Quick, light and healthy recipes
Looking for quick and healthy lunch recipes? Look no further. Check out our simple recipe ideas to start the New Year the healthy way.
Mexican-style wrap
Make the most of any leftover roast meat you have in the fridge, and make these wraps. Pack them with salsa, avocado and fresh, crunchy lettuce. A small scattering of a mild, buttery cheese like Gouda is also good here. Look out for low-fat cheese varieties in supermarkets.
Ingredients:
1 tortilla wrap
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
Small handful of crunchy lettuce (Cos, Romaine and Iceberg all work well)
Handful of leftover roast pork, chicken or beef, shredded
1 small, ripe avocado
Lime juice
Scant tablespoon tomato salsa (mild or spicy, it's up to you)
Method:
1. Lay out the wrap and thinly spread over the mayonnaise. Shred the lettuce leaves and scatter over the top.
2. Peel, stone and roughly chop the avocado, squeeze over a teaspoon or two of the lime juice and stir to mix.
3. Take the cooked, roasted meat and arrange it over the wrap, spooning some of the avocado over the top. Drizzle with the salsa.
4. Fold the outside edges of the wrap in and start to roll from the top down, pushing in any filling that escapes as you go. Serves 1.
[Quiz: Can you spot the healthier option?]
Beetroot and Goat's cheese salad
Goat's cheese is lower in calories than cow's milk cheese, and it can be higher in calcium too. Pair tangy goat's cheese with sweet beetroot in this salad. A trickle of chilli-infused olive oil drizzled over at the end gives a touch of heat.
Ingredients:
A handful of salad leaves, such as spinach, rocket, pea shoots
1-2 ready-cooked, vacuum-packed beetroots (in natural juice, not vinegar)
50g soft goat's cheese
Chilli-infused olive oil, to taste
Method:
1. Wash the salad leaves and gently pat dry. Chop or slice the beetroot into bite-sized chunks and arrange with the leaves in a bowl.
2. Chop or scoop out spoonfuls of the goat's cheese, and scatter these over the salad. Finish with a drizzle of chilli oil and a sprinkling of salt. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the scarlet-coloured juices left behind. Serves 1.
Creamy garlic mushrooms on toast
Crunchy toast and soft woody mushrooms bound together in a creamy garlic sauce — but with no cream in sight. This recipe uses low-fat crème fraiche and the whole thing takes only a few minutes to make. It's also worth mentioning that mushrooms contain important nutrients such as Vitamin D, selenium and potassium.
Ingredients:
1 slice crusty bread or ciabatta
Small knob of butter
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
6-7 brown chestnut mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and quartered
2 teaspoons '50% less fat' crème fraiche
Black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Toast the slice of bread until golden. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms and garlic and stir fry on a gentle heat for around 5-6 minutes, until softened but not soggy. The mushrooms will absorb the oil and butter in the pan but don't be tempted to add any more.
3. Stir in the crème fraiche and heat gently for a few minutes.
4. Tip the warmed mushroom mixture onto the toast and sprinkle with snipped chives. Finish with a good grinding of black pepper and eat while hot. Serves 1.
[See also: Ways to make your day healthier]
Mozzarella, chilli and coriander toastie
We all know the benefits of eating wholemeal bread, and this toasted sandwich combines nutty, wholemeal bread with creamy low-fat mozzarella, spicy chilli sauce and fragrant coriander leaves. Coriander has been credited over the years with a range of healing benefits, including use as an aphrodisiac in some cultures.
Ingredients:
2 slices wholemeal, nutty/seeded bread
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Thai-style sweet chilli dipping sauce
40g low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves (not stalks)
Method:
1. Spread the mayonnaise over both slices of bread. Spread a teaspoon of the sweet chilli sauce over one of the slices, on top of the mayonnaise.
2. Scatter the grated mozzarella over the slice with the sweet chilli sauce and arrange the coriander leaves on top. Lay the other slice on top, to make a sandwich.
3. Toast the sandwich on both sides either in a sandwich toaster or under the grill. If you're sliding the sandwich under the grill, give it a 20-second blast in the microwave first, to ensure melted, oozing cheese all the way through.
Food trends to watch out for in 2012
