Clean eating recipes: Over 100 easy, nutrient-dense meals (2024)

Jumpstart your good eating habits with over 100 easy clean eating recipes. I hope you and your family will enjoy these inspirations, and that you will cook them over and over again. My recipes are all clean, and the majority are plant-based and vegan, with some containing seafood, poultry or dairy (to please my omnivore hubby;))

Time-saving and affordable preparation

Expect the simplest preparation of affordable breakfast (even gluten-free), lunch and dinner recipes with common ingredients. One-pot meals in a skillet, pasta pot, wok,steamer, casserole or baking pan will play an important role. Each of these recipes requires absolutely no acrobatics. You’ll also find a huge variety of fiber-rich foods as a side dish or main dish, helping you to thrive.

Whenever I can, I try to maintain a one-pot maximum and also a 30 minutes max on time. Many of these wholesome recipe ideas will require only 20 minutes or less. Of course, I’ve included some creative high-fiber snacks (e.g. baked sweet potatoes as toast) and desserts too. Some useful tips for saving time in your kitchen will complete this section.

Don’t expect here any slow cooker or crockpot recipes. The reason: I don’t own a crockpot and frankly I also don’t want it. Instead of having a meal ready in 20 minutes, you get to wait all day for it!

Easy, plant-based recipes from around the world

Plant-strong, whole food recipes can be flavorful, simple, and quick to prepare on a weeknight. Simple ingredients from around the world can make your internationally-inspired meals exciting.

Here are some of the amazing, wholesome recipes LeanJumpStart’s international kitchen has to offer:

• • Asian cuisine: curries, Asian soups, rice dishes, tofu,bean thread noodlessprinkled with sesame seeds, crunchy vegetables, exotic spices. These Asian dishes are enriched with coconut milk, soy sauce, and lime. Try the Indian-inspired Garam Masala Dal.
  • North African and Middle Easterncuisine: chickpeas, bulgur, big salads, spicy vegetable stock, raw vegetables. HummusandBaba Ganoushare two staple recipes.
  • Mexican:we snack on deliciousguacamole almost weekly in my home, and protein-richquinoa(with origins in theAndes)also plays an important role in my cuisine.
  • The variety of herbs from theMediterranean region pep up pizza, pasta, andcasserole dishes.Plant-based Italian classics like polenta and Spaghetti all’Arrabiata are beloved parts of our table.
  • French dishes like the famous Ratatouille reminds me of living in France in my 20s.
  • My Slovenian roots show in this sweet-and-sour beetroot saladrecipe passed down from my grandmother.
  • Lighter, plant-based versions of traditional Americandishes like green beans casserole,lasagna,homemade mac and cheese, or Alfredo sauce.
  • …And as I live inGermany, a light, mayo-freeSwabianpotato saladis on our meal plan each week. In the cold season, we are a big fan oflamb’s lettuce salad.

Why are most recipes plant-based?

I can’t ever recall enjoying meat. I prefer to eat a plant-based diet because I feel my best when I eat nutrient-dense, plant-inspired meals filled with whole and seasonal ingredients. These delicious, fiber-rich meals make me feel good and I hope it does the same for you!The following recipes are for everyone – all of them are approved by my omnivore husband!

Breakfast ideas for vegans and vegetarians

• • simplify clean breakfast habits

• ALL BREAKFAST IDEAS

Snacks & appetizers for all eaters

• 100 Clean Eating Snacks
• MORE SNACKS

Vegan dips & spreads

• • 12 easy guacamole recipes (with creamy avocados)

• ALL DIPS AND SAUCES

Plant-based soup recipes

• • more vegetable soup ideas

• ALL SOUPS

Vitamin-rich salad ideas

• • Mason jar salad ideas

• ALL SALADS

Side-Dishes

• roasted sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
• oven baked potato wedges
• ALL SIDE-DISHES
  

Simple Main-Dishes for vegans and vegetarians

• • clean eating casserole recipes

• ALL MAIN-DISH OPTIONS
  

Seafood

• steamed salmon with quinoa spinach
• ALL SEAFOOD OPTIONS

Poultry

• • chicken pan with vegetables

• Top 15 clean eating chicken recipes
  

Yummy dessert recipes & treats for vegans and vegetarians

• clean eating raspberry muffins
• More tips and ideas for clean eating desserts!

Few simple, high-quality ingredients

Nutrient-dense, delicious food doesn’t have to contain a lot of ingredients. That’s why I try to keep the recipe ingredients at a minimum. You want to put nutritious, high-fiber mealson the table fast. Simple, top quality ingredients are the key to success here. I hope you enjoy my tips and have fun experimenting in the kitchen.

Are you a “gourmet chef”?

Wow… I appreciate you reading my website. We can probably learn a lot from you.If you have any clean gourmet recipes that are easy to make andcontain only a few ingredients, please contact me. I would very much appreciate to feature them on LeanJumpStart.com.

Some important principles

1. Self-cooking

Don’t hide behind excuses (examples: “I can’t cook,” or “I don’t have time”). It’s about your body and your wellbeing. Even kids can cook – it is not rocket science and, as mentioned before, it does not have to be complicated. Those who are too lazy to cook their own meals will have a hard time staying lean.

2. Meal planning

To make life easier, plan your menu ahead of time. My clean eating meal prep recipes will help you avoid impulse shopping trips, which usually end with you purchasing unnecessary items. If you think meal planning is too complex for you, then I strongly recommend getting to know my “LeanJumpStart” approach for meal planning.

3. Organize your clean recipes

You don’t want to waste your time searching for the right high-fiber recipes because you can’t find it in your “recipe collection chaos”. That’s why a smart recipe organization is another important success factor. Check out my 3 easy stepsfor recipe organization!

4. Clean kitchen

Take control of your kitchen and focus on what you really need each day. Get rid of useless items, unnecessary impulse purchases, excess pots, pans, and glassware. Take 10 minutes at the end of the day to clean and organize your kitchen.

Learn more about this effective technique in my beat procrastinationapproach.

Do also a quick inventory of the food and note it on your running shopping list.

5. Clean, fiber-rich foods – 80/20

Stocking your kitchen with plant-based high-fiber foods is the best way to guard against regrettable food compromises. But a clean eating diet is not about achieving perfection; it’s not about maintaining a 100% healthful, chemical and pesticide free diet. It is about balance and making wise choices.

If you follow my guidelines 80% of the time, you can deviate from the approach and still achieve your goals. In other words: the majority of your meals will have lots of natural, whole foods, like fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. You will eat healthy fats, and, whenever possible, you will try to mix complex carbohydrates with lean proteins.

Of course, you will omit ingredients like excessive sugar, unhealthy fats, and overly processed foods. But with the 80/20 rule, you can even indulge wisely from time to time.

6. Smart choices for convenience foods

An 80/20 compromise could be to take advantage of the following convenience foods you can purchase in your discounter or grocery store. Some of these items are worth building into your grocery list, but I warn you, they are not all “clean”:

• Chopped frozen veggies or fruits:These are usually clean, check the labels for no extra preservatives or extra ingredients, etc.
• Canned beans:Stock your pantry with protein and fiber packed black beans, kidney beans, pintobeans or garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Read the labels and avoid any of these items if they contain added sugar. Try to avoid BPA, “Eden Organics” is the only company I know that currently does not use it in its canned beans.
• Tomatoes in glasses: These have less BPA than canned tomatoes, but are still not BPA-free.
• Tomatoes in Tetra Pak boxes: (e.g. Trader Joe’s and Pomi) Tetra Pak does not include BPA, but it is still not totally safe… could leach estrogenic hormones!
• Oils/Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, organic canola oil, linseed oil, coconut oil

…and for omnivores

• Canned tuna and salmon: Although these cans are not BPA-free, they are a tasty and a quick way to get your long-chain omega-3s. Opt for salmon if you have the choice!
• Pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts:Yes, there are a few more preservatives including sea salt… but eating in moderation they are beside legumes a great source of protein. These pre-cooked protein sources can quickly enhance salads, scrambled eggs or stir-fry meals.

When these convenience foods are used in moderation, they add taste appeal and offer cooking shortcuts. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.

7. Proper storage containers

We know that the key to a healthy, delicious and quickly prepared meal in your own kitchen is a properly stocked pantry. But there is more: useful storage containers are another success factor in a balanced cuisine.

I highly recommend the incredibly convenient mason jars. With all of the variety in size, mason jars offer a way to store whole grains, noodles, nuts, seeds, spices, tea, and other dried goods in an orderly fashion to get the pantry organized, just like you’ve always dreamed of.

8. Proper hydration

With all those yummy recipes don’t forget that proper hydration is key for your metabolism and health. For variation check out my top 24 detox water recipes!

9. Learn to make good habits stick!

To get the most out of your nutrient-dense recipes, I highly recommend learning how to make good habits stick.

Many of the here presented quick and easy clean eating recipes for beginners are part of my52 Chef Habits Ecourse– a 52-week habit challenge.

And if you want to even go one step further I highly recommend checking my holistic E-course.Click on the picture below for more information!