Did your holiday break include a lot of savory snacks and sweet treats? Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier? Don’t fret, these fresh and simple recipes will move you in the right direction!

Zucchini Ravioli

4 medium zucchini

1 cup part-skim ricotta

1/4 cup parmesan

Ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

2 Tbsp minced onion

Salt

Pepper

Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups jarred or homemade marinara sauce

2 tsp olive oil

(add as much parmesan as you want by the way)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Using a vegetable peeler, slice the two sides of each zucchini into flat strips, peeling until you reach the center. You should have around 50-60 slices.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, turkey, spinach, basil, salt and pepper. After that, fill the bottom of a standard baking dish with the marinara sauce. You can also portion control the ravioli by splitting them up between smaller baking dishes.

To assemble the ravioli: Overlap two strips of zucchini, then overlap two more strips perpendicular on top of the first strips, creating a T shape. Spoon one tablespoon of filling in the center, then bring the ends of the strips together, overlapping each other. Turn the ravioli over and place in the baking dish to seal the bottom. Top with olive oil, more parmesan, salt and pepper.

Bake the ravioli for 30 minutes, until the zucchini is al dente, and the cheese on top is turning golden brown. Serve with more marinara sauce if you want.

3- Ingredient Pizza Dough

Don’t kid yourself, no one can give up pizza. Instead of ordering from Papa John’s or Mellow Mushroom though, try making your own!

Ingredients:

1 cup of self-rising flour

8 oz. fat free plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning or any seasoning of your choice.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. and lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Blend ingredients together until soft dough begins to form. Use a whisk or an electric hand mixer. You can roll a thin crust or regular just make sure you flour the surface you spread on and your hands, then transfer to your baking sheet.

Add the toppings of your choice such as fresh mozzarella, marinara sauce, pepperoni, olives, pineapple, etc.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through to your liking.

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower

It’s not as good as hot wings of course, but if you’re a vegetarian or want to watch your calories, this isn’t a bad spin! #meatlessmonday

In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup Silk soymilk, 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, fresh chives, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the batter for the cauliflower by combining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup Silk soymilk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Gently toss the cauliflower with the batter, being sure to coat the cauliflower.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top of the foil. Generously spray the rack with cooking spray and place the coated cauliflower onto the rack, leaving space between each one.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to brown.

When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven and toss with the hot sauce mixture, Sweet Baby Ray’s or Texas Pete Wing Sauce are both good.

Spray the rack with cooking spray again and place the cauliflower back on the rack. Put back in the oven for 10 more minutes until browned to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Dip in the sauce of your choice!

Homemade Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo at home! That’s it, the secret to life.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (regular)

12 oz. frozen raspberries

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

3 tablespoons honey

To a blender add Greek yogurt, raspberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey.

Blend until smooth.

Serve immediately or for a more solid consistency, place in an air tight container and put in freezer for 1-2 hours then serve.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

And only 90 calories! No eggs, refined sugars or butter but still delicious.

1 cup white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp  unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup mashed banana

1 tbsp nonfat milk

1/3 cup coconut sugar

3 tbsp miniature chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, vanilla, mashed banana and milk. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until gently mixed. Fold in 2 1/2 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet using a spoon and a spatula. Flatten the cookie dough to the desired thickness and width. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk. Light brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.

 

If you have the time to try any of these, make sure to snap a photo and tag The Spectator on Twitter or Instagram! Many more healthy recipes and ideas can be found on Pinterest.

Recipes by Hunter Terrell, Social Media Editor.

For more Campus Life stories, click here.