This year has been packed with yummy eats!  Sweet, savory, spicy- ALL foods deserve a place at the table!  Healthy Inspiration has become a place you can come for easy-to-make, family-friendly recipes that are full of flavor! Instead of aiming to create “healthy” recipes, my approach is to take nourishing, colorful ingredients and prepare them in a way that makes your mouth water!

Now that our family has grown from 3 to 4, I am even more keenly aware of the importance of easy-to-follow recipes that don’t take a lot of effort or prep time.  In order to have a healthy body (and family!), you don’t have to make glamorous food that is ready for a photo shoot.  But you do need an arsenal of recipes that you can toss together that don’t stress you out!  That is one of the ways Healthy Inspiration can inspire you in the kitchen… All of my recipes are easy-to-follow, approachable, simple, healthful and most importantly, yummy recipes that you can’t wait to make!

These are the Top 10 Most Popular Healthy Inspiration Recipes of 2017!  Go grab a fork because you are going to want to dig in!

Counting down to the #1 most popular recipe…

 

10. Maple Dijon Salmon

No time?!  No problem!  This simple Maple Dijon Salmon takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish!  Broiling is the trick!  Flavorful food need not take a long time!  When your stomach is growling, this recipe will save the day.

 

09. Creamy Butternut Carrot Ginger Soup

This sweet and savory Butternut Carrot Ginger Soup has undertones of ginger and coconut that create a symphony on your taste buds. It’s the perfect way to warm up on a cool evening or rainy day.

 

08. Tangy Tuna Salad

Tuna is an excellent source of healthy omega-3 fats.  Get a nice size dose in this mayo-free Tangy Tuna Salad.  In a matter of minutes, this recipe can be whipped up for a light and fresh lunch or even a snack.  Don’t forget to eat 2 servings of fatty fish per week!  Make this recipe 1 of them!

 

07. Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Roasted Spaghetti Squash might sound like a good idea, that is until you realize you don’t have a full hour to let it cook in the oven.  My easy recipe cuts the cooking time in half with a super simple trick!  Anyone trying to get more veggies into some pasta heavy meals will love this easy recipe.

 

06. Easy Lemon Herb Chicken

After trying dozens of lemon chicken recipes that just didn’t live up to their names, I decided to create one myself that was perfectly balanced with lemon flavor and savory herbs.  This is the perfect weeknight meal with some frozen brown rice and sauteed veggies.  Simplify your life with some yummy go-to slow cooker recipes, like this Easy Lemon Herb Chicken.

 

05. Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

Sweet potatoes don’t need marshmallows or a heaping scoop of brown sugar to highlight their robust sweetness- just a few quality ingredients and spices!  My family adores sweet potatoes but to prevent boredom, I like to create simple but slightly different recipes to keep mealtime interesting and delicious.  These Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans is our current favorite.  Leave the potato peeler in the drawer because this easy recipe is as simple as it is sweet!

 

04. Quinoa Edamame Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Quinoa Edamame Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette is one of my all-time favorite Healthy Inspiration recipes!  It is loaded with flavor- citrus, fresh herbs, salty, creamy feta… a winner any time of the year!  I love to make this on the weekend for a super easy lunch during the week.  Add on top of fresh spinach for a lovely salad packed with nutrients!

 

03. Carrot Cake Snack Balls

These Carrot Cake Snack Balls taste like quite the decadent treat, but are filled with good for you ingredients including carrots, walnuts, and oats!  If you are craving a sweet treat, this is just the recipe!  They freeze well so you can make extra and toss 1 or 2 in your lunch box each day.

 

02. Super Simple No-Guilt Blueberry Syrup

Hardly a recipe, you will be amazed at how simple it is to create a syrup or jelly spread from just ripe, sweet blueberries and a bit of water!  Stir into yogurt, spread on toast, drizzle over pancakes,… the ideas are endless!  Anyone trying to reduce added sugars but still craving a little sweet will adore this No-Guilt Super Simple Blueberry Syrup!

 

01. Honey Soy Slow Cooker Chicken

Honey Soy Slow Cooker Chicken is quite the crowd pleaser!  It’s also easy to double the recipe if you are having guests OR if you want to freeze leftovers for another night.  Savory, salty, with a bit of sweet, this recipe hits all the flavor notes with only a few pantry ingredients.  This is our family’s ‘go-to’ recipe when I don’t know what to make or don’t have time to cook that evening.

 

Honorable Mention: Mexican Lasagna

This is my husband’s favorite meal!  He requests it often.  That is quite the compliment from my husband, the ‘selective eater.’  It makes enough for leftovers which are just as tasty the second time around.  If your family adores tex-mex, add this Lightened-Up Mexican Lasagna to your arsenal.  You won’t be disappointed!

 

What are your favorite Healthy Inspiration recipes?!  Did they make the top 10?  Give me a shout out and let me know.  Then share it with a friend!