5 Fast Food Recipes Healthy Alternatives
Most of us crave something unhealthy once in a while, so why not enjoy it without completely giving in to occasionally-gross excess? Even if you're not going full paleo, gluten-free, vegan (or whatever), making a few small changes to your eating habits, such as baking instead of frying, cutting down on oils and fats, reducing sugar and salt, eating a little less meat every week, and skipping the easiest dine-out options in favor of cooking at home more often, can make a big difference to your overall health.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 45 mins
- Servings: 4
- Serving Size: 130 grams
This Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe is a veggie-packed, naturally gluten-free and grain-free solution. It's ideal for those who wish to enjoy pizza while adhering to a low-carb or food-combining diet.
- Calories: 232 kcal
- Protein: 17.1 g
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Carbs: 21.7 g
- 1 pound cauliflower florets (or thawed from frozen; see notes)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 1/3 cup soft goat cheese (or grated Parmesan)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup cooked chicken breast
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup sliced banana peppers
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If the cauliflower isn't previously riced, place the florets in a food processor and pulse briefly until the texture is similar to rice. Spread the cauliflower rice out in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cauliflower for 15 minutes, or until it is soft.
- If you're using frozen cauliflower, make sure it's thoroughly thawed before using a food processor to turn it into a rice-like texture. (Alternatively, if you want to skip the food processor stage, start with thawed frozen cauliflower rice.) You won't have to cook the frozen and thawed cauliflower, therefore you'll save time!
- Transfer the riced cauliflower to a clean, thin dishtowel once it has been cooked (or thawed). SQUEEZE all the excess moisture out of the cooked rice by wrapping it in a dishtowel, twisting it up. (If your cauliflower is still hot, wait until it cools before handling it.) There will be a significant amount of additional liquid released, which will help you avoid a soggy pizza crust.
- Combine the squeezed-out rice, egg, cheese, and spices in a large mixing basin. It won't be like any other pizza dough you've dealt with before, but don't worry: it'll work!
- Place the dough on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. (It's critical that it's lined with parchment paper rather than wax paper; otherwise, it'll stick.) Keep the dough in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden and dry. Flip the crust over with the parchment paper and bake for another 10 minutes or until the other side is nice and dry.
- I start with the sauce, then add the cheese and the rest of the ingredients, finishing with additional cheese on top. Make the pizza in whichever way you choose! Return the pizza (still on paper) to the pizza stone with extreme caution. Use a pizza peel or enlist the help of someone else. Bake the pizza for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling on top. Extra parmesan can be sprinkled on top. Serve right away!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 15 mins
- Servings: 4
- Serving Size: 250 grams
Extremely lean and low-carb! In less than 30 minutes, you will have a delicious meal! You won't even miss the pasta here because it's so tasty!
- Calories: 236 kcal
- Protein: 26.1 g
- Fat: 13.1 g
- Carbs: 5.6 g
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 1 pound (3 medium-sized) zucchini and spiralized
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- In a large skillet over medium heat,1 tablespoon oil. Cook, stirring regularly, until 2 garlic cloves are aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Slice the ends off the zucchini and place it on your spiralizer. Turn the spiralizer and create zucchini noodles.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in zucchini noodles until barely soft, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook, stirring regularly, until the remaining 2 garlic cloves and shallot are aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring periodically, for 3-4 minutes, or until pink and cooked through. Combine the lemon zest and parsley in a mixing bowl.
- Serve with zucchini noodles right away.
A workout you should try:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Servings: 4
- Serving Size: 300 grams
You don't have to give up burgers and fries to eat healthy! You can enjoy both without feeling guilty with this low-carb burger and sweet potato fries.
- Calories: 432 kcal
- Protein: 28.4 g
- Fat: 21.4 g
- Carbs: 31.5 g
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, halved and cut into ¼-inch-thick strips
- 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon Himalayan pink salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 pound ground beef,
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Avocado oil, for greasing
- 4 slices dairy-free cheddar cheese
- 4 cloud bread (recipe below)
- Ketchup, for serving
- 4 slices tomato (optional)
- 4 butter lettuce leaves (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Using parchment paper, line a baking sheet.
- Toss the potatoes, coconut oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large mixing basin to coat. Arrange in an equal layer on the baking sheet that has been prepared. 35 to 40 minutes in the oven, tossing the fries halfway through, until golden brown.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, add the ground beef, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne in a large mixing basin and mix well with your hands. Form the mixture into four patties, each using approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture, and pressing them to a width of about 4 inches. (Rough edges are your ally!)
- Preheat a big skillet over high heat until it is very hot. Using avocado oil, lightly coat the pan. Add the patties and cook for about 3 minutes per side for medium, pressing down on them with a metal spatula a couple times to get a beautiful sear. If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese after flipping the patties so it melts as the patty cooks.
- 6 large eggs separated and divides
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks to a separate bowl.
- Toss the egg whites with the cream of tartar. Beat together with a stick mixer until stiff peaks form, then set aside. Combine the cream cheese and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. It should be folded into the egg white mixture.
- Form the cloud bread mixture into 8 parts. Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until brown, four parts on each baking sheet.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Servings: 4
- Serving Size: 350 grams
Crispy from the oven, Baked Chicken Wings are incredibly simple to make, and you won't have to deal with any of the grease that comes with frying! A healthier and more delectable way to eat wings! Crispy kale chips that are simple to make and versatile! This nutritious and simple chip takes only 30 minutes to prepare.
- Calories: 486 kcal
- Protein: 42.4 g
- Fat: 10.4 g
- Carbs: 53.6 g
- 4 pounds chicken wings , halved at joints, wingtips discarded
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracker black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup Frank's Wings Hot Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
To make the Buffalo sauce,
- combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely before using on the wings (or prepare the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate).
- Place the upper-middle and lower-middle oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet on top of a wire rack (I use a cooling rack). Using nonstick spray, coat the rack.
- Pat the wings dry using paper towels and place them in a large mixing basin. It's critical to thoroughly dry them!
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder. Then, throw the wings in the seasoning to uniformly coat them.
- Arrange the wings, skin side up, in a single layer on the wire rack that has been prepared.
- Bake until crispy and browned on the upper middle oven rack, flipping every 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Toss the wings with the sauce in a mixing basin.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees C). Using parchment paper, line a rimmed baking sheet.
- Remove kale leaves off thick stems with a knife or kitchen shears and tear into bite-size pieces. Using a salad spinner, thoroughly dry the kale. Drizzle olive oil over kale leaves and toss to mix. Sprinkle with salt and spread out in a uniform layer on the baking sheet without overlapping.
- Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown but are not scorched.
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cooking Time: 00 min
- Servings: 8
- Serving Size: 300 grams
Fruit & Yogurt Popsicles are a delightful, tasty, and guilt-free treat made with the right combination of fruit, yogurt, cream, and honey.
- Calories: 182 kcal
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Fat: 8.9 g
- Carbs: 18 g
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and sliced bananas, mixed
- 2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 8 tablespoons peanut butter
- 8 small paper cups
- 8 popsicle sticks
- In a blender, combine the mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cut bananas, yogurt, peanut butter and sugar. Cover and mix until the fruit is chunky or smooth, depending on your preference.
- 3/4 fill paper cups with the fruit mixture. Wrap a strip of aluminum foil around the top of each cup. Insert a popsicle stick into the center of each cup's foil.
- Freeze the cups for at least 5 hours before using. Remove the foil and peel off the paper cup to serve.