Quick & Easy Healthy Recipes

There's no pasta here, but this gluten-free and low-carb cauliflower "mac & cheese" is as comforting and creamy as your family's favorite cheesy dish.

Give buttery shrimp scampi a healthy update with delicately sweet spaghetti squash. The parsley-flecked squash "noodles" slash calories, add fiber and leave this classic dish still plenty decadent.

Low-carb spaghetti squash stands in for wheat noodles in this updated twist on a classic pesto pasta dish. Cashews lend richness to the pesto, while nutritional yeast, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes contribute satisfying umami to this vegan dinner recipe.

By far the easiest way to cook spaghetti squash is with a pressure cooker. The noodly, low-carb squash turns tender in only 7 minutes in your multicooker. Enjoy it plain as a side dish, or dress it up and use it as a substitute for pasta.

Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad. A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.

Tahini, which is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, makes sauces and dressings super creamy without any dairy or mayonnaise. Use it as a salad dressing, a spread on sandwiches, or a sauce for falafel (see associated recipe, below).

Tuck these tasty chickpea patties into whole-wheat pitas and top with tahini sauce (see associated recipe, below). Be sure to soak the chickpeas overnight for the creamiest mixture. The quick-soak method won't work for these pan-fried falafel patties.

You won't miss the scrambled eggs and fish sauce in this vegan version of the Thai favorite because the flavorful sauce hits just the right balance of sweet, spicy and umami.

This creamy, refreshing cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don't turn watery.

This sweet and tangy salad of cucumber, scallions and pepper is packed with vibrant Thai flavors and a bit of extra crunch from dry-roasted peanuts. If possible, use a red jalapeño (or chile) to brighten the salad with a few specks of red. Cut the heat by removing the seeds before chopping.

Nutritional yeast gives this vegan pesto a cheesy flavor, while cashews make it creamy. For a nuttier flavor, use dry-roasted cashews or toast them yourself in the oven before processing. Smear this simple spread on sandwiches, toss with warm pasta, or use it as dip for crudités.

Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that's ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa.

Zucchini noodles, or "zoodles," are a gluten-free, low-calorie substitute for traditional pasta in this easy and fresh vegan dinner. For best results, toss the zucchini pasta with the basil pesto sauce and serve right away.

This delicious frittata is loaded with heart-healthy, omega-3 enriched eggs and a medley of colorful vegetables. Start cooking the vegetables on the stove and finish them up in the oven with the egg mixture. To serve, top with avocado slices, grape tomatoes and a touch of sriracha.

For this homemade face mask, a dreamy mix of hydrating avocado, skin-cleansing honey and toning apple-cider vinegar delivers perfect pH balance for all types of skin. While the face mask is completely edible, we don't recommend actually eating it.

In this homemade hair mask, apple-cider vinegar cleanses the scalp and removes excess oil, even as honey balances the skin and nourishes the hair shaft. A touch of olive oil restores any lost moisture.

Oats are nature's magic potion for reducing skin irritation, and can be used in scrubs, masks and poultices to calm redness, itching and rashes. In this homemade oatmeal bath, they're ground into a flour and combined with rose petals for a dose of lush floral comfort (plus anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties). While the oatmeal bath mixture is completely edible, we don't recommend actually eating it.

Fresh cheese tortellini and classic Greek salad ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion come together for a fast side dish that's perfect for potlucks, picnics and other casual gatherings.

This creamy broccoli and cauliflower salad has a fabulous crunch. The salad holds well and is perfect for potlucks and picnics. Our version has considerably less sugar than most Amish salad recipes and is lighter because we use a mixture of low-fat Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing.

Spring rolls are surprisingly easy to make. Better yet, they're incredibly versatile. Smoked salmon and avocado are a classic spring roll combination for an easy healthy lunch to pack for work--or whip some up for a light party appetizer.