Top 3 Simple and Healthy Meal and Snack Recipes!

Sep 09, 2015 : Nutrition & Health : health, healthy meals, healthy snacks, kids health, nutrition, postpartum health, pregnancy health, whole foods

All of us are pulled in many directions and on the go with our families. This creates challenges when trying to eat healthy.

A few key tips to support your family’s healthy eating include:

• Carve out 1-2 hours over the weekend to prep foods and meals for the week
• Engage the whole family in prepping and making up snacks/meals
• Select recipes that can be easily prepped and frozen; make double (freeze 1 for future and cook up the other during the week)
• Cut up fruit and vegetables, place in baggies or containers for easy “grab and go” snacks
• If you have extra fruits and veggies that will go bad soon, chop them up and place in freezer for future meals and/or different snacks
  • Frozen fruit make fun and different snack options
  • Frozen bananas are great for smoothies
  • Cut up peppers, onions, herbs, etc and place in freezer bag for future recipes
  • Place washed greens (spinach, kale, etc) in freezer bags; they can be used in smoothies or chopped up for soups/stews for future meals

 

Here are a few of my family’s favorites that are quick, easy to prep, and delicious!

SNACKS

Cranberry Almond Butter Bites 

½ cup Rolled Oats

¼ cup Almond Flour

2 Tbsps Flaxseed Meal/Chia Seed Meal

2 Tbsps Raw Honey

½ tsp Vanilla

¼ cup Almond Butter

¼ cup Dark Chocolate Chips (or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Cacao Nibs)

¼ cup Dried Cranberries or Cherries

Directions: Combine oats, almond flour and flax seed in bowl. In separate bowl, stir honey, vanilla and almond butter mixture, chocolate chips, and dried fruit. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping into 1 inch balls. Store covered in the refrigerator.

 

 

Chocolate Mousse

 

1 ripe avocado

2 heaping tablespoons of raw cacao

2 tablespoons agave

1-2 teaspoons of water or coconut water

Raw cacao nibs

Directions: Place all ingredients except for the cacao nibs in a blender, blend until smooth. Place in dish and sprinkle cacao nibs on top. Can also add raspberries on top for additional garnish

 

Banana Almond Butter Rollup

1 banana

Almond Butter or Peanut Butter

Hemp Seeds

1 tortilla (regular or gluten free)

Directions: Spread nut butter on tortilla. Sprinkle hemp seeds onto nut butter, place banana on one end, roll up and then slice.

 

 

DINNER RECIPES

Stuffed Peppers

 

4 red, orange or yellow peppers

1 lb grass fed ground beef or ground turkey

1-2 cups cooked quinoa

1 can tomato sauce

Directions: Cook up the meat and mix in the cooked quinoa along with the tomato sauce. Remove the top and inside of the peppers. Place the mixture within each of the peppers. Either cook at 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes (until pepper is soft) or place in a freezer bag and bring them out when ready to cook and eat.

 

Crockpot Vegetable or Chicken Stew

 

1 cup diced shallots

3 stalks of celery diced

4 carrots diced

1 ½ pounds raw boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks (OPTIONAL)

2 cups diced tomatoes

1 cup water

¼ to ½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tsp herbamare or sea salt

Ground pepper

Directions: Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Can also place in oven instead; place into a covered casserole dish and bake in oven for about 2 ½ hours at 300 degrees.

 

Southwestern Salmon Burgers

 

1 pound skinless salmon fillet

¾ cup almond meal/flour

2 large eggs

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon scallion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground chipotle

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Directions: Rinse the salmon, pat dry, and cut into ¼-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine salmon, almond meal, eggs, bell pepper, cilantro, scallions, salt, cumin, chipotle, and lime juice. Form mixture into 2-inch patties. Heat grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-6 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate & serve.

* Refrigerate burgers for 3 days, freeze for longer. Cook before refrigerating or freezing. Reheat in skillet or oven

 

 

Melanie is the Wellness Coordinator for Willowsong Midwifery Care, a Certified Health Coach (through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and AADP), and more importantly a mom of 3 small children. She is very passionate about empowering moms and children in attaining overall health and wellness and loves supporting Willowsong Families with health classes, free initial prenatal consults, information via blogging and much more! Melanie approaches health from a holistic perspective, meaning that she believes each component of our lives creates our overall health and wellness. You are welcome to connect with Melanie anytime via email (Melanie@Food4Thoughtdm.com).

Please don’t just take Melanie’s experience…as always consult with your medical professional and your own self understanding when making health decision; Melanie is not a medical professional, a nutritionist or dietician. She does not hold a degree in medicine, dietetics, or nutrition. Melanie makes no claim to any specialized medical training, nor does she dispense medical advice or prescriptions. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, preconception or pregnancy health. It is intended to be provided for informational, educational, and self-empowerment purposes ONLY. Please consult with your doctor or wellness team if you have questions and then make your own well-informed decisions based upon what is best for your unique genetics, culture, conditions, and stage of life.