Cooking healthy meals that taste great doesn’t have to be time-consuming or be difficult. If you find yourself reaching for convenient options when short on time, try one of these 3 recipes. These meals can be ready in under 30 minutes, are delicious, filling AND healthy! Great options for lighter meals after a busy Festive period.
White Fish with Spiced Lentils
- 1 lime, cut into quarters
- 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g can green or brown lentils, drained, rinsed, then drained again
- 2 tbsp mango chutney, plus extra to serve
- 4 x 140g white fish fillets such as cod, haddock, halibut, lemon sole or seabass
- Finely chop one of the lime quarters, including the skin.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan then fry onions over a medium heat for 5 mins until softened and starting to colour. Add the curry powder and tomato purée then fry for another minute.
- Tip in 200ml water, lentils, mango chutney and the chopped lime then bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins or until thickened.
- Heat remaining oil in a frying pan. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste then fry for 5 mins, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through.
- Add a squeeze of lime to the pan and to the lentils then serve together with naan bread or chapatis on the side.
Grilled Mackerel Salad
- 4 smoked mackerel fillets
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 170g sourdough bread, roughly torn into pieces
- 200g green beans
- 4 tbsp fresh green pesto
- Juice 1 lemon
- 100g pitted black olives
- 340g cherry tomatoes halved
- 100g rocket
- Bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
- Heat the grill to medium. Put the mackerel fillets, skin-side up, on a large baking sheet. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the sourdough pieces to the baking sheet, drizzle a little oil over the bread, then cook under the grill for 6-8 minutes, turning the bread once, until the mackerel is heated through and the bread is crisp and golden.
- Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the green beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes, drain and run under cold water. In a small bowl, mix the pesto with half the lemon juice and 2 tbsp cold water.
- Put the bread, green beans, olives, tomatoes, pesto mix, rocket and parsley in a large mixing bowl and toss together thoroughly. Season to taste (you may want a little more lemon juice), then serve with the mackerel.
Salmon & Asparagus Frittata
- 340g red potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 6 whole eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 220g asparagus, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 340g salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into bite-size pieces
- Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil potatoes until just tender, about 7 minutes; drain.
- Heat grill to low. Combine eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat oil in a 12" ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook onion, bell pepper and oregano, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are somewhat soft, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and potatoes; cook 3 minutes. Add salmon and cook until opaque, 3 minutes.
- Pour egg mixture into frying pan; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally until egg begins to set but is still wet on top, 5 minutes. Cook, without stirring, 5 minutes.
- Transfer pan to grill and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from grill and slice into 4 wedges; serve.