Quick, fresh and healthy meal recipes for busy days

If you’ve ever searched for healthy recipes, you’ll agree that all dinner ideas seem to be formal, arranged culinary works of art. But sometimes you don’t feel like whipping cream or making a fancy salad dressing. Sometimes you want to quickly grab a sandwich or Chinese relaxed in front of your computer while scrolling or playing online games. Having in mind that online games, especially casino games, come with quite improved gameplay, design and offers, they engage a broad audience of active players. This is a general overview of the current online casino gaming trends, for more details check SlotsWise where you can read about the themes, providers and their rating among players.

Eating healthy is not just a lifestyle; it is one of the most critical assets that improve your overall health if done consistently. With a little patience and good planning, it is possible to cook and eat healthy, nutritious meals. And yes, these meals don’t involve delivery or microwave meal. Without taking too much of your free time, you can improve your meals for yourself or your entire family.

Italian soup with Gnocchi and Vegetables

Flavourful and bursting with nutrients, this is the recipe that will warm your heart after a long hard day, and it can be made in less than 30 minutes. Sautè the minced onions and garlic in a pan with olive oil and add few leaves of fresh basil. Pour the vegetable stock soup and add the veggies and tomato purée. Leave the soup to simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat and add the gnocchi and spinach. When the gnocchi float and spinach turn bright green, the soup is ready to taste. You can stay dairy-free by not adding parmesan cheese at the top; however, if you are a fan, it would make a perfect addition. 

Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Broccoli

Once you try this simple one-pan meal, you’ll want to cook everything like this cause it’s straightforward and effortless. You get perfectly golden Parmesan Salmon with a hint of lemon and herb, paired with tender and crispy roasted broccoli. The best of all-the clean-up is very easy. Place the broccoli on a foil-lined baking sheet in a pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them to the edges of the baking sheet. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place it in the centre of the baking tray. Whisk together lemon juice, mayo and minced garlic and brush over salmon. In a separate bowl mix breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, thyme, olive oil and sprinkle over salmon. Bake until salmon is golden brown and broccoli crispy and tender. If you’re not sure about the baking time of the salmon, it is best to bake it in a 400 degrees F oven for 12 minutes. The salmon would be ready when it’s easy to flake it with a fork.

Ennobled sweet potato

Sweet potatoes are among the top meal choices and with a reason. They are versatile, very nutritious, and vibrant in colour. This stuffed serving could be a great dinner or an appetiser for your guests, with few options for fillings and garnishes to suit your guests’ taste preferences.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce three sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Place them on a pan covered with baking paper and roast them for 60-70 minutes until the inside is soft and skin peeled easily. While the potatoes are in the oven, warm the olive oil and cook the onions until caramelised. Add 1 tbsp water to the pan and scrape any brown bits that might be stuck to the bottom to deglaze. Stir in the tomato paste and spices (cumin, cayenne pepper and salt ) and add the diced bell pepper. Cook all together for 3-4 minutes and once softened, stir in the cooked or canned beans, add a pinch of salt and allow the flavours to blend for 5 minutes. Slice each potato down the centre almost to the bottom. Add the garnish on top. If you like, you can make a topping cream with ½ cup of Greek yoghurt and juice of 1 lime. Add water if you want the topping to be thinner.

Teriyaki Chicken

This one-pan meal tastes just like your favourite Asian takeout, and the best part is that it will be ready in 15 minutes. For this dish, there’s no need to marinate the chicken, and by far, it beats the preparation time on any other teriyaki variations. Yet, it tastes just as good, plus it is rich in flavours. You’ll need boneless chicken breasts, 5-6 tbsp olive oil, 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp water, 2 tbsp of honey/brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cornstarch. Consider sesame seeds or green onions as an optional garnish. To prepare this meal, heat oil in a large, non-stick wok pan. Add the chicken and let cook until slightly browned on the bottom, then flip the pieces over. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the teriyaki mixture and pour the sauce in the pan once the chicken is nearly cooked. Let the sauce simmer until thickened. If you like mild salty flavour, add more water rather than soy sauce. Make sure you cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces, so they cook evenly and be careful not to overcook the chicken, or it will start to dry out. In that case, you’ll lose the tenderness of the meat. For the busy weeknights, this meal is a winner. You can serve it with steamed broccoli and roasted carrots, or with plain cooked rice.

Given all the benefits of home-prepared meals, why aren’t we all cooking for ourselves? Most common reasons for avoiding the kitchen include long commutes, vast choice of food restaurants and take out and the notion that convenience should be our top priority. However, the benefits of home cooking are just too significant and too good to give up. Healthy food is rich in good fat and proteins that are good for our physical shape, skin and overall health. Having in mind that supermarkets offer varieties of fresh fruits and veggies, consider developing a habit of preparing meals at home.