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BREAKFAST

Beet Berry Smoothie Bowls With Hemp Seeds

You’ll never guess this fruity magenta bowl has spinach and beets in it. The root vegetable contains anti-inflammatory compounds and may help lower blood pressure. Top this breakfast off with more hemp seeds and nuts, or nut butter, for some added staying power.

Za’atar Spiced Pecans and Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Za’atar is a Middle Eastern blend of sesame seeds, herbs, and sumac, a spice that lends a lemony zing. Make the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, and spiced pecans at night so you can heat up, top it with an egg, then eat and go in the morning. The protein in this dish will help keep you satisfied.

Blueberry Chia Overnight Oats

This gorgeous meal is also easy to transport to work if you make it in a mason jar. The oat flour (use gluten-free, if you prefer) and chia seeds thicken overnight so it’s perfectly creamy come breakfast time. Plus, the fiber from the oat flour, chia, and blueberries supports healthy digestion.

Savory Breakfast Salad

Salad isn’t the first thing that usually comes to mind when you think of breakfast. But this combo of greens, roasted sweet potato, blueberries, hummus, avocado, hemp seeds, and parsley drizzled in lemon vinaigrette tastes as amazing as it looks. And all those colors are a sign of different antioxidants such as anthocyanins in blueberries and beta carotene in sweet potatoes.

Breakfast (Cookie) Bars

Some recipes for breakfast cookies are, indeed, cookies. However, these contain no refined sugars and white beans to bind all the tasty morsels—gluten-free oats, dried fruit, and pumpkin seeds—together. Consuming legumes and beans may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, and aid in weight management.

Hummus Kale Toast

Nothing against avocado, but it’s not the only toast topper. Garlicky sauteed kale provides vitamins A, C, and K to support eye, immune, blood, reproductive, and bone health. Sprinkle on a generous dose of hemp seeds—one tablespoon has three grams of protein.

Protein Breakfast Bowl

This balanced bowl is loaded with flavor, fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Spiced roasted sweet potatoes, seasoned black beans, crispy chickpeas and creamy spinach are topped with a hard-boiled egg, avocado, and sriracha. There’s no way hunger will come knocking before lunchtime.

Homemade Bircher Muesli

A Swiss physician came up with muesli, an early sort of overnight oats. In this version, unsweetened applesauce and almond milk soften up the oats. A spoonful of almond butter adds a bit of protein, and the apple grated on top provides fiber and may protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

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LUNCH

Asian Quinoa Salad With Sesame Miso Dressing

This gorgeous salad takes less than 30 minutes to make. Chewy quinoa, tender edamame, and crunchy red cabbage and carrot are mixed with a dressing packed with umami thanks to miso, a fermented soy. Top with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro for extra crunch and a lemony kick.

Vegan Lentil Soup

This hearty soup with a hint of spice from cayenne and ginger is perfect all winter long. Fresh thyme adds an earthy flavor and antioxidants, and don’t skip the fresh lemon juice at the very end—it enhances all the other flavors and brightens the dish.

Broccoli and Kale Caesar Salad

Vegan Caesar? You bet! Blending soaked cashews with capers and lemons creates the classic flavor for this salad. Using kale and adding roasted broccoli and cannellini beans amps up the nutrition compared to the typical Caesar. Top with gluten-free croutons or just sprinkle on extra sunflower seeds—they’re a good source of antioxidant vitamin E.

Black Chickpea Wrap With Tarragon Yogurt

If you can’t find black chickpeas, regular garbanzo beans work in this recipe. Both are a good source of fiber, protein, folate, manganese, and iron. Tarragon adds a hint of anise to the creamy yogurt sauce, but you can use any fresh herbs you like.

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

Rather than chicken, this tortilla soup calls for cubed pumpkin or butternut squash. Both are good sources of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the minerals manganese and potassium, which is important for heart health. Top off the smoky, spicy soup with avocado, jalapenos, and crispy gluten-free tortilla strips.

Chopped Kale Salad With Lemon Tahini Dressing

Massaging the kale in oil and lemon juice not only adds flavor but also softens the powerhouse leafy green. While this salad is packed with other healthy ingredients like avocado, cranberries, and almonds, you’ll really love the creamy dressing made with tahini—the same sesame seed butter used to make hummus.

Mango Avocado Chicken Salad

If you haven’t used avocado in place of mayo to make chicken salad, this recipe is the reason to try it! The result is just as creamy, but lower in calories and saturated fat, and higher in fiber. And this isn’t your ordinary chicken salad—it’s full of carrot, cucumber, mango, red bell pepper, raisins, and pecans for loads of flavor.

Israeli Couscous Salad With Roasted Cauliflower, Pistachios, and Dates

Use brown rice for a gluten-free version of this salad that combines chewy grains, crisp-tender roasted cauliflower, crunchy pistachios, and sweet dates and golden raisins. Although quinoa often outshines brown rice, the rice has about 4.5 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fiber per cup, plus more niacin than quinoa. This B vitamin helps convert food to energy and helps our digestive system function.

Related: For more healthy, tasty and simple recipes, check out our Clean Eating column!

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DINNER

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

This impressive, cheesy dish takes minimal effort. While the squash roasts, make an easy meat sauce (use grass-fed ground beef or organic ground turkey) and sauté some kale with garlic. Mix that with ricotta and the roasted squash, then put it back in the squash shell, top with sauce and more cheese, and pop it back in the oven for a few minutes.

Green Falafel Bowl

Falafel is actually easy to make: Combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender, then bake. Spinach turns these falafel green and adds iron and calcium. The best thing about this bowl is you can customize it. Start with your leafy green of choice, add leftover roasted or fresh veggies, some hummus or other dip, and drizzle on lemon-olive oil vinaigrette.

Butternut Arugula Pasta

Butternut squash as a sauce? Roasting it with fresh thyme and blending with garlic and chili flakes turns it into a rich, creamy, and savory yet slightly sweet pasta companion. Top with chickpeas, peppery arugula, pine nuts, and cheese, if you desire.

Healthy Thai Shepherd’s Pie with Red Curry Beef, Coconut Kale and Pumpkin Mash

This certainly isn’t your grandma’s shepherd’s pie, but she’d enjoy it. Ginger and red curry paste spice up grass-fed beef, which is mixed with creamy kale. Then rather than potatoes, the topping is a blend of cauliflower and pumpkin puree. The recipe can also be made vegan.

Vegan Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini are a bit of a blank slate when it comes to flavor, yet they’re a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Roast them, then fill with spicy black beans for more fiber and protein, and top with a vegan cheese sauce made with tahini for a quick Mexican-inspired weeknight meal. (You can also use real cheese, if you prefer.)

Sun-Dried Tomato, Mushroom, and Spinach Tofu Quiche

Tofu makes a great substitute for eggs in a vegan quiche, plus it’s a complete protein. Fresh chives and basil, nutritional yeast, mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes lend tons of flavor to this satisfying dish. You can omit the crust and bake it in a greased pan if you prefer.

Vegetarian Chili

What is winter without chili? This plant-based version includes pinto and red kidney beans for that stick-to-your-ribs heartiness. But along with the usual chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cumin, you add cocoa powder and cinnamon. Seems unusual, but it deepens the flavor without you noticing. Top with avocado and fresh jalapeno slices.

Easy Thai Curry Hot Pot

Hot pot is an Asian meal enjoyed as a group. There is a bowl of boiling broth in the middle, and you all add other ingredients to cook in the broth. Make this version for your family or when you have guests. Just whip up the garlic-ginger-curry broth, then stir in your desired protein, gluten-free noodles or rice, vegetables, greens, and herbs.

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SNACKS

Lemon Ginger Chia No-Bake Snack Bars

Seven ingredients and a food processor are all it takes to make your own healthy snack bars. The combination of gluten-free oats, almonds, chia seeds, and dates adds up to 5 grams each of fiber and protein per bar. Be sure to use the crystallized ginger—it adds the perfect zing to compliment the lemon.

Garlic Rosemary White Bean Dip

We love hummus, but it’s not the only bean dip. This one is super easy, too—process the beans with garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and rosemary. The herb may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anticancer properties.

5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola

Granola can be loaded with sugars, but not if you make it at home, following this simple recipe. Combine natural peanut butter, gluten-free oats, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and a little honey. Then spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake. This granola is slightly sweet, crunchy, and full of peanutty flavor. Nibble on it alone or with berries and Greek yogurt.

Chia Berry Shake

You’ll never guess this shake has no dairy. It’s thick and creamy thanks to chia seeds and avocado, which also add some fiber and healthy fats. Use your favorite frozen mixed berries—all are sources of more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Sweet Potato Bites With Black Bean Hummus and Guacamole

This snack also makes a great appetizer. Roast slices of sweet potato with spices and top with homemade black bean hummus (or use any flavor store-bought hummus in a pinch) and guacamole. It’s easy and more nutritious than eating chips with dip.

Savory Oat Walnut Granola Bars

These aren’t your typical granola bars with fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips. Instead, they feature oats (use gluten-free) dotted with crumbled kale chips, olives, and walnuts. You can also add chili flakes for some heat. The savory is balanced by the sweetness of honey, which binds it all together. And they take minutes to make.

Simple Lemon Berry Bars

If you love lemon curd pie, you’ll go gaga for these bars. Lemons are full of vitamin C, and the phenolic compounds in berries may protect against conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Avocado Tartines With Gribiche Egg Salad

This recipe tops slices of bread with mashed avocado and an egg salad mixed with dijon, shallot, capers, and a blend of herbs: flat leaf parsley, tarragon, thyme, chives, and fennel fronds. Even if you don’t have all the herbs, the taste is delicious—light, fresh, and with a little kick.

The post 32 Meal and Snack Recipes for Clean Eating appeared first on Sonima.

Related: How Important Is Breakfast, Really?

The post Coconut Quinoa Porridge appeared first on Sonima.

When shopping for apples, which are currently in season, I recommend Granny for this recipe. However, you can’t go wrong with Fuji either. Not an apple lover? No problem. Ripe pears work great, too. While apples (and pears) provide lots of fiber, I like to add more when I can. Here, ground flaxseeds and unsweetened milk, which also add protein, do the trick. You can also sprinkle a handful of sliced almonds on top before serving for a bit more protein. And don’t be afraid to get creative with the spices!

Related: Why You Should Change Your Diet With the Season

Ideally, this dish is meant to be served immediately. However, if you don’t clear the pan with your fam right there, then you’ll love leftovers tomorrow. Refrigerate in a sealed container and serve chilled with a dollop of yogurt for a quick weekday breakfast. Or re-heat for a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dash of ground cinnamon. The cast iron skillet makes for a beautiful presentation, but you can use an 8×8-inch baking dish.

The post Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Skillet appeared first on Sonima.

Related: How to Make Fresh Almond Milk

Photo by Lacy Kiernan

The post Chai Spice and Pumpkin Smoothie appeared first on Sonima.

Related: A Week’s Worth of Mason Jar Smoothies

The post A Green Blueberry Protein Smoothie appeared first on Sonima.

We all know children are notoriously picky eaters. It can often be frustrating and tiresome trying to get your child to eat a wholesome breakfast, or eat any healthy meal for that matter.  In this tutorial, Andy Clay, a Sonima chef, shares some creative and nutritious breakfast recipes that his daughters love. Watch the video above to learn how to make a “hole in the wall” breakfast sandwich and a fresh berry parfait.

Related: The Benefits of Cooking Together as a Family

The post Quick and Delicious Breakfast Recipes for Kids appeared first on Sonima.

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The post A 3-Day Clean Eating Meal Plan appeared first on Sonima.

In this video Sonima chef Joy Houston demonstrates how to prepare a week’s worth of healthy smoothies in less than five minutes. Just choose a few wholesome ingredients such as chia seeds, blueberries, kale, and apples, and divide them among large mason jars so they’re ready to blend on busy mornings. Watch and learn some additional tips for storing the ingredients and preparing your own varieties.

Related: A 3-Day Clean Eating Meal Plan

The post A Week’s Worth of Mason Jar Smoothies appeared first on Sonima.

Personally, this was somewhat surprising, as I see no better way to start the day than with food, and most of the requests we received were from individuals whom I consider to be highly functioning in work and life. Yet now it’s clear that so many people must secretly endure grumbling stomachs and roller-coaster blood sugar levels between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Sound familiar? Well, here we have compiled a list of 30 delicious, nutritious, and simple to prepare morning meals so you may never be befuddled by breakfast again.

Bars and Bites

No-Bake Cranberry Almond Chia Bars
Once you try these you will never be able to go back to packaged snack bars. They are so easy to make—just process the ingredients, mold the mixture in a dish, and chill—and the combination of almond butter, fig, nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries is slightly sweet and satisfying.

5-Ingredient Gluten-Free Cookies
These “cookies” are actually a no-cook version of your favorite breakfast foods all rolled into one perfectly portable package. Oatmeal, banana, nut butter, almonds, and dates are all it takes to whip up a slightly sweet and satisfying morning bite. If you’re feeling indulgent, top with chocolate for a treat that’s easier than pancakes.

Maple Almond Oat Bars
These powerfood-packed bites have serious staying power thanks to cashew butter, nuts, oatmeal, and protein powder. They’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Chia seeds add a dose of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

No-Bake Energy Bites
These nutty, chocolaty balls are as good as raw cookie dough, if you like that kind of thing, except they’re a lot more nutritious. Just roll oats and mini chocolate chips with nut butter, agave nectar, coconut oil, chia seeds, flaxseed, salt, and ground cinnamon. Breakfast is served.

Fudge Brownie Chocolate Protein Bars
Chocoholics can get their fix first thing in the morning with these bars that are only seemingly indulgent thanks to a secret ingredient you’ll have to click through to see. Even with a triple dose of chocolate, each bar packs only 129 calories, 4.4 grams of fat, and 7.7 grams of sugars.

Goji Berry and Oat No-Bake Energy Bars
These six-ingredient bars are vegan, raw, and most importantly super delicious. Dates, dried goji berries, and chocolate provide a touch of sweetness, and peanut butter, pumpkin seeds, and oats create a filling body. Just mix in a food processor and refrigerate before serving.

Toasts

Classic Avocado Toast
If you are not already an avocado toast aficionado, this essential recipe will lay the groundwork for what will likely become one of the great loves of your mornings (if not your life). Master this combination and then create your own iterations. Toast, smash, season, repeat.

Banana and Almond Butter Toast
This is another classic yet essential recipe that can be improvised in a million different ways. Take your pick of bread, nut butter, and fruit, and you can’t go wrong. Just slice, spread, and go.

Avocado Toast with Cottage Cheese and Tomatoes
Amp up the protein content and flavor of classic avocado toast with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes. This recipe also works as a simple pack-and-go lunch.

Sliced Pear, Ricotta, and Honey Toast
This Buzzfeed list touts 21 incredible breakfast toasts, but the sliced pear, ricotta cheese, and honey combination stood out as an especially novel twist. This rustic Italian-inspired recipe is a perfect stand-in for French toast on a busy weekday or weekend when you’re feeling virtuous.

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Photo: PinchofYum.com

Eggs

Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs with Pesto Veggies
Easy enough for a weekday, impressive enough for brunch, hearty enough for dinner, this combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet and savory sundried tomatoes, and bright kale with pesto makes humble scrambled eggs sing in eye-opening new ways. (Pictured above.)

Simple Baked Eggs
The basic homemade tomato sauce in this recipe is worth the 20 minutes of extra work on a weekend, and it can be substituted for a jarred variety on weekday mornings for a breakfast reminiscent of the Spanish countryside. But yes, you still need to go to work.

Scrambled Eggs with Kale and Mozzarella
This simple scramble is an easy way to get a serving of vegetables into your first meal of the day. The recipe is a no-brainer—just sauté onions and red pepper flakes with kale before adding eggs and shredded mozzarella.

Egg Muffins with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese
These cute concoctions bring new meaning to the term “egg muffin.” Far from a fast-food sandwich, these high-protein, low-carb bites are simply mini frittatas made in a muffin tin with egg, turkey sausage, spinach, and cheddar cheese. Prepare a batch on Sunday to grab and go throughout the week.

Crustless Veggie Quiche
Yet another example that shows how eggs can be the perfect vehicle for vegetables, this quiche packs yellow squash, zucchini, and bell pepper for a light and filling breakfast that stores well in the refrigerator up to four days.

Nourishing Breakfast Salad
If you want to take your morning veggie game to the next level, just swap the egg-to-produce ratio and make a breakfast salad. This bowl features a mix of pumpkin, mushrooms, zucchini, red bell pepper, and watercress, topped with two eggs, pepitas, and lemon-thyme dressing. Salad for breakfast may sound strange, but don’t knock it until you try it!

Oats and Grains

Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is a make-ahead breakfast game-changer. It allows you to pack in all of the delicious ingredients you would normally hope to throw into your bowl of oatmeal if only you had time to find them before rushing out the door. This combination of apples, cinnamon, walnuts, brown sugar, egg, and milk is perfect for fall.

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal
If you can’t commit the hands-on time required for baked oatmeal, just make a batch of oatmeal in your slow cooker instead. This recipe has a similar flavor profile as the recipe above with apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, but this version cooks while you sleep!

Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats
Here’s an oatmeal blend you truly can’t find in a box. This recipe for steel-cut oats folds in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and maple syrup. Store oats in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa Cereal
You may already keep cooked quinoa on hand for quick salads and easy dinners, but did you know you could eat it for breakfast too? Use it in place of cereal with a drizzle of honey, blueberries, vanilla, sliced almonds, cinnamon, and milk.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa
On colder days you may prefer this hot take on quinoa, flavored with fresh blackberries, ground cinnamon, toasted pecans, and a touch of agave nectar. Cooking the quinoa with some milk makes it even better for breakfast.

Maple Bacon Oatmeal
The indulgent flavors of maple syrup and bacon make a simple bowl of instant oatmeal extra satisfying. This recipe uses turkey bacon to cut down on saturated fat and nitrates. One bowl weighs in at a satisfying 360 calories and 8 grams of fat.

Wholesome Sweets

Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes
Embrace the flavors of fall with this recipe for sweet pumpkin-spiced pancakes from Candice Kumai. Applesauce and pumpkin puree make these cakes moist and fluffy. Enjoy with apple butter or maple syrup.

Banana Chocolate Chip Vegan Pancakes
This recipe uses almond milk, coconut oil, and flaxseed instead of eggs and milk for a vegan take on banana chocolate chip pancakes. With just eight ingredients, these are simple to whip together on the fly.

Coconut Almond & Quinoa Breakfast Cakes
Save this recipe for the weekend because it’s more complicated than your basic pancake mix, but the blend of black quinoa, cinnamon, lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla, almond meal, banana, and cacao nibs makes a hearty and gorgeous short stack. Top with yogurt and maple syrup for serving.

Waffle PBJ-Wich
Stack a toaster waffle with sliced fresh strawberries and nut butter for a healthier, lower-sugar version of peanut butter and jelly. You can find 34 more healthy breakfasts for busy mornings here.

Waffle with Cream Cheese and Smashed Berries
Give frozen waffles a gourmet twist with cream cheese, fresh berries, and a bit of honey or agave. Kids will love the sweet and cheesy flavor as much as you do.

Smoothies

Blueberry Muffin Smoothie
This recipe combines milk, yogurt, frozen blueberries, frozen banana, lemon zest, oatmeal, and a little ice. Oatmeal in a smoothie sounds weird, but it’s actually a versatile mix-in that makes any blend extra hearty and filling.

Healthy Wendy’s Frosty
This lightly sweetened smoothie from yoga celebrity Tara Stiles tastes like a chocolate milkshake but won’t leave you with a sugar high. The blend of almond milk, vanilla extract, raw cacao powder, and almond butter is satisfying any time of day.

My Favorite Green Smoothie
Green smoothies don’t have to taste like salad. This mixture gets its color from two cups of fresh spinach, but the flavor is derived from frozen banana, mixed berries, peanut butter, and almond milk. Flaxseed meal adds some extra nuttiness and healthy fat.

The post 30 Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Change Your Morning appeared first on Sonima.