Healthy Spice Recipes

Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats: combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with the classic flavor combo of apples and cinnamon, with pecans for added crunch.

This simple nondairy apple cake, which is often called Jewish apple cake, has origins in Eastern Europe. Cinnamon and sweet-tart Granny Smith apples make for a fragrant cake, while orange juice in the batter adds a sweet, fresh touch. Make it for Rosh Hashana or any other fall holiday or occasion. The leftovers (if there are any) pair nicely with a cup of coffee the next morning.

This healthy red lentil curry recipe has a rich flavor and complexity that tastes like it takes hours to prepare. Butternut squash and coconut milk combine with the lentils to make a hearty vegetarian dish. Serve with brown rice or naan bread.

Studies on turmeric's health benefits, particularly for reducing inflammation, are preliminary but promising. Try this vegan turmeric latte made from steamed almond milk and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup.

Roasting cauliflower transforms it into a crispy, tender vegetable. A sponge for other flavors, cauliflower can absorb any spice mix or marinade you add, like this warm and toasty combination of turmeric, cumin and garlic. Serve as a simple side dish, or stir it into salads or grain bowls to add more plant power.

Freshly grinding the spices yields a much tastier pork satay. Indonesian sweet kecap manis soy sauce is typically called for in this dipping sauce, but can be hard to find. Here, we spice up tamari (or soy sauce) and molasses for a similar flavor.

The paneer cheese in this fast and easy dinner doesn't melt when it cooks. It browns instead, giving a toothsome texture to this Indian classic packed with spinach and spices. Serve over brown basmati rice to round out this healthy meal.

These healthy apple-cinnamon muffins will put you in an autumnal state of mind no matter the time of year. Sprinkling the muffins with sugar before baking gives them a crispy top, just like a coffee-shop muffin--but these are a whole lot more nutritious than your average coffee-shop muffin, thanks to wholesome ingredients like white whole-wheat flour. Serve them for breakfast or a grab-and-go snack.

This quick toasted oats recipe is a lower-sugar alternative to granola. Serve it on top of yogurt with sliced fresh or frozen berries. You can double the recipe easily--just be sure to use a large skillet.

These candied sweet potatoes are super simple to make. The sweet potatoes are tender and buttery, while cinnamon and cardamom add warmth and flavor. The pecans add a great crunch.

Have your coffee cake and eat it too with this easy gluten-free recipe that tastes just like the real thing. The addition of yogurt and diced apple makes for a wonderfully moist cake with a crumbly topping, perfect for brunch or for a coffee-break treat.

Like most soups, this healthy Moroccan lentil soup recipe gets better with time, so make it a day ahead if you can--or try our easy slow cooker/crock pot recipe variation.

This fragrant turmeric rice bowl topped with leftover spiced roasted root vegetables and chickpeas is inspired by flavors from India for an easy, vegetarian dinner.

In this delicious main dish, cauliflower is slow-cooked with curry powder and aromatic vegetables, and shrimp and chickpeas are added in towards the end of the cooking time. Served over brown basmati rice and sprinkled with cilantro and peanuts, this dish will get a thumbs up from anyone eating it!

Carrots give carrot cake a health-halo effect--people think it's health food, but it's usually very high in fat and calories. But our version has about 40 percent less calories and 50 percent less fat than most. First, we use less oil in our batter. Then we skip the butter in the frosting (don't worry, it's still light and smooth). To ensure the cake is moist, we add nonfat buttermilk and crushed pineapple.

Smashing steamed carrots coated in curry powder then finishing them under the broiler lets the flavor set in and gives the carrots a light, crispy edge.

Flavored with turmeric, ginger and garlic, this tahini dip recipe is perfect for dipping vegetables or topping your next falafel.

Deep-frying doughnuts adds a lot of unnecessary oil and fat. Air-frying doughnut holes, however, cuts the amount of oil you use but still delivers a delicious crispy crust. Serve these no-yeast doughnut holes warm for the best texture and flavor.

Aromatic savory-and-sweet stuffed peppers are a satisfying supper, thanks to lean beef, brown rice and bell pepper in each bite. And this recipe makes just enough for two. Serve with rainbow chard sautéed with olive oil, garlic and parsley.

Though curried goat, chicken and shrimp are more popular in Jamaica than fish, food journalist Jacqui Sinclair's curry with mild mahi-mahi is a delicious and light alternative. Serve over rice.

Like most soups, this Moroccan lentil soup recipe gets better with time as the complex seasonings have time to develop. Make it a day ahead if you can--this easy slow cooker/crock pot recipe variation makes it a cinch to get the soup cooking while you do other things.

Biryanis are rice-based casseroles that combine a saucy meat, vegetable or legume curry with basmati rice, whole spices, nuts and raisins. This particular dish is a nutritional powerhouse, thanks to the mustard greens and chickpeas. Look for the specialty spices--cardamom pods, saffron and garam masala--in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets or online at penzeys.com.

The momentum behind functional foods and wellness elixirs is at an all-time high. Expensive products are touted as having the power to do everything from restoring gut health to boosting immunity and fighting inflammation, but their health claims are often backed by little solid science. So instead of pricy supplements, we're mixing up a more affordable antidote that's both healthy and homemade. A tonic, by definition, is a combination of ingredients that have the potential to enhance or restore health. While this tonic (or any tonic) is not a cure-all remedy, consuming more anti-inflammatory foods--like the ones found in this tonic--over time may only not only ease current symptoms (such as fatigue, joint pain and chronic bloating), but it may also reduce the risk of future diseases and slow aging. The combination of green tea, herbs, honey, apple-cider vinegar and spices also makes for a tasty and refreshing beverage!

Shredded chicken and chopped green apples are a delightful combination in this quick and easy curried sandwich wrap.