Here's what our editors and readers loved this year.
Amy Sefton / BuzzFeed
We recently asked BuzzFeed Life’s editors, writers, and readers to share the favorite healthy recipe they made this past year. Here’s what they said.
Amy Sefton / BuzzFeed
1. Sweet Potato Pad Thai
"This was my first time cooking sweet potato noodles. (And admittedly, I totally overcooked them and they turned to mush.) But all of the other good things in this — plus that ridiculously easy Pad Thai sauce — made it the best mush ever. —Rachel Christensen
2. Quinoa, Feta, and Spinach-Stuffed Baked Tomatoes
"These were one of my summer staples. They're so easy to put together and super versatile. To make them more filling, I've swapped the quinoa for brown rice and added ground turkey." —Melissa Harrison
3. Apple & Kale Salad with Creamy Garlic Dijon Dressing
"I love this dressing. You can quickly throw it together in a food processor, it's incredibly rich, and it makes even the chewiest kale irresistible." —Natalie Brown
4. Whipped Banana Oatmeal with Ground Flax
Christine Byrne / BuzzFeed
"This recipe is great because you can peel and freeze bananas when they're super ripe and about to rot, and then just have them on hand all the time. As you cook the sliced banana in the oatmeal, it dissolves and not only makes the oats perfectly sweet but also makes them fluffy and more voluminous, which feels really satisfying." —Christine Byrne
Recipe here.
5. Green Lentil Soup With Curried Brown Butter
"I can never believe how packed with flavor this soup is. It's also super duper inexpensive to make." —Rachel Christensen
6. Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach & Goat Cheese
Lauren Zaser / buzzfeed.com
"I am OBSESSED with this recipe, no exaggeration. It made me change my mind about spaghetti squash "pastas" — which I previously thought were an abomination — because it's so damn delicious and easy." —Anna Borges
Recipe here.
7. Tomato & Sausage Soup
"This is such an easy soup to throw together. I usually just use 1 tbsp of fat in it, and sometimes use regular Italian sausage instead of chicken (though it's higher in fat that way). It's a quick, easy, warm recipe that I can eat for a few days." —Natalie Brown
Amy Sefton / BuzzFeed
8. Spinach, Egg & Rice Bowl
"I make this spinach, egg, and rice bowl for breakfast fairly regularly, although I add some broccoli to bulk it up a little more. Healthy, filling, and cheap." —unituna
9. Baked Salmon with Creamy Avocado Sauce
"Absolutely delicious, and full of protein and omega 3’s. I usually pair it with snap peas and it makes for a filling and nutritious dinner." —Gabrielle S.
10. Blueberry Cheesecake Frozen Pops
"These blueberry cheesecake popsicles made with cottage cheese are a great snack for a protein pick-me-up, plus there's no added sugar. Just pureed blueberries!" —Erin Plunkett, Facebook
11. Chicken, Bean & Spinach Soup
"Cost-effective, freezer-friendly, and perfect for those trying to keep both their figure and bank account in check." —Zoraya Smalley, Facebook
12. Nicoise Salad
"Low-fat tuna, roasted potatoes, and a tangy vinaigrette. Super good, super healthy, and really fun to make. Great for a summer backyard lunch." —Chloe
13. Easy Chocolate Tofu Mousse
"Fully vegan and full of protein." —Erika & Gabrielle
14. Spicy Sriracha Lime Chicken Zoodle Soup
"I just toss in whatever leftover veggies I have in the fridge!" —Jenn
15. Portobello Pizzas
"The portobello cap makes a nice, meaty base. Top it with some Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and you’ve got yourself some incredible, nutritious little pizza pies." —Carly
16. Banana Ice Cream
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
"You literally just freeze chopped bananas, then blend them in a food processor until they're smooth. It's so simple and tastes as great as actual ice cream — minus the added sugar and preservatives." —GoldenZ
Instructions (for a version that also adds a bit of Nutella) here.
17. Curried Yellow Split Pea Soup
"I make this curried yellow split pea soup at least twice a month. It's vegan, full of protein and fiber, and SO incredibly good." —Sarah Schutz, Facebook
18. Two-Ingredient Pancakes
"They’re easy, delicious, and all that’s in them is bananas and eggs. They’re perfect for Sunday mornings." —Shealianne
19. Spaghetti With Vegetarian Lentil Bolognese
"This stuff is amazing." —Daydreaming Dragonfly
20. Sesame Brown Rice Noodle Salad
"Packable, pretty, vegan, and gluten-free. And, it has smoked tofu which is addictive AF." —Allison Day, Facebook
21. Couscous With Caramelized Figs & Lemon Yogurt
haapsandbarley.com!COUSCOUS-WITH-CARAMELIZED-FIGS-LEMON-YOGURT
—Amanda Marie, Facebook
22. Greek Cucumber Noodles with Tomatoes, Olives & Avocado
–Kreestm
23. Slow Cooker Chicken Posole
"Much better than your everyday chicken soup." –Freefalling
24. Mini Blueberry & Chocolate Tart
cleancheatrepeat.wordpress.com
"Vegan and gluten-free, with no refined sugar." –Cathy926
