigerated and reheat in a 400°F oven.)
  6. While the squash roasts, mix together the sauce ingredients. (Or substitute Lemon Tahini Sauce for a vegan or non-spicy option.)
  7. Serve squash warm from the oven with the sauce.
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Delicata squash recipes, delicata squash recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Our Favorite Cheese Board Combos for Easy Grazing

A cheese board doesn’t need to be some grand act of self-expression. While we adore original, thoughtfully curated partnerships of cheeses, crackers, pickles, and meats, that sort of culinary production can require more effort than we can muster on a h…

A cheese board doesn’t need to be some grand act of self-expression. While we adore original, thoughtfully curated partnerships of cheeses, crackers, pickles, and meats, that sort of culinary production can require more effort than we can muster on a hot summer evening. But the beauty of a cheese board is that it can be defined in many ways—something you painstakingly assemble for a crowd, or a serving instrument that you can use for an easy, snackable meal.

So where to begin? When we’re short on patience and/or creativity, we turn to our archives for grazing inspiration. With comprehensive ingredient lists and step-by-step building instructions, the following recipes are the culinary equivalent of IKEA furniture manuals. That’s a compliment, of course: These blueprints are detailed, easy to follow, and best built with a bottle of wine within reach.

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The Absolute Best Way to Cook… Everything

Since she started writing her column Absolute Best Tests in 2019, Ella Quittner has been fearlessly tackling some of our toughest cooking quandaries. In each installment of the long-running series, she goes to extreme lengths to answer a seemingly simp…

Since she started writing her column Absolute Best Tests in 2019, Ella Quittner has been fearlessly tackling some of our toughest cooking quandaries. In each installment of the long-running series, she goes to extreme lengths to answer a seemingly simple question: What is the best way to make a given dish? Through tests and trials, she applies her painstaking (but also delightfully wry) research to everything from hot dogs to boxed cake mixes—all in the name of making your home cooking experience better and more seamless than ever.

Whether you’re cooking up steaks for a crowd, attempting homemade potato chips for the first time, or looking to refine your repertoire of desserts, we’ve compiled all 41 of Ella’s tests right here.

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25 Tasty Healthy Side Dishes

Here are all the best healthy side dishes to make a complete meal! These easy recipes are colorful, nutritious, and…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Here are all the best healthy side dishes to make a complete meal! These easy recipes are colorful, nutritious, and most of all…delicious.

Healthy side dishes

Looking for nutritious side dishes to go with your meal? It’s easy enough to make a main dish: but finding easy sides to accessorize with it can be tricky! In fact, we spent years going the iceberg lettuce plus ranch route. But guess what? There are hundreds of ideas of colorful, wholesome and unique side dish recipes to add nutrients to your plate.

Here are all the best healthy side dishes to add nutrients to your plate! These recipes use colorful vegetables, whole grains and legumes to add good-for-you ingredients: all while being 100% irresistibly tasty. Let’s get to it!

And now…the top healthy side dishes to try!

Looking for more sides?

We’ve got lots more ideas for wholesome sides to complete your meals! Here are a few more collections of ideas:

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Healthy side dishes

25 Healthy Side Dishes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 7 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

Here’s how to make the best sauteed vegetables: colorful, flavor-packed and crisp tender! It’s at the top of our list of favorite healthy side dishes. 


Ingredients

  • 2 multi-colored bell peppers (we used red and yellow)
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 head broccoli (8 ounces, stem on) 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Thinly slice the peppers. Slice the onion. Cut the carrot into thin rounds, on the bias. Cut the broccoli into small florets.
  2. Toss the vegetables in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the oregano, kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
  3. In large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until tender and lightly charred, stirring occasionally. Taste and add a few pinches of additional salt to taste. Serve immediately. 
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Healthy side dishes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.