Eating healthy may not be as convenient as buying pre-packaged meals, but it sure is worth the extra time and effort. A recipe doesn't have to contain 25 exotic ingredients to be healthy, either -- toning it down and simplifying makes healthy cooking much easier. In many cases, five ingredients are all you need to create fresh, healthy meals that will leave you satisfied. The basic premise is to include all of the food groups throughout the day, and eat foods as close to their natural state as possible.
Breakfast
Nutritionist Harley Pasternak recommends filling an egg white omelet with broccoli and nonfat cheese, adding a dash of low-sodium seasoning, and eating it with four slices of whole-grain toast. Top a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries, blueberries, walnuts and low-fat milk for a hearty meal with an antioxidant boost, or mix up a fruit salad with bananas, apples, pears, mango and pineapple for a tropically refreshing start to the day.
Lunch
Make a salad with mixed greens and red onion, and top it with pecans, chicken breast and a low-fat berry dressing. Alternatively, mix up a batch of soup using chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, mushrooms, cannellini beans and turkey breast, and package it into serving-size containers so you can just grab it and go. A heartier option is to combine orzo, asparagus, salmon and red onion, and top it with a lemon-dill vinaigrette for a dish that can be eaten hot or cold.
Dinner
Nutritionist Melanie Thomassian bakes fish fillets with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill and black pepper for a quick meal that's ready for the oven in five minutes. You may also choose to layer lasagna noodles with low-fat ricotta, spinach, onion and garlic to go vegetarian for a night. Try an exotic recipe -- marinate chicken breasts in yogurt and curry powder, then grill and serve with brown rice and cucumber slices.
Snacks
Combine drained chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a blender to make hummus and serve it with carrot sticks or other fresh veggies, or blend Greek yogurt, fat-free sour cream, seeded cucumber, dill and white pepper for a cooler, more refreshing vegetable dip. Chop tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro to make a salsa that you can use as a dip or a topping, or mix rolled oats, crisp rice, almond slivers, flax seed and honey and bake until crispy for homemade granola bars.
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