Fully embracing this new year and getting re-inspired in the kitchen! Come January, I like to shift my cooking towards feel good + healthy recipes that make me feel my absolute best. Today I’m sharing 24 of my favorite healthy recipes with you! We’ve got satisfying breakfasts, nourishing salads, flavorful vegetables, cozy soups, and a whole assortment of fresh meat & seafood recipes. Hopefully providing you a ton of inspiration to get cooking.
All of these recipes fall into my own category of “healthy”…balanced dishes that are focused on nourishing + wholesome ingredients, but not restrictive. Lean meats, fresh seafood, whole grains, lots of vegetables, herbs and spices, a little cheese, and some butter here and there because moderation is key in my book.
So getting right into it, I give you 24 healthy recipes to inspire the new year!
Breakfast…
Simple baked eggs with caramelized parsnips, wilted greens, a vibrant walnut pesto, goat cheese, and fresh herbs…a really great weekend brunch option served with some grainy toast and a side of fruit.
Frittatas Two Ways
A frittata base of vegetables, herbs, and garlic used to make two unique frittatas – one with butternut squash, kale, burrata, green onions, and pepitas, and the other with fingerling potatoes, fresh oregano, gruyere, watercress, and radishes.
Homemade naan bread topped with Greek yogurt, poached eggs, spiced chickpeas, a garlic butter walnut sauce, feta cheese, watercress, and dill. This is such a special breakfast that has become one of the most popular recipes on the site!
Salads…
A vibrant, crunchy salad of raw fennel & shaved radish with a tangy citrus, herb-packed vinaigrette. This is my kind of detox salad…bright and refreshing with just a little spice.
Winter Barley Salad with Pine Nut Parmesan Dressing
Probably one of the tastiest recipes I’ve shared on the blog that’s full of hearty barley, roasted and pickled vegetables, and a delicious pine nut parmesan dressing. Perfect for a satisfying lunch and great for leftovers.
Charred Mexican Salad with Pistachio Cumin Vinaigrette
A really fun salad to make alongside some tacos. It’s full of charred vegetables – peppers, carrots, and red onions – and is tossed in a bold pistachio cumin vinaigrette with apple cider vinegar and honey.
Soups…
Thai Coconut Sweet Potato Soup
A creamy sweet potato soup full of Thai-inspired flavor and topped with fried garlic and pomegranate seeds. Eat this as a light lunch or serve with a hearty salad alongside.
Creamy Spiced Cauliflower Soup
Cozy, creamy spiced cauliflower soup meets vibrant chimichurri & pistachio topping. It’s the perfect dish to hold us over until warmer weather, getting us through cold nights with hope of all the bright green things to come!
I’ve made this ribollita soup at least five times already this winter. It’s a tomato-based soup that’s just as cozy as it looks. Packed with nutritious ingredients like dark greens and hearty beans. Grainy bread gets toasted and stirred in, making it even more hearty. I’ll eat this is a full meal, and then heat up leftovers all week long (just add the bread fresh each time you heat the soup instead of stirring it in all at once if you’re going to be eating leftovers).
Another Thai-inspired soup because the flavors are truly crave-worthy during these cold months. Vibrant ginger, lemongrass, coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, and fish sauce keep this soup exciting. With all the warming comfort of a traditional chicken noodle soup. And I’m using brown rice noodles to keep this nice and healthy.
White Bean Turkey Chili
A hearty, flavorful bowl of white bean turkey chili with classic warming spices. I’ll usually skip the cheddar cornbread if I’m just making this for myself during the week. It heats up really well and then you can add all of the toppings fresh. A little Greek yogurt spooned over top works really well if you’re craving sour cream.
Meat & Seafood
Such a flavorful and simple dish that feels much more exciting than your usual chicken. Tomato-braised chicken thighs with caramelized parsnips, fennel, olives, walnuts, and fried rosemary. I love serving this over some whole grain pasta, but on its own is just as good, too.
Fennel Orange Pork Meatballs with Sweet Chili Glaze
If you’re craving LOTS of flavor, these meatballs are for you. Fennel and orange flavored meatballs drizzled with a sweet chili glaze and served with sauteed fennel & radicchio, fresh orange slices, feta cheese, toasted almonds, and herbs.
Sticky Chili Lime Sheet Pan Chicken
An easy weeknight sheet pan chicken recipe bursting with bright flavor. Make a whole pan and serve the chicken with brown rice and some roasted vegetables for a really easy meal. I also love shredding the leftover chicken and using it in salads throughout the week.
I think these lamb chops would make the perfect healthy winter dinner party dish. They’re seared simply and served over a vibrantly spiced yogurt sauce and a crisp fennel slaw on top. Serve this barley salad and these roasted carrots alongside for the most beautiful dinner party menu!
Easy, warming chipotle & pomegranate braised chicken tacos topped with queso fresco and chili peppers. Make these as a fun weeknight meal or when you have people over on a weekend. I think they work well either way! And would be great with that charred Mexican salad…
Crispy Turmeric Chicken with Coconut Chile Rice
If there’s one dish I’d want everyone to try, this is it. I absolutely love the flavors and textures going on here – crispy turmeric-spiced chicken thighs served with sweet + spicy coconut chile rice, pan-roasted chickpeas, and a tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette. SO good.
This is another recipe I think doubles as a weeknight meal and a dinner party dish. Crispy, healthy salmon cakes full of fresh salmon, rye bread, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, dill, and chives. Served with a bright caper yogurt sauce and tangy pickled shallots (optional, but definitely a good idea).
A decadent dish that’s simpler than it may look – seared scallops, creamy celery puree (that’s as easy as cooking the celery root in a pot with other flavors and then blending it all up), and sauteed bok choy. Simply the healthiest of ingredients.
Crispy-Skinned Sea Bass with Spicy Tomato Butter
While tomatoes aren’t in season…I don’t mind using them in the winter if you are going to be cooking them. They sweeten as they’re sauteed. And yes, this dish has butter…but it’s can be used as sparingly as desired and everything in moderation, right? I myself still cook with a little butter here and there when eating healthy. All that being said, this sea bass was too good not to include in this round-up!
Vegetables…
A very tasty way to eat beets – roasted until caramelized and then served over creamy yogurt and topped with blood oranges, pistachios, olives, and fried rosemary oil.
I find roasted cauliflower bland and boring on its own… but served with muhammara (which is a red pepper & walnut dip that I’m using as a base here) and a tangy olive relish? There’s truly nothing like it.
Roasted Carrots with Scallion Vinaigrette
Beautifully roasted carrots tossed in a scallion vinaigrette and topped with juicy raisins, salty feta cheese, and roasted hazelnuts. I think it’s one of the best combinations to come out of my kitchen! Add this on as a side dish to just about any protein.
A Christmas side dish that doubles as a healthy January recipe! Simple, very flavorful beans and broccolini with wilted red chard, crispy shallots, pistachios, parmesan, and a lemony parsley sauce.
I hope I’ve inspired you with these healthy recipes to go plan some amazing meals, pick up some good ingredients, and get in the kitchen! If you make any of these dishes, make sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re cooking. Happy January!
