Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks For An Active Lifestyle

Nourish a healthy life

Let’s face it, health and fitness can all seem a bit overwhelming. Especially because there are always new things to learn. The good news is that there are a lot of great resources to make this lifestyle more manageable. So where do you begin? Well, this list of the Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks For An Active Lifestyle should give you a great starting point.

I chose these 5 cookbooks specifically because they are loaded full of the nutrition information you need, along with simple, healthy recipes. There are a lot of snack ideas as well as great choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. These are the go-to cookbooks that I know I can count on to find something delicious while sticking to my healthy lifestyle.

Often times pre-packaged “health foods” can still have too many ingredients or are lacking the exact things we are looking for. Truth is, the more you can cook and prep at home, the more control you have over what you’re eating. This process doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

I find cooking and baking at home to be relaxing and fun. You can throw on a great music playlist and learn something new. When you look for the good in what you’re doing and how you are fueling your body with the nutrition it needs, you’ll enjoy it more.

You get back what you put into every experience. So you may as well have a growth mindset and approach it with positivity. Whether that’s with your workout, meal prep, cooking, self care or personal development. These are the things that fuel a great life!

What does an active lifestyle look like?

Most of us have some type of active lifestyle. Whether that means you are working a full time job that is physically demanding or you have a packed schedule where you’re constantly running around to errands, appointments or your kid’s soccer games. Many of us are also adding in regular workouts or are training for a big event or goal. It can be a lot!

The truth is that ALL bodies need to be fueled with good nutrition. These Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks For An Active Lifestyle can help you achieve that. No matter what exactly our lifestyle may look like. What makes this easier to attain is having convenient, healthy options always ready to go. I love using one day on the weekend to make preparations and plans for the week.

Meal prep on the weekends

Using this list of the Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks For An Active Lifestyle, there are many things you can do to save yourself time and make the most of these delicious recipes. Meal prepping is one of them!

Things can be made ahead for snacks, some breakfast and lunches, and even dinner prep. It makes the whole process of “what am I having for (fill in the blank)” a lot less daunting. Even just a little prep can be helpful. Planning ahead can also be more cost effective and helps us to be less wasteful.

Snacks:

When planning out snacks you may find it helpful to pick a few things you can make on the weekend like granola, trail mix, protein bites etc. Then keep them in an airtight container so they are always available for a quick, healthy snack. If you struggle with proper portions, keep them in individual servings. Fresh fruit or pre-cut veggies are always another great option when you’re in a hurry.

Breakfast:

Options like overnight oats, egg muffins, protein muffins, banana muffins, protein pancakes, an egg frittata with veggies etc can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Just heat as needed. This helps you to have something healthy even if you’re short on time.

Lunch:

Salads are always a quick, healthy option that’s easy to prepare for lunches. You can portion out your lettuce, then add your favorite protein like grilled chicken, plus roasted veggies, nuts, seeds, fruit etc.

Just be sure to keep dressing separate so you can stir in last minute. This will keep everything from getting too soggy. Salad does not have to be boring. A good source of protein, nuts, seeds etc help keep you full while adding a lot of flavor.

You can also pre-cook burger patties, grilled chicken or fish, grilled veggies, steamed veggies, and rice or quinoa etc to make putting something together last minute super easy. Leftovers also make for a great lunch.

Dinner:

This is where you can have a bit more fun and freedom. Choose a few new recipes to try each week. Shop for all of your ingredients in advance. To save time with prep, cut up any vegetables ahead of time or marinade meats if needed. Dinner can be both healthy and quick during the week with the right preparations.

Maybe choose one easy night of the week where you buy food from your favorite takeout spot. Just be sure to pick healthier options if available. If not, no worries! When you are eating healthy 80% of the time, and leaving 20% for everything else, one meal won’t alter your goals. Enjoy it and move on.

Don’t lose your sanity trying to be perfect! Do the best you can with what you have. Healthy eating is attainable for anyone, you may just need to get creative.

We have pizza once a week because we love it so much. Instead of buying it from a pizza place, we buy a plain cauliflower crust (because we stick to gluten free) cheese pizza from Trader Joe’s and assemble the rest ourselves. I love adding pre-cooked chicken and tons of veggies like zucchini, spinach, broccoli, onion, peppers and mushrooms on top. This way we still get what we want, but it’s a much healthier version.

I challenge you to pick one new healthy cookbook from the list below, and try planning ahead for your week. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. These cookbooks also make a great gift for family and friends! Check them out!

Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks For An Active Lifestyle:

 

1) Run Fast. Eat Slow.- By Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky

This cookbook features nourishing recipes to fuel everyone from the everyday health and fitness aficionado to an elite athlete. Shalene Flanagan is a world-class marathoner and 4-time Olympian. When she came together with chef Elyse Kopecky to create this cookbook, what they really created is a guide for healthy living.

Featuring recipes free from flour and refined sugar, but loaded with flavor and nutrition for every part of your day. The first part of this book is full of nutritional wisdom, tips and a list of pantry staples.

Recipes range from smoothies and snacks to delicious meals and wholesome treats. Everything you need to support your inner athlete. Everyone can benefit from these healthy recipes!

Standout recipe: Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Cakes (pg.142)

Find it on Amazon HERE.

 

2) 100 Days of Real Food- By Lisa Leake

From the creator of the 100 Days of Real Food blog, Lisa shares a lot of helpful information for trying to navigate a healthy lifestyle with a family of four. After the realization that her family wasn’t eating as healthy as they could be, she proposed a 100 day reset. This walks you through exactly how they did it.

She shares all of her tips and tricks for navigating the grocery store, reading food labels, and finding healthy options on a budget. A lot of these recipes can very easily be used individually if you didn’t want to follow the whole challenge. It has very practical ideas for all of your meals.

These recipes stick to a lot of wholesome, nutritious options like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seafood, locally raised meats, whole milk dairy products, nuts, and natural sweeteners etc. This cookbook is a great guide for anyone at any level of a health and wellness journey.

One standout recipe: Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon (pg.153)

Find it on Amazon HERE.

 

3) Fit- By Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay is a Chef, New York Times Best Selling author, and lifelong runner. He’s also the chef and owner of many fine dining restaurants.

This cookbook is full of healthy meal ideas, without eliminating any food groups. These recipes are full of fresh, healthy ingredients that range from simple to more complex. There are many options for every occasion.

Healthy doesn’t have to be boring. These recipes are full of flavor! You get all of the fine dining and five star restaurant quality meals, without the worry of how it will fit into your healthy diet.

The intro includes his favorite health and fitness tips. Everything you need to know about living a healthy lifestyle. The recipes include homemade sauces, dips and dressings to energy boosting snacks, quick breakfast options, hearty meals, fresh sides and indulgent desserts.

One standout recipe: Pomegranate and Chili Glazed Pork Carnitas (pg.192)

Find it on Amazon HERE.

 

4) Food Everyday: Great Food Fast- By Martha Stewart

This cookbook is divided by season, because often times the way we cook changes throughout the year. Keeping seasonable ingredients in mind is a more sustainable way of cooking that ensures your are always getting the freshest ingredients.

Spring recipes include fresh soups, salads, and healthy salmon and chicken dishes. These meals are quick and easy. Summer is focused on BBQ, kabobs, no-cook pasta dishes, and grilling tips. The Fall recipes include braised meats, roasted vegetables, and hearty main course soups and other options. Winter recipes are focused on one-dish meals, roasts, stews and baked pastas.

This is a favorite for sure! Everyone loves comfort foods along with fresh, healthy meals. This is exactly what the 80/20 balance is all about. I love that many of these recipes can easily be adapted to any meal plan or nutritional needs.

One standout recipe: Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce (pg.279)

Find it on Amazon HERE.

 

5) True Roots- By Kristin Cavallari

A mindful kitchen with more than 100 recipes free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.

You may know her from reality TV, but she is also known for her healthy lifestyle and clean recipes. Kristin sticks to mostly organic ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible. She avoids heavily processed foods and toxic ingredients.

Her approach to cooking with this cookbook is to make healthy foods easy for any situation. Many of the recipes range from simple to more complex. It depends on the day and the occasion.  I really appreciate this, since this is also how I also like to cook.

One standout recipe: Zucchini Almond Butter Blondies

Find it on Amazon HERE.

Follow along with me

You can find me on social media @motivate.educate.repeat on Instagram. This is where I spend most of my time sharing all about holistic living and the 80/20 lifestyle. Stay up to date on my latest recipes and reviews, along with other new blog posts.

I hope you enjoyed this list of the Top 5 Healthy Cookbooks for an Active Lifestyle. If you’d like to learn more about holistic living and the 80/20 lifestyle, check out my post HERE. If you try any of these cookbooks and recipes, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

You can contact me directly with any questions by sending me a DM on social media HERE or email me at hollyn@motivateeducaterepeat.com and I will get back to you asap. Enjoy!