Healthy Recipes

You need to learn some healthy recipes if you want to learn to cook as well as get into shape and especially if you want to wean your children from fast food.

Healthy recipes don't have to be boring and can be very easy to prepare. In fact, you can often adapt recipes you already use, by simply leaving out some of the less healthy ingredients and substituting others which are better for you.

Many simple dishes can be made much more interesting by simply adding a few herbs and spices.

Preparing to Cook your
Healthy Recipes

You can stock up on basics such as chicken, lean meat and fish. Frozen is fine if you can't buy fresh and let's face it, most of us don't have time to go food shopping every day. Luckily frozen food is easy to come by and is often cheaper than fresh which is really useful if you are on a tight budget. Vegetables are usually frozen just after they have been picked and many say this means they are better than fresh, which often isn't as fresh as you might think, having been transported for miles over several days before it reaches the shelves.

As with any packaged food, check your frozen vegetables to make sure there are no harmful additives. Some supermarkets are very health conscious these days and have a policy to avoid unnecessary additives where possible. But while this may be the case with their own brand, be sure to double check for other brands which they carry.

You can use stir fry vegetables, which are usually available in packets, either fresh or frozen or you can buy a selection of vegetables and chop them up yourself, but pre-packaged saves a lot of time.

Canned fruit in juice is good for adding to sweet and sour dishes- check that there is no added sugar. Or you can use fresh fruit, such as oranges or pineapples, which is probably better.

Olive oil is the best oil to use for cooking and don't forget that you do need some fat in your diet. The thing about cooking your own meals is that you can add anything you like, but you can control the quantities., which enables you to cut back on the calories used in shop bought, pre-prepared meals.

Tinned tomatoes are a great item to have in the cupboard, as tomatoes and garlic make a tasty sauce which will go with a lot of dishes.

Tinned fish, such as tuna and sardines (in water) is another good standby, great with salad or in a sandwich at lunch time.

There are also plenty of cheap foods which are very health, beans and lentils being great examples. You can make stews, curries and salads using very cheap ingredients and of course beans and lentils also contain plenty of protein.

The recipes on the site have no added wheat, sugar or dairy produce and many can be served with a range of vegetables. So you can serve with rice or potatoes for family members who aren't watching their weight and give yourself extra veggies instead. Try to increase the variety of vegetables in your diet and buy organic where you can. If you have a garden, don't forget to try growing your own!

Healthy Recipes

More will be added over time, so please come back!

Lemon chicken/Lemon Dofu

Simple variation on a Chinese dish, which can be made with either chicken or dofu (tofu, bean curd) if you are vegetarian. You can also use oranges if you prefer it a little sweeter or a mixture. Lime works well too, but has a pretty sharp taste.

Ratatouille

A classic vegetable dish which can be eaten with brown rice or with lean fish, chicken or meat. Eating vegetables with protein but no carbohydrates in the form or rice, pasta or potatoes is a good weight loss strategy, especially if you do it for your evening meal.

Pork and Prunes

These make a nice combination :)

Bean and Tomato Stew

This is a hearty, filling dish with plenty of protein and not too many calories.

Chocolate and Banana Mousse

Make this as an occasional treat.