Yes true! Eating healthy can be fun even without Jamie Oliver in the kitchen. Here are some ideas on how to make some basic recipes that you can change and adapt so that you don’t get bored and you don’t need to be a master chef to make them.
Before I get your creative kitchen juices flowing, I just want to mention that eating healthy means giving up some things, like french fries and other deep-fried foods, or at least cutting them down for now. And then only food, and include lots of raw ingredients and a good mix of fruits and vegetables. Nuts and seeds are also great for healthy eating. Here are some ideas to get you started…
minced beef paste (use good quality lean beef)
Because burgers are often a favorite, I found you a minced beef paste that is made from half finely minced beef and half grated carrots, which makes it much healthier than pure beef paste. Add whatever seasonings you like – my favorite is finely chopped onion, ground black pepper, a generous amount of crushed garlic glove, salt to season and chopped fresh mint or dried mint leaves. Mint gives it the taste of Arabic kebabs. You can use parsley, thyme, rosemary, watercress or add some hot pepper or curry pepper to spice it up.
Here’s what you can do with it:
- Make it into burgers or roll it into sausages glazed with olive oil and grill them.
- Make it into balls and put in tomato sauce to make meat balls
- Make it into a loaf and bake it in a loaf tin for meat loaf that can be eaten hot or cold and taken to work for lunch.
- Make a colorful and tasty dish by filling the paste in red, green and yellow chilies and roasting them in the oven.
Serve with greens, broccoli or cauliflower and a mix of sweet potatoes and standard potatoes, or serve them over a bed of brown rice if you’ve made the meatballs. Include a raw salad such as young spinach leaves, cucumber, spring onions and tomatoes or whatever you like to eat raw. Sprinkle your salad with nuts and seeds for some added nutritional value.
Fish to tickle your fancy
I know fish is not always a favorite and sometimes it is difficult to get hold of good quality fish, but the best thing about fish is that it is a fast food because it cooks so quickly. Buy a fresh or frozen fillet (haddock, cod or whatever looks good the day it is) with the skin still on. Place it on a baking tray, skin side down, and cover it with seasoned cold pressed olive oil. For seasoning use a small amount of salt and a handful of finely chopped parsley, one small onion finely chopped, one crushed clove of garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper – all of which are added to the olive oil. Grill it on a medium to hot grill and it will be ready in no time.
You can also use the same fish to make fish stew by adding some tomato sauce and cooking it in a pan. Leave the skin on or remove it, whatever your preference, I usually leave it on because I think the flavor is better and the fish holds together better. For a more oriental flavor, replace the parsley with coriander.
Serve it with any steamed vegetables and raw salad that you like.
Soups for All Seasons
Soup can be a great filler and it’s really easy to make. My favorite is a rustic bean and vegetable recipe which includes two types of beans (soaked for 24 hours before cooking), pearl barley, it is a ‘must’ in soups as it makes the soup thick and creamy, Red lentils and brown rice. I usually soak lentils, rice and barley for an hour before cooking them. The beans and grains go into a large pan with three dried bay leaves, simmer over a high boil for 20 minutes, gently simmering until cooked through.
Add lots of chopped or diced vegetables to cooked grains and legumes and add more water if needed, as well as salt and pepper to season. Any vegetables are fine except starchy items like potatoes, for example carrots, collard greens and sweet corn, peppers and green beans. I always add a large chopped onion and about four crushed cloves of garlic and some fresh or dried herbs, such as rosemary, to develop the flavor. If you want to get extra healthy, add some nuts and seeds just before serving the soup. A large pan of this soup can last several servings, if you prefer.
Source by Linda May
