Healthy Recipes
Pesto Chicken
This is a recipe I am familiar with as my mother often prepares it. It is one of my favourite dishes.
Ingredients:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute; then add chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. When chicken is close to being cooked through (no longer pink inside), add spinach and saute all together for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare Alfredo sauce according to package directions. When finished, stir in 2 tablespoons pesto; set aside.
3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
4. Add chicken/spinach mixture to pasta, then stir in pesto/alfredo sauce. Mix well, top with cheese and serve.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 (4.5 ounce) package dry Alfredo sauce mix
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 (8 ounce) package dry penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute; then add chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. When chicken is close to being cooked through (no longer pink inside), add spinach and saute all together for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare Alfredo sauce according to package directions. When finished, stir in 2 tablespoons pesto; set aside.
3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
4. Add chicken/spinach mixture to pasta, then stir in pesto/alfredo sauce. Mix well, top with cheese and serve.
Vietnamese Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
4 radishes, thinly sliced
2 crusty hoagie-style rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped cornichons or gherkins, plus 1 tablespoon brine from the jar
Kosher salt
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 small chicken)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for topping
1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce (such as Sriracha).
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Soak the red onion, carrots and radishes in ice water for 5 minutes, then drain. Split each roll in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces. Transfer to the oven to toast.
Whisk 1/4 cup mayonnaise, the lime juice, honey, cornichons and brine, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, onion, carrots, radishes and chopped cilantro and toss. Mix the chile sauce and the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise in a small bowl.
Spread each piece of bread with some chile mayonnaise, then top with the chicken salad and cilantro leaves.
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
4 radishes, thinly sliced
2 crusty hoagie-style rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped cornichons or gherkins, plus 1 tablespoon brine from the jar
Kosher salt
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 small chicken)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for topping
1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce (such as Sriracha).
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Soak the red onion, carrots and radishes in ice water for 5 minutes, then drain. Split each roll in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces. Transfer to the oven to toast.
Whisk 1/4 cup mayonnaise, the lime juice, honey, cornichons and brine, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, onion, carrots, radishes and chopped cilantro and toss. Mix the chile sauce and the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise in a small bowl.
Spread each piece of bread with some chile mayonnaise, then top with the chicken salad and cilantro leaves.
Tuna Salad
Ingredients
Two 6-ounce cans white meat tuna packed in water, drained
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes and drained
1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Directions
In a small mixing bowl break up the tuna with a fork. Toss with the celery, onion, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and season with pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice, to taste, if using.
Optional Substitute 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for the whole-grain mustard and add 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish.
Two 6-ounce cans white meat tuna packed in water, drained
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes and drained
1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Directions
In a small mixing bowl break up the tuna with a fork. Toss with the celery, onion, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and season with pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice, to taste, if using.
Optional Substitute 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for the whole-grain mustard and add 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish.
Blueberry porridge
Ingredients
6 tbsp porridge oats
Just under ½ x 200ml tub 0% fat Greek-style yogurt
½ x 350g pack frozen blueberries
1 tsp honey (optional)
Directions
Put the oats in a non-stick pan with 400ml water and cook over the heat, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and add a third of the yogurt.
Meanwhile, tip the blueberries into a pan with 1 tbsp water and the honey if using and gently poach until the blueberries have thawed and they are tender, but still holding their shape.
Spoon the porridge into bowls, top with the remaining yogurt and spoon over the blueberries.
6 tbsp porridge oats
Just under ½ x 200ml tub 0% fat Greek-style yogurt
½ x 350g pack frozen blueberries
1 tsp honey (optional)
Directions
Put the oats in a non-stick pan with 400ml water and cook over the heat, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and add a third of the yogurt.
Meanwhile, tip the blueberries into a pan with 1 tbsp water and the honey if using and gently poach until the blueberries have thawed and they are tender, but still holding their shape.
Spoon the porridge into bowls, top with the remaining yogurt and spoon over the blueberries.
Red lentil & Carrot soup
Ingredients
1 white onion, finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
85g red lentils
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
Generous sprigs parsley, chopped (about 2 tbsp) plus a few extra leaves
Directions
Put the kettle on to boil while you finely slice the onion. Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and fry for 2 mins while you slice the garlic and dice the carrots. Add them to the pan, and cook briefly over the heat.
Pour in 1 litre of the boiling water from the kettle, stir in the lentils and stock cube, then cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 15 mins until the lentils are tender. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley. Ladle into bowls, and scatter with extra parsley leaves, if you like.
1 white onion, finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
85g red lentils
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
Generous sprigs parsley, chopped (about 2 tbsp) plus a few extra leaves
Directions
Put the kettle on to boil while you finely slice the onion. Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and fry for 2 mins while you slice the garlic and dice the carrots. Add them to the pan, and cook briefly over the heat.
Pour in 1 litre of the boiling water from the kettle, stir in the lentils and stock cube, then cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 15 mins until the lentils are tender. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley. Ladle into bowls, and scatter with extra parsley leaves, if you like.
Roasted Veg & FETA tostada
Ingredients
325g pack frozen grilled vegetables (we used Ocado essentials)
1 tsp Mexican seasoning
1 small avocado, peeled, stoned and chopped
Juice 1 lime
75g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small flour tortillas
2 handfuls rocket
2 tbsp light feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a roasting tin, season the frozen vegetables and toss with the Mexican seasoning, then roast in the oven for 15 mins, until hot. Meanwhile, mix the avocado, lime juice and tomatoes with some seasoning, then set aside.
Put the tortillas on a baking sheet and cook above the vegetables for the final 5 mins of cooking time until crisp. Transfer the crispy tortillas to plates, scatter with rocket and top with the roasted vegetables. Add some of the avocado salsa and sprinkle over the feta.
325g pack frozen grilled vegetables (we used Ocado essentials)
1 tsp Mexican seasoning
1 small avocado, peeled, stoned and chopped
Juice 1 lime
75g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small flour tortillas
2 handfuls rocket
2 tbsp light feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a roasting tin, season the frozen vegetables and toss with the Mexican seasoning, then roast in the oven for 15 mins, until hot. Meanwhile, mix the avocado, lime juice and tomatoes with some seasoning, then set aside.
Put the tortillas on a baking sheet and cook above the vegetables for the final 5 mins of cooking time until crisp. Transfer the crispy tortillas to plates, scatter with rocket and top with the roasted vegetables. Add some of the avocado salsa and sprinkle over the feta.