Happy February! Can you believe that we’re already one week into our 60-day Challenge?! Getting started is one of the most challenging parts of this journey, and we’re so proud of you for sticking with it so far!
As a part of our 60-day Challenge, we’re asking you to choose a diet and stick with it for the entirety of the challenge. A healthy diet is the foundation for a healthy life. That’s why whether it’s Keto, Mediterranean, Paleo or another diet, we want you to choose something that makes you feel nourished, balanced, and oh-so healthy.
Why is it that some diets can easily fall into a recipe rut?! We’ve all been there: you heat up your meal-prepped chicken, veggies, and rice for the third night in a row and think, “that’s it, I’m ordering takeout!” Before you call your favorite pizza joint, remember that you can eat healthy on your diet and still make delicious meals as well. We’ve put together five recipes that fall in line with five popular diets that are easy, delicious, and, yes, healthy!
Vegan: Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas
The vegan diet is a favorite among many people for a variety of reasons. By cutting out all animal products, you may enjoy perks like preventing certain cancers and shedding excess weight (studies show that vegans lose weight more effectively than other diets.) So how can you eat a vegan diet without sticking to just salads? East Asian cuisines, like Thai or Indian, are wonderful options for vegans who are craving delicious, quick meals. For example, we love this colorful Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas for its aromatic flavors, creamy texture, and speedy cook time! Plus, you’ll have delicious leftovers for days. What’s better than leftover Thai?!
Check out the full recipe on Rainbow Plant Life here.
Vegetarian: Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
This salad is perfect for satisfying your veggie cravings on cold February days.
The vegetarian diet is less restrictive than the vegan diet because you only cut out meat, but vegetarians still reap a ton of health benefits. Vegetarians are at half the risk of developing type-2 diabetes and are one-third less likely to develop heart disease! If you’re thinking of ditching meat, alternative plant proteins, like nuts and legumes, will become your new best friend. What we love about this Kale and Sweet Potato Salad is that it has tons of protein sources and plenty of crunchy, hearty ingredients. With sweet potato, apples, and cranberries, this salad is great for meal prepping and ideal for those chilly February days. Who said salads couldn’t be a cold-weather meal?
Check out the full recipe on Budget Bytes here.
Mediterranean: Greek Chicken Gyro Salad
The Mediterranean diet is considered the world’s healthiest diet, and this salad proves that it’s also delicious!
You really can’t go wrong with the Mediterranean diet. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the world’s healthiest diet, the Mediterranean diet boasts tons of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources, and lots of olive oil. Just like the other diets listed, Mediterranean-style meals can aid in weight loss and disease management, but they have the added bonus of improving cognition and staving off dementia and Alzheimer’s. Convinced yet? Give this delicious Greek Chicken Gyro Salad a try! The crunchy vegetables, healthy fat sources, and lean chicken will keep you full and satisfied for hours. If you’re craving a meatless option, this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a great alternative.
Check out the full recipe on Foodie Crush here.
Keto: Pepperoni Cauliflower Pizza
Worried about giving up carbs on Keto? This cauliflower pepperoni pizza will prove that Keto can be enjoyable too!
Pizza? On a diet?? You bet! The Ketogenic (Keto) diet is all about eating foods that are high in healthy fats and protein but low in carbohydrates, and its adherents are onto something. Eating a Keto diet has been shown to reduce hunger-stimulating hormones, which can help with your weight loss goals. Plus, eating a low-carb diet can help balance hormones and even reduce acne! Before you panic thinking about a carb-free existence, you should know that there are plenty of recipe alternatives for your favorite meals, like this pizza! Made with a cauliflower crust, this Pepperoni Cauliflower Pizza tastes just as good as your childhood fave, and it falls within your diet! Win-win!
Check out the full recipe on Eating Well here.
Paleo: Sheet Pan Salmon Stir Fry
This meal is perfect for busy weeknights when you want to eat healthy without the hassle.
The Paleo diet has been around for a while – technically since the beginning of humankind! Alright, that was a joke, but technically, that’s the whole premise behind the Paleo diet. Designed to emulate our diet before the Agricultural Revolution, the Paleo diet focuses on meals that a hunter-gatherer would have eaten. This includes locally sourced vegetables, meats, and fruits, and it excludes grains, breads, and sugar. If you’re a Paleo devotee, then give this Sheet Pan Salmon Stir Fry a go! It’s a one-pan meal, which means that you can throw it altogether on one baking sheet, toss it in the oven, and you’re good to go! A heart-healthy meal that requires minimal clean up? Yes, please.
Check out the full recipe on Fit Foodie Finds here.
