Dietary Restriction Recipes

This dish comes out of the oven sizzling and bubbling and is devoured as soon as it hits the table. Everybody loves nachos, but it's not typically a dish that offers much in the way of nutrition. We've taken these up a notch by loading them with kale, corn, beans, and avocado. And yes, cheese too. The end result is addictive. Excerpted from "Mostly Plants" by Tracy, Dana, Lori and Corky Pollan. Published by Harper Wave © 2019.

Instead of being served on traditional buns, these turkey sliders are sandwiched inside mini avocados for a clever (and low-carb) meal--because why put avocado on your burger when you can put your burger on an avocado? Quick pickled onions are a pretty and tasty topping, and chipotle mayo seals the deal. Bonus: The burgers are cooked on a baking sheet, so it's easy to whip up a whole batch.

This herbaceous and healthy salad dressing gets a tangy flavor from buttermilk, richness from avocado and brightness from fresh herbs. Try it on sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad or chopped chicken salad and as a dip for carrot sticks, celery, peppers and radishes--you name it! It would also make a great spread for sandwiches.

In this healthy sheet-pan chicken recipe, meaty bone-in chicken thighs and broccoli florets are tossed with sesame oil and roasted on the same pan for a delicious and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. While the chicken and broccoli cook, whip together the simple scallion-ginger sauce. The sauce would also be wonderful spooned over salmon, tofu or grain bowls; it is easily doubled or tripled!

This vibrantly colorful and healthy make-ahead salad is sure to become a go-to weekday lunch, though it's pretty enough to serve to guests. Fresh ginger gives a pleasant bite to the toasted sesame salad dressing, which is inspired by the dressings served at Japanese hibachi restaurants.

These gluten-free and low-carb cauliflower soft pretzels use riced cauliflower in place of flour, with a little cheese and egg as binder, to make a fun grain-free snack. Simply sprinkle them with pretzel salt or jazz them up with seeds or everything bagel seasoning, if you'd like.

This cheesy baked eggplant Parmesan has no breading, which means it's easier to make than the traditional version. There's no dredging or frying--instead, the eggplant is roasted until tender before being layered in the casserole dish with a tangy homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. And without breading, this satisfying eggplant Parmesan is also gluten-free!

For this refreshing and tart vegan gin fizz recipe, we've used aquafaba--the liquid from canned chickpeas--in place of egg whites to create the cocktail's signature frothy top. Even if you're not a vegan, you may prefer this recipe as it saves you the step of separating the eggs (and figuring out what to do with the leftover yolks). Save the chickpeas for another recipe, such as hummus or spiced chickpeas, to serve alongside your drinks!

This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.

Here's a healthy salad recipe to make at the height of summer when watermelon and cucumbers are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Feta adds the perfect creamy, salty, tangy edge, and mint makes this salad taste even brighter. This is one easy side salad you'll want to serve at all your summer BBQs.

This luscious strawberry nice cream is a wonderful healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar, but is bursting with sweet berry flavor. And it takes just minutes to whip up this easy healthy dessert in a food processor if you freeze the fruit ahead. While you'll get the best flavor from fresh berries, if you don't have them on hand, feel free to use store-bought frozen fruit in this recipe. Serve the nice cream on its own or top it with more fresh berries for a refreshing summer treat.

This easy and healthy zucchini bread recipe is elevated to company-worthy brunch fare with the addition of fresh blueberries to the batter and a simple lemon glaze and toasted almonds on top. A combination of whole-wheat flour and oats in the batter make it more nutritious--and more interesting--than standard zucchini bread, too!

This healthy recipe combines two bar food favorites--fried zucchini and curly fries--into one tempting package. Serve these baked zucchini fries with a simple dipping sauce made with ranch dressing and marinara sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish for burgers, chicken or pizza. No matter what you serve them with, they're a fun way to eat more vegetables for kids and adults alike.

This gorgeous and healthy summer vegetable salad is loaded with pretty produce, including golden beets, avocado, corn, microgreens and radishes. Chickpeas and edamame add substance, and an herb-filled buttermilk-avocado dressing makes this salad really special. Serve it on its own for a light vegetarian meal or add grilled chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.

This healthy riff on lasagna rolls uses strips of zucchini instead of lasagna noodles for a vegetable-packed dinner that's fun for the whole family. This is a great recipe for kids to help make--let them get their hands dirty rolling the zucchini ribbons with the cheesy filling. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to quickly slice the zucchini into uniform thin strips--this will ensure easy rolling and even cooking.

This easy grilled flank steak gets its flavor from two smoky ingredients--paprika and chipotle--rather than spending hours in a smoker. For a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, grill your favorite vegetables alongside the steak and voilà! Dinner's done.

Use your crock pot all year with this healthy slow-cooker chicken soup recipe with fresh spring ingredients. Adding the asparagus and peas to the slow cooker for the last 20 minutes of cooking and leaving the lid off ensures that the vegetables stay bright green and are perfectly done without getting mushy.

This elegant and healthy salmon recipe makes a wonderful main course for a dinner party. Sorrel is a spring green with a tangy lemon flavor. Look for it at farmers' markets and well-stocked supermarkets. You can use baby spinach instead, but add a squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce for extra oomph.

There's definitely a sushi vibe to these kid-friendly wraps, which are stuffed with vegetables, cheese and hummus and then rolled and sliced. Serve them with store-bought green goddess, a creamy herb-filled dressing, to take it up a notch with ease. They look impressive but they're easy enough for kids to assemble themselves for an easy lunch or dinner.

This healthy salad recipe calls for tiny carrots, harvested in spring when young, with their tops still attached. If you can't find them, use 2 cups julienned carrots and substitute arugula for the carrot tops. Pea greens, also known as pea shoots, are the leaves, tendrils and flowers of a mature pea plant. Look for them at farmers' markets or Asian markets.