Best Healthy Recipes For Reducing Your Stress

1. Kasha Salad

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This kasha salad recipe boosts serotonin due to its use of whole grains, and it also packs plenty of calcium thanks to the feta cheese. Proper intake of calcium has been shown to correlate with lower instances of depression. This recipe has all the standard flavors of a Greek salad but is made more filling due to the inclusion of kasha. Think of it as an all-in-one lunch salad, with the bonus of stress-relieving benefits. 

What you’ll need:

2 cups cooked kasha

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled

1/4 cup diced cucumbers

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

2 tbsp diced black olives

Juice of one lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp greek seasoning blend

1 tbsp green onions chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

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2. Easy Honey Garlic Salmon

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All you need is salmon, garlic, honey, olive oil, and soy sauce to make this simple, quick honey garlic salmon dish. Omega-3 is an excellent nutrient for minimizing stress and maximizing brainpower, and salmon is chock full of it. Choose wild over farmed for the best omega-3 levels, as farmed fish requires a larger portion, with more fat, to get the same amounts of omega-3 as is available in the wild version. That hint of sweetness from honey is good for your brain, too.

What you’ll need:

4 salmon fillets, approximately 4 ounces each

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

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3. Orange Strawberry Avocado Salad 

Image credit: Ambitious Kitchen

You’ll be on vitamin C overload with this salad recipe that uses citrus in both the salad itself and the dressing. And because vitamin C reduces stress levels — and may even help to prevent anxiety — that’s pretty fantastic. Citrus fruits are notorious for their vitamin C content, and strawberries and avocados actually pack plenty of it, as well. There’s also goat cheese in the salad, which assists with stress by way of its calcium content.

What you’ll need:

For the salad:

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 (5 oz) package Dole Organic Spring Mix Salad

1 heaping cup quartered strawberries

1 large peeled orange, cut into segments

1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

1/2 avocado, sliced or diced

For the dressing:

Juice from 1 large orange

2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp honey (or pure maple syrup)

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tbsp poppyseed

Pinch of salt

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4. Pinto Bean Chili

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For those nights when you want a healthy meal to come together quickly and help you chill out, try this pinto bean chili. By using canned pinto beans, you’ll save hours of cooking time while still reaping the benefits of how full of fiber the pintos are. The chipotle pepper adds that beloved warming sensation of coziness and lime juice gives a little kick of sour — along with a hit of vitamin C. Also, chili is probably the healthiest comfort food, and the act of eating foods we find comforting has been shown to reduce stress levels. 

What you’ll need:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water or broth

3 chipotle peppers from canned chipotles in adobo, diced

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1/2 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges for serving

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5. Sweet Potato Soup

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This sweet potato soup recipe is a twofer when it comes to stress relief. For one thing, simply holding warm foods and drinks has been proven to reduce stress levels and enhance friendly feelings. Add to that the fact that unrefined carbohydrates boost our serotonin levels, and you have a perfect cup or bowl. This lightly sweet, gingery soup is thin enough to sip from a mug if you like. The flavor profile is well-spiced with ginger and cumin, but feel free to add some garam masala when adding the other spices for even more flavor. 

What you’ll need:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 shallot, diced

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 medium-sized carrots, diced

1 medium red apple, peeled, cored, cubed

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled, cored, and cubed

1 tbsp fresh ginger

1 tsp of cumin

1/2 tsp of salt

3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1 12oz can of chickpeas

1 lime

crispy bacon for toppings (optional)

Parsley & goat cheese to toppings (optional)

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Credit: Ariane Resnick, CNC