5 quick and healthy recipes

It may seem difficult - and at times impossible - to cook fresh, healthy food every day. However, with a little bit of prior planning, you can make nutritious and tasty food in no time at all.

We’ve teamed up with The Food Doctor to bring you five of our favourite quick and healthy recipes that anyone can cook.

SALMON, CHILLI & GINGER FISH CAKES

These fishcakes are packed full of flavour and can be eaten hot or cold. We’ve used sweet potatoes instead of white potato as they’re an excellent source of vitamin A which we need for healthy eyes. Salmon is rich in healthy fats which helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Ingredients

2 medium or 1 large sweet potato, roughly 550g, cut into chunks (you can keep the skin on)
2 salmon fillets or roughly 250g, steamed and flaked
5 spring onions, outer layer and stalks removed, cut into thin slices
2 cm piece of red chilli, finely chopped
3cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
½ bunch of fresh coriander (20g), finely chopped
Zest and juice of half a lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 pitta breads or 120g, broken into breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
5 tablespoons of sunflower oil or olive oil (optional for frying the fishcakes)

To serve

Greens

Lemon juice

Guacamole or garlic yogurt dip

Method

 - Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (optional, if cooking the fishcakes in the oven instead of frying).

 - To cook the potatoes, bring a pan of water to the boil over a medium heat. Add the chunks of sweet potato and cook for 6 minutes or until soft.

 - Place a steamer basket with a lid on top of the pan and steam the salmon for 5 minutes or until almost cooked.

 - Drain the potato and mash slightly, and allow the salmon to cool slightly before removing the skin.

 - In a large bowl add the flaked salmon, potato, spring onions, chilli, ginger, lemon, coriander, salt and pepper. Give the mix a good stir and combine into 5 or 6 patties.

 - On 3 separate plates or bowls, add the flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Dip each fishcake into the flour, then the egg and finishing with the breadcrumbs.

 - Cook the fishcakes in the oven for 20 minutes or fry them in a hot pan with the oil for 3 minutes on each side, until the breadcrumbs start to go a golden colour.

 - Serve the fishcakes with fresh lemon juice, green veggies and a dip like guacamole, mayonnaise or a garlic yogurt dip.

SHAKSHUKA

This popular Middle Eastern dish is bursting with exotic flavours and is perfect for brunch on a lazy Sunday morning. Eggs are crammed full of high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin D, B6, B12, iron and zinc, and are one of the best breakfasts for keeping you full. This dish is also jam-packed with vitamin C from the peppers and tomatoes.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red peppers and 2 yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into long thin slices or chunks
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
4-6 free range eggs
Pinch of salt and pepper

To serve

Yogurt

Feta

Pitta bread

Method

- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (ideally one that has a lid) on a medium to high heat. Add the onions and cook until they have softened slightly. Then add the peppers and garlic, and cook for a further 8 minutes.

- Add the spices (paprika, cumin and cayenne) and cook for a further 2 minutes.

- Stir in the tomato puree and tin tomatoes, and gently simmer for 12-15 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly.

- Check the consistency of the sauce, if it’s too dry add a little water, then stir in ¾ of the chopped herbs.

- Make 4-6 wells in the sauce (depending on how much space you have) and gently crack an egg into each well (or crack each egg into a cup and carefully drop into the well). Add the lid (or cover with a plate) and cook the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

- Serve sprinkled with the remaining herbs, a dollop of Greek yogurt, crumbled feta and toasted pitta bread to soak up the sauce.

QUICK AND EASY PITTA PIZZAS

These pitta pizzas are easy to whip together and a great way to get the kids involved with the cooking. They’re packed full of flavour and instead of using a regular pizzas base which is made from refined white flour, we’ve use The Food Doctor pittas as they’re high in fibre and a source of healthy fats.

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:
Drizzle of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tin of plum tomatoes, broken up in the tin using a knife or squeezed with your hand
Handful of fresh basil, torn into pieces
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt and pepper

1 packet of Food Doctor pitta bread
1 pack of mozzarella, torn into pieces (skip for vegan pizzas)

Topping suggestions:

- Garlic mushrooms and tenderstem broccoli (vegan)

- Roasted vegetables (red onion, aubergine, courgette, peppers)(vegan)

- Goats cheese, spinach (steamed), Kalamata olives and red onion (vegetarian)

- Chargrilled artichokes, dollops of pesto, sundried tomatoes and rocket (vegetarian)

- Roasted red peppers (or chargrilled jar peppers), torn chicken, chilli slices and rocket

- Chicken pieces, sweetcorn, fresh cherry tomatoes and garlic mushrooms (one for the kids)

Method

- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and place a baking sheet inside the oven to heat up.

- To make the tomato sauce: heat a saucepan on a low-medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped garlic and fry until lightly golden. Then add the tin tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar. Allow the sauce to simmer and condense for 5-10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. (You won’t need all the sauce for the pizzas but you can save the rest to use in pasta).

- Prepare the toppings, this might require precooking depending on what you’re using.

- To assemble the pitta: spread each pitta with 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce or enough to cover it. Top the sauce with torn pieces of mozzarella (skip for vegan pizzas) and your desired toppings.

SPING FRITTATA

A healthy and delicious breakfast for when you’ve got a little extra time in the morning. It’s packed with spring veg and we’ve included leftover new potatoes and a feta for extra flavour. This frittata will definitely keep you full till lunch.

Ingredients

Drizzle of olive oil
5 branches of purple sprouting broccoli, sliced in half lengthways and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
200g leftover new potatoes, sliced or roughly chopped
Large handful or 70g frozen peas
5 eggs, beaten
3 spring onions, outer layer and stalks removed, cut into thin slices
Pinch of salt and pepper
50g feta, crumbled

To serve
Watercress or spinach
Parsley
The Food Doctor pitta breads

Methods 

In a pan over a medium-high heat add a drizzle of olive oil.

Add the chopped broccoli and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes, then add the leftover new potatoes and peas, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

In a jug or bowl, combine the beaten eggs, spring onion, salt and pepper, and give it a good stir.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the pan and swirl to fill the spaces.

- Allow the eggs to cook for a few minutes until set on the bottom, then sprinkle over the feta. If you’ve got a frittata pan then you can flip the eggs or if not then you could place the pan under the grill for a couple of minutes to allow it to set on top.

 - Serve the frittata with fresh watercress or spinach leaves, parsley and toasted The Food Doctor pitta bread.

COURGETTE, HALLOUMI AND TOMATO SALAD

This light and refreshing salad is perfect for warmer days. Tomatoes are an excellent source of immune-boosting vitamin C and contain a red pigment called lycopene which helps to fight free radical damage. The edamame beans are high in fibre for optimal digestion and are a good source of high quality protein for our working muscles.

Ingredients

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Half a bunch of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways into ribbons
1 inch sized piece of red chilli, finely chopped
¾ of a block of halloumi, cut into ½ cm slices
3-4 large handfuls of leaves like spinach or rocket
12 cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons of edamame or butter beans, prepared according to instructions
1 avocado, destoned and cut into slices

To serve

2 pitta breads, toasted

Method

- To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper, and set aside.

 - Drizzle the courgette ribbons with some of the dressing and gentle cook them in a heated pan until lightly marked on each side, and then set aside.

 - Sprinkle the chilli pieces onto the sliced halloumi and fry in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes on each side, making sure it doesn’t burn or stick to the pan.

 - Whilst the halloumi is cooking, assemble the salad. Divide the leaves onto 2 plates, then layer with the courgette strips, cherry tomatoes, beans, avocado and halloumi (the halloumi is best served straight out of the pan) and drizzle over the dressing. Serve the salad with some toasted pitta breads.