It’s an age-old problem. You’re trying to eat healthier, but you also need to get dinner on the table for the whole family, and—as Mom used to say—you’re not a short-order cook. Instead of resorting to another night of frozen chicken nuggets or PB&J for the kids, here are 40 clean-eating recipes that everyone will actually enjoy.
40 Clean-Eating Recipes the Whole Family Will Devour
1. Baked Quinoa Nuggets
Tasty enough for the kids, healthy enough for the grown-ups. (And easy enough that you’ll never go back to frozen nuggets again.)
2. Zoodles With Tomato Sauce And Mozzarella
A pizza-pasta mash-up, with none of the carbs.
3. Apple And Cottage Cheese Muffins
Make a huge batch, then have these protein-packed muffins for breakfast all week.
4. Healthy White Chicken Chili
No one does clean comfort food better than Coterie member Monique Volz.
5. Turkey Stuffed Peppers
The easiest way to get the kids to eat their veggies.
6. Salmon Burgers
Get those omega-3s.
7. Healthy Baked Ziti
Because no one in our family would ever turn down carbs and melty cheese. (Thanks, Coterie member Liz Falcigno.)
8. Fudgy Avocado Brownies With Chocolate Fudge Frosting
No butter, flour or refined sugar. And we promise, they don’t actually taste like avocado at all.
9. Slow-cooker Teriyaki And Chicken Rice Bowls
We love this set-it-and-forget-it dinner, courtesy of Coterie member Heidi Larsen.
10. Roasted Tomato Soup
We admit that adding a grilled cheese sandwich would make this meal a little less clean, but we’ll leave that decision up to you.
11. Jackfruit Tacos With Grilled Pineapple
This miracle tropical fruit tastes exactly like pulled pork but is totally vegan and packed with vitamins.
12. Kale Pesto Pizza
Tip: Make extra pesto and use it as a sauce for whole-grain pasta.
13. Honey Mustard Chicken Bake
Ready in an hour (but don’t worry, most of that is hands-off cooking time).
14. Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup
A veggie version of one of our favorite soups. (Go easy on the tortilla strips to make it even healthier.)
15. Cauliflower Sweet Potato Burgers
This magical recipe manages to defy the plight of most veggie burgers: dryness. Just add your favorite burger toppings and carry on.
16. Coconut No-bake Cookies
We hereby state that eating clean shall not mean giving up dessert. (Especially when it takes only 30 minutes to make.)
17. Cauliflower Fried Rice
Feel free to swap in your family’s favorite veggies (side bonus: it’s a great way to clean out the produce drawer).
18. Rainbow Collard Wraps With Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
Fact: We’d eat anything if it were slathered with peanut sauce.
19. Fluffy Banana Pancakes
We see a cozy Sunday breakfast in your future…
20. Eggplant Pizza
They’re low-carb and gluten-free. Have four.
21. Butternut Squash Soup
While this does taste like autumn in a bowl, we recommend making it all year long. It’s quick, delicious and naturally vegan and gluten-free.
22. Chickpea And Vegetable Coconut Curry
Serve with brown rice and whole-wheat naan and watch it disappear.
23. Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan
Coterie member Aida Mollenkamp swaps out the pasta for quinoa, uses egg whites for the breading and pops it in the oven instead of frying it, making this version of chicken Parm totally diet-friendly.
24. Cucumber And Avocado Sandwich
Your kid is going to have the most sophisticated lunchbox in town, thanks to Coterie member Heidi Larsen.
25. Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Whether you’re trying to go gluten-free or just watching your carbs, pizza is officially back on the menu.
26. Zucchini Spaghetti With Gluten-free Turkey Meatballs
Coterie member Ali Maffucci makes a pretty good case for investing in a spiralizer.
27. Spicy Shrimp Tacos With Mango Salsa
For Taco Tuesday (or any night, really).
28. Roasted Squash And Farro Salad With Avocado Dressing
Equally tasty on the go—just spoon it into a mason jar.
29. Greek Yogurt Egg Salad Sandwich
You’ll never miss the mayo in this protein-packed sammy. (Swap out the bread for whole-grain or lettuce wraps if you want to keep things squeaky clean.)
30. Zoodle Stir-fry
So many veggies, so little time. (Feel free to add some chicken, shrimp or tofu for extra protein if you wish.)