Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, often the simpler it is, the better it tastes. In Good for You, Test Kitchen editor Rebecca Firkser shares nourishing, craveable recipes that you can pull off in 10 ingredients or fewer.
Smoothies these days have become an exercise in colorfully eye-catching, supplement-enhanced $22 experiences. Visually satisfying, sure, but not actually all that nourishing. This 3-ingredient (plus water!) smoothie is the antithesis to those all over social media. The key to an actually filling smoothie that isn’t overly tangy from yogurt or chalky with protein powder? Cottage cheese. Relatively mild in flavor, yet rich and well-seasoned, the hero ingredient is also packed with protein. And when blended, its polarizing lumpy texture totally disappears and helps thicken the smoothie.
Creamy from the cottage cheese and sweet-tart with mixed berries, all you need is water to help everything blend smoothly. (Of course, if you have coconut water, its lightly sweet flavor and additional boost of nutrients are a very welcome swap.) Almond butter offers an earthy nuttiness without totally overpowering the smoothie’s flavor—for more, use peanut butter, or try cashew for something more mild. (And those with nut allergies are in luck: Swap in sunflower seed butter or 1 Tbsp. tahini.) For a sweeter smoothie, toss in a pitted date or a drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey. And because we can’t deny the power of an Instagram-worthy smoothie, try swirling the inside of your glass with a bit more nut butter.
