A recipe is a list of ingredients and directions that when followed and put together create something new, usually a food dish. Healthy recipes are those that incorporate foods and ingredients that contain fewer fats and unhealthy oils than many regular dishes. These types of dishes can be made to fit any lifestyle or eating preference, and can be from the simplest of recipes, to the very complex. When attempting to follow a healthy recipe, it is important that you first make sure you have all the ingredients you will need beforehand. Often times, some specific healthy ingredients have to be bought at specialty stores. In most cases however, ingredients will be easy to find, and you will be on your way to making a healthy dish.
     When beginning to cook healthy, it is best to try your hand at some easy recipes before jumping right into the more complex ones. Easy healthy recipes can be found that will entice even the pickiest of eaters, or those who eat under strict guidelines such as vegetarians or raw foodies. Often kids are the hardest to cook for, but there are numerous recipes out there that kids will love even while classified as healthy. One of the most popular kids’ foods is pizza, and there is a delicious recipe for breakfast pizza that will have your kids asking for seconds. All you will need is one pizza crust, one cup low-fat cheese, one sliced banana, ¼ cup raisins, a sliced apple, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, and 3 tbsp. sugar. Spread the ricotta on the crust, top with the fruit, and dust the top with the cinnamon and sugar. You will find this pizza a real crowd pleaser. A delicious and healthy vegetarian recipe that is definitely a winner for all ages is black bean wraps. You will need 3 oz of fresh spinach, eight 8 inch tortillas, one can of black beans drained and rinsed, 2 chopped plum tomatoes, 2 avocados pitted and sliced, ½ cup salsa, and shredded cheese or low-fat sour cream if desired. Place a layer of spinach on each tortilla, and top with beans, tomatoes, avocados and salsa. Roll up and put in microwave for one minute on high. Serve with cheese and low-fat sour cream. Finding your own healthy recipes can be as easy as going to your cupboards or pantry, pulling out the healthy foods you have and creating your own culinary masterpiece!
     Dinners are often the most difficult meals to cook, as we often have more than two or three people to cook for, and are looking for a dish that is filling, but doesn’t take hours to prepare and cook. One good and healthy choice here could be baked potatoes stuffed with vegetables and/or beans. All you will need is potatoes which can be easily micro-waved, and different types of diced vegetables to put over them when they are ready. This can also be served with some cheese, and low-fat sour cream or salsa. The idea is, that healthy does not have to mean difficult or expensive. Eating healthy can be done on any budget and for any lifestyle.