We love to cook and eat and travel for food, but sometimes we need to lighten things up! So, I’m sharing my favorite healthier recipes that I love to make when we feel like eating a little lighter and healthier. I’m sharing healthy dinner, side dish, breakfast, and even dessert recipes for you to browse in this post. I hope you find some new lightened-up recipes to try.
Main Dishes
Here are five easy main dish recipes that are lightened-up and so delicious. These are some of our favorites we love to make when we’re trying to eat healthier. All of these recipes can be made ahead which makes eating healthier so much easier. If you want more ideas be sure to check out my meal prep recipes.
One Pot Fajita Zucchini Noodles | A lighter and low carb version of fajita pasta using zucchini noodles. Everything cooks in one pan for easy clean-up.
Avocado Buddha Bowls | These healthy and nourishing Buddha bowls contain a medley of quinoa, vegetables, fresh avocados, and a creamy avocado dressing.
Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken | You can have chicken teriyaki with vegetables for dinner in about 30 minutes. Everything cooks on one sheet pan for easy clean-up.
Tuna Lettuce Wraps | These tuna lettuce wraps are an easy and healthy meal that you can prep ahead for lunches or dinners during the week. You might like my tuna salad stuffed avocados, too.
Bruschetta Chicken Zucchini Noodles | This bruschetta chicken zucchini dish is low carb, easy, and ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect summer meal.
Side Dishes
I love to make healthy vegetable side dishes but I don’t like to sacrifice on flavor so here are some of my favorite side dishes I make on repeat. I hope you find a few to try!
Roasted Garlic Parmesan Carrot Noodles | Carrots are spiralized, tossed with a simple herb and cheese blend and then roasted for a few minutes to create a very simple and delicious vegetable dish.
Cauliflower Rice | My favorite healthy side dish is cauliflower rice. It tastes great and you can flavor it in so many different ways. In this post, I show you how to make plus I share tons of recipes for different flavors and variations. There’s basically cauliflower rice to go with every main dish!
Ranch Roasted Asparagus | This roasted asparagus is seasoned with a homemade ranch seasoning mix made up of common pantry herbs and spices. It’s a tasty and easy side dish. I also have a ranch roasted carrots recipe you might like to try, too.
Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash | Spaghetti squash tossed in garlic butter and grated Parmesan cheese is a delicious low-carb side dish.
Quinoa Fried Rice | This healthier fried rice is made with quinoa instead of white rice. It’s an easy, delicious meal. And you get all the great nutritious benefits of eating quinoa.
Breakfast Recipes
I love breakfast and when I’m trying to eat lighter these are the recipes I love to make. Smoothie bowls, creative oatmeal recipes and savory egg muffins are always a great way to start the day off right.
Acai Bowls | Acai is a superfruit and is perfect for making smoothie bowls. You can top it with fresh fruit, granola, and nuts for a healthy and refreshing breakfast. Pitaya bowls are another healthy smoothie bowl we love to make, too.
Blueberry Coconut Chia Pudding | Chia seeds are another superfood and when you mix them with milk they thicken it to a pudding-like consistency. I like to dress up chia pudding with blueberries and coconut. It’s a really easy breakfast recipe you can make ahead.
Egg White Muffins | These egg muffins are an easy and healthy breakfast. They are low carb and less than 50 calories per muffin. They can be made ahead of time for your weekly meal prep too.
Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cups | These chewy oatmeal cups are easy to make and a healthy breakfast you can make ahead. They freeze well and are perfect for meal prep.
Sweet Avocado Smoothie | This creamy avocado smoothie is made with just four simple ingredients and no additional fruit, letting the avocado flavor shine through. It is a healthier version of a popular Vietnamese shake. You might like my avocado smoothie bowl, too.
Desserts
I don’t think you should have to give up dessert if you’re cutting back on calories. You just need to put a healthy spin on the recipes. These healthier dessert recipes are just a few that I love to make!
2-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse | This rich chocolate mousse doesn’t contain egg yolks, heavy cream, or the other fattening ingredients usually found in a chocolate mousse recipe, but you’d never guess! It’s so rich and chocolatey no one will even know it’s a healthy version made with just two ingredients. I also have a creamy chocolate pudding that’s made in a similar way!
Easy Banana Oatmeal Cookies | These 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies are delicious breakfast cookies. They don’t contain any flour or refined sugar, but they still taste like soft, sweet cookies.
Mascarpone Stuffed Strawberries | Stuffed strawberries are an easy dessert that is light and fresh. Each one is stuffed with creamy mascarpone cheese and topped with a blueberry. You might like my cheesecake stuffed strawberries, too.
Skinny Cookies and Cream Mug Cake | This single-serving cookies and cream cake is just 4 ingredients and less than 200 calories. It’s ready in less than 5 minutes!
Low Fat Pound Cake | This lightened-up pound cake is made with pureed cottage cheese which gives the cake a lot of moisture. You’d never guess that this isn’t a regular full-fat cake!
