Late night snacking, craving delicious food 24/7, and just loving to eat led me to search for healthy, but delicious options for my daily nourishment. Eating larger meals that are healthy and protein packed will keep you full and craving less junk food (although a bag of cheetos never hurt anyone).

I really care about building my body to be strong and healthy, but I also work full-time, am in grad school part-time, and have a social/personal life to balance. Below are 2 recipes that are healthy, filling, and delicious. I frequent these dishes because most of them take under 20 minutes to make (including preparation too)!

Recipe #1: Ranch chicken – I usually use Pam instead of olive oil. Adding lemon juice (fresh) also takes this recipe up a notch.

Recipe #2: Picadillo – I modify this one a bit more than #1. First I use 96% lean ground beef (Trader Joe’s or Harris Teeter). I use Pam instead of olive oil. I do not use: chorizo, bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, raisins, or red-wine vinegar.

Other than these recipes, here are some awesome things to check out from Trader Joe’s:

1.  World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs (snack)
2. Trader Joe’s Veggie Sticks (snack)
3. Frozen ready to eat edamame (snack)
4. Sriracha Tuna Salad (lunch)
5. Asian vegetable stir fry – fresh not frozen (recipe on container)
6. Trader Joe’s Green Tea – Unsweetened and Bottled

I also have to rave about Halo Top ice cream, which can be found by the pint at Safeway. The nutrition and calorie count is unbelievable when you taste the ice cream. It can be a little pricey, but if you forgo buying your favorite flavor of Coldstone, you’ll probably break even.

All in all, I have a handful of recipes that are extremely healthy for dinner and lunches, and I’ve also found some good snacks that are somewhat healthy compared to Oreos and chips. If anyone wants some more recipes to try or snacks, feel free to leave a comment or contact me via Facebook! I’d love to chat.