Simple mid-week healthy meals (that satisfy the family too!)

emshim
emshim Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'd like to hear what you are all making during the week to feed you, and you family, that keeps you on track but keeps them all satisfied too! If you could name up to 5 simple but tasty meals, perhaps with some ideas of ingredients, or links to recipes, I reckon it could really help some of us out!

I am looking more for meals that are things that can be carried on for a lifestyle change, to health and weight loss that you would happily serve to friends, or ways you can alter normal meals to make them healthier. Simple things i.e. ways to make a potato go further so you are actually eating much less, or how to improve on a pie would be useful too! I'll give it a go to start!

1. Turkey Wraps
Grilled turkey breast wrapped inside a wholemeal wrap, with a sweetcorn, lime juice, tomato, and chilli, topped with some mixed salad leaves, (and sometimes a squirt of mayo, naughty). Simple, easy, and everyone loves it!

2. Healthy thai prawn curry
cook 1tbsp cumin & 1tbsp coriander in pan for few mins with a couple cloves garlic, a chopped chilli and some grated ginger. Add some chopped onion & cook off. Throw in some green beans (or green pepper strips), then after a few mins add chicken stock (around 150ml for 2 people) and 1/4 can coconut milk. Add fresh prawns for 3 mins until cooked (or cooked ones to warm). Quite often recipes for this use all coconut milk so I have substituted with stock. This makes it less creamy but ever so tasty!

3. Chicken Pesto Flatbread
Flatbread spread with low fat soft cheese, 1/2 a teaspoon of low fat pesto spread on top. A few chopped sundried tomatoes (or normal ones!) topped with grilled chicken breast. Finished with large handful of rocket salad on top. Its like a healthy style pizza!


I look forward to hearing your ideas, your recipes and seeing any links to these meals if you have them! I also think that if you have seen a recipe and think you could suggest an improvement (i.e. a change of one of the ingredients, or know a low fat exchange for something) do please let us know!

Replies

  • nikkiclaire123
    nikkiclaire123 Posts: 119
    turkey meatballs and turkey burgers. theres super easy, i just add herbs and freeze batches of them, then they can be taken out of the freezer in the morning, defrosted and all i have to do is cook pasta and add tomato sauce.
  • Steveburg123
    Steveburg123 Posts: 23
    I am giving you a yummy recipe which is quick and easy to make.
    Chicken Salad:
    Take a bowl, add cooked chicken, tomatoes, celery and onion. Then add peanut sauce, mayonnaise, lime juice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve it on a plate on lettuce and sprinkle the peanuts over the top.
    Serving may also include with different types of sauce.
  • emshim
    emshim Posts: 17 Member
    The other day I marinaded chicken breast chunks in a mix of chicken tikka paste & fat free yoghurt for a few hours, shoved them on skewers on the bbq/grill and served with cous cous & roasted veg. It was beautiful and very healthy!

    However, any suggestions on a less sugary/salty chicken tikka paste would be useful (i used a prebought)
  • battybecks
    battybecks Posts: 147 Member

    However, any suggestions on a less sugary/salty chicken tikka paste would be useful (i used a prebought)

    I have that problem. My favourite way of making curries is with Patak's curry pastes, but they are so oily! You can get tikka powders (all the spices dried and ground) which you could then mix with a small amount of olive or rapeseed oil and use instead. I have a very good Tandoori powder that I use for marinated chicken ... (of course, you could buy all the spices that make up tikka and DIY - http://www.food.com/recipe/tikka-spice-mix-2654 )

    1. Tonight we're having chilli. It's made with turkey mince, and has no added oil. Whenever I do anything with mince I follow a tip from my favourite Italian cookbook which is rather than frying the mince, to simmer it slowly in water (i.e. stock) for about an hour. I chuck the mince in, water, stock cubes, garlic, herbs, and then later a little bit of passata. All the flavours infuse in a special nomnom way. Of course tonight there will be fresh chillis and chilli powder in there as well (and mushrooms and kidney beans)
    Basmati rice, 75 g ... a spoonful of half-fat crème fraiche (pretending to be sour cream) and some jalepenos from a jar on top.

    2. I made these last week - http://scoffandquaff.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/crisp-salt-and-chilli-tofu/ OMG they were the best thing ever. I put slightly less cornflour in, and slightly more chillis!

    3. My boyfriend absolutely loves swordfish. Last week we had ginormous swordfish steaks, grilled with a little olive oil and fresh garlic, and a grating of cheese on the top. Served with salad, grilled asparagus, and new potatoes. So so nice.

    4. I like baking chicken with artichoke hearts (from a tin) with paprika and lemon juice. You don't even need any oil (so long as you have a good non-stick tin). Serve with whatever the hell you like, because it's such a healthy dish you are FORCED to eat chips with it to get up to your macro levels ;)
  • battybecks
    battybecks Posts: 147 Member
    turkey meatballs and turkey burgers. theres super easy, i just add herbs and freeze batches of them, then they can be taken out of the freezer in the morning, defrosted and all i have to do is cook pasta and add tomato sauce.

    Also, yes turkey meatballs are brilliant! I'm going to make some this week - with dried (soaked) cranberries mixed in to give a festive touch!
  • emshim
    emshim Posts: 17 Member
    Wow BattyBecks, your recipes sound delish - I am going to have a go at the turkey mince chilli with the simmering rather than frying, great tip :)

    Swordfish I adore, and fish is so simple to have with new potatoes & asparagus (my fav!). It's not a bad fish to get my boyfriend to eat either (he's not a fishy fishy type, but recently I have got him eating cod fillets and he likes tuna steak so i'll give swordfish a go I think!)

    That chicken with artichokes also sounds divine :)

    I have also substituted potato mash with butterbean mash recently and it was wonderful. Literally as it says on the tin - warm the butterbeans and mash 'em! I add a little creme fraiche and wholegrain mustard or/and a handful of spring onions (or anything else lying around) and we just love them as a change from potatoes.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    Marinate chicken parts (we love thighs-no skin) in a plastic Baggie with chopped onion, minced garlic, juice of one lime or lemon, course country Dejon mustard, 1/4 cp olive oil and 1/4 cp water also add tbl tomato paste and salt/pepper to taste. Mix it all up, add chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours but u can do it from the day before.
    Bake in 350' oven for 45-1 hour. Soooooo delicious!
  • SHRINKINGG1
    SHRINKINGG1 Posts: 48 Member
    Taco salad or chicken salsa salad are a weekly staple. I make the taco seasoning my self to avoid salt and stuff. I use beef or turkey and I have tortillas available for tacos. My son and husband have tacos and I have a salad. Leftovers are good for lunchs.

    Chicken salsa - Frozen boneless skinless breast in crock pot spoon salsa to cover the chicken and cook low and slow for 8hrs. Chicke will be falling apart or shred-able. Top your salad veggies with chicken and use salsa as a dressing.

    If you don't have a crock pot get one. I use my a couple of times a week makes evenings a lot easier.
  • elsyoommen
    elsyoommen Posts: 155 Member
    for those that are using curry pastes, why not make your own? Fry some onions in oil with a little salt until they have browned and cooked down a bit. add tomatoes, chili peppers ginger and garlic - cook this some more. Add your powdered spices (premixed or not) cook it some more, add a little water or broth at this point in order to form a paste. once you get it to a goopy consistency add a little liquid again and cook down again. (you might want to add a little lemon or tamarind paste at this point depending on your taste)Now add your meat give it a gentle stir. Simmer this until it's done. If you like it creamy you can add some yogurt or coconut milk when it's nearly done. You can sprinkle some cilantro or chopped mint at the end before serving to give it a visual appeal. You can add your own variations to suit your own taste and that of your family.

    this does not take more than 1/2 hour (including chopping).
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    We do oven "fried" chicken almost every week, usually with some combination of broccoli, carrots, and/or
    roasted red potatoes. You combine a cup of buttermilk and hot sauce (to taste), then let your chicken breast or tenders soak in it while you crush up a couple of cups of corn or bran flakes as fine as possible. Then you roll the chicken in the cornflakes and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the chicken is done (tenders take less time than breasts). I add Parmesan cheese and black pepper to the flakes, but you don't have to. It's simple and tasty.

    For potatoes, we've switched mostly to red potatoes (which are less starchy and more filling). We like to cut them up and either heat them in a pan on the stove with some onion and a little olive oil and red wine vinegar or sprinkle them with Mrs. Dash and roast them in the oven.
  • brynngetsthinnn
    brynngetsthinnn Posts: 1
    Bake marinated chicken breasts in the oven with broccoli, brown rice and 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom soup for a home style, naughty tasting, but healthy wholesome meal.
  • emshim
    emshim Posts: 17 Member
    for those that are using curry pastes, why not make your own? Fry some onions in oil with a little salt until they have browned and cooked down a bit. add tomatoes, chili peppers ginger and garlic - cook this some more. Add your powdered spices (premixed or not) cook it some more, add a little water or broth at this point in order to form a paste. once you get it to a goopy consistency add a little liquid again and cook down again. (you might want to add a little lemon or tamarind paste at this point depending on your taste)Now add your meat give it a gentle stir. Simmer this until it's done. If you like it creamy you can add some yogurt or coconut milk when it's nearly done. You can sprinkle some cilantro or chopped mint at the end before serving to give it a visual appeal. You can add your own variations to suit your own taste and that of your family.

    this does not take more than 1/2 hour (including chopping).

    Thanks for the idea on making your own curry paste! I generally have bought curry pastes just to have them in the cupboard to use on a whim, but I am definitely going to have a go at making my own next time :) (Home cooked everything is ALWAYS best!) Thanks for the yummy sounding recipe :)
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,787 Member
    1) Faker lentil stew. Cook up some lentils with garlic and onion, add canned low-sodium veggie broth and canned stewed tomatoes, done. Optional: pan-grill some chunks of chicken or fish on the side and add them near the end.

    2) Quick veggie soup. Cube a bunch of veg of your choice (I like a few potatoes, lots of carrots and celery, canned tomatoes, and purple onion -- but in autumn squashes work well and in summer bright veg like yellow zucchini and fresh sweet peppers are great), add a can or two of stewed or diced tomatoes, and simmer all in a mixture of 3 cans Swanson's vegetable broth and 1-2 cans water until veggies are tender. Optional: add some flakes or chunks of fresh salmon during the final three minutes or add a (drained, rinsed) can of any beans you like during the final five minutes.

    3) Hot tuna salad. Mix up a tuna salad with avocado in place of mayo (roughly 25g avocado to every 5oz tin of drained tuna), plop it on a bed of halved cherry tomatoes or inside a hollowed-out whole tomato, add half an ounce of whatever cheese you like to the top, pop it all under the broiler until the cheese is melty.

    4) Pesto green beans with protein. Steam some green beans until soft but not mushy, toss with 1tsp pesto for every cup of beans, top with 5oz grilled or baked chicken, turkey, fish, or steak.

    5) Pan-fry sweet onion turkey burgers; cover with 1/2oz cheese at the end and pop a lid on the for last minute of cooking (to evenly melt cheese over the burgers). Serve bunless with a giant salad and, if you like, pumpkin or squash "fries."
  • Code7526
    Code7526 Posts: 52
    Supper 1: Roast Chicken with cooked vegetables(olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 2: Omelettes with cooked vegetables ( olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 3: Fish with cooked vegetables (olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 4: Lentil curry with cooked vegetables (olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 5: Butter beans with olive oil and salt with cooked vegetables(olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 6: Lentil cottage pie with cooked vegetables (olive oil, salt and lemon juice on green vegetables)
    Supper 7: Meatballs with cooked vegetables (olive oil, salt and lemon juice on the green vegetables)

    Those who aren't on diet can eat bread, those who are on diet, shouldn't eat bread.
  • Code7526
    Code7526 Posts: 52
    Good fats: Olive oil, milk and butter.

    If you don't eat processed foods full of salt, you can eat some salt on your food for supper. Your body needs some salt.
  • Saoirse90
    Saoirse90 Posts: 12
    Dinner 1: Mackerel & Tomato Pasta (serves 2)
    1 x tin of skinless boneless mackerel in tomato sauce, 1/4 tsp olive oil, 1 small onion, 100g frozen peas, 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, herbs and spices.
    Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil then add the remaining ingredients. Cook it all up together for around 15 minutes and serve with 75g of wholewheat pasta each.

    Dinner 2: Turkey Lettuce Wraps (serves 4)
    500g lean turkey mince, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 large onion, 4 salad tomatoes, 100g dry brown rice,1 large leafy lettuce, 1 onion, clove of garlic, soy sauce to taste, 1-2 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 red chilli, 1/4 tsp sesame oil.
    Cook the brown rice according to the packet instructions. Cook the onion in the oil with the garlic and chilli. Add in the ginger, diced peppers and turkey mince and cook through. Mix in the cooked drained rice along with the soy sauce. Serve with the lettuce leaves to use as "tortilla wraps" and sliced tomatoes for garnish.

    Dinner 3: Pizza Muffins (Per Person)
    1 wholemeal english muffin, 2 tsp BBQ sauce, 25g grated mature cheddar cheese, 1 slice of ham, 3 cherry tomatoes/1 salad tomato.
    Slice the muffin and grill on the outside for a minute or two to toast. Then spread the inner muffin surfaces with BBQ sauce, top with shreds of the ham slice, the grated cheddar cheese and the sliced tomatoes and grill for 4-5 minutes until it's golden. Serve with a green salad or some steamed broccoli.

    The portions are good when trying to stick to 1200 a day but obviously adjust as needed! :)
  • mfoulkebrown
    mfoulkebrown Posts: 94 Member
    Soup!

    Broth based soup is always a great option, especially when you make it at home like I do. I usually make up a big pot of something over the weekend, then refridgerate or freeze in individual portions. Soup freezes really well and then you can simply microwave it.

    My favorite is French Onion Soup. You can find a ton of recipes, but the basic ingredients are onions, garlic, beef broth, sometimes wine, Worchestershire, and basic seasonings.

    Make it a meal by adding some toasted, low calorie bread and about an ounce of cheese. All for under 300 calories!

    Spaghetti squash is another fav of mine. You can serve it as a main or as a side. Microwave with some water, add whatever flavor you want! I did tomato paste, cinnamon, balsamic, and feta last night. Delish!

    Some simple substitutions that I like are to replace half of the potatoes in mashed potatoes with cauliflower (my hubby couldn't tell it was in there). Replace eggs with egg beaters, milk with almond milk, etc.

    A good way to thicken a sauce or soup without using a flour based roux is to mix cornstarch with water, add, and cook for a few minutes. It'll thicken right up without the oil and flour used in a roux.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,787 Member
    I forgot this one, but it's one of my all-time favorites:

    Take a bagel thin of your choice (I like the "everything" ones) and toast it. Layer each half with a thick tomato slice, 1.5oz pastrami, and half an ounce of cheese of your choice (I like sharp cheddar or Havarti, but I did it with brie once and it was AMAZING). Sprinkle the top with either strong diced onion or chopped scallions. Broil for maybe 2 minutes or bake at 400 for five minutes. You will DIE.
  • elsyoommen
    elsyoommen Posts: 155 Member
    for those that are using curry pastes, why not make your own? Fry some onions in oil with a little salt until they have browned and cooked down a bit. add tomatoes, chili peppers ginger and garlic - cook this some more. Add your powdered spices (premixed or not) cook it some more, add a little water or broth at this point in order to form a paste. once you get it to a goopy consistency add a little liquid again and cook down again. (you might want to add a little lemon or tamarind paste at this point depending on your taste)Now add your meat give it a gentle stir. Simmer this until it's done. If you like it creamy you can add some yogurt or coconut milk when it's nearly done. You can sprinkle some cilantro or chopped mint at the end before serving to give it a visual appeal. You can add your own variations to suit your own taste and that of your family.

    this does not take more than 1/2 hour (including chopping).

    Thanks for the idea on making your own curry paste! I generally have bought curry pastes just to have them in the cupboard to use on a whim, but I am definitely going to have a go at making my own next time :) (Home cooked everything is ALWAYS best!) Thanks for the yummy sounding recipe :)

    Yes making it yourself only takes a few minutes longer than opening a jar. Also you know what is in there. I just had a quick look at the ingredient lists on Patak's site. They have oil as the #3 item usually and many of their pastes use corn flour, sugar, or starch. I guess being Indian I think this is crazy(!). But I understand they need to make things in a format that are stable in a jar on a shelf for the long term and I suppose these are meant to replace what you would get by frying onions (natural sweetness and thicker sauce).

    All that being said, I'm not a snob about it - I always keep President's Choice Blue Menu butter chicken in my freezer - my kids like it and it is acceptable to me for an occasional meal when we are in a huge rush or they refuse to eat what I cook. I assume this is only available in Canada.
  • emshim
    emshim Posts: 17 Member
    I forgot this one, but it's one of my all-time favorites:

    Take a bagel thin of your choice (I like the "everything" ones) and toast it. Layer each half with a thick tomato slice, 1.5oz pastrami, and half an ounce of cheese of your choice (I like sharp cheddar or Havarti, but I did it with brie once and it was AMAZING). Sprinkle the top with either strong diced onion or chopped scallions. Broil for maybe 2 minutes or bake at 400 for five minutes. You will DIE.

    This sounds rather yummy and different - id not usually choose pastrami but when I do I love it! Whats Havarti? Never heard of that! (I'm from UK - perhaps its not a thing here?)
  • battybecks
    battybecks Posts: 147 Member
    I just had a quick look at the ingredient lists on Patak's site. They have oil as the #3 item usually and many of their pastes use corn flour, sugar, or starch.

    It's really really oily, isn't it! The problem is, I have a sneaking suspicion it's the extra fat that makes it taste so nice ...

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