~ Check out our very BEST, quick and easy, HEALTHY recipes of 2019! The most adored recipes from an entire year, as chosen by YOU, our beloved readers. Did your favorite make the list? Make it again and then pick a new favorite to try this week! ~
Its that time of year again! As the dust settles on another fun-packed holiday season, its time to set our sights on all the adventures a new year holds.
But first, I want to take a moment to send you all one giant (digital) hug. A thank-you for being our loyal readers, bonding together over a shared passion for good food thats actually good for you, too. A mutual joy in sharing recipes, swapping tips and recipe ideas, and cheering each other on as we all strive to eat a little healthier, live a little better. Thank you.
Without you, our familys beloved website wouldnt be what it is today, wouldnt have grown steadily by leaps and bounds each year and certainly wouldnt be worth all the time and love and care we pour into it. As we head into our eighth year together at Two Healthy Kitchens, I want you all to know how glad I am that youre a part of our treasured community, our devoted and passionate little corner of the internet. Im so glad youre here.
Ok, ok. Enough of my sappy, sentimental reminiscing! Enough of the group hug! Youre here for the recipes, arent you?!? Ok so lets get on with it!
Before we all dive headlong into a brand-new, shiny year, I love to look back through the year behind us. Through an entire year of recipes to find which of our familys favorites became your familys favorites, too! The very best recipes of 2019!
Have you tried them all yet? Take a peek at this years Top 10 and grab that grocery list in case you find a few must-tries you somehow missed!
Top 10 Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2019
I'm totally not kidding when I tell you that I've actually had to break out the ingredients for this dip in the middle of a party and whip up a second batch!
It's THAT good, and disappears THAT fast! Luckily, I can throw it together in about 3 minutes flat!
BONUS: We've even got tips for serving it as a fancier finger-food appetizer, too! It's always a runaway party hit, no matter how you serve (just be prepared to whip up that second batch)!
On one hand, I was kind of surprised to see that this was our #2 recipe for the year, since fish and salmon recipes can sometimes be a hard sell compared to "obvious" things like hamburgers or chicken.
But, on the other hand, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised at all I absolutely adore this recipe for its perfect combination of luxury with simplicity, and of nutrition with fabulous taste. And if I love it so much, why wouldn't all of you love it, too?
Plus, it only takes about 5 minutes to make, and it's a true power breakfast you'll crave again and again! If you haven't tried it yet, you're kind of missing out (no pressure, but it's true!).
And if salmon just isn't your thing, definitely at least take a peek at some of our other avocado toast recipes like our flavor-packed 7-Layer Dip Mexican Avocado Toast or our Breakfast Avocado Toast with Egg and Sausage (which was a Top 10 BEST recipe for 2018).
Insanely delicious, ridiculously EASY! Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep ... and then your Instant Pot works its magic!
Inspired by our epic family beach vacations in Carolina's Outer Banks, this pressure cooker version is adapted from our crazy-popular, beloved slow cooker recipe (which won a spot in our annual Top 10 Best Recipe list back in 2014).
If you love your Instant Pot like we love ours, this recipe is not to be missed!
So, what's more important to you: how delicious a recipe is, or how healthy it is? Luckily, here at Two Healthy Kitchens, you don't have to choose and this recipe is a perfect example!
A nourishing, superfoods combo of greens and veggies is perfectly highlighted by sweet-tart dried cranberries and crunchy, salty pistachios ... all topped off with an amazing Maple-Balsamic Dressing to tie everything together!
Pssssst ... and since this is THK and we LOVE shortcuts and quick recipes, you probably won't be surprised that all this goodness can be on your table in about 5 minutes. Total win!
If I had to pick just one food that sort of characterized ... and revolutionized ... my family's whole year, it would probably be Chia Pudding. (HINT: glance down at #7 on this list, too, and you'll start to get the picture.)
I'd seen plenty of Chia Pudding recipes kicking around here and there on the internet, but I'd never quite gotten around to jumping in. No particular reason. Just hadn't gotten there.
And then ... this.
Ty and I basically made Chia Pudding all summer long. My family craved it.
It's super quick and easy: throw 5 simple ingredients together at night, and breakfast is waiting for you the next morning (or make a big batch and you're covered all week long)!
This "basic" recipe is loaded with "insider" tips, tricks and variations we learned in our chia-obsessed year. It's the perfect starting point to finally try Chia Pudding for yourself (or to re-fuel an existing Chia Pudding obsession)!
This is a long-time family favorite recipe, passed to me from my MIL (who got it from a long-ago friend). Of course, I waved my magic health-ification wand around and made a few little nutritious tweaks (because you know I can't resist). But don't worry no one will ever notice!
Brimming with vibrant veggies and pillowy tortellini, it's rich and hearty and deliciously slurp-able.
And, it's just as wonderful with grocery store winter veggies as it is with your farmers market haul or summertime garden bounty perfect all year 'round!
This is a HEALTHIER "Copycat" version of the First Watch A.M. Superfoods Bowl! Enough said, right?!?
Not sure why Chia Pudding is so awesome? And why we have two (TWO!) chia pudding recipes in our Top 10 List this year? Pop back up to #5 above, and you'll understand. Then, try this recipe, and you'll be a true devotee!
It's deliciously light but satisfying an unbeatable power breakfast thatll keep you full for hours!
So simple with just a couple pantry staples and some salt and pepper. And yet ... so deliciously, addictively perfect.
I've been throwing this together for years and years, and finally wrote down the recipe so I could share it with all of you (you're welcome)!
These potatoes are incredibly versatile, and easily pivot to accompany practically any meal from casual weeknight suppers to special dinner parties. They'll become your go-to side for everything from grilled burgers to filet!
If you hang around here much, you know we are big, big fans of roasted veggies (ahem ... note #8 above). The caramelization that happens in your oven is truly magical, turning ho-hum vegetables into a healthy side dish that even picky eaters devour.
In this recipe, we're talkin' sweet carrots, nutty parsnips and fluffy red potatoes. Sure, they're fantastic all by their roasty-toasty selves, but they're even MORE addictive with a little Honey-Dijon Drizzle to bring all the flavors together!
Addictive veggies?!? #Truth
How could humble banana bread make the Top 10?!? My friends, this is noordinarybanana bread, thats for sure!
With this loaded-up bread, youve got deep, tempting banana flavor with warm background notes of vanilla and cinnamon. It's all studded with sweet, caramel-y chopped dates, and lots of crunchy pecans dotted through and through ... plus a generous sprinkling of toasty pecans on top.
It's fantastic for breakfasts or snacks and absolutely delicious toasted and (bonus points here) it even freezes well, too!
This Year's Unsung Heroes
Every year, when we announce our best healthy recipes of the year, we have a fun little tradition that's maybe my favorite part of all. Each member of our family also chooses an "unsung hero" just one more recipe that we each think TOTALLY should've made the list, but somehow just didn't. Here are this year's also-rans ... drumroll, please ...
Amy's Pick ~ It's pretty tough for a recipe that was just posted in December, at the very end of the year, to gain enough fast momentum to catapult itself into the top 10 recipes of an entire year. Plus, we've already got an ber-popular "wreath" Christmas Salad on our site, so this one's got some stiff competition.
But without a moment's hesitation, Amy picked this recipe as her unsung hero, cooing, "This is absolutely adorable, and makes any table into a festive wonderland!" She's definitely right about that! (And, it's crazy-delicious, too!)
Ty's Pick ~ Ty didn't hesitate in making his selection, either. The intro description of this recipe post pretty much says it all, describing these sandwiches as Ty's "ultimate crave-worthy creation" and a "mind-blowing, life-changing, you-have-to-try-this recipe"! What else do you really need to know here, right?
Ty laughingly adds that this recipe is, " ... so good that I wrote about it for college application essays!" (Now let's all please cross our fingers that those essays end up in some scholarship $$$, m'kay?!?)
Scott's Pick ~ Scott was out of town on a business trip as I was finalizing this year's list, but the email he sent me with his top pick says it all:
Ok. Hands down the "turkey salad."1) Its not really a turkey salad (there's no actual turkey in it!) so thats an unexpected twist just to start.
2) It adds a fun flair to the stuffy old Thanksgiving Dinner table.
3) Everyone loves a caricature of a turkey!
4) Walnuts for feet? Thats hilarious.
5) Snood! Thats just a hoot to say. Snood! Everyone needs to know that word!
(Pssst ... in case you're wondering, a snood is the squiggly red thing next to a turkey's beak. My whole family learned a super-useful new word along with getting a wildly delicious salad out of the deal!)
Shelley's Pick ~ And now it's my turn. Hmmmmm ... this is always like trying to pick my favorite child. If I didn't love the recipes, I wouldn't have posted them, each wonderful in their own special ways and dear to my heart. So, how to choose?
I almost went with those gorgeous Open-Faced Tomato Sandwiches. They're one of the most amazing things I've found to do with perfect summer tomatoes.
But, in the end, I guess I'd have to pick this wonderful Turkey Chili. It's been a beloved classic family recipe in my family ... since before I was even in the family! Handed down to me from my mother-in-law and adapted out of an old, dog-eared, food-stained, mid-twentieth century cookbook, this is an absolute classic.
I usually make a huge triple batch for my twins' family birthday party, and everyone excitedly devours it as if theyve never tried it before even though its exactly the same as what I served last year and the year before that. Just always a favorite.
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More of Our Very BEST Recipes
In case you missed some, or if youre just now joining us on our healthy eating journey here at Two Healthy Kitchens, heres where you can find all of our most popular recipes:
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2018
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2017
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2016
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2015
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2014
- Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2013
Oh and one little note on our annual best recipes lists: we always include onlyrecipes in our Top 10.
There were lots of other non-recipe posts you loved in 2019 like Amys helpful post on Which Foods to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Surgery. Who knew that after the poor kid spent part of her summer recovering from a miserable, extra-difficult surgery, shed turn it all into a reference guide so many of our readers would find helpful?! Hey, girl way to make lemonade out of those lemons!
Other big hits were our recipe guides for Summer Crockpot Recipes and Healthy Super Bowl Snacks (Hint Hint: youre gonna need to dust that one off in a couple weeks as you plan your next epic Super Bowl bash!).
No doubt, 2019 was a banner year here at THK, and were so excited for another healthy year with you all!
Happy New Year, friends! Cheers to 2020 and our eighth (8th!! Wow!) year together!
The post The Best Easy, Healthy Recipes of 2019 appeared first on Two Healthy Kitchens.
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