5 Healthy Recipes to Help You Stay Motivated

The beginning of a diet might seem easy, but as time stretches on it becomes harder to ignore that little voice in you head whispering temptations of midnight doughnut runs, nights out with friends over a shared pizza, or a Snickers bar in lieu of lunch on an exceptionally hectic day. The withdrawal symptoms of junk food are hard to overcome, and it might take months before that annoying voice finally shuts up, but don’t worry – once it realizes you’re giving it the silent treatment it will grow bored and move on.

After some time passes, however, denying yourself junk food is no longer the biggest problem. When on a strict, calculated diet you will have to give up foods that were once considered normal and healthy before people started obsessing over having washboard abs. Fruits and food generally high in carbohydrates will disappear, because the overload of carbohydrates will slowdown the fat loss process. To stay motivated you’ll have to be creative in the kitchen, because let’s face it, eating the same bland health food everyday can quickly feel like an infinite punishment. The more calories you’re allowed to consume a day, in addition to your macronutrient ratio, will determine just how creative you can be. Over time, I’ve developed a few healthy recipes to hold me over. I’ve also come across a number of great recipes from established fitness enthusiasts that are worth a look.

Sometimes, in an effort to save time, I bake my chicken with just water and a few natural seasonings. Needless to say, though the outcome is more convenient than tasty, but when I have extra time I use that baked chicken to make a satisfying patty.

You will need:

•  100–200g of the prebaked chicken (you can also use turkey)

•  1 whole egg

•  1–2 egg whites depending on desired consistency

•  Optional: about ¼-1/2 cup of finely chopped vegetables of your choice, such as onion, garlic, bell pepper, or jalapeño

•  Roughly one tablespoon of olive oil

•  Natural seasonings of your choice, season to taste

•  Optional: if your diet allows for a higher intake of carbohydrates then go ahead and add about ½ a cup of whole wheat bread crumbs to the mix

First, take the baked chicken and shred it in a food processor. Once the chicken is completely shredded, pour it into a mixing bowl. Then add the eggs and mix well before adding the desired vegetables and seasoning. This is also the moment to add the whole wheat bread crumbs if you are using any. Once everything is added to the mix, it should hold relatively well. If not, add more shredded chicken or egg. Next add the olive oil to a frying pan, heat, and transfer the mix to the pan. From this point on, just fry the mixture as you would any other patty. Note: keep the frying pan small enough that you can successfully flip the patty.

You will need:

•  140g of canned tuna, drained

•  3 egg whites

•  20–50g of prebaked sweet potato, mashed

•  About 1 tablespoon of olive oil

•  Natural seasoning

•  Optional: in addition to, or in place of, the sweet potato you can add your choice of chopped vegetables. Cucumber mixes well with tuna, about 50g is sufficient for 140g of tuna

•  Optional: if your macronutrients allow the carbohydrate intake, go ahead and add some whole wheat bread crumbs here.

To begin, simply drain the tuna, then weigh out 140g of it. Add the tuna to a mixing bowl, add the eggs, then add the desired vegetables and the seasoning. Mix everything together well enough so that the consistency is a little thick. Add the olive oil to a frying pan, making sure that the pan is just big enough so that you can flip the patty. Once the pan is heated, add the tuna mix to it, then flatten it and allow it to cook to the desired crispness. The egg and juices from the vegetables will trickle down; don’t worry this is normal. The egg formation at the bottom makes the patty easier to flip. The end result is as close to a nostalgic ‘’fish stick’’ as you’ll get while maintaining a healthy diet.

This is my go-to breakfast the two days of the week that I don’t work out. It is simple, and tastes close enough to a real pancake that I actually think I’m cheating. There are a few variations of this recipe – the one you choose depends on the type of food and corresponding amounts you can eat.

You will need:

•  100g of prebaked sweet potato, mashed, or one banana, mashed

•  2 whole eggs

•  Ground cinnamon (to taste, I use a few shakes)

•  1 tsp-1 tbsp of vanilla extract

•  About 1 tbsp of olive oil

•  Option: one scoop of your choice of protein whey powder (chocolate works well)

•  Optional: handful of fresh berries of your choice, I recommend blueberries or raspberries

•  Option: About 10g of steel cut oats, or any oatmeal, 10g of coconut flour, unsalted crushed walnuts, and an extra egg white. This is for anyone who is ‘’bulking,’’ or trying to put on muscle mass

•  Optional: baking powder, or baking soda if you desire a bit more fluff

•  Optional: for the topping, natural peanut/almond butter, agave syrup, honey, or fresh fruit

As you can see, this recipe can be manipulated to meet any dieter’s needs, and they all taste great. First, mash the sweet potato or banana in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, then the cinnamon and vanilla extract, then mix. This is also the moment to add any of the optional ingredients. I prefer a natural diet so I do not use protein powder, but I have tried it in this recipe and it is delicious, so if you normally consume it by all means add it here. Once everything is well-mixed, I like to fluff it up with a hand mixer, but this is optional so, if you don’t have one handy don’t worry. After everything has been added to the bowl and blended, add the olive oil to a small-medium size frying pan. Once the pan is heated, add the mix, and cook it as you would a normal pancake. Note: if you use a banana in place of the sweet potato keep in mind that the mix will not hold as well and make the ‘’bancake’’ harder to flip when the moment comes. If you do not want to deal with the frying, this recipe and its many variations can also be baked as muffins. In my experience the only difference is that the taste of the egg is stronger when the mix is baked rather than fried.

Before trying this recipe, keep in mind that traditional cookies are hard to recreate in full – there simply isn’t a healthy substitution for the amount of sugar and butter normally required to make cookies.

You will need:

•  30g of powdered oatmeal (you can buy pre-powdered oatmeal or you can blend normal oatmeal in a food processor)

•  One banana

•  1 whole egg, additional egg white if desired

•  1 tsp-1 tbsp of natural peanut/almond butter

•  Ground cinnamon to taste

•  ¼ tsp of salt

•  ½ tsp of baking soda

•  1 tbsp of vanilla extras

•  2 tsp of your choice of organic baby food

•  Optional: ¼-1/2 cup of any of the following: crushed walnuts, fresh blueberries or raspberries, or dark chocolate chips

•  Optional: 1 scoop of your choice of whey protein powder, vanilla or chocolate both work well

Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit and mash the banana in a mixing bowl. Then take the oatmeal and use a food processor to make it the consistency of normal flour. Add the powdered oatmeal in with the mashed banana. Mix well. Add in the egg, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and mix well. Add in the baby food and peanut/almond butter – mix. Now this is the time to add any of the optional ingredients before mixing everything together with a mixer. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with your choice of oil, then start placing the mix on the sheet about 1–2 inches apart. You can make these as big or as small as you want. Cook them in the oven for about 5–10 minutes, or until they have started to brown.

Greek yogurt is becoming more popular due to the increased interest in fitness. People are aware of the health values that this thick and satisfying yogurt can offer over traditional types of yogurt. The main benefit is the extra amount of whey protein found in Greek yogurt due to its unique preparation. This yogurt acts as a great stand-alone snack or healthy desert, but its versatility in the kitchen goes beyond that. Here are a few of my favorite healthy meals that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy without Greek yogurt:

•  The tuna sandwich/wrap. When you’re allowed the extra carbohydrate intake a hearty tuna sandwich or wrap can really hit the spot. Unfortunately mayonnaise is out of the question, so instead I found that mixing the tuna with plain Greek yogurt achieves the same effect. Throw in some seasoning, maybe some thinly chopped vegetables with either whole wheat tortilla shells or bread and voila! You have a healthy meal that satisfies both your body and mind.

•  Fajitas, tacos, or burritos – fry up your choice of lean chicken or beef in olive oil accompanied with fresh onions, bell peppers, and spices. After placing this healthy mix in your choice of whole wheat tortilla shells, the only ingredients regrettably missing to make it taste more authentic are cheese and sour cream. A dollop of plain Greek yogurt will amend this little problem.

•  Additionally you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of cream or white sauce that you might normally use for pizza sauce, or to mix with whole wheat rice or pasta.

•  Instead of buying traditional yogurt high in sugar and saturated fat to satisfy a sweet tooth, just make a little extra effort and customize your own desert-style Greek yogurt. Use plain Greek yogurt as the base, then simply add a mixture of healthy ingredients to satisfy any particular cravings. Mixing just a teaspoon of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, agave, organic honey, fresh fruit, and unsalted nuts, half of a scoop of your choice of casein or whey protein powder, or some Stevia can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

I am not a chief by any means, and frankly experience no pleasure when cooking. So, if the above recipes are not up to standard, then there are some healthy ones available online that are so good you wouldn’t know they were healthy. My favorite substitute for the ‘’on the go protein bar’’ is the ‘’All Natural Quinoa Protein Energy Bars’ available on fitnessblender.com. These are delicious and filling just as they are. In the past I have modified the recipe a little: instead of honey I use agave, and to add a little extra protein I added a scoop of chocolate whey protein powder. These are almost as good a candy bars, and are great for both pre- and post-workout snacks or for just an on-the-go snack in the afternoon. My next favorite healthy snack is the ‘’Buffin.’’ Found on buffdudes.us, this is a healthy and easy version of a banana muffin. This particular recipe requires protein powder, otherwise the dominant taste is egg. Both websites offer many other great recipes for those with either a fitness goal, or those just looking to be a little healthier.

Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.

By Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette