Healthy Meal RecipesBelow you will find meal recipes that are wholesome and delicious. You can make almost any dish, even burgers, using natural, high-quality ingredients and it will be a healthy dish. Always insist on good ingredients!
-------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: PANCAKES From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel --------------------------------------- Leftovers can be easily rolled into pancakes to make up a good next-day meal. This recipe is also good as a dipping batter. INGREDIENTS Flour (half wholemeal, half white) Egg Milk Grated apple Cinnamon Sunflower oil (for frying) Butter Maple syrup METHOD Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Break an egg into the well and mix into the flour with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, small amounts at a time, stirring it in and smoothing out any lumps. Continue until the mixture becomes thick in texture---when you take out the spoon, it should first cling to the spoon and then drop back into the bowl. Add either more flour or milk until you get the right balance. Whisk with a hand-whisk for a minute. Add the apples and cinnamon. Use lots of cinnamon, but don’t completely stir it in. It’s nicer when you get dark swirls of cinnamon through the batter. Then let the batter stand for as long as possible before cooking, up to 24 hours. Heat enough oil to lightly cover a heavy-based pan. When it begins to smoke, ladle in a measure of the batter and tilt the pan until it covers the base. (Take care not to spill any oil if you have used too much of it). When you see little bubbles appear on the surface, it’s time to turn the pancake---no need to flip, just use a spatula! When cooked remove from heat and butter lightly. Drizzle with maple syrup and roll. VARIATION: For other healthy meal recipes, instead of apple, try banana or blueberries. Or, for more sophisticated tastebuds, try a delicious savoury pancake, filled with cream cheese, chives and smoked wild salmon. TIP: To lighten your batter, add a little sparkling/still water, (or in snowy weather, a scoop of snow, to delight your children!). You will taste the difference, as the pancakes will not seem so stodgy. ----------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: EMPANADAS From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------- These delicious little South American pies are also good cold in lunchboxes.
INGREDIENTS Olive oil Chopped onion Chopped garlic Chopped red pepper Chopped jalapeno chiles (optional---hot!) Minced round steak (vegetarians can substitute TVP or cooked kidney beans) Raisins Boiled chopped potato Cumin Mild Paprika Black pepper Chopped parsley Chopped hardboiled eggs Rolled shortcrust pastry METHOD In a large pan, heat the oil and soften the onions, garlic and green pepper. Stir in the mince. Stir in the spices and raisins and continue stirring until all the mince is thoroughly cooked. Add a little water if it dries out before cooking. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Using a cookie cutter, cut pastry into small circles, about three inches wide. Spoon a dollop of filling in the centre of each one and roll over into a semi-circle shape. Dip your fingers in water and moisten the inside edge of the pastry. Press down around the edges, sealing them. Deep fry the empanadas at about 185 C until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. VARIATION: Try different combinations of ingredients, for example chopped olives, or sweetcorn for variation of this healthy meal recipe. ------------------------------------------ HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: DRUID’S DINNER From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel -------------------------------------------- This healthy meal recipe borrows from Indian cooking by adding fruit to a savoury dish, giving a lift to the traditional Irish stew. You can make a big pot of this and it'll get you through the next few days if you are having a very busy week. Cut up any large chunks of meat before reheating and make sure to reheat it thoroughly each time, bringing it gently up to boiling point and then letting it simmer for about ten minutes, while stirring. When it has cooled tub it and keep refrigerated for the next day. INGREDIENTS Sunflower oil (for frying) Lamb cut into chunks Chopped onion Chopped garlic Chopped leek Diced carrot Diced parsnip (leave it out if the flavour is too strong for your children) Pearl barley Chopped potatoes Chopped herbs---rosemary/ thyme/ parsley Black pepper Vegetarian stock powderWater Chopped apple Sultanas Serve with a rustic bread roll or some brown bread scones METHOD In a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium hob, heat a little sunflower oil and add the meat, turning as it sizzles and browns. Add the onion, garlic and leeks and soften. Then add the carrot and parsnip, continuing to turn so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. When the vegetables are all nicely softened, stir in the barley and potatoes. Add the seasoning, herbs, stock and water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently over a low heat for about an hour. Add the apple and sultanas and simmer again for about ten minutes. ------------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: SCRUMPTIOUS SWORDFISH BURGER From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel -------------------------------------------- Burgers don’t always have to be made from meat. Swordfish has the texture of meat and works beautifully as a burger. Here is a lovely burger healthy meal recipe. INGREDIENTS Marinade: chopped garlic dash of lemon juice olive oil swordfish steak mayonnaise fried dulsk or carageen seaweed/chopped chives wholewheat burger buns METHOD In a tub, mix the marinade ingredients and put the fish in, covering it. Leave to soak for at least an hour, or overnight if you have time. Otherwise, soak for 5-10 minutes and proceed to the next stage. Remove swordfish from marinade and place under the grill. Cook both sides until it begins to turns golden brown, basting it with a brush of the marinade if it starts to dry up.Toast burger buns and line with lettuce. Put the swordfish inside and top with mayonnaise and seaweed/chives. VARIATION: Instead of swordfish, try steaks of fresh wild salmon or tuna. (These fish tend to be expensive---a good economical alternative is mackerel, though it needs to be really fresh.) Remember to take the bones out!
--------------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: CAULIFLOWER CHEESE TART From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------------ A delicious hot or cold healthy meal recipe, but does not freeze well. INGREDIENTS Rolled shortcrust pastry Cauliflower florets Black pepper Ground cinnamon Nutmeg Beaten eggs mixed with a little water (enough to cover cauliflower in flan dish) Grated cheddar cheese Breadcrumbs METHOD Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a flan dish with pastry and bake for about 7 minutes until it begins to turn golden. Remove and turn the oven down to 180 C. Steam or boil cauliflower until cooked, using as little water as possible to retain the flavour. Drain well. In a bowl, mix the seasoning, spices, eggs, and half the cheese. Cut any large florets in halve or quarters lengthways. Place cauliflower over pastry and pour egg mixture on top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs on top again. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Test that it is cooked through with a skewer. Slice into triangles.
----------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: LO MEIN LA MAMMA From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------ If you feel you can’t compete with the Chinese takeaway when it comes to pleasing your children, try this. You can make Lo Mein, a takeaway staple, even more delicious by home-cooking it with healthy, crunchy, fresh ingredients and no MSG! Children love this with Fortune Cookies. INGREDIENTS Sunflower oil Sesame oil Chopped garlic Chopped ginger Shredded white cabbage Grated carrots Sliced green beans Baby corn cut in half Soy sauce Stock powder Black pepper Chopped scallions Cooked noodles Serve with fortune cookies METHOD In a wok, heat sunflower oil and a teaspoon of sesame oil. Briefly stir-fry the garlic, ginger and vegetables. Add soy sauce, stock, pepper, scallions, noodles and another small dash of sesame oil. TIP: For protein, throw in some cashew nuts, or leftover strips of cooked fish or meat.
---------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: TUNA BURGER From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ----------------------------------------- Children love burgers, but remember they don’t always have to have meat in them. This delicious burger is a meal in itself. INGREDIENTS Cooked tuna (fresh or canned) Cooked rice Grated cheese Grated carrot Grated courgette Finely chopped onion Black pepper Chopped herbs (parsley, tarragon, dill, for example) Beaten egg (just a little to bind, but not essential) Mayonnaise/Bar-b-q sauce/Pasta sauce/Ketchup Bread crumbs Olive oil Whole wheat burger buns Iceberg lettuce METHOD Combine all ingredients except the sauce, oil flour and buns. Mix well and form into burger shapes. Dip in the mayonnaise/sauce and then dip into breadcrumbs and coat well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or stick in the freezer for about 15 mins to allow the ingredients to coalesce. Fry in olive oil until brown and crispy. Serve with some more mayo/sauce and lettuce, in lightly-toasted burger buns. ---------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: PASTRY PARCELS From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ---------------------------------------- INGREDIENTS Olive oil Chopped onions Chopped garlic Chopped yellow and red peppers Chopped courgette Chopped aubergine Mixed chopped herbs Black pepper Lemon juice Can chopped plum tomatoes/passata Tomato puree Cooked cannellini beans Rolled shortcrust pastry METHOD Preheat oven to 200 C. In a heavy-based wide saucepan, soften the onions and garlic. Stir in peppers and courgette. When soft, add aubergine and toss until coated with oil. Add herbs, black pepper, lemon juice, tomatoes and tomato puree. Add beans and simmer until cooked, adding more water if necessary, but remember you want a nice thick sauce at the end which won’t drip through the pastry. Cut pastry into circles. Place a dollop of vegetable mix in the middle and fold over into semi-circles. Seal the edges by dabbing a little water along the inside edges and pressing down. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
---------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: SLOPPY JOE ROLL From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ----------------------------------------- INGREDIENTS Round steak minced (TVP/ puy lentils for vegetarians) Jar chilli sauce/chilli powder Tomato puree Red wine vinegar Ground cumin Oregano Olive oil Chopped onion Black pepper Cooked rice Chopped scallion Sour cream Warmed flour tortillas METHOD Mix chilli sauce/powder, tomato puree, red wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano and black pepper. In a large pan, heat olive oil and soften the onions. Stir in the mince and turn it over with a wooden spoon until it is nicely browned all over. Add the sauce mixture and enough water to cover the meat. Allow to simmer until all the meat is fully cooked, stirring occasionally. Reduce the sauce down so it won’t drip out of the roll. Stir in the rice and scallions. Spread sour cream over tortillas and layer on meat mixture and roll up.
---------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: TOFU TWIZZLERS From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ----------------------------------------- A fantastic healthy and delicious version of the infamous turkey twizzler! Children love the chewy texture of tofu when it is cooked right---soaked with lots of flavoursome spices and fried on the outside to crunchy crispiness. INGREDIENTS Cubed tofu Soy sauce Garlic Chilli powder Flour Bar-B-Q sauce Batter (flour/milk/egg, or just milk and flour will do) Serve with salad and baked potato, with a ketchup or Bar-B-Q sauce dip. METHOD Cut the tofu into inch sized cubes. In a tub mix together the soy sauce, garlic, a little chilli powder to form a thin paste. Add the tofu and turn over with a spoon until all the pieces are covered. Cover and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Dip the tofu pieces in a bowl of flour making sure they are fully covered. Then dip into batter and fry in olive oil until the outsides turn crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Skewer on a lollipop stick. VARIATION: For an even easier version, buy some basil tofu from a health food store. Cut into squares and fry in olive oil. Skewer between chunks of tomato or pineapple. Instead of tofu, this recipe is great also with chicken, or indeed, turkey! --------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: NOUVELLE KEBAB From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ---------------------------------------- Kebabs have really gotten a bad name because of the unhygienic production methods and low quality of the meat used in some kebab takeaways, which of course, are a million miles away from authentic Turkish cuisine. I want to reclaim the reputation of this wonderful middle-eastern dish, because, made with top quality ingredients, in your own kitchen, it can be one of the most healthy and nutritious meals you could give your child. It will still have all those mouth-watering sauces and spices that make kebabs so irresistible! Here is my version, which doesn’t use minced meat. INGREDIENTS pitta bread Harissa sauce (warning: hot!) garam masala spices sliced cooked lamb (roast leftovers or lamb chop) shredded lettuce diced cucumber diced tomato tahini sauce METHOD Warm the pitta and cut in two and allow to cool. In a small bowl, mix some Harissa sauce and garam masala to make a paste. Dip the slices of cooked lamb into the paste and place inside the pitta. Toss the lettuce, cucumber and tomato in the tahini sauce and layer on top on the lamb. VARIATION: For children who may not be used to hot spices, try making a sauce from ground cumin and coriander, with just a pinch of mild paprika, mixed with a little water or passata.
--------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: SUMMER GARDEN TART From the Kitchen of the Good Food Angel ---------------------------------------- Visual appeal is as important when cooking for children as for adults. Prettily arranged vegetables can be enticing to children who normally shun them. INGREDIENTS Rolled shortcrust pastry Thinly sliced tomato Thinly sliced courgette Olive oil Chopped garlic Black pepper Grated gruyere cheese METHOD Preheat oven to 180 C. In a greased flan case, bake the pastry in the oven for about 7 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Remove from oven. In a large bowl, toss the tomato and courgette with the garlic, pepper and a little olive oil.Sprinkle the cheese and basil onto the pastry. Place the vegetables on top in a single layer of overlapping slices, arranged in circles. Brush with another coating of oil. Return to oven for a further 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Allow to cool and divide into triangles. VARIATION: Use any other colourful vegetable combination your child likes, such as baby corn and mange tout etc. TIP: Make enough for tomorrow's lunch also, and if you feel like it a couple for the freezer. -------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: CLASSIC HAMBURGER From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel --------------------------------------- Take on the opposition and show your family that McMum’s burgers are the best in the world! Burgers are not inherently unhealthy. It depends on the quality of the ingredients. Home-made burgers can be more delicious than anything you can buy. And they can be 100% healthy because you control what goes into them. The key to a good burger, obviously, is the quality of the meat. For information on how to buy good-quality minced meat, click here. INGREDIENTS Sunflower oil Chopped onion Mincemeat Chopped mixed herbs Black pepper Egg Flour Burger buns Ketchup Lettuce Mustard Pickled dill Serve with spudulicious potatoes METHOD With a little oil, soften the onions in a pan. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Put the raw mince into a mixing bowl. Add the onions, herbs, pepper, and an egg to bind. Mix well and mould into burger shapes. Coat with a little flour and grill or shallow fry. Make sure it is well cooked. Place in toasted burger buns with ketchup, mustard, lettuce and dill. ***TIP: If you like your meat rare, stick to steaks! When using mincemeat, you need to make sure it is thoroughly cooked, all the way through. Otherwise, surfaces of the mince, which were on the outside when you began cooking, can end up in the middle of the burger, where the germs don’t get killed until they are thoroughly cooked at a high temperature. Also remember, never reheat a burger and once cooked keep it well-chilled until it is to be eaten. ----------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: VEGETARIAN OPTION--NUT BURGERS From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------ INGREDIENTS Chopped onions Chopped garlic Finely chopped mushrooms Finely chopped celery Chopped parsley Chopped chivesBlack pepper Crushed toasted pumpkin seeds Crushed toasted almond flakes Crushed toasted cashew nuts Toasted sesame seeds Chopped walnuts Chopped almonds Dark soy sauce Egg Breadcrumbs Olive oil for frying Toasted wholewheat burger buns Iceberg lettuce Ketchup METHOD Heat the oil in a pan and soften the onions and garlic. Add mushrooms and celery and stir until cooked. Remove from heat and stir in herbs, black pepper, seeds and nuts. Add soy sauce, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix well and mould into burger shapes. Fry until golden and crispy. Place in toasted burger buns with lettuce and ketchup. ***TIP: If you’re out of breadcrumbs cook up some rice and use instead. Serve with spudulicious potatoes. See this recipe in the Side Dishes Section of the Healthy Recipes Index.
----------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: CORNFLAKE CHICKEN CRUNCHIES From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------ These babies are twizzlers to be proud of. Use this method for turkey twizzlers also. INGREDIENTS Marinade: Olive oil Red wine vinegar Mustard Honey Black pepper Other ingredients: Chicken drumsticks/fillets Crushed cornflakes Crushed almond flakes Preheat oven to 180 C. Mix the marinade ingredients. Dip the chicken in the marinade making sure to cover it all. If you have time, leave it for up to an hour to soak up the flavours or even overnight. Otherwise proceed to the next stage.In another bowl, mix cornflakes and almonds. Dip the marinaded chicken in the cornflake and almond mix and roll until fully coated. Grease a baking tray and space out the chicken pieces on it. Cook for about 35 minutes, or until fully cooked right through (when the juices run clear). VARIATION: Make a marinade from soy sauce and chilli powder.
-------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: SUMMER SUNDAY ROAST From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ---------------------------------------- Healthy meal recipes don't have to be spartan and uncomforting. Try this one for sheer deliciousness. INGREDIENTS Filleted side of wild salmon Butter/olive oil Garlic cloves Black pepper Lemon juice New potatoes Parsley Green salad: Mixed green leaves Rocket Watercress Scallion Sliced tomatoes Chopped parsley Vinaigrette METHOD Preheat oven to 200 C. Place salmon on strong tin foil in a baking tray. Place a little butter or olive oil on top and halved garlic cloves. Sprinkle with black pepper and lemon juice. Seal the foil and place in the oven and cook until the salmon is done right through. Remove garlic cloves before eating. Check with a knife to see if all the flesh is cooked, but don't overcook it or it will dry out. While the salmon is cooking, boil some new potatoes and serve with butter and parsley. Accompany with salad. ---------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: LEFTOVERS PASTA From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ----------------------------- INGREDIENTS Pine nuts Lots of ripe flavoursome tomatoes Pasta Fresh or frozen peas Cooked wild salmon leftovers Strips of smoked salmon Black pepper Herbs (oregano, basil, marjoram) Fresh lemon juice METHOD Preheat oven to 200 C. Roast pine nuts on a baking tray for 3-5 minutes until golden and remove from heat. Cut tops off tomatoes. Place a little chopped garlic on top of each tomato. Cover with a little olive oil. Place in the oven until the tomatoes split open and disintegrate. Meantime cook the pasta and peas in a large saucepan. When al dente, drain. Add salmon, roasted tomatoes and pine nuts. Sprinkle with black pepper and herbs. Add olive oil to coat the pasta and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir and serve with garlic bread. ***TIP: Cook extra pasta shells, cool and refrigerate for tomorrow's lunch. ----------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: CHEESE AND TOMATO TART From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ------------------------------------------ INGREDIENTS Rolled puff pastry Olive oil for frying Chopped onions Chopped garlic Goats cheese Beaten eggs Cream Chopped oregano Chopped parsley Black pepper Sliced vine tomatoes/sundried tomatoes in olive oil Grated parmesan Preheat oven to 200 C. Grease a flan dish and line it with pastry. Cook in the oven for a few minutes to crisp it up, so it won’t turn soggy later. In a pan, soften the onions and garlic. Drain on kitchen paper. In a blender, mix the cheese, eggs, cream, herbs and pepper. Add onions and garlic and blend again briefly. Spread this mix over the pastry. Arrange tomato slices in circles on the top and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until top is nicely browned. Cool and cut into triangles.
-------------------------------------- HEALTHY MEAL RECIPE: RAINBOW RISOTTO From the Kitchen of The Good Food Angel ---------------------------------------- I love this healthy meal recipe. Risotto is such a versatile dish—you can throw anything into it that your child likes. It tastes delicious hot or cold, served with a little salad and garlic bread. Smooth creamy arborio rice is ideal for children, but you can use other rices if you prefer, such as crunchy whole shortgrain. If your child likes coloured rice, throw in some tumeric. Cook up a large batch of risotto and freeze in portion-size sealed freezer bags. There is no great mystery to cooking risotto. The trick is to add the stock already heated and stir it in gradually. In other words you have to stand over it while it cooks, but arborio rice cooks very quickly. INGREDIENTS Stock powder Olive oil for frying Chopped onions Chopped garlic Chopped vegetables Chopped meat or fish/optional Chopped herbs Arborio rice Serve with green salad and garlic bread In a saucepan, make up some vegetable stock and heat. Keep it on a low heat, ready to pour in to the risotto. In another, heavy-based saucepan, heat oil and soften onions and garlic over a low heat. Add vegetables/meat/fish and stir for a few minutes until vegetables soften. Add the herbs and rice and stir until covered in oil and juices. Add in a little warm stock and stir it in. When this has been absorbed by the rice, add some more and continue stirring. Keep repeating this until the rice is cooked. VARIATIONS: Mushrooms and fresh parsley/Chicken and green beans/Ham or Fish and pineapple/Grated cheese and peas. TIP: For the green salad, any selection of green leaves is good, but spicy rocket is really good! Remember, adding salad makes it an extra healthy meal recipe.
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Remember, healthy eating is enjoyable!Blessings on your table! The Good Food Angel.
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