4 Healthy Recipes from Joy Bauer

By Marisa Iallonardo

Staying motivated to keep things healthy in the kitchen just got a little easier, thanks to Joy Bauer’s Superfood! 150 Recipes for Eternal Youth, the newest cookbook by famed nutritionist Joy Bauer, MS, RDN. The book, out this spring, features a collection of recipes that are not only good for you, but promote longevity, too.

“As a nutritionist and foodie, I love to transform nutrient-rich foods into crave-worthy recipes that deliver on both taste and health,” says Bauer. “I’m also a big science nerd and I continuously vet health studies to find winning ways to help people live longer and stronger.”

The dishes featured run the gamut from pizza and desserts to breakfast staples—and even an entire section dedicated to superfood fries. Says Bauer: “All of these delicious dishes and drinks show you that you can tap into the healing power of foods while enjoy- ing incredibly flavorful fare.”

One thing Bauer found surprising in her research? “The healthiest folks aren’t eating rabbit food. They’re not depriving themselves,” she says. “Instead, they’ve shown that food is something to be enjoyed and deliciously celebrated.” And there are similarities in what they eat, including things like greens, berries, lentils, nuts and whole grains, she says—which inspired many of the recipes in the book.

“I’ve seen the effects of food anecdotally in my practice, but to see it spelled out in the research and quantified—just how many years it can add to life (and how much life it can add to those years)—it’s truly astounding,” says Bauer.

Read on for a few of our favorite recipes.

Detox Salad with Lemon-Chia Dressing
Makes: 7 large salads • Prep time: 20 minutes

NUTRITION (per serving—2 cups salad + 2 tablespoons dressing): 250 calories, 9g protein, 17g fat (14.5g unsaturated fat, 2.5g saturated fat), 0mg cholesterol, 21g carbs, 9g fiber, 7g sugar (7g natural sugar, 0g added sugar), 210mg sodium, *Add 40 calories for each additional teaspoon of dressing

*The ingredients can easily be substituted for pre-chopped veggies, boxed or bagged salads or pre-shredded slaw.

LEMON-CHIA VINAIGRETTE (makes 1 cup)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper

SALAD

4 cups packed stemmed kale leaves, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, grated
8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 2 1⁄2 cups)
2 to 3 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
2 1⁄2 cups shredded red/purple cabbage
1 cup fresh blueberries
1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 avocado, sliced

FOR THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and 2 tablespoons water until emulsified. Add the chia seeds and whisk again. Add the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. If the chia seeds clump together, allow the dressing to sit for 5 minutes or so and then stir. It will become smoother and thicker as it sits.

FOR THE SALAD: In a large bowl, combine the kale, carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage. Stash in a sealed container in the fridge and build each salad when you’re ready to eat.

Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos
Serves: 6 • Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 15 minutes

NUTRITION (per serving—4 quarters): 220 calories, 20g protein, 7g fat (6g unsaturated fat, 1g saturated fat), 50mg cholesterol, 19g carbs, 5g fiber, 6g sugar (6g natural sugar, 0g added sugar), 310mg sodium

6 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 pound ground turkey (90% to 93% lean)
1 taco seasoning packet
3⁄4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3⁄4 cup canned or frozen sweet yellow corn, drained (thawed if frozen)
1⁄4 cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
1⁄2 to 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
OPTIONAL TOPPERS: Mild or spicy salsa 1⁄4 cup light sour cream or nonfat plain Greek yogurt Chopped scallions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a large baking sheet (or 2 standard size sheets) with nonstick oil spray and set aside.

2. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell pepper and cut each into quarters. Lay the bell pepper “chips” on the prepared baking sheet(s) in a single layer with their insides facing up.

3. In a large heated skillet, stir the ground turkey until it’s cooked through and crumbled. Add the taco seasoning along with about 2⁄3 cup water and stir. Add the black beans, corn, and jalapeños, if using. Mix until well combined and heated through.

4. Spoon the turkey-bean mixture over the bell pepper pieces. Sprinkle on the cheese and bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, if desired, top with the salsa, pipe
on swirls of the yogurt or sour cream, and garnish with scallions.

Ginger-Spiced Pear Bread
Makes: 12 slices • Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 45 minutes

NUTRITION (for 1 slice): 170 calories, 4g protein, 8g fat (7g unsaturated fat, 1g saturated fat), 30mg cholesterol, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, 11g sugar (5g natural sugar, 6g added sugar), 100mg sodium

1 1⁄4 cups white whole wheat flour*
1⁄3 cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1⁄4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
1⁄2 cup plain or vanilla nonfat yogurt, Greek or traditional
1 large ripe pear, peeled and finely diced into uniform pieces (1 1⁄2 cups)
1⁄3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
*You can swap for whole wheat pastry flour, but standard whole wheat flour works well, too.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist the bottom and sides of a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick oil spray. Alternatively, you can
line it with parchment paper for easy removal. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, molasses, honey, oil, and yogurt. Then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and spices and mix to create a fluffy batter. Fold in the chopped pears, taking care not to overmix; stir no more than 10 to 15 times.

4. Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top so that it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chopped pecans or walnuts over the loaf. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Superfood Ice Pops
Makes: 9 ice pops • Prep time: 5 minutes, plus at least 4 hours in the freezer

NUTRITION (per pop): 40 calories, 1g protein, 1g fat (1g unsaturated, 0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 8g carbs, 1g fiber, 5g sugar (4g natural sugar, 1g added sugar), 20mg sodium

2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 cup almond milk (or any milk of choice)
1 fresh or frozen ripe banana
1 cup loosely packed fresh kale or baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 to 3 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1 teaspoon matcha powder

In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and freeze until the pops are firm and solid, at least 4 hours.