Healthy Recipes That Rock (1-4)


       After searching countless books and websites, I came to the realization that there weren't many recipes out there designed for people with mental illnesses. The healthy recipes I found tended to be complicated, expensive, nasty or required all kinds of kitchen utensils that I didn't have. 

       To help alleviate that situation, I am going to occasionally post healthy recipes that have met four requirements. They will be simple, affordable, healthy and have passed my family's taste test. Trust me when I tell you, that isn't easy. I have three extraordinarily picky eaters in my house. If the recipe is in the Healthy Recipies That Rock section, it will have met those four standards. If it's too complicated, then I'll never make it. If it's too expensive, then I won't buy it. If it isn't healthy, I usually won't eat it. And if my wife and daughters don't like it, then I've wasted a great deal of time and money. All recipes will be in JPEG format so that you can click on them to print them off. I hope they are helpful.


       The first recipe I am sharing is one of my favorite meals. It takes 10 minutes total and, depending on serving sizes and whether I use organic ingredients or not, costs between 10-20 cents. How can you beat that? One note, if you are just starting out eating healthy foods, and are used to having sweeter foods, then add a little maple syrup (the only ingredient on the back of the bottle should be maple syrup) or a little raw honey. The banana melts into the oatmeal nicely, so we don't use any additional sweetener. If you are just starting out, though, baby steps are much better than no steps. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do. Note: I like to put blueberries on top of mine. That is what is pictured at the bottom of the page.

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      As always, I wish you wonderful mental health and great successes eating healthy meals. If you, or someone you love, is severely depressed or anxious, please click this link and you will be directed to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. It is a fantastic resource and is staffed by wonderful people.
Feel free to send your questions or comments to:
questions@thementalrunner.org


       This is a family favorite. It does take an hour, but the majority of that time is waiting for the rice to cook. The actual time spent working on this meal is only about 15 minutes, and it's time well spent. The cost ranges between 20-50 cents per serving, depending on the serving size and if I use organic ingredients or not. Be sure and adjust the chilies to your preference and you'll have to decide how many beans you want to add. If I'm making this for myself, I sometimes add a 1/2 teaspoon of chilies and the whole can of beans. It makes it fiery and full of protein. My wife and daughters don't care for it that way, at all. They prefer 1/8 of a teaspoon of chilies and a 1/2 a can of beans. Of course, white rice can be used if you are new to healthy eating and haven't learned to love brown rice, yet. Simply make step number one step number three. In other words, sautee everything and add the extra ingredients to the pot of white rice and water and then bring to a boil and simmer. Please note that white rice only takes about 20 minutes to cook, not 45 like the brown.

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      As always, I wish you wonderful mental health and great successes eating healthy meals. If you, or someone you love, is severely depressed or anxious, please click this link and you will be directed to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. It is a fantastic resource and is staffed by wonderful people.
Feel free to send your questions or comments to:
questions@thementalrunner.org


       This recipe is a family favorite. It is perfect to pack as a treat in lunch boxes or to take on hikes. Because the serving size depends on what we are using it for it is difficult to say how much it costs per serving, but the whole batch costs between $1.00 and $2.00, depending on whether I use organic ingredients or not.

       I usually batch cook this, which means I simply double the ingredients. It stays fresh for a week in an airtight container and for up to two months in the freezer.

       There are two reasons I make this from scratch, instead of buying it from a store. The first is that this tastes MUCH better than any store-bought version we've ever had. The second is that it is actually healthy. I've looked at every brand at our local health food store and every one of them had, at least, one of the following: cane sugar (in other words, refined sugar), canola oil, or salt. Most of the brands had all three. And please realize, these were the healthiest brands. Don't get me started on all the trash that's in most of the store bought brands. It is much tastier and healthier to make this at home. On that note, it is important that on the back of the maple syrup bottle that the only ingredient listed is maple syrup. Many brands add all sorts of unhealthy ingredients to make it cheaper. Don't be fooled.

       Be warned! This granola is extraordinarily healthy, but it tastes like candy. It is packed with natural, healthy energy, but that means it is not low calorie. Just because it is healthy doesn't mean we eat it all the time. It is used to fuel long hikes/workouts and as a treat.

       I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!

      (click image to print)
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As always, I wish you wonderful mental health and great successes eating healthy meals. If you, or someone you love, is severely depressed or anxious, please click this link and you will be directed to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. It is a fantastic resource and is staffed by wonderful people.
Feel free to send your questions or comments to:
questions@thementalrunner.org


       This is one of the whole family's favorite meals. It is simple to make, delicious and healthy. One of the best things about this recipe is that it's perfect for batch cooking. Simply double the ingredients and freeze the leftovers. Reheating can be done while the pasta is being cooked. On those nights, this dinner takes about fifteen minutes, and I have a happy family. How can you beat that?

       Depending on the serving size, and if I use organic ingredients or not (the meat from pasture-raised animals is non-negotiable for us), this dish comes out between 1.75-2.50 per serving. That includes the pasta. It is money well spent!

       As a side note, my wife is half Italian and I have an Italian friend. I worked on this recipe many times before I served it to them. I didn't mention that this was a healthy version of Bolognese until after they had mentioned how much they were enjoying it. They were both shocked when I told them.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

(Click image to print)
Receive A Weekly Update by email
Follow on: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google+
(click links on left)
As always, I wish you wonderful mental health and great successes eating healthy meals. If you, or someone you love, is severely depressed or anxious, please click this link and you will be directed to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. It is a fantastic resource and is staffed by wonderful people.
Feel free to send your questions or comments to:
questions@thementalrunner.org