Fresh food for a fresh start.
Need to pivot from heavy holiday fare? It’s time to look forward to a new year and a new start. Here are 18 healthy recipe ideas. Let 2022 mean a wellness-focused New Years. (Updated 2022.)
The Best Healthy Recipe Ideas 2022
We should all eat a nourishing, balanced diet all year long. But frankly, that window between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve can usually mean a (big) downward slide straight to “Ugh, what happened?” town. Of course, we know exactly what happened: pie! cookies! sweet potatoes! buttered rolls! casseroles! wine! beef tenderloin!
Thankfully, these healthy recipes will help you jumpstart a clean new year for 2022. These wellness-focused recipes below have you covered, from healthy breakfast and snacks to delicious, nourishing dinners.
You’ll also like: 7 Pumpkin + Winter Squash Recipes and Rosemary White Bean Soup
Clean and Healthy Breakfast Recipe Ideas
The most important meal of the day just got even tastier, with whole-grain healthy breakfasts, green juice, and a fantastic scrambled egg dish. Healthy recipe ideas in 2022 start with breakfast, the most important meal of the day.
Yoga Retreat Baked Oatmeal
A nourishing, creamy, wonderfully satisfying baked oatmeal for breakfast, adapted from the renowned Kripalu Center.
Multigrain English Porridge
A homey, wholesome breakfast bowl.
Kale + Pineapple Smoothie
Because sometimes you just need all the fruit and vegetables, all at once. This green smoothie tastes just sweet enough, and will keep you full all morning long.
Soft-Scrambled Eggs With Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
This breakfast only tastes rich and creamy, but is actually healthy and filled with nourishing, earthy mushrooms and tangy goat cheese.
Clean and Healthy Recipes: Snacks + Sides
Edamame and Parsley Hummus
A tasty mash that packs a protein punch while tasting light and satisfying.
Fried Crispy Chickpeas
When done right, beans and legumes make truly satisfying — and even delicious — snacks or meals. At the top of my list of great bean recipes is this one for fried crispy chickpeas.
Spicy Broken Cucumber Salad with Scallions and Cilantro
A quick, no-cook salad with a little spice, and a lot of crunch.
Roasted Carrots With Citrus and Avocado
This roasted carrot avocado salad recipe is beyond good. There’s just no other way to describe it. More like a salad-inspired roasted carrot side dish than a traditional salad, this recipe is a centerpiece vegetable dish.
Clean and Healthy Lunch and Dinner Recipes
Healthy lunch ideas and healthy dinner ideas offer tons of diverse possibilities, from cozy soups and stews to centerpiece main dishes. Here are some wellness-focused recipes for later in the day.
Healing Ayurvedic Kitchari Recipe (Kichidi)
An easy kitchari (kitchidi) recipe, grounded in Ayurveda. This wholesome, one-pot dinner with chickpeas and vegetables tastes wonderfully satisfying, and promotes deep wellness.
Vegetarian French Lentil Soup
Warming and satisfying, this vegetarian or vegan lentil soup recipe is on heavy rotation at my house all winter long.
Homemade Miso Soup
Who knew it was this easy to make your own miso soup? Get this homemade recipe, full of light umami goodness.
The Best Chicken Soup
Nothing checks all the boxes of nourishing, feel-good food like a great bowl of chicken soup. Here is my perfected recipe, made with a whole chicken.
Miso-Marinated Black Cod
Nobu restaurant’s famous recipe, adapted into a fresh, family-style fish dinner. Sweet, umami, and easy to make.
Japanese Salmon Rice Bowls
These healthy Japanese salmon rice bowls take inspiration from salmon onigiri, but expand the flavors into a full, well-rounded dinner featuring fresh salmon, rice, nori, edamame, and seasoning. You’ll learn how to make authentic sushi rice, too.
Native American Wild Rice Sauté With Sweet Potato
A nourishing and special dish from an award-winning Native American chef. One of the healthiest recipes on the site.
Fresh Salmon Burgers With Herb Tzatziki
A flavorful, fresh recipe for healthy homemade salmon burgers, topped with a nutritious, herby sauce.
Light and Healthy Dessert Recipes
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Granitas
The bright, fresh dessert that requires little more than orange juice and a fork.
A Nice Fruit Plate
Simple — with no cooking at all. What could be better, easier, or more health-focused? Here are the pro tips for making your fruit plate stand out and be extra beautiful.
Enjoy these best, healthy recipe ideas 2022. What healthy recipes do you plan on making in the new year? Tell us!
Easy Ayurvedic Kitchari (Kitchidi)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons ghee or neutral vegetable oil
- 4 1/2 cups cold water
- 2 15-ounce cans unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups small-diced carrots (about 5 medium carrots)
- 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (about 5 medium stalks)
- 1 large onion, diced small
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 5 pods)
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 1/2 to 4 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and halved
- 2 large handful washed baby spinach leaves (optional)
- 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced, to finish
- cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, cumin powder, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric. Bloom the spices in the oil for about one minute, until bubbling and fragrant.
- Stir in the rice and chickpeas. Add the water, carrots, celery, onion, ginger, and 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 50 minutes (less for white rice).
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add a generous squirt of lemon juice, taste for seasoning, and add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, if desired.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves.
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