#healthyrecipes

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is a common southern American dish. It is traditionally cooked over a fire, but more commonly in a slow cooker these days.  Try this recipe on a bun with some coleslaw, or on its own with some side dishes.  It is a great dish to make for a large group or ahead of time if you have a busy week ahead.

Serves: 12

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 8 hrs

What You Need:

•14 oz. (400g) can diced tomatoes 

•1 tbsp. chili powder 

•1 tsp. cumin 

•1 tsp. salt 

•1 tsp. chipotle chili paste 

•1 tsp. garlic powder 

•½ tsp. onion powder 

•⅓ cup (80ml) apple cider vinegar 

•⅓ cup (113g) honey 

•2.6 lb. (1.2kg) pork shoulder 

What You Need To Do:

Place all ingredients except the pork into the base of your slow cooker and stir until well combined. Add in the pork shoulder and turn a few times to coat the pork thoroughly in the sauce. Cook on the low setting of your slow cooker for 8 hours. 

Once cooked, place pork shoulder in a bowl. Remove and discard the fat using tongs, then shred the meat using two forks. 

Add cooking juices to the shredded pork, according to preference. Or simply return the pork to the slow cooker and mix well.  

Once cooled the pork can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition per serving:

166 kcal         

4g Fats

9g Carbs         

23g Protein

0g Fiber

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Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry

I love a good chicken stir fry.  When I’m rushed I will resort to store-bought sauces, but this one is super easy to make and you could make a big batch ahead of time to throw in the pan when you are cooking. Also fresh ginger and garlic always taste better than store bought. Spread this over some brown rice (or white rice if you are in a rush) and you have a nutritious and delicious mid-week dinner.  And make sure you make extra for leftovers!

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 5 mins 

What You Need:

•2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce 

•2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar 

•1 ½ tbsp. sesame oil 

•2 tsp. coconut sugar  

•12 oz. (340g) chicken breast, cut into strips 

•2 tbsp. ginger, finely chopped  

•2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

•3 tbsp. olive oil 

•8 oz. (230g) bok choy, trimmed and sliced 

•2 leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 

•1 cup (30g) bean sprouts 

•¼ tsp. chili flakes 

•​salt and pepper 

What You Need to Do:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Pour half the mixture over the chicken, along with half the ginger and half the garlic. Let the chicken sit for 20 minutes to marinate. 

Heat a large pan over high heat, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and add the chicken. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer onto a plate. Set aside. 

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the bok choy and cook 1 minute. Then add in the leeks, bean sprouts and chili flakes. Cook, for a further minute until the bok choy and leeks are tender.  

Stir in the rest of the marinade and season with salt. Move the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the remaining ginger and garlic to the centre of the pan and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.  

Return the chicken to the pan and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Heat for 1 more minute and then take off the heat. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition per serving:

288 kcal          

18g Fats

11g Carbs         

22g Protein

2g Fiber

Egg and Tuna Breakfast Salad

This is a great way to get your protein in the morning.  You can switch it up by using salmon instead of tuna which will give you more Omega-3 fats and change up the taste. Swap the radishes for potato, celery or broccoli if that’s your thang.

This recipe can definitely be made ahead of time and will keep for a few days.  Great for a quick and easy protein-filled breakfast.

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins 

What You Need:•4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped •1 can tuna in brine (about 5 oz./150g), drained •5 radishes, diced •3 tbsp. mayonnaise •2 tbsp. tomato ketchup •2 tsp. Dijon mustard •2 tbsp. parsley, chopped •salt and pepper  What You Need to Do:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread or mixed salad. 

Nutrition per serving:

218 kcal           

16g Fats

2g Carbs         

17g Protein

0g Fiber 

Curried Cauliflower and Lentil Soup

With the change of seasons come unpredictable weather.  With weather changes, it is nice to snuggle in for a nice warm bowl of soup at the end of the day. I love a good lentil soup and this one has cauliflower for added nutrition and creaminess. If you don’t have any yellow curry paste, you can easily substitute it for curry powder or cumin.

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

What You Need:

•1 yellow onion, chopped

•1 cauliflower head

•2 tsp. fennel seeds

•1 cup. (190g) red lentils, dry

•3 tbsp. yellow curry paste

*salt and pepper

*2 tbsp. olive oil

What You Need To Do:

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 

Separate the cauliflower head into small florets. Drizzle ¼ of the cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with 1 teaspoon of the fennel seeds and salt and  pepper. Place in a roasting dish and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot, adding the chopped onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion has softened. Add in the remaining cauliflower and lentils to the pan. Stir in the curry paste and add in 1 litre of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and lentils are cooked.

In the meantime, place the roasting dish with cauliflower into the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until browned. 

Once soup is cooked, blitz it with a hand blender until smooth and creamy. To serve, divide the soup between bowls and top with the roasted cauliflower.

Easy Baked Carrot Fritters

Looking for a new way to cook your carrots?  These are super easy and a great, quick snack or as s side dish.  They can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

They are great dipped in hummus!


Makes: 10
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins 

What You Need:

•4 medium carrots, grated

•1 small egg

•4 tbsp. all-purpose flour

•1 clove garlic, minced

•1 tsp. ground cumin

*salt and pepper 

What You Need to Do:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Take a heaped tablespoon of the batter and place it on the baking tray, flatten slightly with your hand to form a round shaped fritter.

Bake the fritters for 12 minutes, then turn them over and bake for a further 12 minutes on the other side until golden. 

Serve hot or cold. These fritters can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days.

Enjoy on their own or dipped in hummus!

Healthy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Brownies

Seriously, who doesn’t want a healthy brownie recipe?!? You definitely have to try these out.  I love a good brownie, especially when I know they are packed with nutrients and not just empty calories.

If you don’t like nuts, or you want to send these to school with your kids, either skip the walnuts, or add in pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead so you still get some extra protein and good fats. You can also use coconut oil instead of olive oil. Enjoy!

Serves: 12
Prep: 15 mins 
Cook: 50 mins  

What You Need:

-9 oz. (250g) sweet potato
-1 14oz. (400g) can black beans, drained
-½ cup (60g) walnuts
-3.5 oz (100g) coconut sugar
-1 bar dark chocolate, chopped

*3 tbsp. olive oil 

What You Need to To:

Peel, chop and boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft. Set aside to cool. 

Heat the oven to 360°F (180°C) and prepare an 11×7-inches (28x18cm) baking tin lined with baking paper.

Place the cooled sweet potatoes, black beans, walnuts, sugar and chocolate into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Next add in the olive oil and blitz again. 

Transfer the batter into the baking tin and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack, before cutting into 12 squares. Store in an airtight container and try not to eat them all at once😁.

Protein Porridge/Oatmeal

There is nothing better than hot oatmeal on a cool morning. Honestly, I eat it all year round no matter the temperature. It is delicious and filling and a great way to get protein in the morning.  Mix up the recipe with different fruits and nuts.  Apples and berries are great additions to this recipes.  You can swap the walnuts for pecans which offer a sweeter taste.  Or add in some pumpkin or sunflower seeds.  Although banana and apple will usually make this dish sweet enough, you can add some honey or maple syrup to make it a bit more indulgent.  Enjoy!

Serves: 1 
Prep: 5 mins 
Cook: 5 mins

What You Need:

1/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cups almond, pea or dairy milk
1/2 banana sliced
3 Tbsp walnuts (or other nuts and seeds to taste)

Options:
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
1/3 cup berries
1/2 apple cut into small pieces
1 tsp cinnamon

What You Need To Do:

In a small pot add in the milk, oats and nut and seeds. Cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the protein powder until well combined.

Top with the sliced banana or berries. Add any desired sweetener. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Granola Recipe

Granola is a super delicious breakfast option and great to have with yogurt and berries or even just on its own as a snack.  This is a very simple recipe, but you can certainly mix it up with some seeds such as pumpkin, chia or sunflower.  And more nut options include pecans, almonds and hazelnuts.  Experiment and find out what mix you prefer. Once you find your perfect recipe, make a really big batch and store it in glass jars in the pantry so that you have it ready for a quick breakfast in the morning.

You can add this granola to the strawberry smoothie bowl recipe.


Serves: 16 
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins

What you Need:

•2 cups (160g) rolled oats

•1 cup (115g) walnuts, chopped

•1 tbsp. cinnamon

•4 tbsp. almond butter

•½ cup maple syrup


*salt


What you Need to Do:

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

Mix the oats, walnuts and cinnamon in a large bowl, adding a pinch of salt. 

Next, add the almond butter and maple syrup, mix until well combined and sticky.

Spread the mixture evenly over the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes on the middle shelf in the oven. Remove the tray, stir the mixture to break it up a little and place back in the oven to cook for a further 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the tray from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled down store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Chickpea Bruschetta Recipe

I have to admit I do love a good chickpea recipe.  Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are delicious and also contain protein, fibre, folate, manganese, and even some iron, phosphorus and copper.  If you love chickpeas, then this is a great recipe and a delicious and easy alternative to hummus.

Serves 2
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins

What You Need:

•2 slices bread, toasted

•1 cup (165g) chickpeas, drained

•1 tbsp. tahini

•½ cup (75g) cherry tomatoes, quartered

•1 tbsp. parsley, chopped 

*1 tbsp. olive oil

*1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

*salt and pepper 

What You Need to Do:

Toast the bread on both sides.

Place the chickpeas in a small bowl with the vinegar and tahini. Mash with a fork and, season with salt and pepper.

Combine the tomatoes, parsley and olive oil in a small bowl. Spread the chickpea mixture over the toasted bread. Top with the tomatoes and serve immediately.

Optional: Squeeze a lemon wedge over to taste

Quinoa, Beef and Zucchini Burgers (Bun Optional😁)

With the start of Spring in Australia people also start to look for more summer foods such as burgers! This is a great recipe to give you some veggies with your burgers in case they get missed as a side dish😳.  I know it happens.  So hide some veggies in there where no one can see them and know your family is having a complete meal all in one.  Add some seasoning of your choice to mix it up!

Makes 8

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 10 mins

What you need:

•1 zucchini, grated

•14 oz. (400g) lean, ground beef

•1 cup (185g) quinoa, cooked

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1 egg, beaten

*1 tsp. salt and pepper

*2 tbsp. olive oil

What you need to do:

Grate the zucchini and squeeze out any excess moisture using some clean kitchen towel. 

Transfer the zucchini into a bowl. Add the beef, quinoa, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Combine all the ingredients together using clean hands. 

Form the mixture into 8 patties. Heat a part of the oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat, and cook the burgers 5-6 minutes each side. They can also be cooked on the BBQ.

The burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.