Many of us are looking for ways to improve our lifestyles. Whether by exercising more, taking care of our mental health, or breaking bad habits. Yet, when it comes to cooking healthier meals, it can be difficult to know where to start.
The good news is that eating healthily doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 12 healthy and delicious recipes that are ideal for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Healthy breakfast ideas
Smashed avocado on sweet potato toast
Avocado on toast is one of the most popular breakfasts around – and, from a health perspective, it packs a real punch.
Avocados are highly nutritious and contain 20 different vitamins and minerals – including vitamins K, C, B5, B6, and E. Plus, they’re high in folate, fibre, and potassium, which helps support healthy blood pressure levels. And because they’re packed with heart-healthy fats, they can also help protect against heart disease and high cholesterol.
If you like eating avocado in the morning, why not make your breakfast that bit healthier by swapping your toast for sweet potato? Sweet potatoes are also incredibly nutritious. Aside from being packed with vitamins, they’re rich in antioxidants that help to protect the body from free radicals (unstable molecules linked to health conditions like cancer and heart disease).
This recipe from Tasty for smashed avocado on sweet potato toast is a wonderful way to combine these two superfoods – and it’s quick and easy to make.
Shakshuka
If you like to start your morning with eggs, why not try making a healthy shakshuka? Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern and North African egg-based dish that’s simple, healthy, and satisfying – plus, it packs in around four of your five-a-day. The word ‘shakshuka’ means ‘a mixture’, and that’s exactly what this dish is: a tasty and health-boosting mixture of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices, with poached eggs on top.
Shakshuka is quick to prepare, the ingredients are cheap to buy, and you can make it with just one pan. Plus, because it’s easy to customise, this recipe is great for using up any ingredients you have in the fridge. This classic shakshuka recipe from BBC Good Food makes for a wholesome brunch, lunch, or breakfast.
Banana and cinnamon porridge
Porridge is a staple year-round breakfast – and for good reason. It’s warming, filling, cheap, nutritious, and easily customisable – which can keep it interesting each morning.
While there are many different ingredients you can add to porridge to spice it up, the simple combination of bananas and cinnamon is delicious, hearty, comforting, and provides many health benefits.
Though porridge itself is healthy, adding bananas gives it another welcome dose of fibre, which can help lower cholesterol levels and improve gut health. Bananas are also high in potassium which, as we’ve mentioned, is an essential mineral that keeps blood pressure in check, and the cinnamon brings a healthy dose of antioxidants.
What’s more, the fibre and carbohydrates in this dish can help to keep you feeling full and stave off unhealthy cravings throughout the day.
Check out this banana and cinnamon porridge recipe from Cook Veggielicious if you’d like to give it a go.
Healthy lunch ideas
Moroccan chickpea soup
Soup is a classic lunch dish with endless variations that can be enjoyed all year round. And if you’re after a wonderfully filling, comforting meal that’s just as healthy as it is delicious, why not try making Moroccan chickpea soup?
Cheap, easy to make, and high in protein, one of the best things about this dish is that it’s made using store cupboard staples, so you may not even need to pop to the shops before making it.
Because chickpeas are high in vitamins, minerals, and fibre, they have many health benefits. For example, they can improve digestion, support weight management, reduce the risk of disease, and maintain bone health. And, because they’re packed with protein, they’ll hopefully keep you full until dinner time.
Moroccan chickpea soup is also easy to tweak and adapt to all tastes and diets. It can be eaten with bread or rice – though it’s filling enough by itself. To make Moroccan chickpea soup, have a look at this recipe from Hungry Healthy Happy. Or, for further inspiration, check out our article: 12 of the best soup recipes for health and comfort.
Jacket potato with chilli
A jacket potato with chilli makes a perfect mid-week lunch because it’s cheap, easy to prepare, and incredibly satisfying.
Knocking together a quick chilli only takes around 10 minutes, and while a jacket potato needs around an hour in the oven, you can keep your chilli cooking on a low heat during this time, allowing the flavours to infuse while you get on with other things. Alternatively, you can save time by cooking your potato in the microwave.
Aside from being warm and filling, baked potatoes are packed with nutrients that can reduce inflammation, aid digestion, and improve metabolism. Although, to make this meal even healthier, you could use a sweet potato instead. Sweet potatoes contain higher levels of vitamin A than regular potatoes and have a lower glycemic index – meaning they’re less likely to cause blood sugar levels to spike.
Whether you make it meat-based or veggie, chilli can also be very healthy. Because it contains beans, it’s high in fibre and protein, while peppers and tomatoes are high in vitamin C, which can help to boost the immune system.
If you’d like to make traditional chilli con carne with beef mince, try this BBC Good Food recipe. Alternatively, you could make this plant-based chilli from Cookie + Kate.
Super green spaghetti
If you’re looking for a quick, filling, and great-tasting lunch, why not make a pasta dish that’s packed with health-boosting green vegetables, like Jamie Oliver’s super green spaghetti?
Many of us will have greens like kale and cavolo nero sitting in the fridge, and using them to make a silky smooth pasta sauce is a great option. The fact that they’re noted among the most nutritious plant foods is just an added bonus.
Both cavolo nero and kale are high in antioxidants; vitamins K, A, and C; as well as plenty of B vitamins, so they’re helpful in supporting a healthy immune system. Plus, they’re also high in essential minerals like calcium, iron, and manganese, which our body needs to function properly.
Jamie’s recipe can be made in under 15 minutes – and if you don’t have kale or cavolo nero, you can always use spinach. For an extra protein boost, you can scatter some ricotta cheese on top, add a sprinkle of pine nuts, or serve with grilled salmon or chicken.
Healthy dinner ideas
Turkey and vegetable shepherd’s pie
When thinking of popular comfort foods, shepherd’s pie is definitely up there. Relaxing in the evening after a long day’s work and tucking into a mashed potato-smothered shepherd’s pie can instantly boost your mood. But why not get the best of both worlds and make this classic comfort food a bit healthier?
Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb (like this recipe from Jamie Oliver), but if you want to cut down on cholesterol, you could always swap red meat for white meat, like in this turkey and vegetable shepherd’s pie from Everyday Healthy Recipes.
Or you can leave out the meat altogether and make a vegetable pie, like this one from BBC Good Food. Packed with carrots, peas, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, and tomatoes, just one portion contains all of your five-a-day.
Cauliflower tikka masala
Chicken tikka masala has long been one of the nation’s favourite dishes – and for good reason. The creamy, spicy curry sauce is packed with flavour and is seriously comforting.
Though, unfortunately, comfort food isn’t always healthy and chicken tikka masala is no exception because it often contains lots of heavy cream, ghee, and oil.
But if you love the flavours, why not try making this cauliflower tikka masala dish from Vegetarian Gastronomy? Cauliflower is very nutritious. It can reduce blood pressure, and is high in choline (a key nutrient for brain health) and sulforaphane, which can reduce the risk of cancer. Because the recipe uses coconut milk instead of dairy cream, this dish is also entirely cholesterol-free.
Plus, it contains cashews, which are packed with fibre, heart-healthy fats, and protein. They’re also high in copper, magnesium, and manganese (nutrients that are needed for energy, brain health, immunity, and bone health).
Another health-boosting ingredient in this dish is turmeric, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can help prevent heart disease, eye conditions, and Alzheimer’s. Have a read of our article, 8 health benefits of turmeric and how to add it to your diet, to learn more.
Healthy fish pie
Fish pie is another classic favourite. Oily fish is rich in protein and omega-3 fats, which are important for boosting brain health. They can help reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, slow cognitive decline, improve memory, and lower stress.
However, because fish pie often contains creamy fillings – like buttery pastry, cheese, or mashed potato toppings – it can also be very high in fat, cholesterol, and calories. The good news is that it’s easy to make a few small tweaks and create a healthier version of this beloved dish.
For ideas, have a look at these healthy fish pie recipes from BBC Good Food. For more fish pie inspiration, have a watch of the video below.
Healthy snack ideas
Chia pudding
If you enjoy snacking or have a sweet tooth, why not try making chia pudding?
Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses: they’re packed with fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, are high in protein, and contain essential minerals and antioxidants. Research suggests that eating chia seeds can improve digestive health and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
The idea of snacking on seeds may not sound too exciting, but aside from their health-boosting properties, chia puddings are creamy, rich, and indulgent. Plus, they’re simple to prepare and can be eaten as a healthy dessert, breakfast, or snack.
To make your own, have a look at these delicious chia seed pudding recipes from Greatist. From chocolate and raspberry to coconut cream, hopefully there’s a pudding for every palate. Or, for more inspiration, why not check out our article: 7 health benefits of chia seeds and different ways to use them?
Muesli bars
Nuts are another healthy snack. Because they’re high in B vitamins – which convert food to energy – and magnesium – which prevents muscle tiredness – they can help ward off fatigue. Plus, they also boost the body’s production of serotonin (the ‘happy hormone’), which can improve your mood.
If that wasn’t enough reason to start snacking on nuts, they also contain healthy fats that act as natural anti-inflammatories.
Rather than simply snacking on nuts from a bag, why not make your own muesli bars like these grab-and-go bars from Taste? Chewy and delicious, they’re incredibly simple to make. And because they contain oats as well as plenty of dried fruit, they’ll provide a welcome dose of fibre and vitamins – giving you the energy needed to power through the day.
Spicy cauliflower bites
If you enjoy snacking on food that has a fiery kick, why not try making some spicy cauliflower bites?
Cauliflower may not seem like an obvious choice for a snack, but it’s low in calories, high in vitamins, and very versatile. There are big benefits to eating more cauliflower: it’s a rich source of antioxidants, can aid in weight loss, and because it’s so high in fibre, it helps slow digestion and keeps you feeling full.
These sriracha-buffalo cauliflower bites from Eating Well are a healthy alternative to chicken wings. Not only do they contain more fibre, minerals, and vitamins, but they’re also baked instead of fried, further reducing the calories.
To find out more about the powerful perks of cauliflower, check out our article: The health benefits of cauliflower and how to cook low-carb meals with it.
Final thoughts…
Sometimes, we might have to work a bit harder to eat healthily. But, as many of these recipes prove, you don’t have to be a whizz in the kitchen to eat well.
Experimenting with different recipes and trying new foods can be enjoyable and rewarding, and knowing you’re taking steps to protect your health is an added bonus.
For more healthy recipe ideas, head over to the diet and nutrition section of our website. Here, you’ll find plenty of information including low-carb recipes, baking ideas, and healthy snack inspiration. Or, head over to Rest Less Events to see if there are any upcoming healthy cooking demonstrations.
Do you have any favourite healthy recipes, or do any of our suggestions whet your appetite? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.