Unbound Wellness: Your Favorite Recipes from 2020

Welcome to Unbound Wellness, where delicious meets nutritious! Each year, our vibrant community helps us crown the most beloved recipes, and we’re thrilled to unveil the definitive list of reader favorite recipes from a memorable past year. This carefully curated collection showcases the very best of Unbound Wellness, featuring everything from indulgent treats and comforting one-pan meals to innovative dishes that cater to a variety of dietary needs. Whether you’re searching for gluten-free wonders, paleo perfection, or AIP-friendly options, this roundup highlights the recipes that truly resonated with you, making healthy eating both accessible and incredibly flavorful. Get ready to discover your next go-to meal that makes healthy living a joyous journey!

Top 10 reader favorite healthy recipes from Unbound Wellness featuring a variety of wholesome dishes

Reflecting on the past year, it’s clear that while the world presented unique challenges, our shared passion for wholesome, flavorful food continued to thrive. Here at Unbound Wellness, we persevered in bringing you nourishing recipes, and I’ve been incredibly touched by the outpouring of support from our amazing community. Every comment, recipe rating, social media like, and share fuels our mission to make healthy eating enjoyable and sustainable. Your engagement over the years, especially during such a transformative period (which for me personally included welcoming a new baby!), has been nothing short of inspiring. I truly can’t thank you enough for being an integral part of the Unbound Wellness family for the past 5.5 years and counting!

As a testament to your unwavering enthusiasm and culinary curiosity, we’ve compiled a special “year in review” featuring the top 10 recipes that debuted during the past year. This isn’t just a list; it’s a reflection of what captured your hearts and taste buds the most, based on blog popularity, Instagram buzz, and countless mentions of your successful kitchen experiments. These are the dishes you truly loved making and sharing, embodying the spirit of Unbound Wellness.

Before we dive into the countdown of new favorites, let’s acknowledge some enduring classics. These honorable mentions have graced our blog for longer than the past year but continue to reign supreme as perennial reader favorites. They consistently prove their worth, standing the test of time and becoming staple healthy recipes in many homes:

  • Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers: These savory bites are a fantastic snack or appetizer, packed with flavor and incredibly versatile for various dietary needs, including Paleo, AIP, and Whole30. Their bite-sized appeal makes them perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
  • Spinach Avocado Chicken Burgers: A fresh and vibrant take on the classic burger, these chicken patties are infused with nutrient-rich spinach and creamy avocado, offering a delicious and healthier alternative that’s full of moisture and taste.
  • Ground Beef Stir Fry: A quick, easy, and customizable weeknight meal, this stir-fry is a go-to for many. It’s an excellent way to use up vegetables and get a wholesome, flavorful dinner on the table in minutes, adapting easily to different dietary preferences.
  • Egg Roll Soup: All the irresistible flavors of an egg roll, deconstructed into a comforting, soul-warming soup. This recipe is a clever way to enjoy your takeout favorites in a healthier, Whole30 and AIP-friendly format without compromising on taste.
  • Mongolian Ground Beef: This dish brings the sweet and savory flavors of Mongolian beef into a simple, ground beef format. It’s incredibly satisfying, perfect for serving over rice or cauliflower rice, and a testament to how quick and flavorful healthy cooking can be.
  • Nomato Sauce: A lifesaver for those avoiding nightshades, this Nomato sauce offers a rich, versatile base that mimics traditional tomato sauce. It’s perfect for pizzas, pastas, or as a dipping sauce, ensuring everyone can enjoy their favorite Italian-inspired meals.
  • Chicken Marsala: A refined classic made over for a healthier lifestyle, this Chicken Marsala features tender chicken in a savory, dairy-free sauce. It’s a truly elegant dish that’s both Whole30 and Paleo, proving that diet-friendly meals can be gourmet and satisfying.

Top Unbound Wellness Recipes of the Past Year

1. Ground Beef Ramen Stir Fry

Kicking off our list is a sensational dish that brings the beloved flavors of takeout right into your kitchen, but with a wholesome twist! This Ground Beef Ramen Stir Fry has quickly become a fan favorite for its incredible taste and adaptability. It perfectly combines succulent ground beef with tender ramen noodles in a savory sauce, creating a dish that feels indulgent yet aligns with a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, it’s completely gluten-free, and with simple modifications, it can easily be made paleo and AIP-friendly, making it a versatile option for diverse dietary needs. It’s a quick, satisfying meal that truly satisfies those cravings for a hearty, flavorful stir-fry without the guilt.

Delicious ground beef ramen stir fry served in a bowl with chopsticks, ready to eat

2. Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing

Elevate your salads with this incredible Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing that has captured the hearts of our readers. Replicating the vibrant, zesty, and slightly sweet dressing you adore from your favorite Japanese eateries, this recipe delivers all the familiar flavors in a much healthier package. It’s crafted with fresh ginger and other wholesome ingredients to create a dressing that’s bursting with bright, tangy notes. This recipe is a dietary dream come true: it’s paleo, entirely gluten-free, soy-free, and perfect for those following an AIP protocol. Drizzle it over fresh greens, use it as a marinade, or as a dipping sauce – its versatility and deliciousness will make it a permanent fixture in your fridge.

Homemade Japanese restaurant-style ginger salad dressing drizzled generously over a fresh green salad in a bowl

3. Sloppy Joe Meal Prep Bowls

Say goodbye to boring lunches with these incredibly popular Sloppy Joe Meal Prep Bowls! Our readers adore this recipe for its ultimate convenience and nostalgic comfort. Designed for efficiency, you can whip up a batch over the weekend and enjoy wholesome, flavorful lunches throughout the busy workweek. Each bowl features a delicious, savory sloppy joe mixture paired with complementary sides, offering a balanced and satisfying meal. This recipe is naturally paleo, and with just a few minor adjustments, it can effortlessly become Whole30 and AIP-compliant, making it a fantastic option for anyone seeking healthy, convenient, and diet-friendly meal solutions without sacrificing taste.

Prepared sloppy joe meal prep bowls neatly arranged in glass containers, ready for the week

4. Tuscan Garlic Shrimp

Indulge in a taste of Italy with this exquisitely flavorful Tuscan Garlic Shrimp dish, a recipe that consistently earns rave reviews from our community. This elegant yet simple meal features succulent shrimp bathed in a rich, creamy, and aromatic Italian-inspired sauce that’s bursting with garlic and herbs. What makes it truly special is that it achieves all this incredible flavor while being entirely dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant. For those on a stricter dietary path, it can also be easily modified to fit the AIP protocol. It’s a perfect dish for a quick weeknight dinner that feels gourmet or for impressing guests without spending hours in the kitchen.

Sizzling Tuscan garlic shrimp served in a rustic cast iron skillet, showcasing its creamy sauce and fresh herbs

5. Hamburger Helper

Rekindle your childhood memories with a healthier, homemade version of a classic comfort food! This Copycat Hamburger Helper offers all the familiar, hearty flavors you remember, but with ingredients that are kind to your body. Our readers rave about how authentically delicious this recipe tastes, perfectly mimicking the real thing while being free from grains and undesirable additives. It’s a truly satisfying one-pot meal that’s not only grain-free and paleo but also adaptable for an AIP diet. Enjoy a creamy, savory, and family-friendly dinner that proves you don’t have to compromise on taste to eat well. It’s the ultimate healthy twist on a nostalgic favorite!

A bowl of delicious copycat hamburger helper, showing its creamy texture and rich sauce

6. Dalgona Matcha

If there was a drink that defined the spirit of the past year, it was the Dalgona! And our Dalgona Matcha variation quickly became a sensational hit. This visually stunning and incredibly simple whipped matcha latte offers a cafe-quality experience right in your home. It’s a refreshing and energizing beverage featuring a vibrant green whipped matcha topping delicately floating over your choice of milk. What makes it particularly popular is its broad dietary appeal: it’s completely egg-free, dairy-free, paleo, and wonderfully vegan-friendly. Enjoy this trendy, healthy, and utterly delicious drink as a morning pick-me-up or a delightful afternoon treat!

A vibrant green Dalgona Matcha drink served in a clear glass cup, showcasing its frothy whipped topping

7. Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

Another beloved classic reimagined, our Homemade Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper brings robust, savory flavors to your dinner table in a fuss-free, one-pot format. This dish offers the creamy, comforting essence of traditional beef stroganoff combined with the convenience of a “helper” meal, all crafted with healthier ingredients. It’s a remarkably easy recipe to prepare, yielding a rich and hearty dish that tastes incredibly authentic yet is significantly more wholesome than its store-bought counterparts. Enjoy the tender beef and savory sauce in a meal that promises to satisfy the whole family, proving that nutritious eating can be both simple and deliciously satisfying.

A hearty bowl of homemade beef stroganoff hamburger helper, creamy and rich, ready to enjoy

8. No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread

The aroma of freshly baked bread is one of life’s simple pleasures, and now everyone can enjoy it with our incredibly popular No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread. This recipe demystifies bread baking, making it accessible and enjoyable even for beginners. It yields a beautifully rustic loaf with a delightful crust and a tender crumb, bursting with the inviting flavors of garlic, herb seasoning, and olive oil. Our readers have embraced this recipe for its simplicity and the sheer joy of producing homemade, truly delicious gluten-free bread without the laborious kneading process. Perfect for sandwiches, toast, or alongside a comforting meal, this bread is a game-changer for gluten-free households.

A rustic loaf of no-knead gluten-free bread, sliced in half to show its tender interior, flavored with garlic and herbs

9. Edible Cookie Dough

Satisfy your sweet tooth safely and deliciously with our highly acclaimed Edible Cookie Dough! This recipe quickly became a community favorite for offering all the irresistible indulgence of raw cookie dough without any of the worry. It’s the ultimate no-cook snack or dessert, perfect for those moments when you crave something sweet and comforting instantly. Crafted with wholesome ingredients, this edible dough is completely gluten-free, dairy-free, and delightfully paleo-friendly, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences. Enjoy it by the spoonful, mix it into dairy-free ice cream, or roll it into bites for a convenient treat – it’s pure, guilt-free bliss!

A spoonful of irresistible edible cookie dough, rich and tempting, ready to be enjoyed

10.Samoa Truffles

Rounding out our list of top recipes is an absolute triumph for anyone missing their favorite childhood cookies! These no-bake Samoa Truffles perfectly capture the iconic flavors of the beloved Girl Scout cookie – toasted coconut, rich chocolate, and chewy caramel – but in a wonderfully healthy and diet-friendly format. Our readers adore these truffles for their ability to satisfy intense cravings without derailing healthy eating goals. They are completely paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free, and can even be made AIP-compliant, making them a truly inclusive treat. Prepare a batch for a guilt-free indulgence or share them with friends – they’re guaranteed to be a hit!

Delicious no-bake Samoa truffles arranged on a plate, with one truffle showing a bite taken out, revealing its rich interior

And there you have it – the recipes that stood out, brought comfort, and delivered incredible flavor to your kitchens throughout the past year! We hope this list inspires you to try some new favorites or revisit old ones. Thank you once again for your incredible support and for making Unbound Wellness a thriving community dedicated to health and happiness through delicious food. We can’t wait to see what amazing dishes we’ll create together in the years to come!