Last week, we took a stroll down memory lane and reviewed YOUR Top 15 Favorite Recipes from 2015. It’s a list I compile each year, and I’m always excited (and ultra curious) to crunch the numbers and discover which recipes were your favorites. In addition to looking back at the moments and meals we loved the most, a new year also gives us an excellent reason to look ahead to the 12 fresh months to come. I know that eating more healthfully is at the top of many resolution lists, so today I have a special collection of some of my favorite easy, healthy recipes to kickstart your 2016.
Eating right isn’t confined to a single time of day, and it is just as much a product of time and planning as it is good intentions. For this reason, I’ve included easy, healthy recipes for every meal (including dessert!), and I limited the list to recipes that are reasonably simple to prepare.
No matter your resolutions in 2016, I hope this list gives you fresh recipe inspiration and makes healthy eating easier and more enjoyable too.
Baked “Fried” Chicken. Juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, without the hot mess (and caloric heft) of a deep fryer.
Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole. Your favorite Mexican ingredients baked together in an ooey-gooey casserole that’s packed with protein. Kid-approved and freezer-friendly.
Healthy Chocolate No Bake Cookies. Soft and chewy cookies packed with peanut butter and great big chocolate chunks. These are naturally sweetened with banana, and perfect for lunchboxes or anytime you need your sweet fix, without the extra guilt.
Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches. I make this recipe more than any other on my blog. They’re easy, filling, and positively scrumptious. Avocado and Greek yogurt make these sammies taste ultra creamy and indulgent, but they are fabulous for you!
Healthy Banana Muffins. I’m going to say it: best banana nut muffins of all time. I perfected this recipe while Ben was in law school, and it’s still our favorite. Whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and Greek yogurt make these muffins better for you, and they are super duper moist too.
Healthy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. With flu season ready to strike, you need this recipe. Rotisserie chicken and evaporated milk are my secrets to making a lighter version of this comforting favorite that’s ready in half the time.
Blueberry Pie Smoothies. A protein-packed fruit and oatmeal smoothie that tastes like dessert. One of my favorite smoothie recipes to date!
Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers. I love making these in big batches, then freezing them for quick dinners and lunches on demand. Packed with feta cheese and sundried tomatoes, this recipe has even the most carnivorous of burger lovers raving!
Caprese Chicken Pasta. Gooey mozzarella cheese, pops of cherry tomato, and bright basil combine to create a healthy pasta dinner that even picky eaters can’t resist.
Freezer Breakfast Quesadillas. Packed with protein and super food spinach, these quesadillas can be fully cooked and frozen, and they reheat like a dream. Make a big a batch over the weekend, then microwave them for breakfast on-the-go all week long.
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. A lighter version of the classic, minus the creepy can of cream-of-anything soup.
Perfect Fruit Crisp. I am so in love with this crunchy oat topping, I use it for every fruit crisp I bake. Made with almond meal, coconut, maple syrup, and light olive oil, it’s naturally gluten free, naturally sweetened, and tastes so addictive, I have trouble not eating the entire bowl of it before the crisp is in the oven.
Chicken Quinoa Crockpot Stuffed Peppers. We couldn’t get enough of these! The leftovers are super easy to reheat too, making them perfect for quick weeknight lunches and dinners.
Asian Chicken Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce. Perfect for lunch or dinner, and you are going to want this Thai peanut sauce on everything.
One Pan Cabbage and Sausage Skillet with Rice. As someone who loathes washing dishes, one pan meals hold a special place in my heart. This one-pan winner packs every food group and is filled with flavor too!
10-Minute Black Bean Tostadas. Seriously, I timed it. Have a dinner emergency? These will save the day every time!
I hope this list gives you some new recipes to try this year. You can find even more healthy savory dishes and healthy sweet treats in my recipe index as well.
Don’t forget to check out Your Favorite Recipes of 2015, along with the greatest hits of years past: Top 14 Recipes of 2014; Top 13 recipes of 2013; 10 Healthy Recipes for 2014. Thanks again for making 2015 such a tasty year, and here’s to more easy, healthy recipes to come in 2016!
Hi, since these are all healthy, could you please include the calories and fats ? I’m trying to lose weight and I think others might appreciate it also. Thanks, hope you can help.
Hi Linda! I’m afraid I don’t include the calorie count on any of my recipes for a variety of reasons (you can read about why in more detail on my FAQs: http://www.wellplated.com/faqs/). That said, I know that calorie counting can be important if you are sticking to a diet, so I can happily refer you to myfitnesspal.com, where for free, you can simply plug in a link to the blog post and then the website will populate the nutritional info for you. It also lets you select the exact brands of ingredients you use, so it will be more accurate. I’m sorry I can’t give you an exact answer, but I hope that referral helps!
yum! I’m totally making the avo egg salad for lunch this week! love this round up of healthy recipes Erin!
Those muffins and tostadas look great! Like everyone else, I’m also craving something healthy. Despite my best intentions, I still ate ALL THE GOODIES. Sigh.
will you ever have a hard copy cookbook or just an e book with 12 rcipes
Amy, I don’t have a hardcover book just yet, but if that were ever a project that came to fruition, I promise that my wonderful readers will be the first to know :-)
yum! Now i am fully doing this ova egg cell salad intended for meal that full week! appreciate that round up connected with nutritious formulas Erin! Healthy Recipes