Healthy Cooking Made Easy: Nutritious Dinner Ideas For Busy Families

Eating healthy could be quite a relative concept, and it greatly depends on what you already know or what you have been taught and what idea of health you have adopted up to now. People define health differently. Some people relate what they eat back to mental health, while others focus 100% on the effects of their diet on their physical appearance. Some people define healthy eating as eating in a way that is healthy for the environment, while others see healthy eating as a means to an end to get through the month and fit their budget. Then there are the people who stick to old cultural patterns and inherit and stick to their parents and grandparents’ way of cooking and eating and deem this healthy since it’s kept many generations alive and thriving. Before you read and believe any form of health advice or nutritional guides, I think it’s best to first determine what ‘eating healthy’ means to you and find the best way to work for you. In the interim, we have some yummy meal ideas for families that struggle to keep the menu exciting and intriguing, all while assuring a balanced intake of all the different food groups and not having to spend hours preparing your meals. The method you choose to prepare your meals could also affect how healthy the end product would be, such as frying, steaming, boiling etc. Sticking to water or air to cook meals could be your best bet! The easiest way is the old-school way in the oven! Get a massive discount on your new oven when you shop at Currys.

Meal 1: Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket

To make pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket, follow these simple steps:

· Quickly boil some water and cook the quick-cook dried spaghetti (or any pasta shape of your choice) according to the instructions on the packet. If you’d like, you can also use fresh pasta.

· While the pasta is cooking, wash a small punnet of cherry tomatoes per person and cut each in half.

· Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and transfer it to a serving bowl or platter.

· Add the halved cherry tomatoes and a handful of rocket (arugula) per person to the hot pasta. The heat from the pasta will slightly wilt the rocket and soften the tomatoes.

· Toss the pasta, cherry tomatoes, and rocket gently until evenly combined.

· Serve the pasta dish immediately while it’s still hot and flavorful.

· If you prefer a different base instead of pasta, swap it with couscous or a pouch of pre-cooked wholegrain rice. Prepare the alternative ground according to its specific instructions and mix it with the cherry tomatoes and rocket similarly.

· Enjoy your delicious pasta dish with cherry tomatoes and rocket!

Meal 2: Chicken and pepper pitta pizzas

Try making chicken and pepper pitta pizzas for a quick and delicious meal. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

· Wholemeal pitta bread

· Tomato puree or passata

· Reduced-fat mozzarella cheese torn from a ball

· Sliced tomato

· Optional toppings: tinned sweetcorn (no added salt or sugar), sliced spring onion, sliced button mushrooms

· Cooked chicken breast, sliced

· Cut bell peppers (capsicum)

Instructions:

· Preheat your grill (broiler) to medium-high heat.

· Lightly toast the wholemeal pitta bread. If you want to speed up the toasting process, use a toaster instead.

· Once toasted, place the pitta bread on a baking tray or grill pan.

· Spread a thin layer of tomato puree or passata on each pitta bread.

· Top the pittas with some reduced-fat mozzarella cheese torn from a ball.

· Add some sliced tomato, cooked chicken breast slices, sliced bell peppers, and any other optional toppings of your choice, such as tinned sweetcorn, sliced spring onion, or sliced button mushrooms.

· Place the prepared pitta pizzas under the preheated grill and cook for about 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

· Keep an eye on the pizzas to prevent burning, as the cooking time may vary depending on your grill.

· Once the cheese has melted and the pitta pizzas are heated, remove them from the grill.

Serve the chicken and pepper pitta pizzas hot, and enjoy! These pitta pizzas are a quick and easy option for a satisfying meal. You can customize them with your favorite toppings and enjoy a delicious homemade pizza experience.

In Conclusion

The above meals could be, or of course, not be, your idea of healthy eating. However, it reflects a balanced meal incorporating various food groups that could be satisfying to the whole family, which is the main aim when trying to fill the bellies of your loved ones. Whether you find these recipes satisfying and satiating would be determined by your idea of healthy eating and what you have come to learn about health up to now.