5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

It’s the time of year where the smell of apples and pumpkins fill the air, and you start craving something a little homier and more flavorful. Fall is a great time to show off your cooking skills but also prepare a dish that is healthy for everyone to eat. With that in mind, check out these five delicious and healthy main course recipes that your guest or family will instantly devour. 

Skillet Apple Pork Chops

Skillet Apple Pork Chops

This one pot recipe is easy and simple for a quick weeknight meal. After your done cooking, your house will smell amazing and your bellies will be full. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 4 6oz bone-in pork chop
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¾ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 ½ tsp fresh rosemary chopped
  • 2 medium apples sliced
  • 1 small red onion sliced 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in oil to the pan and while heating sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Add pork chops to pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until pork chops are done. Remove from pan. 
  2. Combine stock and mustard and whisk together. Add remaining oil to pan and add salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, apple, and onion to pan. Cook for 4 minutes. Stir in stock and return pork chops back to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. 
  3. Serve 

Pumpkin-Poblano Casserole – 5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

Pumpkin-Poblano Casserole - 5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

Take a lighter spin on classic gratin with this amazing pumpkin and spicy poblano pepper dish that is filled with flavor and leave you full all day. 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • ¾ cup sliced yellow onion
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ¾ pound pumpkin cut into wedges
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground red pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 12oz can evaporated low-fat milk
  • 2oz queso fresco 

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat broiler to high. 
  2. Place poblano and bell peppers on baking sheet lined with 2 long sheets of foil. Place pan on top of rack of oven and broil for 12 minutes or until blackened and charred. Removed from oven and loosely wrap peppers in foil. Cut peppers into ½ inch wide strips. 
  3. Preheat oven to 400F.
  4. Combine onion, oil, pumpkin, potato, and garlic. Sprinkle with flour and seasoning. Place on third of pumpkin mixture in a 13x9in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with one-third of peppers strips. Repeat the process twice, adding pumpkin mixture then peppers. Pour milk over vegetables and coat top layer with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake at 400F for 45-minutes. 
  5. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 10-minutes or until potatoes and pumpkin are tender
  6. Serve. 

Curried Chicken Thighs with Pomegranate-Mint Sauce

Curried Chicken Thighs with Pomegranate-Mint Sauce

This dish seems elegant and delectable but its easy to make and won’t break the bank. Surprise your guest with juicy chicken that is full of flavor but also healthy for them. 

Ingredients:

  • 8 3oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs 
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 ½ olive oil
  • 1/3 cup water
  • ¾ cup pomegranate arils, divided 
  • ½ cup plain reduced-fat Greek yogurt 
  • 2 tbsp torn mint leaves

Instructions: 

  1. Season chicken with curry, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side.
  2. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Add 1/3 cup of water to pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until reduced to about 1 tbsp. Removed pan from heat. 
  3. Place ½ cup arils in food processor and process until finely ground. Pour through a fine sieve over a bowl and discard solids. Add Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp reserved pan drippings to pomegranate liquid. 
  4. Stir with whisk to combine. Sprinkle chicken with mint and remaining ¼ cup arils.
  5. Serve with sauce. 

Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade – 5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade - 5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

Impress your guest with this delicious pork roulade that is filled with classic fall flavors and seasonings. 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • ¾ cup chopped onion
  • ¾ cup chopped Fuji apple
  • 2 tsp fresh minced garlic 
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar 
  • 1 tsp chopped rosemary
  • 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin trimmed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper 
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/3 cup no salt added chicken stock 
  • 3 tbsp unfiltered apple cider
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard 

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat adding oil. Add onions, apple, and garlic and sautĂ© for 5 minutes or until tender. Add vinegar and rosemary, cook for 1 minute. Place apple mixture in a small bowl and wipe pan clean. 
  3. Slice pork lengthwise, cutting to but not through other side. Open halves, laying pork flat. Starting from the center, slice each half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through other side. Open so pork is flat. Plastic wrap over pork and pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle evenly with 3/8 tsp salt and pepper. Spread apple mixture on pork. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion. 
  4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and add pork, seam side down. Cook for 4 minutes or until browned. Place pan in oven. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted reads 145F. Remove pork from pan and let stand for 5 minutes. 
  5. Return pan to medium-high heat and add stock, cider, mustard, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Serve mixture over pork.
  6. Serve. 

Apple, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Pizza – 5 Healthy Main Course Recipes

Apple, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Pizza

Pizza is life but take a step on the wild side with the flavorful apple, goat cheese, and pecan pizza. It is a little different from normal pizza but the flavor melts together in an amazing blend of flavors. 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (1 pound) six grain pizza crust 
  • Cooking spray 
  • 3 cups thin sliced Fuji apple 
  • 1 cup crumbled goat cheese 
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme chopped 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard 
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp honey
  • 2 cups baby arugula 
  • 3 tbsp chopped pecans 

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 450F. 
  2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Arrange apples evenly over pizza crust and top with cheese. Sprinkle thyme evenly over cheese. 
  3. Bake at 450F for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
  4. Combine oil, mustard, honey and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add arugula and toss gently. Sprinkle pecans evenly over pizza and top with arugula mixture. 
  5. Cut pizza into 6 wedges
  6. Serve. 

As you can tell, fall recipes can still be hearty and delicious but without all the added calories. Your family and friends will love these dishes that are filled with tantalizing flavors and aromas, they will keep coming back for more.