# Your Healthiest Meal?



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2014)

Didn't know what section to put this under, so I put it here.  I pose the question, what do you think is the healthiest, great tasting meal, and why?

I have to think that *chili*, made with tomatoes, beans, onions, celery, beef, peppers, and seasonings, has to be right up there.  It has the important nutrients from cooked tomato, is low fat, high in protein, high in fiber, rich in vitamins, mierals, and phyto-nutrients, and flavinoids.  You can put a host of veggies in it as well.  It's also relatively low in carbs.  It helps control blood sugar, triglycerides, and bad cholesterol (thanks to the high soluble fiber, and fills you without having to eat a lot of it.  Lastly, it tastes so good, that I literally don't know anyone who doesn't like it.

So, that's my vote for the healthiest meal.  What's yours?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Jing (Jan 13, 2014)

I tend to agree, provided we're talking about homemade chili. Many fast-food chili options are sky-high in sodium, which counters some of the positive health aspects of the dish.

I suppose some salads might qualify for the title? Salad Nicoise, for example, especially when made with fresh tuna steaks or salmon steaks (which I find a nice alternative). Obviously it depends on the dressing though. Many a healthy dish has been ruined by a nasty processed dressing.

Thin crust pizza is quite a healthy option if laden with veggies and not TOO too much cheese.

I bet there's a Japanese recipe somewhere though that would trump all of these!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2014)

Youri Med said:


> I agree with you, i think Shakeology is helpful for health, Shakeology is a protein shake, meal replacement, antioxidant, and vitamin regimen all wrapped up into one package. It is known as a drink that "acts like a salad, but tastes like a desert."
> 
> What you Think ?



I'm highly skeptical that mankind can create the perfect food-in-a-shake.  I believe that there are many essential compounds that work with out body to make it work properly, that we don't probably know about yet.  I do believe that the natural food of this planet has all of the nutrients we need, and in the proper amounts, when eaten properly.  I mean look at all the wonder foods from way back when to now - Carnation Instant Breakfast, Slim Fast (and all of its cousins), Visalis, PomWonderful.  There have been so many Wonder-foods that have turned out to be " snake-oil" that I trust none of them, including the vitamin supplement industry.  Check out this article; (now I admit that it's not a medical periodical, or reference, but other evidence that is verifiable points to the same conclusion, after all we know that too much Vitamin A, for instance, can kill you) - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

And another nutritional scam - Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam - TIME

These are but two of hundreds.

I'll stick with varieties of real food.  And that's my humble opinion.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Kman (Jan 13, 2014)

For a healthy meal I like grilled fish and steamed veggies. You must like fish and veggies for this to appeal to you. As far as health is concerned, your getting protein from the fish,vitamins and roughage from the veggies and very very little fat from the fish. You could add a side of some sort for grain.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 13, 2014)

Years ago I would have said soup or a salad based meal.  Over the years I've come to realize that many of these simple dishes can be very unhealthy.

Today the healthiest meal for me revolves around how I construct my plate.  Practicing the old saw about a small plate with half of the real estate devoted to lo carb vegetables, 1/4 to lean protein and 1/4 to some type of high fiber starch.  That is the target that I aim for, don't always hit it though!


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## Rocklobster (Jan 13, 2014)

Tacos. Stir fry. Julienne salad.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 13, 2014)

I agree that chili is an all inclusive good for you meal...but all the time???  I believe variety is the key to health.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 14, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I agree that chili is an all inclusive good for you meal...but all the time???  I believe variety is the key to health.



I didn't say you had to eat it every day.  There are also lots of other heathy meals to eat.  Another favorite, broiled lean pork, seasoned with salt and pepper with baked sweet spuds, and asparagus.  Or how about a steamed artichoke, with braised beef, and brown-rice pilaf?  The variations are endless.  It's relatively easy to eat healthy every day, every meal.

I was just wondering what we thing the healthiest meal is.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## joesfolk (Jan 14, 2014)

Healthiest is a relative term and which meal constitutes healthiest will depend on many factors.  Of course most people will be well served(no pun intended) with a plate well balanced with all food groups.  Having said that,  I just made a batch of stuffed cabbage rolls.  It has veal, onions, tomatoes,  egg,  and of course cabbage.   Oh there is also a small amount of rice.  This strikes me as a pretty healthy option as there is cabbage ground into the veal to up the veggie percentage.  Served with a side of green veggies this would be a contender.


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## taxlady (Jan 14, 2014)

I agree with joesfolk.

I think the healthiest meal for a specific person can vary. If one hasn't been eating enough veg, then a meal with a lot of veg is probably a good idea and probably tastes particularly good when one has a veg deficit. The same would be true of protein or other nutrients.


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## Jing (Jan 14, 2014)

Rocklobster said:


> Tacos. Stir fry. Julienne salad.



I like tacos but always suspect they probably have trans-fats. Could well be wrong (and would like to be!)


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## Rocklobster (Jan 14, 2014)

Jing said:


> I like tacos but always suspect they probably have trans-fats. Could well be wrong (and would like to be!)


Are you talking about the shells? I'm sure they could be made without.


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## Jing (Jan 14, 2014)

Yes, shells. But I was thinking about the bought ones. You are quite right...I am sure they could be made without. Have just never thought of making them.


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## MrsLMB (Jan 14, 2014)

Make your tacos in baked potato skins instead of taco shells.


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## Kayelle (Jan 15, 2014)

Then they would be stuffed potato skins, no?


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## Addie (Jan 15, 2014)

For me the perfect meal would be Beef Barley Stew with root veggies galore, tomatoes, celery, kale or escarole. Protein, veggies, and grain. For a drink, a tall cold glass of milk. Some dark bread such as whole grain oat, wheat or rye, butter.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 16, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> Then they would be stuffed potato skins, no?



Still sounds good to me!

You could also go with a big crunchy iceberg lettuce leaf, sort of an inside out taco!


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## Addie (Jan 16, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> Still sounds good to me!
> 
> You could also go with a big crunchy iceberg lettuce leaf, sort of an inside out taco!



I went to Winthrop today. They served chicken salad on dark wheat bread. I asked them not to cut my sandwich. I took out the lettuce leaf, put the chicken salad on it and then rolled it up for a wrap. Delicious! And it saved the calories from the bread. My new sandwich minus the bread.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 16, 2014)

Addie said:


> I went to Winthrop today. They served chicken salad on dark wheat bread. I asked them not to cut my sandwich. I took out the lettuce leaf, put the chicken salad on it and then rolled it up for a wrap. Delicious! And it saved the calories from the bread. My new sandwich minus the bread.


+1 I often use lettuce as the bread (or I use a rice spring roll wrapper) since I've cut bread from my diet.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 17, 2014)

There is more to this than meets the eye, for example, a healthy meal is different for a sedentary office worker than one for someone who does heavy manual work.


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## taxlady (Jan 17, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> There is more to this than meets the eye, for example, a healthy meal is different for a sedentary office worker than one for someone who does heavy manual work.


I agree.


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## Jing (Jan 17, 2014)

taxlady said:


> I agree.



Yep, me too. Much depends upon who's eating!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 17, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> There is more to this than meets the eye, for example, a healthy meal is different for a sedentary office worker than one for someone who does heavy manual work.



I understand your point.  I also know that each of us have different dietary needs, depending on age, activity level, availability of foods, likes and dislikes, etc.  This isn't supposed to be a discussion to nail down the one, healthiest meal, ever.  Instead it was an exercise in thinking about what to you is the healthiest meal.  I've seen some great examples in this thread so far.

The goal of this thread is to get as many great and healthy recipes as possible, and maybe in the process,  inspire others with less cooking experience, to try new, healthier meals.

Maybe we should post recipes with our entries.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## taxlady (Jan 17, 2014)

If people want to post recipes, I think they should go in the appropriate forum and put a link here.


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## Kayelle (Jan 18, 2014)

taxlady said:


> If people want to post recipes, I think they should go in the appropriate forum and put a link here.



+1
Not to mention any recipe labeled as "healthy" will have critics. My recipe for a "healthy" Pasta Carbonara would send Vegetarians, Vegans and those set against white flour over the edge.


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## Addie (Jan 18, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> +1
> Not to mention any recipe labeled as "healthy" will have critics. My recipe for a "healthy" Pasta Carbonara would send Vegetarians, Vegans and those set against white flour over the edge.



+2. The question was "what do you consider a healthy meal" not 'what recipe do you go to for a healthy meal.'


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## taxlady (Jan 18, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> +1
> Not to mention any recipe labeled as "healthy" will have critics. My recipe for a "healthy" Pasta Carbonara would send Vegetarians, Vegans and those set against white flour over the edge.


White flour? Do you mean in the pasta? That's easily remedied by any of us who don't want white flour. I just use Italian, whole grain pasta.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 18, 2014)

taxlady said:


> White flour? Do you mean in the pasta? That's easily remedied by any of us who don't want white flour. I just use Italian, whole grain pasta.



Yes, it can be, but that never seems to be a given - it always has to be pointed out, which kinda spoils the spirit of a post.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 18, 2014)

Going on about what ingredients you think will be attacked also breaks the spirit of a thread.

How about rewinding back and just talking about our healthiest meal?  With the knowledge that some people cannot eat it without adapting it to their particular diet needs.  Also knowing that if someone asks about an adaptation/substitute they are not attacking your recipe, they are trying to fit it to their dietary needs/preferences.


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## Kayelle (Jan 18, 2014)

taxlady said:


> White flour? Do you mean in the pasta? That's easily remedied by any of us who don't want white flour. I just use Italian, whole grain pasta.



Ahh, but then it would be your recipe, not mine.


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## KatyCooks (Jan 18, 2014)

And in the spirit of the thread - what I consider to be a healthy, but also very tasty meal?   

 I often have a smoked salmon chilli salad.  It not only looks good, but it tastes good and it does you good too!  

Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chilli lemon dressing | BBC Good Food

 Oh, and it is dead easy to make.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 18, 2014)

Yum, that sounds good Katy!


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## KatyCooks (Jan 18, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Yum, that sounds good Katy!



 Hot-smoked salmon is getting a little tricky to come by in my neck of the woods.  (It's a completely different product to cold-smoked salmon.)   Is it commonly available in the US?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 18, 2014)

KatyCooks said:


> Hot-smoked salmon is getting a little tricky to come by in my neck of the woods.  (It's a completely different product to cold-smoked salmon.)   Is it commonly available in the US?



It's not impossible, but it is expensive. I need to buy a stove top smoker and smoke my own. I have lots of salmon, love the stuff.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 20, 2014)

I don't know. I like to think I cook healthy most of the time. There really isn't any one meal I feel is the "healthiest". At our house, we just try to follow a few guidelines:


 Meat isn't always the star of the show. Veggies can often take center stage, with meat (or some other protein) being a supporting actor. Instead of eating a 16-oz steak with a side salad, we'll sometimes have a big salad with small pieces of steak as one of the ingredients.
 Burgers and pizza can be healthy, too. Just don't overload with cheese and don't eat them every night.
 Fish is your friend, but no more than once or twice a week. And try to avoid mercury-laden varieties.
 Everything in moderation and don't stuff yourself. Even so-called "healthy foods" aren't healthy if you eat too much of them.

I used to be somewhat militant about food, but have given up on that, as it takes some of the fun out of life. Plus, as we all know, what's considered healthy today, might not be tomorrow.

I simply try to eat more of the foods that make me feel better and less of the foods that don't.


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## Katie H (Jan 20, 2014)

Steve Kroll said:


> I don't know. I like to think I cook healthy most of the time. There really isn't any one meal I feel is the "healthiest". At our house, we just try to follow a few guidelines:
> 
> 
> Meat isn't always the star of the show. Veggies can often take center stage, with meat (or some other protein) being a supporting actor. Instead of eating a 16-oz steak with a side salad, we'll sometimes have a big salad with small pieces of steak as one of the ingredients.
> ...



Our eating philosophy is much like yours, Steve.  Although, I've never been, and Glenn hasn't either, much of a pizza or burger eater.  This is a bit of a bonus when it comes to choosing healthier meals.

Most of the time I plan our meals around an outline of "some carbs, some fats and some proteins."  All these an take different faces, such as lentils acting as the protein.

I also make everything from scratch, which makes it easier to eliminate any cooked out fats from stocks/broths/sauces/soups.  I always chill everything and skim off the fat.  The dog or the birds get that.  I hate to waste anything that can be eaten by some creature, human or otherwise.

As an example, we had homemade turkey soup yesterday.  The soup was made from stock cooked from the Christmas turkey carcass.  The meat, trimmed from the same carcass.  The stock was chilled and ALL the fat was removed.  To that I added tomatoes, onions, spinach, fresh mushrooms, garlic and plenty of herbs.  For the carb, I made papparadelle, which was added to the soup.  Our fat was the butter that was put on the homemade baguette, a little more carb,  we ate along with the soup.  There was not a single preservative in our meal and it was yummy.

Cooking from scratch, canning a lot of what we eat and not using commercially-produced canned foods also allows me to keep an eye on our salt intake, not that that is an issue.  I've never been much of a salt eater and my dad always said if I ever had to go on a salt-free diet it wouldn't phase me in the least.  Most of the time I use half the salt recommended in a recipe and go up from there if I think it's necessary.

Yes, we do eat rich, luxurious things...but not often.  As a result, they're a treat and we relish them when we do have them.  That's also an aspect of healthy eating/healthy meals.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 20, 2014)

Katie H said:


> Our eating philosophy is much like yours, Steve.  Although, I've never been, and Glenn hasn't either, much of a pizza or burger eater.  This is a bit of a bonus when it comes to choosing healthier meals.
> 
> Most of the time I plan our meals around an outline of "some carbs, some fats and some proteins."  All these an take different faces, such as lentils acting as the protein.
> 
> ...




I like the say you think!

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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