favorite good-for-you meals

I'm sure some of us have made a list of things we'd like to improve upon in the new year. No doubt one of the things on the list is to start eating better. I've noticed that my body feels better and I have a lot more energy when I eat right, and I've done pretty well in the last year. You will find a VERY healthy dose of sweets here on my blog, but I try really hard to balance all that out with meals that are good for my body. Below you'll find a list of the recipes I loved in 2013, and it's my plan to feature some of these delicious recipes (and how I tweak them to my taste) on the blog this coming year. Now if I could just start drinking more water….

First up, breakfast tacos from shutterbean. Charred mini tortillas stuffed with fluffy scrambled eggs, green onions, tangy sharp white cheddar, spicy Tobacco sauce, and creamy avocado. I seriously can't get enough of these tacos. They are perfect for breakfast and keep me full all morning. Plus, avocado in anything always makes me a huge fan.

Another one of my favorite breakfasts! A quinoa-berry breakfast bowl from Camille Styles. Quinoa has replaced oatmeal for me as far as hot cereal is concerned. This recipe is sweet and satisfying, but really versatile since you can add whichever toppings you want. 

This, my internet friends, is a blueberry cheesecake protein shake from Dashing Dish. I love these as a snack after work or after going to the gym, but they would also be great as a breakfast option. Katie over at Dashing Dish has some really delicious protein shake recipes, but this one by far is my absolute favorite. 

Moving along to lunch, this autumn cobb salad from Yes, I want cake, is one of my favorite lunches. The recipe uses arugula as the base for the salad, but I love this with butter lettuce (which is easier for me to find). It's got some well balanced flavors including a sweet honeycrisp apple, toasted pecans, and a smoky dressing. I usually make this salad on Sunday night and store them in mason jars for the remainder of the week. Mix your dressing in a separate container and dress your salad at work so everything stays crunchy. 

When I discovered this protein-packed egg salad recipe from Dashing Dish I had never tried egg salad and I was really skeptical. However, this egg salad is quite possibly my favorite lunch option. It truly keeps me satisfied until dinner and it's SO delicious. The recipe uses 2 egg whites, and a whole egg, tangy greek yogurt (which is the most delicious and genius addition EVER), whole grain mustard, and bacon. That's right people….B A C O N. Toast yourself some whole grain bread to eat this with and be transported to healthy lunch heaven. It's so yummy it totally deserves the over dramatic description. 

Yes, that is creamy mac and cheese as a healthy lunch option! Know what's even better? It's a slow cooker recipe! So, you throw all the ingredients into your crock pot the night before and dish out a nice serving into a microwave safe container to take with you to work. Nailed it! This recipe is also from Katie at Dashing Dish - she loves Jesus and you can tell she has such a sweet spirit from just reading her words. I'd like to be real life friends with her. 

Baked whole wheat chicken nuggets from Simply Scratch. When I saw these I immediately ran to the kitchen to make them. Unfortunately, all I had on hand was a frozen salmon fillet and some rice krispies so these didn't happen. These would be perfect for a week-night dinner. Do it!

Behold, the beginning of stuffed foods for dinner! Apparently, in 2013 I stuffed my face with a lot of stuffed foods. Fantastic. First up (that's a lot of words that start with 'f'), broccoli-cheese stuffed sweet potatoes. Now, before you get all offended that I'm adding a cheese-sauce smothered vegetable to my healthy foods list, let me explain. This cheese-sauce is also healthy because it's a white bean puree with a little bit of yummy cheese and some water to make it the right delicious, creamy consistency. Of course, you don't HAVE to make the cheese sauce this way, but if you're weirded out, believe me, it's delicious. Tangy cheese sauce, with the bite of broccoli, in the creamy sweet potato is perfect. Ugh. So good!

Need a quick, delicious weeknight dinner? I suggest these buffalo chicken stuffed peppers from Dashing Dish (I know, I just love her food!) These are pretty self explanatory, and if the title didn't make your mouth water, you need to get that checked out immediately. So yum, and Katie provides both a stovetop method and a crockpot method. Crock pots for the win!

I'm pretty sure I ate these chicken fajita rice bowls from Simply Scratch every night in March and April. And, this is my favorite meal of all time. Get ready because these are layered with flavors and it makes A LOT. Start your bowl with cilantro-lime rice (substitute brown rice for an even healthier dinner), add sautéed onions and peppers, then add grilled corn, and a healthy serving of grilled marinated chicken. Finish with chopped avocado and light sour cream or greek yogurt. Eat it for dayssss and then make more. 

One last stop on the stuffed foods for dinner train! I present the philly cheesesteak baked potato from skinny taste. Steak, peppers, onions, and mushrooms get sautéed in olive (or coconut) oil. Place that yummy concoction on a crispy-skinned baked potato, and broil a thin slice of provolone cheese over the top. Think this is decadent? Nope…only 390 calories per potato. Yummy and good for you!

I'm finishing this list with one of my favorite sides: roasted marinated broccoli from simply scratch. I like this recipe so much that I will often eat it for dinner all by itself, but it's really good with fish or chicken…or anything really. Marinate two heads of broccoli in oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, whole-grain mustard, and salt and pepper. Roast until the broccoli is tender with a little bit of a bite, and you've got yourself a fantastic side dish. I usually add red pepper flake or chipotle pepper to mixture to give it a little smoky kick. 

Just so you know. I started craving the egg salad while writing about it. So, I started my eggs while I wrote the rest of this post. While I was up, I realized I hadn't eaten all day and thought it would be good to eat half a bag of lay's potato chips while my healthy dinner was being made. What a weirdo. 

**These photos aren't mine - please see the original posts that I have linked for the recipes.