Healthy Recipes for the Year Ahead

Establishing a planned meal pattern for yourself and your family is an excellent way to support the health and wellbeing of your household. Still, it can be hard to come up with food ideas that tick all the boxes. In this article, you will find some healthy recipes that combine flavor with nutrition so that you never have a boring meal to eat. These meals can also be frozen and used later on.  

Slow Cooked Ratatouille 

For a healthy and delicious recipe that originates in the culinary capital of France, make sure to eat plenty of ratatouille this year. Ratatouille is made from tomato, garlic, onion, courgette, and aubergine, along with bell peppers, leafy greens, and herbs. All of this is stewed together until it becomes a rich, dark thick sauce that is healthy and works nicely with rice and a glass of wine.   

Slow-cooked ratatouille is simple to make; all you have to do is chop some vegetables and put them in the slow cooker with some tomato sauce. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you can make more or less of this favorite food that’s perfect for any season of the year. Remember, ratatouille is also an ideal food to freeze and use for lunches and healthy fast food.    

Lentil Bolognese 

When it comes to eating and meal planning, you need to make sure you get enough nutrients into your diet. Conventional bolognese contains plenty of vegetables and herbs to keep your body functioning properly, but it makes sense to get the most value out of your food at the same time. Lentil bolognese is the best option by far since lentils are considered a world superfood. 

Lentils are legumes; they have a moderate calorie value and contain high levels of protein and dietary fiber. If you want to turn your spaghetti bolognese into a superfood this year, don’t forget to create a lentil sauce for the pasta. A lentil sauce is simple to make; it is also highly nutritious and very inexpensive. Not only that but creating a lentil sauce instead is delicious and different. 

Instant Pot Collard Greens 

Collard greens are a variety of leafy greens in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower. These vegetables tend to have large green leaves and tough stems; they are also packed full of nutritious value, making them one of the best superfoods to include in your diet. But there’s a snag because very few people want to eat tough leafy greens unless they are nicely cooked. 

The best way to cook these super vegetables is in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Heating collard greens in this way make them soft and bring out their flavor and nutrition. Collard vegetables make the perfect side to an evening meal; they can also be eaten alone with some bacon to flavor. Here’s a recipe for pressure cooking collard greens at dadcooksdinner.com

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie 

When you cook meals for yourself or your household, you want to make them delicious and lasting; that’s why we’ve included vegan shepherd’s pie on the list. A vegan shepherd’s pie is easy to make, there is no meat to buy or prep, and you can guarantee that your family is getting their 5-a-day. A vegan shepherd’s pie is also easy to store in the freezer and eat on the move. 

This warming vegan recipe is made using porcini mushrooms, leeks and carrots, butternut squash, and topped with crispy potatoes. Vegan shepherd’s pie is a low-calorie meal, low fat, and ideal for any time of the year. Whether you are on a healthy kick at the moment or you simply want to improve the diet and nutrition of your family, vegan shepherd’s pie is the answer. 

Veggie Soups 

Don’t forget about veggie soups. Veggie soups come in all varieties; there is the standard mixed vegetable broth, spiced carrot or spiced tomato soup, minestrone soup, and many more. Again, veggie soups are simple to make with excellent nutritional value; they are also in season throughout the year and are perfect for a healthy lunch or a starter. It is perfect for all the family. 

Sometimes soup can be a little thin and not filling enough for a growing family, but there are options. If you want to turn a soup meal into something more substantial, all you have to do is add some lentils, some noodles, or some yeast flakes to fill it out. Bread is also an excellent accompaniment to yoru soup meals. Get creative in the kitchen this year and see the difference.