Fresh start: Five quick and easy healthy dinners ready in thirty minutes or less

Satisfying midweek meals that are filled with goodness and ready in no time 

These quick healthy dinners are ready in 30 minutes and pack a big flavour punch.

Midweek beef stir-fry

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This stir fry is quick to make and it has lots of lovely flavours and textures. It’s my go-to stir-fry when I’m really busy

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 200g lean beef fillet, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

• a handful of baby corn, sliced lengthways

• a handful of broccoli florets

• a handful of sugar snap peas

• a handful of shredded white cabbage

• 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• Basmati rice to serve

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for about 10 minutes, until browned all over. Remove the beef and juices and set aside.

2. Add all of the vegetables to the pan and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Add the sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce and stir fry for two minutes. Return the beef and juices to the pan, mix well and heat through.

3. Divide the stir-fry between warmed serving plates and serve with basmati rice.

Moroccan chickpea bake

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

The perfect solution to repurpose stale bread, this comforting chickpea bake is bursting with Feta cheese balanced againsy spicy and garlicky flavour

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Moroccan

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 red onions, peeled and diced

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• handful of fresh parsley, chopped

• salt

• pepper

• 100g Feta

• stale bread, chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook on a low heat until the onions are soft.

3. Add the chickpeas, cumin and coriander to the pot and stir until the chickpeas are coated in the spices. If the bottom of the pot goes a little bit dry just add a drop of cold water. Add the freshly chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer the chickpea mixture into an oven-proof baking dish. Using your hands, crumble the Feta over the top of the chickpeas. Scatter the stale bread over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil.

5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until feta and bread begin to brown.

6. Remove from the oven, divide into portions and transfer to warmed serving plates.

Fish and vegetable gratin

recipe by:Darina Allen

This is one of the simplest and most delicious fish dishes we know, with Cheddar cheese, mustard and piquant beetroot for added flavour and colour

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 175g pieces of haddock

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 225g Keens or Montgomery Cheddar

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 4 tbsp cream

• For the piquant beetroot:

• 675g beetroot cooked

• 15g butter

• salt

• freshly ground pepper 

• sprinkling of sugar

• 140-175ml cream

• Equipment:

• ovenproof dish 8½ x 10 inches (21.5 x 25.5cm)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Peel the beetroot, use rubber gloves for this operation if you are vain! Chop the beetroot flesh into cubes.

3. Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the beetroot, toss, add the cream, allow to bubble for a few minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sugar. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if necessary. Serve immediately. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground pepper.

4. Arrange the fillets in a single layer in an ovenproof dish (it should be posh enough to bring to the table).

5. Mix the grated cheese with the mustard and cream and spread carefully over the fish. It can be prepared ahead and refrigerated at this point. Cook in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the top is golden and bubbly. Flash under the grill if necessary.

6. To cook the beetroot, leave 5cm of leaf stalks on top and the whole root on the beet. Hold it under a running tap and wash off the mud with the palms of your hands, so that you don’t damage the skin; otherwise the beetroot will bleed during cooking. Cover with cold water and add a little salt and sugar.

7. Cover the pot, bring to the boil and simmer on top, or in an oven, for one to two hours, depending on size. Beetroot is usually cooked if the skin rubs off easily and if it dents when pressed with a finger. If in doubt test with a skewer or the tip of a knife.

Olive pesto with grilled salmon

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Olives, pesto and salmon make the perfect combination in this gorgeous midweek pasta

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 22 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• pasta for four

• 4 darns of salmon

• 1 cup green olives, chopped

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• zest of 1 lemon

• 100g Parmesan, finely grated

• a little chopped parsley

Method

1. Put the pasta on to boil in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.

2. Rub some seasoning into the pieces of fish and place them under a medium grill. Cook for six to eight minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

3. In the meantime, mix together the chopped green olives, onion, capers and olive oil with the vinegar and lemon zest and mash with a fork. Taste and season.

4. Stir the warm pasta through most of the olive pesto.

5. Place the fish on top and a spoon of the olives on the fish.

6. Serve with Parmesan and some chopped parsley.

Singapore chicken and coconut laksa

recipe by:Darina Allen

This creamy laksa with a burst of ginger and creamy coconut texture is perfect for a flavoursome, comforting dish

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 Singaporean

Ingredients

• 150g fine rice noodles

• 2 red chillies, chopped with seeds

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 150g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks coarsely chopped

• juice of 1-2 limes

• 50ml toasted sesame oil

• 1 chicken breast, cut into thin shreds

• 2 tins of coconut milk

• 700ml stock

• 1 tbsp Nam Pla, fish sauce

• salt

• black pepper

• 8 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle

• fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Pour boiling water over the bowl of rice noodles and allow to soak until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and cut into 5cm lengths.

2. Put the chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander and juice of one lime into a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste.

3. Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise and then thinly slice at an angle and set aside.

4. Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and fry the chilli paste for 3 minutes. Add the whisked coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the thinly shredded chicken, bring back to the boil and barely simmer for a further 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the fish sauce (Nam Pla) and taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper if necessary.

5. Divide the noodles into serving bowls, ladle in the hot soup and garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.