Recipes: 5 quick and healthy dinner ideas for busy nights
Published by
Compiled by Lineo Lesemane
4 days ago
Baked chicken breast with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Picture: iStock
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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.
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
Preheat oven to 375 degreesF (190C).
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.
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.
Sprinkle with Italian cheese.
Place skillet in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until done. Chicken is fully cooked at 165F (74C).
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to maximise the flavours.
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
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degreesF (190C).
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.
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.
Sprinkle with Italian cheese.
Place skillet in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until done. Chicken is fully cooked at 165F (74C).
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to maximise the flavours.
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
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.
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.
The star of this immune-boosting recipe is garlic, it contains allicin, a compound which has been shown to boost the disease-fighting response of white blood cells in your body when they encounter viruses (like the ones that cause the common cold or flu).
Author:Tony Ferguson
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Yield:41x
Category:Lunch, Dinner
Method:cook
Cuisine:Indian
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
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.
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.
Serve with fresh coriander leaves.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The coconut plant is not only a wonderful ingredient used in many food and drink recipes but it is also high in nutrients.
Author:capsicumcooking
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Category:Lunch, Dinner
Method:cook
Cuisine:Indian
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Mix the chicken with the maizena, sugar, black pepper and dark soy sauce.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wok or a non-stick frying pan on high heat.
Make sure the pan is very hot before you start.
Fry the chicken until almost done, remove and set aside.
To the same pan add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Toss in the garlic and onions and fry for 4 minutes.
Add in the McCain Hawaiian Stir Fry and cook until the water dries up, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Add the light soy sauce and the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
Taste the salt and adjust accordingly.
Sprinkle with chopped basil, sesame seeds and serve.
