Before you can declare "New year, new you," consider starting your journey with some new recipes! Trade in the junk food for quality protein and top-notch healthy ingredients with these treats, breakfasts, and meals!
1. Strawberry Banana Protein Bake
This oatmeal protein bake is absolutely bomb! It's a healthier version of banana bread to easily satisfy your sweet tooth while delivering just enough protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Once you've mastered the basic recipe, try flavoring it with a variety of fruits. Even the kids will love it!
2. Kicked-Up Breakfast Scramble
Take your breakfast game to the next level with this easy, flavorful. The eggs in this breakfast offer up 24 grams of a quality protein—and all in just 10 minutes of prep.
3. Banana Pancakes
Gone are the days when the almighty pancake was simply a vessel for delivering same carbohydrates found in seven slices of bread. Now, a generous waterfall of (sugar-free) pancake syrup cascading down a full stack of protein-infused pancakes means satisfying flavor and muscle-building power.
4. Healthy Protein French Toast
Give French toast an extra muscle-building kick with this sweet breakfast recipe that's high in protein and big on flavor! Making protein French toast is extremely easy and simple: Just whisk a few very basic ingredients together, dunk in your bread of choice, warm up a nonstick pan with a bit of coconut oil or low-calorie cooking spray, and you're done. Simple, quick, and delicious!
5. Texas Gold Rush Chicken Breast
This recipe melds sweet and savory in a dish that will brighten up your plate and palate. This dish is dubbed "the gold rush" because of its yellow-orange color, but it's also a muscle-building recipe worth its weight in gold. It's easy to make in large batches and can always be customized to meet your goals. The best part? The hint of cinnamon-infused sweetness will be enough to curb your post-workout cravings without thwarting your progress.
6. Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry
Who doesn't love a good curry dish? If you don't, you may have just not tried the right one. If you're not already reaping the benefits of curry, which include blood sugar control, heart health, and the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric, it's time to get on board. When plain chicken just won't do, add this spin on a traditional Indian favorite to your list.
7. High-Protein, Low-Carb Mac And Cheese Sauce
This was a big hit this year. Carbs are a go-to guilty pleasure for most people—and if those carbs are covered in a cheesy sauce, all the better! But if you're looking to lean out and are cutting grains and starches, you know that every gram counts. Rather than pine away for what you can't have, why not make a macro-friendly meal that you can enjoy?
The answer to your dilemma is to make your own sauce! Pour this cheesy concoction over some low-carb pasta and see how thinking outside of the box can deliver a dish that's good for you and taste-bud-pleasing!
8. Macro-Friendly Hungarian Beef Goulash
Nothing's more comforting than sitting down to a bowl of warm protein-rich dish like this on a cool day! Serve it over pasta, with your carb of choice, or on its own. Looking to give your dish some added flair? Throw carrots, parsnips, or potatoes into the mix.
9. 3-Bean Turkey Chili
When most people think of eating healthfully, one of the first options to come to mind is a salad. But don't overlook a hearty, filling bowl of chili! This dish can be conveniently prepared in a single pot and be geared to both meat eaters and vegetarians. Prepare your chili on a Sunday for the entire family to enjoy, or save it to savor throughout the week!
10. Healthy Grilled Salmon With Sweet Or Smokey Glaze
Fire up your grill and get ready for gains by cooking up one of the wild kings of protein and healthy fats: the salmon. Pair with a savory smoky sriracha sauce or a wet pineapple glaze to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whichever sauce you choose, you really can't go wrong!
11. Brown Rice Spring Rolls
You don't need carb-filled pastry dough to make a wicked spring roll. Opt for this lower-carb version that uses transparent wrappers to really make your food the star of the dish. Play up the fun of eating with your eyes by using colorful veggies—with green avocados, purple cabbage, and orange carrots, you'll really taste the rainbow. Dip that bad boy into a heaping serving of protein peanut sauce for that added tang.
12. Sweet Potato Lasagna
Replacing pasta sheets composed of refined white flour with thin slices of sweet potato is what makes this dish a standout. Instead of caving to a nutritional zero, you'll be filling yourself with complex carbs and nutrients to help power through your workout. Not only are these tubers rich in vitamins D, C, and B6, but they're also budget-friendly. It's a win for your wallet and your waistline.
13. Monster Meatloaf
One reason people shy away from eating healthy is that they fear that many of their favorite foods will forever be off-limits. In reality, you can often make those recipes healthier, rather than banishing them altogether. This monster meatloaf is proof. By using extra-lean ground turkey and egg whites, you'll keep the protein quotient high without adding excess calories or saturated fat.
14. Crispy Parmesan Fish Sticks
Bypass the heavily processed, freezer-frosted childhood favorite for this healthy, cheese-dusted alternative. Pair with a yogurt-based dipping sauce and a wedge of lemon for a flavor you'll find yourself craving again and again.
15. Sausage Supreme Pita Pizza
Pizza ranks high among the most-loved foods. The only problem is that 1/8 of a large pizza, or one slice, is over 350 calories—and who seriously eats only one slice? Not only does this healthy take on pizza have over 30 g protein and only 415 calories per pizza—yes, for the entire thing—but the sauce is perfect, too. If you like a crispy-crust pizza with flavorful sauce, you'll love this.