12 Healthy Labor Day Recipes

Labor Day is around the corner which means we will be eating a lot! With that being said we are showing you our favorite healthy options! Just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean it cannot be tasty! Read on below for our yummiest healthy recipes!

Healthy Main Dishes

CARNE ASADA

PREP TIME: 2 hrs COOK TIME: 10 mins TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs 10 mins SERVINGS: 6 servings CALORIES: 293kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs flank steak
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 3 limes juiced
• ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. 
• Add the steak to a glass or non-reactive baking tray and pour the marinade on top. Ensure both side of the steak are well coated, cover the baking tray with plastic wrap and marinate for 1-4 hours. Alternatively, you could marinate in a plastic bag.
• Heat a grill on medium-high heat. Add the carne asada and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for another 5 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, slice the carne asada at an angle against the grain. From there, you can further chop the carne asada into smaller pieces, if you’d like.

Notes

• Carne asada is best when cooked on an outdoor grill. But if you’re without one this reversible grill/griddle is great for your stovetop.
• Remember to double-check the angle of the grain before cooking. Then, it’s easy to determine how to slice against the grain once it’s done.

HEALTHY GRILLED CHICKEN SOUVLAKI WITH DAIRY-FREE TZATZIKI

PREP TIME: 30 mins COOK TIME: 8 mins TOTAL TIME: 38 mins SERVINGS: 4 servings CALORIES: 481kcal 

Ingredients

Chicken Souvlaki

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Dairy-Free Tzatziki

• 1 cup raw cashews soaked 4-6 hours (or overnight)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cucumber peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

• Chop each chicken breast into approx 1.5 inch chunks and place in a bowl. Add all remaining chicken souvlaki ingredients and stir together. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• To make the tzatziki sauce, drain and rinse the cashews and place in a high-powered blender. Add the water and lemon juice and blend on high for 2-3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the remaining tzatziki ingredients to the blender and pulse a few times, just until combined. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (Note: the tzatziki sauce can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator).
• Heat the grill on medium-high.
• Place the marinated chicken pieces on skewers (approx 8-9 pieces per skewer makes 6 skewers) and cook on the grill for 3-4 minutes each side.
• Served the grilled chicken souvlaki with the tzatziki sauce.

CARNITAS

PREP TIME: 10 mins COOK TIME: 8 hrs TOTAL TIME: 8 hrs 10 mins SERVINGS: 8 servings CALORIES: 227kcal

Ingredients

• 4 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 jalapeno deseeded and finely diced
• 1 orange juiced

Instructions

How to Make Carnitas

• In a small bowl place oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt, and chili powder, then stir together.
• Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder (but remember that some fat is good), then rub the spice mixture generously around the entire pork shoulder and place in the slow cooker.
• Add the onion, minced garlic, jalapeno and orange juice in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours, or high heat for 5-6 hours (until the meat falls apart).
• Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. Don’t get rid of the liquid as you will be using it later.

To Crisp In The Oven

• Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of the reserved slow cooker liquid over the pork to keep it moist and tender.
• Broil for 5-10 minutes or until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.

Notes

• This is a great slow cooker with a ceramic insert and it’s perfect for transporting!
• Getting the pork shoulder out of the slow cooker after it’s cooked can be a little difficult, given that it’s so tender and will likely fall apart. I recommend using a spatula underneath to support it when removing.

Salads

EASY CUCUMBER SALAD

PREP TIME: 20 mins TOTAL TIME: 20 mins SERVINGS: 4 servings CALORIES: 45.2kcal

Ingredients

• 2 large English cucumbers thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 2-3 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• pepper to taste

Instructions

• Add the sliced cucumber to a colander and toss with the salt. 
• Set the colander in your sink or on top of a plate, as the salt will pull liquid from the cucumbers. Let this sit for 20 minutes, then rinse the cucumber with cold water.
• Add the drained cucumber to a salad bowl along with the red onion, scallion and fresh dill. 
• Stir the vinegar and honey together in a separate small bowl, then pour on top of the salad.
• Garnish with pepper and additional fresh dill leaves.

ROASTED BEET AND KALE SALAD

PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 1 hr TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 15 mins SERVINGS: 4 CALORIES: 336kcal 

Ingredients

• 4 cups kale chopped
• 3 beets
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons juiced
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
• Cut the stems off the beets and wash the outside thoroughly. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 1 hour, then remove and let cool slightly. When the beets are cool enough to handle, remove the aluminum foil and gently rub off the skin. Slice the beets, place on a plate and and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Place the chopped kale in a bowl. Add the beets, cranberries and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing and mix to combine before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD

PREP TIME: 10 mins TOTAL TIME: 10 mins SERVINGS: 8 servings CALORIES: 300kcal

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 large cucumber diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/4 cup red onion diced
• 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• lemon vinaigrette you can use as much or as little as you’d like

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
• Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and give it a gentle stir.
• Transfer the salad to a large bowl and serve.

Notes

• To meal prep: What’s great about this salad is that it stores well without getting soggy and wilted like other salads. Just make a big batch and portion it out throughout the week.
• To store: This will store in the fridge for about 5 days in an airtight container.

Sides

COLESLAW

PREP TIME: 20 mins TOTAL TIME: 20 mins SERVINGS: 12 servings CALORIES: 159kcal 

Ingredients

• 3/4 green cabbage finely shredded
• 1/4 red cabbage finely shredded
• 3 medium carrots grated
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey (or more for desired sweetness)
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Add the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots to a large bowl. 
• Combine the mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds in a small bowl and whisk together. (If you want the dressing to be sweeter, add more honey.)
• Pour about half of the dressing onto the cabbage and carrots and toss. Slowly add more dressing until you’ve reached your desired slaw to dressing ratio.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• This recipe makes approximately 12 cups of coleslaw. If your cabbage is larger or smaller, this may vary. 

HEALTHY BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES (GLUTEN-FREE, LOW-CARB)

PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 30 mins TOTAL TIME: 45 mins SERVINGS: 4 servings CALORIES: 156.8kcal

Ingredients

Zucchini Fries

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian spice

Lemon Parsley Aioli

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• Slice the zucchini in half, then half again, then into quarters. You should have 16 slices per zucchini.
• Crack the egg in a small bowl or container and lightly beat it.
• Add the parmesan and spices to a separate bowl or container and stir to combine.
• Dip a slice of zucchini in the egg wash and transfer to the parmesan. Use your other hand to coat the zucchini in the cheese and transfer to the baking tray. Repeat this process until all zucchini are coated.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through on the cut side. Serve immediately.
• To make the optional lemon parsley aioli, add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir together.

TIPS FOR ZUCCHINI FRIES

• Make sure your zucchini are dry. If you’ve just pulled them from the fridge before slicing they may start to condensate. Blot them with a paper towel before placing in the egg wash to make sure the egg sticks.
• Get your assembly line in order. Have the sliced zucchini on one side, then the egg wash, parmesan mix and parchment-lined baking tray on the other side.
• Keep your hands in separate working stations. Use one hand for dipping the zucchini in the egg and one hand for coating the zucchini with the parmesan. Don’t use the same hand for both, otherwise you’ll end up with wet cheese and clumpy zucchini fries.
• Flip halfway through. Every oven cooks slightly different so keep an eye on them. Mine cook for about 30 minutes and I flip at 15 minutes, but yours may very based on your oven and size of zucchini.
• Eat immediately! Zucchini are comprised of 95% water. And after they’ve been cooked they quickly release that water. That means, the longer they sit the softer they’ll become. So these healthy zucchini fries are best eaten right away.

AVOCADO SALSA

PREP TIME: 15 mins TOTAL TIME: 15 mins SERVINGS: 8 servings CALORIES: 178kcal

Ingredients

• 6 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
• 4 avocados peeled, cored, and diced
• 2 limes juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Give everything a toss and taste test to see if you need additional salt.
• Serve and enjoy this healthy snack.

RAW MIXED BERRY AND VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE

This raw healthy cheesecake with a berry topping and vanilla bean center is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo…and one of my favorite holiday and special occasion desserts, did I mention it is HEALTHY!

PREP TIME: 30 mins FRIDGE/FREEZER: 12 hrs TOTAL TIME: 30 mins SERVINGS: 8 CALORIES: 944kcal 

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked overnight
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 vanilla beans scraped

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts
• 3/4 cup raw pecans
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut
• 10 Medjool dates pitted
• 1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup

Instructions

• Place all of the crust ingredients (and 1/2 of the 3/4 cup of shredded coconut) into a food processor. Note: you’ll use that remaining 1/4 cup shredded coconut later. Pulse the processor until the ingredients are mixed to your desired level of chunky or fine texture.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded coconut in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. this helps the cheesecake not to stick to the bottom. Place the crust mixture on top and gently flatten it with your fingers on the bottom of the pan.
• For the main cheesecake filling, place all ingredients in a high-powered blender. A high-powered blender makes the filling creamy and fine (which is my recommendation), but you can also use your food processor. Blend for a minute or two, until thick and creamy.
• Pour your filling on top of the crust. Shake the pan gently to remove any air bubbles. Then, place your pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• While your cheesecake is hardening in the freezer, you can make your topping. Place all of the topping ingredients in your food processor (after you’ve cleaned it), and pulse it for 30 seconds. Then set aside until your cheesecake has hardened.
• After 30 minutes, your cheesecake should have hardened enough to place the topping. Gently spoon the berry mixture on top and place back in the freezer. Freeze your cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving.
• When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake, take it out of the freezer at least 20 minutes before eating. It will be much easier to slice after it’s softened. Garnish with additional berries and enjoy this healthy!

CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANAS

PREP TIME: 2 hrs 15 mins TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs 15 mins SERVINGS: 6 servings CALORIES: 219.4kcal 

Ingredients

Chocolate Covered Bananas

• 3 bananas
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Optional Toppings

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Shredded Coconut
• Almond butter or peanut butter
• Dried fruit

Instructions

• Peel the bananas, then slice in half and insert a popsicle stick into the cut end.
• Lay the bananas on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and freeze for at least 2 hours.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in 20 second increments in the microwave.
• Dip the frozen banana into the melted chocolate and twirl to remove any excess. Sprinkle on any toppings while the chocolate is still wet, then place on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and allow the chocolate to fully harden. Enjoy immediately.

HEALTHY GLUTEN-FREE BERRY SHEET CAKE

PREP TIME: 10 mins COOK TIME: 40 mins SERVINGS: 12 servings CALORIES: 244kcal 

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Berries

• 12-14 ounces fresh berries (approx 3 cups) make sure they’re completely dry (if recently washed)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease a 9×13-inch sheet pan (a 1/4 sheet jelly roll pan).
• Add all of the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together.
• Add all of the wet ingredients to a separate mixing bowl and whisk together. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk for about 30 seconds, until you have a batter.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and use a spatula to flatten the top.
• Add the berries to the top of the cake and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until golden across the top (not just the edges).
• Once it’s cooled, slice and serve!

Notes

• If you use as many berries as in the photos above, you’ll likely need the full bake time. If you reduce the amount of berries, you can likely reduce the bake time as there will be less moisture in the cake.
• You could also serve this healthy treat slightly warm, if you want melty ice cream on top!

SHESHE’S TIDBITS

We have had the painters in the house all week and the first phase of our paint project is almost done. We painted the entire laundry room which I big, then we painted the outside kitchen bar cabinet and fireplace surround. It is looking so good. Something about fresh paint puts a smile on my face. So, with any project, if you refresh one thing then it is like a domino effect. Now we decided to paint all 5 exterior doors in the back that are by the loggia and outdoor kitchen. Norman wants to fight it but after it’s done, he loves it!! Isn’t that the way with most men? Ha Ha! Happy Weekend sweet friends!

Have a wonderful day sweet friends!

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