Need inspiration for quick and healthy dinners that are super slimline? Here are ten fast and healthy options with no more than 250 calories…
Chicken and colourful veg skewers
Thread 150g cubed chicken breast, 6 cherry tomatoes and half a yellow pepper into soaked wooden skewers, brush with lemon juice and scatter over some herbs, then grill until cooked. Serve with green leaves and a tsp olive oil.
Chilli ginger steak with kale
Slice 100g extra lean frying steak into fine strips, stir-fry for just a minute or two in 1tsp oil with chopped fresh ginger and garlic, grated onion and chilli flakes to taste. Add a large handful of finely chopped kale, turn down the heat and pop a lid on the pan for 5 minutes or so until the kale is wilted. Add a splash of veg bouillon and scrape pan bottom before serving.
Cod and ratatouille
Serves a grilled cod (or other white fish) steak with ratatouille. Make the ratatouille by stir-frying chopped courgettes, peppers, onion and aubergines and simmering with a 400g can of plum tomatoes and sprinkle of Herbes de Provences or mixed herbs.
Slimline bolognese
Microwave 150g courgette pasta, and serve topped with half a 350g pot of fresh beef Bolognese sauce and a dessertspoon of grated Parmesan.
Filing soup with pitta strips
Heat a 400g can of Heinz Carrot and Coriander soup with Warming Moroccan spices, and serve with a Sainsbury’s mini white pitta, toasted and cut into strips.
Quorn sausages with swede mash
Grill two frozen Quorn sausages and microwave a third of a bag (160g) of Aunt Bessie’s Carrot & Swede Mash. Serve straight away with a dash of HP sauce.
Egg-topped peppers and onions
Slice 200g orange, red and yellow peppers into strips and slice 1 small onion. Stir-fry both in 1tsp oil, until soft. Add a chopped tomato and pinch of ground chilli. Serve the pepper mixture topped with a runny poached egg.
Warm chicken salad
Mix chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, a chopped tomato, 2 large olives (chopped) and 100g grilled, still warm, chopped chicken breast. Toss the salad in a tsp of olive oil and a drizzle of wine vinegar.
Coriander chicken and veg stir-fry
Finely slice one small skinless chicken breast. Stir-fry with a selection of chopped veg (eg savoy cabbage, mange tout, baby corn and red pepper) in 1tsp of vegetable oil to which you’ve added a pinch of chilli flakes. Squeeze over lime and stir through a handful of chopped coriander before serving.
Hearty pea and mint soup
Sweat half a chopped small onion and a crushed garlic clove in a brush of oil until soft. Add 2 mugfuls of frozen peas and 2 mugs vegetable bouillon, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 15g fresh mint, and whizz with a hand blender before serving (note: this makes two servings). Crumble a crispy bacon rasher over the top.