8 Incredibly HEALTHY recipes for dinner EASY to make

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M.D.

Do you need a healthy and quick dinner to cook? Healthy eating doesn't need to spend hours within the kitchen. Try our easy recipes, prepared with fresh ingredients, and lots of nutritional benefits.  Colorful, nutritious meals do not have to require hours to prepare.

Tuck in one of these healthy meals that are easy to prepare and plate up. Using clever store-bought shortcuts, simple recipes, and regular cupboard staples, you'll be able to eat bowlfuls of goodness in no time.

Want to spend as little time and ease as possible in preparation? Our Herbed chicken skewers wraps are bursting with flavor, making them ideal for rustling up in dinner.

Peruse our healthy dishes – we guarantee color, rich flavors, and health benefits.

How to prepare healthy and quick dinner through the week with healthy but satisfying meals which will cause you to feel good also as virtuous? With these healthy, easy recipes.

Chicken, red pepper & almond traybake

A tasty one-pan roast chicken with lemon, paprika, coriander, cumin, and other North African flavors. 

[box type="bio"] Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes  Total Time: 55 minutes  [/box]

 

Ingredients

• 500g skinless chicken thigh
• Three thick wedges cut medium red onions
• 1 tsp each ground cumin, smoked paprika, & fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 500g small red potato (cut into thick slices)
• Two red peppers deseeded & cut into thick slices
• One finely chopped garlic clove
• One lemon juice
• 50g whole blanched almond, roughly chopped
• 170g tub 0% Greek yogurt (to serve)
• small handful parsley or coriander, chopped, to serve

Method

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the chicken, peppers, potatoes, and onions in a large bowl and season. In another bowl, mix the spices, garlic, oil, and lemon juice. Pour this over everything. Spread this mixture between 2 baking trays.
• Then Roast for 40 minutes, turn it over after 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the almonds for the final 8 minutes of cooking. Serve in bowls with Greek yogurt and some chopped coriander & parsley.

Instant Pot Beef and Barley Stew

Rich in nutrients and flavor, this recipe can be made ahead for busy weeknight's dinners.

[box type="bio"] Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes[/box]

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef chuck, well-trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• One chopped large onion
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Three medium sliced carrots 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Four smashed cloves garlic
• 1 cup pearled barley
• Eight sprigs thyme and leaves for serving
• One 12-oz bottle beer
• 1/2 medium peeled & seeded butternut squash, Cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 cup no-salt-added beef broth

Method

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté. In a medium bowl, add beef with flour. Toss olive oil to Instant Pot, then cook meat until it is browned on all sides, 6-8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate.
• Put onion, thyme sprigs, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper and cook them, occasionally stirring, until it tenders for 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in beer. Then press the cancel button.
• Return beef to pot along with carrots, squash, beef stock, and barley. Lock the lid then cook on high pressure 15 minutes for pressure releasing the use of the quick-release method. Serve. Sprinkle additional thyme if desired.

Egg noodles with Sichuan pepper chicken and cucumber

Bring the flavors of southwest China into your home with this killer dinner recipe.

[box type="bio"] Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Total time: 40 minutes[/box]

 

Ingredients 

• 540g chicken breasts
• 2/3 cup light soy sauce
• Two cm-thick slices ginger
• 1/2 bunch spring onions
• 11/2 tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
• 2-star anise
• One tbsp. rice vinegar
• 500g fresh thin egg noodles
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Two small thinly sliced Lebanese cucumbers
• 1/4 cup Chinese sesame paste 
• One bunch chopped chives
• Two tbs Chinese black vinegar 
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
• Coriander leaves, white sesame seeds and pickled green chilies to serve
• Green chili oil 
• Two long chopped green chilies
• 3/4 cup peanut oil

Method

• To make green chili oil, combine all the ingredients except the peanut oil in a food processor along with 1/2 tsp salt and make a rough paste. Add peanut oil and prepared mixture until smooth. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to infuse. Then strain it through the muslin-lined sieve.
• Put chicken, 1/2 cup soy sauce, ginger, star anise, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, &chopped spring onions in a pan. Add enough water and cover, then bring to a simmer over the medium-high heat & cook for 5-7 minutes. Set aside for 20 minutes and remove the heat. Remove the chicken and reserve two tbs poaching liquid, and slice. Set it aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to instructions written on the packet, then drain and refresh in cold water. Combine cucumber with 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Set aside for 8-10 minutes to remove excess water. Drain it and then combine it with rice vinegar.
• Mix with the sesame paste, sugar, black vinegar, reserved poaching liquid with the remaining two tbs soy sauce. Add the sauce with the noodles.
• Divide chicken, noodles, and cucumber among bowls. Drizzle over chili oil. Top with coriander & sesame seeds. Serve with pickled chilies on the side.

Herbed chicken skewers

A super healthy chicken dish with a 'no-cook' relish.

[box type="bio"] Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes  Total Time: 55 minutes [/box]

 

Ingredients

• 500g tiny new potatoes
• 3 tbsp each of chopped parsley, mint & chives
• 500g skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3cm chunks
• One red onion, peeled
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• One red pepper split and seeded into 3cm chunks
• One lemon cut into eight wedges
• For the relish 
• Eight ripe tomatoes
• Two green chilies seeded and finely chopped
• Two small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Method

• If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak 8 in cold water for about half an hour. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for ten to twelve minutes, until just tender or drain and leave to cool. Mix the herbs, lemon juice, salt, oil, and pepper in a large bowl and add the chicken and potatoes. Mix well. Cut the onion into six wedges, then separate the layers on each wedge. Add the pepper and onion to the marinade and mix thoroughly.
• To make the relish, halve & seed the tomatoes, then chop the flesh finely. Mix the tomatoes, chilies, garlic, oil, salt, vinegar, and pepper, and spoon into a small dish.
• Thread the potatoes, chicken, peppers, and onion onto eight skewers, finishing each with a lemon wedge. Barbecue directly over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes from both sides until the chicken is cooked. Serve with the tomato relish piled on a serving platter.

Kimchi fried rice

Perfect weeknight meal super simple, ridiculously flavorful, and quick to make.

[box type="bio"] Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes  Total Time: 20 minutes [/box]

 

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
• 50g kimchi
• One sliced garlic clove
• 200g chopped Tenderstem broccoli
• One grated thumb-size piece ginger
• Four thinly sliced spring onions
• One lime( ½ juiced and ½ as a wedge) 
• 200g pouch wholegrain rice
• Two carrots cut into the ribbon ( with the help of peeler) 
• handful coriander
• Two eggs
• hot sauce (optional) to serve

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and toss the ginger, garlic, broccoli, and half the spring onions. Fry for 6-7 mins until softened, then put the kimchi and fry it for a couple of minutes & more. Tip in the rice, break it up with the back of your spoon, then stir it through the carrot. Cook for a minute until all heated through, then push everything to the side of the pan.
• Add the remaining oil into the empty part of the pan, add the eggs by cracking, fry according to your liking and season. Squeeze the lime juice over the rice & eggs, then scoop the rice into bowls. Top with coriander leaves, the egg, remaining spring onions, and hot sauce, if want. Serve with lime wedges.

Kale & Cauliflower Soup

Fat-free and Low-calorie dinner but full of flavor healthy kale complements cauliflower. 

[box type="bio"] Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes  Total Time: 30 minutes[/box]

Ingredients 

• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups chopped, lightly packed, de-stemmed kale 
• One tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• One small yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups chopped)
• One diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 tsp each dried parsley & ground thyme
• 1/2 head of cauliflower (3 cups chopped)
• Four carrots, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
• Salt and pepper for taste

Method

• Saute the onions and garlic in a few splashes of vegetable stock until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped carrots, diced tomatoes, parsley, and thyme. Then cook for a few more minutes, adding a bit more stock if needed, so it doesn't stick.
• Add in the vegetable stock & chopped cauliflower.
• Then simmer it till the cauliflower is tender.
• Then pour about 3/4 of the soup into a blender, leave some pieces of carrot & cauliflower behind so that it would be somewhat chunky.
• Process it until smooth, and after this, pour the blended soup back into the pot.
• Turn the heat off and stir in the chopped kale. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Allow kale to soften before serving.

Loaded Spaghetti

Spaghetti noodles combined with a quick & easy twist. 

[box type="bio"] Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Total time: 20 minute[/box]

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced bell pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 2/3 cup cooked edamame
• 1 cup cooked whole-wheat spaghetti

I leave you four more options.

Method

• Sauté onions and peppers in oil until onions are translucent.
• Toss edamame with pasta.

Healthy Swiss Chard with Crisp Apples

The bright, crisp flavor of apples complements Swiss chard. A brilliant idea for the perfect dinner.

[box type="bio"] Preparation time: 12 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Total time: 27 minutes[/box]

Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp raisins
• One medium onion chopped
• 1 and 2 pound bunches swiss chard 
• One crisp red apples chopped
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce tamari, or coconut aminos
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Method

• Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour enough hot water on them to barely cover and then Set aside.
• Cut the stems off of the swiss chard. Trim & discard the bottoms of the stems if they're dry, then chop the stems into 1/4-inch slices. Now, Set the sliced stalks aside. Then cut the leaves in half lengthwise & then slice into 1/2-inch strips. Remember to keep the sliced leaves separate from the stems.
• Heat a deep, non-stick dutch oven or wok. Add onions and cook, Keep stirring, until they begin to brown. (From prevent sticking add a tablespoon of water at a time) Add the chard stems or apples and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Drain the raisins and reserve the water. Then add the raisins, and the chard leaves to the pan and stir well. Add one tablespoon of the raisin water to the pan or cover tightly. Keep stirring every minute or two, cook until the chard is tender, cook more about 6 minutes. Now remove the lid and cook briefly to condense any excess moisture. Remove off from the heat, stir in the soy sauce with apple cider vinegar then add some salt and pepper to taste. And one more thing Serve hot.

(Additional Information: Consuming Coconut Aminos have a variety of health benefits. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, & colon cancer. It aids in weight loss, strengthening immunity, & even promoting mental health. Raisins are rich in fiber, vitamins, & minerals. It can aid digestion, boost iron levels, and keep your bones healthy.)

Conclusion:

Dinner can often get on the heavier side, especially if you're eating a lot. During a while, it's nice to modify things up and provides yourself a lighter option.

Once you consider cooking a healthy, light dinner, images of plain baked meat and steamed vegetables can often come to mind. But you should not need to compromise on taste and satisfaction to have a healthy dinner.

 With these seven healthy yet filling dinner ideas, you'll never skimp on flavor again. These meals have the ingredients and taste, and these recipes won't have your family scrounging the kitchen for after-dinner snacks.

From one-pan roasted to Healthy Swiss Chard with Crisp Apples, there's enough variety to stay the entire family interested. We're sure a few of them will make their way onto your weekly menu.

If you want more ideas to take care of your diet, don't hesitate to visit our nutrition section.

[author] [author_image timthumb='on']https://buildyourbody.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Nataniel-Josue-Alvarez.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]The article was reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josué Alvarez. Medical Doctor graduated from Medical School Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda. Área Ciencias de la Salud. •Awarded winner IV Science Fair of Research Methodology - April 2012 •Recipient of Asesor Estudiantil Institucional Scholarship •Thesis: Relationship Between Parasitosis, Anemia and Hygiene Habits in patients aged 20 yo 70 years old in Amuay, municipality of Los Taques, Falcón State, Venezuela •Thesis: Intervention Plan in Rural Healthcare in Monte Verde and La Puntica sectors, of the Amuay Community, Los Taques parish, Los Taques municipality, of the Falcón State, Venezuela. During the period March 2018 - July 2018[/author_info] [/author]