Let's face it. Living a completely healthy lifestyle is often difficult when you're in the midst of unhealthy meal options and your body is craving sweet, salty and carb filled foods. Whether you are on a diet and desperately trying to avoid slipping into devouring your favorite cheat meal or you are simply trying to adjust to a healthier lifestyle and away from junk foods, I have a solution for you. Put together in this article are 7 of the easiest recipes to transform cheat meals into healthy versions of the same tasty meal. All the recipes only require 5 main ingredients or less so they're simple, not time consuming, and will satisfy your cravings without any of the guilt.
Breakfast
If you're Craving Pancakes
Try these Flourless Protein-Packed Pancakes
Ingredients : Oats, bananas, pinch of salt and eggs.
Optional : Add natural nut butter or dark chocolate chips.
These tasty pancakes are not only simple to cook, but will also make you forget that pancakes with flour and buttermilk ever existed. Topped with a bit of maple syrup and bananas or walnuts they compose a yummy breakfast and keep you satisfied until your next meal. Packed with protein and healthy carbs like oats you'll want to replace every waffle, crepe, or pancake breakfast with these heavenly pancakes.
Lunch
If you're craving Pizza
Try a Baked Tortilla Flatbread
Ingredients : Whole wheat tortilla, tomato sauce and shredded cheese.
Optional : Add sautéed bell peppers and onions.
Although ordering pizza with friends certainly makes for a fun night, it is often followed by regret and a bloated stomach. Instead, opt for making your own pizza with a wheat tortilla to create a crispy thin crust. This way you don't have to pay $2.99 for each topping you add to your pizza, can impress your friends with your cooking skills, and enjoy a tasty meal with nutrients rather than the oil and grease that typically comes in a cheese pizza.
If you're Craving Fries
Ingredients : Sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper
Optional : For an extra kick, add cayenne pepper instead of black pepper.
Once you eat one, it's almost impossible to stop. Sweet potato fries are full of healthy carbs and, because they are baked instead of fried, they don't contain all the heavy oils and unhealthy fats that fries normally have. Sweet potato is also full of vitamins and antioxidants and can even help to regulate blood pressure. If you like spice, try adding a touch of cayenne pepper to your fries before baking them for a perfect combination of sweet and salty.
Dinner
If you're craving Pasta
Try Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients : Spaghetti squash, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Optional : Top with tomato sauce, pesto, or shredded cheese.
When I first tried spaghetti squash, I couldn't believe how similar it was to eating pasta. Topped with marinara sauce and cheese or pesto, spaghetti squash is the perfect replacement for a cheat meal of heavy carb loaded pasta. Of course, it isn't identical to actual spaghetti and the texture can alter depending on how long you cook the squash for. Nevertheless, spaghetti squash makes for a light meal that you can continue taking second portions of without feeling bad.
Dessert
If you're craving Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients : Rolled oats and bananas.
Optional : Add nut butter, dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, raisins or shredded coconut.
These cookies are actually so healthy they can be eaten in morning for breakfast. The base of the cookie only has two ingredients - oats and bananas - and only cooks in the oven for about 10 - 12 minutes. Try eating these cookies straight out of the oven with cold milk and you'll find that they are beyond delicious. The melted chocolate and crunchy walnuts will satisfy your every craving. Similar to energy balls, breakfast cookies will give you the kick start you need in the morning, which makes them a plausible breakfast treat.
If you're craving Ice cream
Try a Banana Smoothie
Ingredients : Banana, Greek yogurt, and milk.
Optional : Add nut butter and top with granola.
This banana smoothie will make you proud to have picked this option over Ben and Jerry's. Try freezing the banana ahead of time to create a texture similar to that of ice cream. With a ripe, sweet banana you will look forward to replacing ice cream with this yummy thick drink. Combine the banana, yogurt, and milk with nut butter for a protein packed smoothie perfect for a post workout snack.
If you're Craving Chocolate
Try Nut Trail Mix
Ingredients : Almonds, cashews, walnuts, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips.
One of the most difficult parts of a diet comes an hour or so post dinner when all you can think about is getting ahold of something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Although it's very understudied, sugar is known to be addictive which is why you might be having these late night cravings. Nuts and healthy trail mix are a great replacement for chocolate and other sweets and will begin the process of reducing your chocolate cravings. Nuts keep you full, help you digest after meals, power your brain and simultaneously satisfy your sweet tooth without all the added sugar.
It can be difficult to stay motivated during a diet or when you're otherwise intentionally avoiding heavy calorie and sugar foods. However, if you get in the habit of replacing the normal cheat meals with the meals listed above you'll be able to still enjoy a great meal without having to suffer afterward. These simple recipes are also super easy and quick to make at home and don't require any fancy or expensive ingredients, so what are you waiting for? Go make that tortilla flatbread, because it's not going to make itself!