Healthy recipes and eating tips for people who care about where their food comes from
May 21

Healthy Baked Arctic Char Recipe with Fresh Herbs

Healthy Baked Arctic Char Recipe Arctic char is a cold water fish that’s similar to salmon. I think it has a meatier, less “fishy” flavor than salmon, which makes it perfect if you’re cooking for people who don’t love fish. This arctic char recipe may just convert those non-fish-lovers too.

It’s extremely simple to make. I’m talking just 7 all-natural ingredients and it only takes about 15 minutes total. You can try any herb combination you want, but I combined a little rosemary, chives, and fresh garlic and it was delicious. Go with fresh herbs if possible and you’ll get a better flavor.

This filling recipe has just 330 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 36 grams of protein, and 328 milligrams of sodium. It may appear to be high in fat with 21 grams per serving, but it’s virtually all the healthy monounsaturated type.

Here’s the recipe … leave a comment below if you like it or made any adjustments that turned out well.

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
5 min 10 min 4

Ingredients: Baked Arctic Char Recipe with Fresh Herbs

  • 1.5 lb. arctic char
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 bunch chives
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 2 T olive oil
  • Black pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

1. Mince all herbs and garlic and combine together.

2. Rub fish with olive oil, salt, garlic, pepper, and fresh herbs.

3. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

330 calories, 21 g fat, 1 g carbs, 36 g protein, 328 mg sodium

Want More Recipes?

1. Check out more of my healthy fish recipes here.

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May 9

How to Make Healthy Chicken Salad Without Mayo

How to Make Healthy Chicken Salad Without MayoLet’s say you’re out to lunch one day and your co-workers talk you into going to the Cheesecake Factory. You’ve been eating healthier and losing a little weight, so you really want to order something healthy. You sit down, look at the overwhelmingly large menu, and decide on the Chicken Salad Sandwich. Seems like a healthy option, right?

What you probably don’t realize is that this “healthy” Chicken Salad Sandwich will set you back 1230 calories and 1910 milligrams of sodium.

I’m going to show you how to make a healthy chicken salad without mayo that tastes awesome and has about 75 percent less calories and sodium than the unhealthy restaurant version!

Specifically, you’re looking at just 286 calories for a tasty chicken salad recipe that’s low in carbs, has “good fats” of the monounsaturated variety, and has 20 grams of protein.

There are a few keys to making this recipe a success though:

1. First, you’ll need to roast your chicken, which gives the chicken salad a really great flavor. (To save time, you can also pick up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the store. If you go this route, you don’t need to add salt since the chicken comes pre-seasoned).

2. Use fresh dill and ginger. I always prefer fresh herbs in my recipes, but it’s especially important in this one. It won’t taste the same without these two crucial ingredients.

3. Cook the shallots in coconut oil for a rich, buttery flavor.

Another perk of this chicken salad recipe is you can use the leftover chicken to make your own delicious stock for soups and sauces.

This chicken salad recipe is so good your friends and family won’t even realize you made it without mayo. So here you go … prepare to be the star of your kitchen.

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
15 min 75 minutes 4

Ingredients: Healthy Chicken Salad Without Mayo

  • 1 whole chicken roaster
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 T coconut oil
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1.5 tsp. fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • 3 T red wine vinegar
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper (to taste)
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup green onion

Instructions

1. Coat the chicken with the salt, pepper, and 1 T olive oil and roast for 60-80 minutes.

2. Chop green onion  and cucumber and mince the dill while the chicken is cooking.

3. Let chicken cool for 15 minutes before cutting into. Cut off 12 oz. of meat from the chicken (about a cup and a half worth). Save the rest for another meal.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir together thoroughly and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Nutrition Facts

286 calories, 21 g fat, 7 g carbs (1.5 g fiber), 20 g protein, 465 mg sodium

Check out more great chicken recipes on my Healthy Dinner Recipes page and other great real food recipes at The Well Fed Homestead.

 

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April 18

Lamb Shoulder Stew Recipe

Lamb Shoulder Stew RecipeI don’t eat lamb very often. And by “very often” I mean probably less than 10 times in my life. But my local Whole Foods started selling pasture-raised lamb shoulder and I decided to give it a try.

If my experiences with cooking pork shoulder have taught me anything it’s this: shoulder is a tougher cut of meat … and tougher cuts of meat break down and become more tender when you cook them for a long time.

So here’s what I did. First, I marinated the lamb in olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh dill for 24 hours. Then I seared the lamb for a couple minutes on each side in a cast iron skillet. Then I threw them in the slow cooker for a few hours. The result was an absolutely delicious and tender lamb shoulder stew.

And here’s a bonus: it’s delicious and good for you. We’re talking just 370 calories that includes a solid balance of healthy fats, minimal carbs, and 37 grams of protein.  

Here’s the recipe …

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
10 min 3 hours 15 minutes 4

Ingredients: Lamb Shoulder Stew Recipe

  • 1.25 lb. lamb shoulder
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Combine the lamb, olive oil, dill, 1/4 tsp. of salt, and black pepper to taste in a bowl and marinate for 24 hours.

2.Chop the carrot, onion, and shallot. Mince the dill.

3. Heat a cast iron pan, season lamb with remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and sear for 2 minutes/side.

4. Transfer lamb with remaining ingredients into slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours.

5. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

370 calories, 20 g fat,9 g carbs (2 g fiber), 37 g protein, 428 mg sodium

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March 1

Healthy Brown Rice Recipe with Lemon Butter Dill Sauce

Healthy Brown Rice Recipe

This brown rice recipe is one of my favorite healthy side dishes. Here are a few reasons why: 

  1. It’s really simple: just 6 ingredients total.
  2. It’s healthy: only 111 calories per serving.
  3. It’s delicious: you get a rich, buttery flavor.

There are a couple keys to making this recipe a success though. First, use brown rice over white rice. That’s because there’s a big difference between whole grains and refined grains.

Second, use real butter. I like Organic Valley Whipped Sweet Cream because it’s a little lower in calories. But don’t buy that fake butter or margarine crap. Use the real stuff. It’s better for you, and it tastes better.

Third, use fresh dill. Fresh herbs make a world of difference, especially in this brown rice recipe.

And finally, use both the juice from the lemon and the zest. Use a zester, grater, or small knife to scrape off the yellow “zest”. It adds a fantastic lemony flavor to the dish.

So give my healthy brown rice recipe a whirl, and let me know if you like it!

 

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
5 min 50 min 2

 

Ingredients: Healthy Brown Rice Recipe

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 T Organic Valley Whipped Butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • Black pepper to taste

 

Instructions

1. Cook the rice according to the instructions (I simmered mine in a covered pot for 45 minutes). Drain rice and rinse with cold water.

2. Melt butter in a sauce pan and add juice and zest from half the lemon along with salt and pepper.

3. Add the rice and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Rinse and chop the dill and add to pan. Mix thoroughly and serve.

 

Nutrition Facts

111 calories, 6.5 g fat, 13 g carbs (2 g fiber), 1.5 g protein, 283 mg sodium

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January 20

How to Make Healthy Gluten Free Meatloaf

healthy meatloaf recipe

For most people, meatloaf conjures up memories of crappy cafeteria food. This healthy gluten free meatloaf recipe will make you change your tune.

So where do you begin? With the meat, of course. The secret to healthy meatloaf lies in the beef. That means shelling out a few more bucks and getting some really good grass fed sirloin. Beef from grass fed cows is leaner, healthier, and tastier. You can find it at many specialty grocery stores (like Whole Foods here in the Midwest) or even better, find a local farm that sells it. Check out the website Eat Wild to find farms that sell grass fed beef near you.

Fresh ingredients are another key to making a delicious healthy meatloaf. Use fresh parsley, ginger, and garlic instead of dried herbs and powders. It makes a big difference.

I opted for some subtle Asian flavors in this dish. The combination of fresh herbs with orange, ginger, garlic, and Braggs Liquid Aminos resulted in a pretty awesome flavor profile. If you’re not familiar with Braggs,  it’s a healthier alternative to soy sauce that tastes just like it. It is a great thing to have in your kitchen because it goes well with almost any vegetable.

I made this meatloaf gluten free for my wife by using Udi’s Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread. If you don’t want a gluten free version, just swap a couple slices of whole wheat bread for the gluten free bread.

Once you have all your ingredients, just form them into a ball, pop it in the oven, and 45 minutes later you’ll have one of the tastier healthy meatloaf recipes you’ve ever had.

 

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
20 min 45 min 4

 

Ingredients: Healthy Meatloaf Recipe

  • 1 lb. grassfed ground sirloin
  • 1 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley (divided into two 1/4 cup portions)
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 slices gluten free bread
  • 2 tsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • 1 tsp. sherry vinegar
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 T Organic Valley Whipped Butter
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

 

Instructions

1. Chop zucchini and onion. Mince garlic and ginger.

2. Grease a meatloaf pan or glass baking dish with cooking spray or 1 T olive oil. Pre-heat oven to 375.

3. Toast bread and chop into small pieces.

4. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except 1/4 cup of parsley, butter, and lemon juice. Form into a mold in your baking dish. 

5. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Combine remaining parsley, butter and lemon juice and spread atop the meatloaf.

 

Nutrition Facts

222 calories, 8 g fat, 11 g carbs, 28 g protein, 530 mg sodium

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January 14

Cheesy Chicken Recipe with Herbes de Provence

Cheesy Chicken Recipe What do you do when you have a pound of chicken you want to cook for dinner, some mozzarella cheese, and some herbes de provence? Make this cheesy chicken recipe, of course!

As you’ve probably realized by now, I’m a fan of simple, healthy, and delicious recipes that don’t require a lot of ingredients or work. This cheesy chicken recipe is a perfect example.

Like I said, all you need is some good chicken, a few slices of mozzarella cheese, dried herbes de provence, salt, and pepper. That’s it! My chicken came from John Henry’s, one of my favorite local farms here in Michigan.

Cooking this dish is a snap. You just sear the chicken for a couple minutes a side, top it with cheese, and finish it off in the oven.

Healthwise, this recipe is a winner too. It’ll only set you back 220 calories and less than 10 grams of fat. And you get 33 grams of protein!

If you’re looking for more great recipes using chicken, go to my Healthy Chicken Recipes and scroll down the page.

 

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
10 min 20 min 4

 

Ingredients: Cheesy Chicken Recipe with Herbes de Provence

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into four 4-ounce portions)
  • 4 slices of mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tsp. herbes de provence
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • Cooking spray (or coat pan with 1 T canola oil)

 

Instructions

1. Season chicken with herbs, salt, and pepper.

2. Pre-heat a cast iron pan to medium-high heat, and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Spray pan with cooking spray and sear chicken breasts for 2 minutes/side.

4. Immediately transfer to oven-safe pan, add a slice of cheese on top of each chicken breast, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Let chicken sit for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Nutrition Facts

220 calories, 9.5 g fat, 1 g carbs, 33 g protein, 687 mg sodium

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