Healthy Junk Food DIY

It’s the end of May already, but let’s imagine for a moment that none of us have fallen off the bandwagon of our New Years’ healthy eating resolutions just yet. We may be clutching onto the very edge, or being dragged along behind the wagon, but technically we’re still on it, right? Right.

Well this far in, we’re certainly *not* going to let ourselves be tempted into oblivion by the junk food hiding around every corner. Not even as winter approaches!

We’ve done our bit to make it easier for you to overcome the temptation by collecting a few delectable “junk food” recipes that WON’T ruin those healthy habits you’ve worked so hard to develop.

Herald the Healthy Junk Food DIY:

1. Start your day right by taking a treacherous breakfast snack and turning it into a power combo, packed with protein and healthy fats. It will keep you going for a good few hours and gives you so much more of your daily nutritional requirements than the original. This Healthy Egg ‘MacMuffin’ combines our paleo favourites, cauliflower and almond meal, with egg, bacon and a dash of avocado for a super-satisfying, healthful breakfast.

2. Get a whole lot of veggies in, in one go, and in burger form. What? Yep, this veggie burger promises to do just that. It may look like a burger, but the taste sensation promises to be something entirely new, with a crispy sweet potato ‘bun’ and a protein-packed black bean and veg patty in the middle. Way to do your veg!

3. Would you like some onion rings with that? You’d never say so, but these bad boys are the evil twin to a side of chips. They are just as nutritionally horrendous! But we have found an alternative that will satisfy those cravings: Crispy Baked Onion Rings that are oil- and egg-free. It comes with a bunch fewer calories and zero side of guilt!

4. How about that most deliciously tempting, most moreish of snacks, the humble potato chip. We all know that it’s light crispiness masks a ghastly effect on our waistlines, yet we reach for another, and another. Healthy it up by baking rather than frying, and choosing sweet potato cos it’s slow-releasing and infinitely superior to ye ole white potato.

5. Homemade fizzy drink, for when the urge hits and you absolutely do not want to ruin your tastebuds and your track record by giving in. With this Martha Stewart-recommended DIY Cream Soda in your fridge, you can walk right on by that vendor and not feel a smidge of temptation!

6. Wholesome pizza? Is there even such a thing? Check out this Whole Wheat Greek Yoghurt Pizza Crust recipe that combines nutritious ingredients into one of our favourite comfort food formats. Don’t go ruining it with a store-bought sauce though - make your own nourishing tomato sauce base, and add your tangiest toppings and a healthy portion of your favourite cheese for a pizza you can feel a whole lot better about.

7. Find yourself reaching for the biscuit tin as the evening wears on? Try these 7-ingredient Raw Oreos. They’re vegan and gluten-free, and use blended nuts with dates and coconut butter to create their magic. These are a delicious and surprisingly healthy snack to put into that biscuit tin, just make sure to store it in the fridge.

8. How about a healthful ice cream? You heard that right! “Nice Cream” is a great, wholesome alternative that’s just as creamy and delicious. It’s made using banana - strange, but it works, and it means you can eat the stuff, like, daily! There are a world of flavours you can add to the basic recipe. Or check out Jamie Oliver’s Limoncello and Fruit Salad Fro-yo for another bit of guilt-free creamy deliciousness. And it is what it says it is - natural yoghurt blitzed up with fruit, dashed with some zingy flavour. Simple, healthy and scrumptious.

With these wholesome homemade recipes in the bag, you can steel yourself against the glittery temptations out there and keep those healthy habits intact all winter long.