5 Healthy Rainbow Recipes from Gather and Feast

When I was a kid, my family essentially subsisted on a monochromatic diet. Chicken with mashed potatoes and corn; sandwiches on white bread with potato chips; cereal with milk and toast. The most colorful foods we ate were boxed mac and cheese or maybe Jell-O.

You might call it traditional comfort food, but it is not so comforting when you think about how unhealthy that kind of diet actually is.

Now we all know how important it is to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Not only are colorful foods –reds, dark greens, purples, yellows, blues, oranges and, yes, some whites—lovely to look at, but eating them also helps ensure that you and your family are getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy and strong.

Finding vivid, multicolored foods that kids will not balk at might be a different story. When little ones want to survive on nothing but chicken nuggets, fries, and the unnatural orange macaroni and cheese, getting them to branch out can be a battle.

Ashley Alexander from Gather and Feast totally gets this. Her philosophy of bringing people together to enjoy an abundance of wholesome and nutritious foods made from natural ingredients and in-season produce is ideal for this situation. The Melbourne-based food blogger has developed a treasure trove of healthy rainbow recipes that the entire family will enjoy.

Super Green Smoothie Bowl

This bowl makes for a delicious and nutritious start to any day. It is simple to whip up, so your bunch can enjoy it any day of the week and you can feel good about sending them out the door with a rainbow breakfast.

Ingredients like fresh baby spinach, cucumber, frozen banana, dates and Brazil nuts get a spin in the blender. Pour the mixture into a bowl and top it with various in-season fruits for a gorgeous, colorful meal.

Smokey Fish Tacos with Fresh Coriander Slaw and Chipotle Mayo

Give Taco Tuesday a vibrant and good for you twist by serving up these flavor-loaded wraps. Since the bulk of the preparation is done in the oven, you really can make this a weeknight meal.

Paprika, salt, and olive oil give your favorite fish a delightfully smoky flavor. The baked fish is tucked into tortillas and then the rainbow fun begins. Deep purple cabbage, bright green coriander, dark yellow-green avocado, and crimson peppers top the tacos, providing crunch, heat and flavor as well a rainbow of colors.

Mexican Salad Bowls and Loaded Nachos

Another Mexican food-inspired family favorite, nachos can be a wholesome main meal when served up loaded of fresh produce. If you prefer, you can forgo the chips and turn the ingredients into a heavenly salad, instead.

Ashley starts the nachos with organic corn chips stacked with seasoned lentils or ground beef (your choice), fresh salsa, creamy guacamole, charred corn and a drizzle of chipotle cream.

For the bowl version, she swaps the chips for quinoa, groats, or brown rice and tops it with a rainbow of fruit and veggie goodness. Are you drooling yet?

Vegetable Packed ‘Rainbow’ Lasagne

Littles who love spaghetti, pizza and other sauce and cheese laden dishes will go gaga over this multihued main course.

For this dazzling dinner idea, Ashley tucks brilliant veggie and cheese mixtures between tasty pasta sheets. One layer is comprised of roasted, mashed pumpkin; the next contains roasted beets and goat cheese; a third is spinach with ricotta. Tomato puree and sautéed mushrooms make their way in, as well.

This rainbow recipe is a bit more time consuming. You may want to save it for a weekend or special occasion, or make ahead and heat...either way, you won’t want to miss it.

Niçoise Salad

Named for its origin in the French city of Nice, salade niçoise or niçoise salad is as unique as it is colorful. Originally made of just tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil, the dish has evolved over time to include many other flavorful ingredients.

Ashley’s recipe contains no lettuce. Instead, she starts with cooked fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, and fresh cooked green beans. The dish is then topped with vinaigrette, tuna, anchovies, and boiled eggs to create a highly satisfying, healthful meal.

These family-friendly “eat a rainbow” recipes make it so much easier to get even your most finicky eater on board. How do you get your bunch to eat a rainbow every day?