This week we are starting off a new 6 part series on healthy eating. I have invited Becky back to the blog to talk to you all about healthy dinners. Becky has already been on the blog talking about healthy breakfasts and healthy lunches so each Monday for the next 6 weeks Becky will be giving us a tasty dinner recipe.
She will be starting off today with green smoothie’s, then looking at Frittata, Roast chicken and Roasted Vegetables, Fish, Rice and Greens, Slow cooked Casserole and Salmon/chicken, salad and spicy sweet potato wedges. I hope you enjoy getting some tasty and healthy ideas for your dinner.

I’ll pass you over to Becky…….

By dinner time we are all often tired and hungry, and just want something easy. The secret to healthy food is having a few easy meals in our repertoire that we can cook without thinking. Over the next few weeks I will be posting a few easy meal ideas to get you thinking and cooking!
We all have foods we do and don’t like, so I will be adding options for each of my suggestions to amend a dinner if you don’t eat certain ingredients, in particular, I have added meat, Vegan and Vegetarian options for each meal idea.

As with my previous blog posts on healthy lunches and breakfasts, all my suggestions are made from REAL food and follow the theory that a plant based diet will give optimum health. Most people do not need to cut out grains, meat or dairy, although there are some people that will see a great improvement in their health if they do. My advice is to try a 2 week elimination diet if you suspect a particular food/food group of having a negative impact. But for most people, increasing plant based foods, and reducing grains, meat and dairy will be fantastic for both health and waistline!!

I hope you try a few of the ideas– they are all meals that I turn to when I can’t think of what to cook.
And finally THE RECIPES ARE NOT EXACT.
I think we all need to learn to experiment with our cooking. It is the only way we will ever learn to quickly whizz up meals from fresh ingredients using what’s available from the fridge.

Green smoothie

I don’t think I’m alone in being exhausted and starving when I get home late from work. I highly recommend whizzing up a green smoothie as a quick ‘pick me up’ when you immediately get home from work to keep you going whilst you prepare dinner. Please don’t think of this as needless calories. Calories are not all equal. Green smoothies offer pure nutrition and hydration; they are bursting with fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and water.

A green smoothie a day is a fantastic addition to your daily diet. So please consider this as a fast food snack when you get home tired and hungry. This recipe is adaptable, add you favourite fruits, remember, tomatoes and cucumber are fruit! Also don’t stick with the same green leaves – they all offer different nutrients, so mix them up and try to use what is in season – it’s cheaper, better for our environment and healthier.

Ingredients

Banana or Avocado
Handful of Frozen berries – or other fruit
Large handful of seasonal greens (do not use the same green leaves every day- mix up through the year)
Coconut Water or Filtered Water
Honey to taste, preferably Local Honey or Manuka Honey
Chia Seeds (optional, but full of great nutrients)

Instructions

STEP 1) Put fruit, (chia seeds), greens and water into a blender and blend. Add more water if necessary. Add honey to taste until you have a delicious smoothie. – The colour might be a bit brown, but that’s okay-it’s the taste that matters. DRINK!