Ten years into running their trusted and influential website, Well+Good co-founders Alexia Brue and Melisse Gelula released their first cookbook. Well+Good: 100 Healthy Recipes + Expert Advice for Better Living embodies their holistic approach to wellness and features recipes from luminaries such as Padma Lakshmi and Daphne Oz. “We wanted to create something tangible, so people could have a piece of Well+Good in their homes,” Gelula says. She explains why this is a healthy cookbook unlike any other—and why that makes it right for everyone.
There are no calories or carb counts for each recipe. Why not?
At Well+Good we’ve always focused on nutrition intel and recipes that make our readers feel good—and healthy. We don’t focus on counting calories. That’s just not our definition of what makes food healthy. The experts who’ve shared their recipes in our cookbook are more interested in the nutrient-density of foods, the anti-inflammatory and other functional benefits of them. (There are also seven guides to eating for better digestion, energy, skin and more written by medical doctors and experts in the book.)
What are some other surprises in this book?
Every recipe is labeled with a wellness benefit, whether it’s good for better digestion, better mood or better sleep. A lot of readers are looking to food to help with these issues, so we wanted to make it super easy to customize meals around the pursuit of a key wellness benefit. Everything’s labeled whether it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, low inflammation, vegan, keto or Paleo, too, because these eating styles are just the way more and more people think about food now.
What are your top three rules when it comes to eating healthy?
1. Listen to your body. What works for you in you in your teens is not necessarily going to work or you a few decades later!
2. Fall in love with healthy fats—drizzle on EVOO, add avocado, toss in slivered almonds or other nuts. They make everything taste amazing.
3. Learn to make three dishes you love to eat (instead of getting really elaborate once a week and never making it again!).
Who is this cookbook for?
Anyone who is looking to introduce some more healthy meals into their everyday (possibly super busy) lives. There’s a recipe in here for everyone—including kids and people who say they don’t like healthy food. I dare you to say no to the Vegan Mac-and-Cheese or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!
You probably know Ali Maffucci best for her culinary brand, Inspiralized (and the spiralized veggie craze she helped kick off), and the blogger and three-time cookbook author continues to be on the lookout for innovative ways to make over mealtime. “By using real, whole foods creatively, we hit the trifecta: Food is fun, delicious and healthy,” she says. This recipe is a better-for-you take on Italian American “parmigiana” dishes (breaded meat or vegetables topped with marinara sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella), which Ali promises never disappoints. “You get the same flavors of those dishes, but the veggie version is better nutritionally and lower in cholesterol.”
Cauliflower – Parmesan Bites
SERVES 6
Coconut oil spray
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
½ cup almond flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets½ cup prepared marinara sauce1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 fresh basil leaves, very thinly sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the parchment with coconut oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, Parmesan, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ½ cup water. Season with salt and black pepper. Dredge the cauliflower florets through the mixture, coating them well and patting the mixture into the crevices of the cauliflower. Place the coated florets on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 20 minutes more, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and golden brown on the outside.
3 Remove the cauliflower from the oven and turn the broiler to high. Top each cauliflower piece with a dollop of marinara sauce and some mozzarella. Return the pan to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella begins bubbling.
4. Remove and immediately garnish with more Parmesan, the basil, and red pepper flakes. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter and spear each floret with a toothpick. Serve immediately.
Jalapeño Vegan Burrito
SERVES 6
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup sliced button or cremini mush-rooms
1 cup cooked jasmine or brown rice
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsedSea salt
4 whole-wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup guacamole1 cup tomato salsa
¼ cup Jalapeño Cashew Cream (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the parchment with coconut oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, Parmesan, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ½ cup water. Season with salt and black pepper. Dredge the cauliflower florets through the mixture, coating them well and patting the mixture into the crevices of the cauliflower. Place the coated florets on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 20 minutes more, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and golden brown on the outside.
3 Remove the cauliflower from the oven and turn the broiler to high. Top each cauliflower piece with a dollop of marinara sauce and some mozzarella. Return the pan to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella begins bubbling.
4. Remove and immediately garnish with more Parmesan, the basil, and red pepper flakes. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter and spear each floret with a toothpick. Serve immediately.
Jalapeño Cashew Cream
Makes about 2 Cups
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight and drained
½ to 1 medium jalapeño, slicedJuice of ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
Kosher salt
1. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the soaked cashews, jalapeño, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Blend until smooth; add 1 tablespoon water, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
2. Store the cashew cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Chia + Flax Chicken Tenders
SERVES 4-6
1 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 large eggs
1 cup chia seeds
1 cup flaxseed
1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs or grain-free flour
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Pinch of chopped fresh parsley
4 to 6 ounces uncooked chicken tenders, pounded to ½-inch thickness or less
¼ cup ghee
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
1. Create dredging stations: On a large plate, combine the potato starch, pink Himalayan salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. On a separate large plate, combine the chia, flaxseed, bread crumbs, paprika, garlic salt and parsley.
2. One at a time, coat each chicken tender, first dipping it into the potato starch mixture, then into the egg mixture to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then into the chia-flax mixture, pressing to adhere. Set the dredged piece on the prepared baking sheet and repeat to coat the remaining chicken.
3. Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, add the chicken tenders and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, then use tongs to gently turn the tenders and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on the second side, until the coating is crisped and browned on both sides. Transfer the cooked tenders to a baking sheet as you finish each batch.
4. Transfer the tenders to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve warm with your favorite dip or side.
