Delicious Real Food Main Dishes to Expand Your Meal Planning Favorites

LOVE seeing more and more people deciding to take charge of their health, but sometimes it can be challenging to decide how. Usually at the top of the list is what to eat, so here are a few delicious real food main dishes to expand your meal planning favorites.

Beef Dishes

1. Pot Roast from Kaleena’s Kitchen
2. Salisbury Steak from Deliciously Organic 
3. Grilled Peach and Steak Salad from Nutrivore
4. Hamburger Stacks
5. Oven-Braised Spare Ribs from Dr. Anna Cabeca
6. Thai Beef Drunken Noodles by Eat Beautiful
7. Ground Beef Curry from Homesteading Family
8. Meatballs in Marinara by Deliciously Organic
9. Hamburger Soup from NomNom Paleo
10. Beef and Broccoli from One Lovely Life 
11. Swedish Meatballs by The Paleo Mom
12. Chili Cornbread Casserole from Deliciously Organic

Chicken Dishes

1. Instant Pot Chicken from Simply Quinoa
2. Thai-Inspired Noodle Bowl (with or without Chicken)
3. Honey Garlic Chicken from Wellness Mama 
4. Anti-inflammatory Chicken Soup from Nyssa’s Kitchen
5. Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce from Dr. Anna Cabeca
6. Honey Garlic Chicken Wings from The Paleo Mom
7. Chicken Kababs from Minimalist Baker 
8. Barbeque Chicken Thighs with Arugula Pesto by Nutrivore
9. Chicken Satay from NomNom Paleo
10. Chicken Pot Pie Soup from Deliciously Organic
11. Sheet Pan Teriyaki Meatballs by Eat Beautiful
12. Honey Sriracha Chicken by Simply Quinoa

Seafood Dishes

1. Lemon Dill Poached Salmon by Nutrivore
2. Fish Veracruz by NomNom Paleo
3. Shrimp Fried Broccoli Rice by The Paleo Mom
4. Salmon Bowls from Simply Quinoa
5. Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Sauce by Wellness Mama
6. Salmon and Baby Greens Salad from Deliciously Organic
7. Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa by Joyful Healthy Eats
8. Broiled Halibut with Garlic Broccoli by Paleo Leap
9. Sauteed Shrimp with Coconut Aminos by Cooking in the Keys
10. Air Fryer Fish Sticks by NomNom Paleo

Plant Based Dishes

1. White Bean Mushroom Potato Stew by Minimalist Baker
2. Chickpea Kale Avocado Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing from Nyssa’s Kitchen
3. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
4. Baked Falafel from Joy Food Sunshine 
5. Quinoa Salad from Rainbow Plant Life
6. Asian Pan Noodles by Plantiful Kiki
7. Crunchy and Fresh Spring Rolls
8. Golden Lentil Soup from Minimalist Baker
9. Beefless Stew by Straight Up Food
10. Creamy Harissa Butter Beans from Sweet Greens Vegan (I use Navy Beans)
11. Budget-Friendly Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
12. Southwestern Kale Sweet Potato Power Salad (with or without Feta) from Cookie and Kate

Goals to Consider

Whenever I consider and create recipes from online or recipe books, I usually look through the recommended ingredients and then make substitutions and/or alterations to best fit our preferred ingredients, as well as what I’ve got or what I’ll be getting. Additionally, I like to experiment with new (to me) flavors and ingredients…usually on weekends and not all the time…which almost always livens up conversations at the dinner table and feels like a mini adventure.

While you look at the recipes listed above, be sure to check out other options available on the websites. You never know what you might find.

Three points I’d like to remind you to consider are:

1. Know the sources of the ingredients you choose to include and how those ingredients are prepared/handled before coming to you and choose quality options that supports your health wherever possible,
2. Play around with recipes, depending upon your particular dietary needs and preferences, as well as what’s in season, what’s in your refrigerator and pantry, and what fits your budget,
3. Add colorful fruits and vegetables, whenever appropriate or possible, to maximize nutrient density and health benefit.

Eat the Rainbow.   Dr. Deanna Minich

Food has the power to heal us. It is the most potent tool we have to help prevent and treat many of our chronic diseases.   Dr. Mark Hyman

Enjoy the Journey

With this selection of delicious real food main dishes, my hope is to inspire and support you in successfully improving your health…deliciously.

But don’t forget to enjoy rethinking what your typical meal looks like. Enjoy new foods and new combinations, and new flavors.

If you’re new to purposely eating healthy, nutrient dense meals, don’t be surprised if you begin noticing more energy and fading health challenges. I know I did. It was actually kind of exciting, since so many of the struggles that I (like most others) was dealing with are considered a normal part of getting older.

Funny how that wasn’t actually true.

While food is just one area that impacts health, it can have a powerful impact, plus the discovery of new recipes, new ingredients, and new combinations can be so fun and so delicious.

Enjoy.