For the Love of Food: 3 Easy Recipes

Disclaimer: This blog does revolve around the topic of food and healthy eating. If you do not feel comfortable engaging, please feel free to check out other my other blogs.

Before leaving for college, my mom always asked me if I was going to miss home cooked meals. My answer was always no or not really. Don’t get me wrong, my mom is a great cook, but I just didn’t think home cooked meals were that big of a deal. A month into college, I realized I was SO wrong. I was so sick of eating the same on campus food. I would find myself ordering food off UberEats or DoorDash quite often, but the costs quickly racked up and really hurt the wallet. I always told myself that when I moved off campus, I’d start cooking healthy meals, but once I moved off campus, I didn’t even know where to start. I wanted to make food that was tasty, while still being healthy.

"Healthy" vs. "Unhealthy" Food

When I think of “healthy” food, I immediately think of no sugar, and just solely vegetables. I do not know how you may feel about eating vegetables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it certainly makes me feel a bit sick. However, in reality, healthy foods provide you with the nutrients that your body needs to help sustain itself. It provides your body with fluids, macronutrients, micronutrients, fiber, and energy. Unhealthy foods are all the “good” stuff that we aren’t supposed to have too much of. They are foods that are high in fat, added sugar, and calories that have low nutritional value. Any food that does not help you maintain a healthy weight is considered unhealthy. Keep in mind that if you eat too much of one food, it could be more harmful than healthy for you.

Does eating healthy mean giving up tasty food?

Absolutely not! Whether we have tried them or not, the diets that make you skip meals, eat solely vegetables, or cut out tasty dishes won’t help you in the long run. Nobody wants to be eating bland, super expensive, or boring meals. I’ve created 2 easy “healthy” meals that are filling and nutritious, without giving up flavor. I even added a dessert for those who have a sweet tooth like me.

Avocado Toast

Love is an understatement when it comes to avocado toast. It is so easy and quick to make. I prefer to use Dave’s Killer Bread, specifically their Whole Grains and Seed Bread. It has 21 whole grains and 5 grams of protein per slice. I toast my bread for 5 minutes, while I cook my egg in a pan with about a tablespoon of avocado oil. You can either cut or smash up your avocado before placing it on the toast. You can always substitute it with fresh fruit or ricotta cheese, etc. Don’t forget to add your egg on top and enjoy!

-toast of choice

-1 egg

-1 avocado

-Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

One Pan Salmon with Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

I know brussels sprouts are not a fan favorite in every household, but it is in mine. I preheat my oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, while I prep the food. I like to cut my potato into ¼ inch cubes, and I cut my brussels sprouts in half. You can always use chicken, broccoli or carrots instead. After cleaning off my salmon, I’ll lay it down on a baking sheet along with the potatoes and sprouts. I drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, and I’ll season it to taste. I let it cook for 10-12 minutes and let it rest for 2 minutes before eating.

-1 salmon filet

-1 large sweet potato

-1 cup of brussels sprouts

Banana Ice-cream

Ice-cream is definitely my guilty pleasure. I take frozen bananas and place them in a blender with a splash of milk. I like using oat milk in mine, but any milk works. For vanilla flavored ice-cream, add a splash of vanilla extract and for chocolate, add 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder in the blender.

-2 frozen bananas

-milk of choice

-flavoring (optional)

Let me know if you have tried any of these recipes, or share one of yours in the comments!!