Happy New Year! Here’s wishing everyone peace, love, health, happiness and lots of good food.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had about enough cream, butter, cheese, rich sauces and meats for 5 Holiday Seasons. If you’re like me, you’re already planning for some lighter meals and looking for healthy clean eating recipes. I thought I’d dust off a few of my old favorites.
No reason to skimp on flavor when eating healthy. You’ll find lots of mouthwatering combination of lean meats and lots of vegetables.
Here’s a selection of some of my best healthy dinner recipes to start the new year out right.
You’ll find:
- 9 Healthy Salad Recipes, Main Course
- 6 Healthy Main Course Recipes
- 6 Healthy Soup Recipes
- 5 Healthy Seafood Recipes
- 5 Healthy Snack or Appetizer Recipes
Now I’m going to try to behave…at least until Superbowl. Let’s take a look.
Best Healthy Dinner Recipes:
Lean proteins, salad green and vegetables are a very healthy way to eat. Here are some main course salad recipe ideas.
Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
Blackened Shrimp Salad is a refreshing entree that’s light but in a hearty way.
Avocado Shrimp Salad with Mango Dressing
A Jamaican roadside stand inspired dish with sweet shrimp simmered in a peppery broth.
Sweet Chile Mustard Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad
A refreshing chopped chicken salad recipe using grilled chicken breasts and lots of your favorite healthy vegetables.
Strawberry Chicken Salad With Poppyseed Dressing
Make the most out of fresh strawberries with this easy main course salad. Poppyseed dressing, sauteed chicken breast and strawberries are an absolutely wonderful combination.
Skirt Steak Salad with Wilted Greens and Warm Chipotle Dressing
The extra beefy flavor of skirt steak, combined with the rustic chew of frisee makes a beautiful base for tomatoes, creamy avocado and chipotle infused dressing.
The combination of flavors here are striking thanks to the warm dressing, Kalamata olives and rosemary dusted chicken tenders.
Healthy Main Course Recipes
Lean and mean healthy main course meals.
Poblano Caramelized Onion Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
These roasted cauliflower tacos get a kick of heat from poblano peppers and a kick of sweet from caramelized onions. These beautiful tacos make a perfect vegetarian taco dinner.
Looking to ditch that flour tortilla? Take a look at this healthier version for a Chicken Burrito Bowl.
Shrimp Tacos with Lime Dressed Crunchy Vegetables
These Shrimp Tacos with Lime Dressing are gloriously refreshing in flavor. A simple dressing splashed over poached shrimp and crunchy vegetables creates a light meal or a shrimp appetizer that’s so healthy and tasty, you’ll want to make it over and over again.
Oven Roasted Ling Cod with Wilted Swiss Chard
Searing ling cod stovetop and finishing in the oven is a super easy way to cook a fish filet with a crispy outer texture and moist, tender and flaky inside.
Chicken Cutlets with Jalapeno Orange Sauce and Black Beans
This latin chicken dish is so easy, so full of flavor and a pleasure to place on the table.
Lamb Kabobs With Arugula and Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
One of our favorite salads and with some crumbled blue cheese, this is full of fresh flavors.
Meatless Red Chile Street Style Enchiladas
Red Chile Enchiladas, classic Mexican Street Food. Tortillas are dipped in a spicy red sauce, fried, folded and simply sprinkled with an assortment of small chopped crunchy vegetables.
Easy Healthy Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
With Black beans, sweet corn and plenty of Mexican spices, this will soon become your favorite Mexican Chicken Soup.
Chicken Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Parsnip
Classic chicken soup becomes colorful and bright by adding chunks of sweet potato. Simple, hearty, healthy, gluten free and inexpensive,
Mexican Rotisserie Chicken Soup
Chicken soup with rotisserie chicken is absolutely perfect for a weeknight dinner. Using canned beans, and canned creamed corn, this Rotisserie Chicken Soup is Ready in 30 minutes
Southwestern Chicken and Bean Soup
A combination of Mexican oregano, cumin and garlic powder is a great start in building a flavorful Southwestern-style soup
Chicken Fajita Soup is healthy, easy and full of your favorite fajita flavors. A soup recipe that will make you and your weeknight dinner plans very happy. You could call this a taco soup or a tortilla soup, but I call this full fajita deliciousness in a bowl.
Healthy Main Course Seafood Recipes:
This Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon Recipe is so easy it’s guaranteed to be a one of your go-to’s for your quick weeknight meal plan.
Salmon fillets are baked and basted with a sweet and spicy glaze. A combination of New Mexico Chile Powder and Peach Jam has created a quick salmon recipe that has become a favorite for an easy weeknight dinner.
This swordfish dinner is near perfect; not complicated, wonderful in texture and exciting in flavor.
Salmon with Chipotle Peach Salsa Recipe
A very special salsa. The flavor is so addictive. Fresh tomatoes, juicy sweet peaches, sweet onion, cilantro and chipotle chiles. Everything you want in a robust salsa.
HEALTHY APPETIZER RECIPES:
HUMMUS WITH SLOW ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES
This simple dip of plain hummus gets some bling. Wow your guests with Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Hummus with Capers.
White Bean Dip made creamier by blending Cannellini beans and cottage cheese.
Shake up those chickpeas by adding Southwestern ingredients, roasted Hatch chile peppers, a scoop of cumin and a good shake of Tabasco sauce.
Hummus with Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Healthy roasted Brussels sprouts bring a delicious surprise to this classic snack.
Chipotle Black Bean Corn Salsa
A perfect appetizer for that next bowl of corn chips, or a great condiment to serve over flank steak or grilled chicken.
Best Healthy Dinner Recipes …. It’s Whats for January
Oh yummy! I want to try everything! Thank you for including my Honey Oats Chocolate Bar! Nettie
Here’s to a delicious 2017! 🙂
Thanks, luv, for including me in this beautiful round up! xoxo ~ally
Too much cream and buttah? Never!
But all of these look good too:)
Reminds me of a Julia Quote: If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.
I am doing the same thing. I will revisit cream and meat I’m sure before the winter ends, but for now I am enjoying lighter foods.
Thanks for the recommendations!
Happy New Year,
RMW
I’ve got so many left-overs that I’m still in rather of a feast mode. I hate to throw out food.
All great recipes Lea Ann. Happy New Year to you and your family. Hope you make it to Larry’s blogger event this year.
Thanks Penny. I’d love to make it to the blogger event. We’ll see what May/June brings.
I feel the same way, Lea Ann. Time for light meals! This is a great round up of recipes to start out the year.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Happy New Year Barbara.
They all look very good Lea Ann, but since I ate pretty lite thru the holidays, oysters and such, I’m sticking with my normal unhealthy plan :-).
So far I’m sticking to my normal unhealthy plan. Still have lots of leftovers.
Lighter, healthier…I think that is what most of us will be doing for awhile. I hope you have a wonderful new year. I’m looking forward to more terrific recipes like those you mentioned.
Thanks Karen. Happy New Year.
Ditto! Your menu looks so tantalizing and of course, healthy and lighter! (one thing I wont give up: chocolate!). Happy New Year!
So nice to hear from you Joumana. I keep track of your wonderful recipes on Facebook.
What a beautiful array of yummy & healthy dining – I’m inspired!
So can you inspire me? 🙂
I wish you would prepare all of these and have me around for a healthy buffet!They all look delicious. I can’t wait to give your chicken skewers a try. Happy New Year Lea Ann!
Thanks Karen. If I had time, I’d do exactly that.
I understand ! After this period, I just loved zucchini !!! 🙂
Happy new Year, Lea Ann !
Too funny … I don’t feel that guilty.
I’m with you – ready for healthy compared to heavy foods. I’m off to check out that citrus salad – I must have missed it. Wow. Is it ever pretty.
Sam
That citrus salad is just a simple fruit salad. Just thought I needed some fruit in the mix.
I’ll take one of everything please!!! 🙂
Me too Jenn. 🙂
It’s definitely time to eat lighter! But ugh, I have so many leftovers…sending a bunch to work with hubby though, that’ll help. Looking at all this lighter food definitely has me wanting something fresh and light.
I hear ya Rhonda. I’m still not eating healthy. Lots of left overs here too.
Your crab cakes jumped out at me– that is a dish I would like to make. I always order them in restaurants but don’t make them at home. I need to lighten up too but it is hard for me to put down the butter…and the cream…and the cakes…and the cookies…
Lots of yummy food right there! Happy New Year Lea Ann!
We’ll be eating lighter whenever we can for the next month at least too. You have some wonderful ideas for lighter meals here!