Recipes: 5 quick and healthy dinner ideas for busy nights

These quick and tasty dinner ideas are packed with nutritious ingredients, like spinach in the Mediterranean chicken, which is rich in iron and vitamins, while ginger in both the dessert and coconut fish curry aids digestion.

Whether you’re in the mood for a veggie dish, a stir-fry, or a refreshing fruity dessert, these recipes make it easy to enjoy a nutritious meal without spending hours in the kitchen.

5 quick and healthy dinner ideas for busy nights

ALSO READ: 5 healthy lunch ideas for a busy week

Low-carb Meditteranean chicken

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon crushed oregano
• salt and pepper
• 4 medium size chicken thighs or breasts (4-6 oz. each)
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 6 small mushrooms sliced
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced
• ⅓ cup feta cheese
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (may use frozen, cook, drain and squeeze to remove excess moisture)
• ⅓ cup grated Italian cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degreesF (190C).
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet.  Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and oregano then sauté quickly to brown on each side.  Remove from skillet.
3. Add another teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the onions, garlic, mushrooms and cook until tender. Add in sun-dried tomatoes, feta, spinach and browned chicken. 
4. Sprinkle with Italian cheese.
5. Place skillet in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until done. Chicken is fully cooked at 165F (74C).
6. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to maximise the flavours.

This recipe was found on easyhealth

Print

Vegetarian curry

Ingredients

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2cm piece ginger, finely grated
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 cups diced mixed vegetables, e.g. cauliflower, beans, baby marrow, aubergine, mushrooms, peppers or broccoli
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 ½ tsp garam masala
• 600g firm tofu, diced
• A handful of baby spinach leaves (optional)
• 1 tbs Tony Ferguson Lemon Juice
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and spices and cook, stirring until spices are fragrant. Add a little water if necessary to prevent burning.
2. Add the vegetables, combine with the spices, and add the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the garam masala, tofu, spinach and lemon juice and heat through.
3. Serve with fresh coriander leaves.

This recipe was found on champagnenutrition.com

Print

Coconut fish curry and rice

Ingredients

• 250g white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli flakes 
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 250g butternut, diced
• 200ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste (optional)
• small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
• cooked rice, to serve

Method

1. Place the fish pieces into a large bowl and add ½ tsp salt and ground black pepper, half the lime juice, and half the turmeric. Stir gently to combine. 
2. Set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion until softened about 8-10 mins. Add the ginger, garlic, ½ tsp salt, spices, and remaining turmeric, and cook for 2 mins until fragrant. 
3. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Place the butternut squash into a heatproof bowl with a little water, cover, and microwave for 3 mins until tender. 
4. Tip into the pan with the onion and spices and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk, 180ml water, tamarind paste and simmer over a medium heat for 10-12 mins until thickened and fragrant. 
5. Add the marinated fish to the pan and cook for 4-6 mins until cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining lime juice, scatter with the fresh coriander, and serve immediately over cooked rice.

*This recipe was sent by JAG Communications on behalf of Chefs at Culinary Capsicum Studio

Print

Hawaiian chicken stir fry

Ingredients

• 700 g McCain Hawaiian Stir Fry
• 500 g chicken fillets cubed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil – divided
• 1 teaspoon maizena
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• Chopped Basil
• Sprinkling of sesame seeds

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the maizena, sugar, black pepper and dark soy sauce.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wok or a non-stick frying pan on high heat.
3. Make sure the pan is very hot before you start.
4. Fry the chicken until almost done, remove and set aside.
5. To the same pan add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Toss in the garlic and onions and fry for 4 minutes.
7. Add in the McCain Hawaiian Stir Fry and cook until the water dries up, about 8 – 10 minutes.
8. Add the light soy sauce and the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Taste the salt and adjust accordingly.
10. Sprinkle with chopped basil, sesame seeds and serve.
11. Serve with rice or noodles.

*The above recipes were sourced from www.mccain.co.za

Print

For the dessert: Mango, turmeric & ginger popsicles

Ingredients

• 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ cup orange juice.

Method

1. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze overnight
2. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Print

NOW READ: Recipe of the day: Chicken meatballs with sweet and sour plum chutney