Desperate to overhaul my diet but don't know where to start. Please share your healthy go-to meals

[Crunchtime1883]

My diet has never been too great but since getting pregnant I have completely lost it and am eating crap I just crave bad food all the time! I'm determined to overhaul my diet and health.

Part of the problem is that I have a massive sweet tooth. I also lack time (work full time with super long commute) and am so exhausted at the end of the day all I can face is putting a ready made pizza in the oven. I'm also ashamed to say that I don't really know how to cook (apart from a few simple things like spag bol etc) and I completely lack any inspiration what to cook. I know very little about food and cooking.
I have tried buying a couple of recipe books but they always seem to involve 100 bizarre ingredients that I don't have so I give up.

So if you are a healthy eater, please share your 'go to' meals and recipes. I am looking for things that are simple to make, and if they can be made in advance and frozen that is even better.

I'm determined to overhaul my eating habits during my maternity leave and not bring up a child with the same poor habits as me.

[Cath2907]

A salmon fillet wrapped in foil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and baked in oven for 15 min at 180oC. Alongside a baked sweet potato (I do mine for 5 - 10 min on high in microwave). Alongside steamed spinach or stir fry veg. I top it all off with a blob of sweet chillie sauce.


Scrambled egg on whole meal toast is easy and filling.

Home made salad dressing made from half and half low fat mayo and low fat yoghurt. Ring the changes by adding in a big squeeze lime juice or a blob of mustard. Use this on shredded cabbage, carrot and onion to make coleslaw (only a little onion needs). Or on finely chopped celery, apple and walnuts to make Waldorf. Make today, eat today and eat leftovers tomorrow!!

[RatherBeRiding]

Peppers stuffed with Aldi curried lentils (already prepared so just open packet and tip into peppers) with tomato sauce, which consists of lightly fried chopped onions (in oil) and a can of ready chopped tomatoes and a dollop of pesto. Bit of side salad and ready in no time.

[RainOnATinRoof]

Soup, soup, and more soup. There are recipes for every combo of veg so you will never get bored, and you can make ahead on the weekend and freeze in portions.

[BifsWif]

The hairy dieters cookbooks are great and many of the meals can be frozen!

A piece of fish, some packet veg and sweet chilli sauce is my favourite quick meal.

[FabulouslyGlamorousFerret]

Ready prepared Mediterranean veg with a bit of chopped chorizo thrown in the oven and served with rice and a dollop of creme fraiche

[FabulouslyGlamorousFerret]

You can swap half of the chorizo for king prawns if you're trying to be healthier ... it's the most calorific thing known to man!!

[Crunchtime1883]

Thanks all!
Keep them coming ....

[BifsWif]

Normal spaghetti bolognese (batch cook and freeze) over courgette or a baked sweet potato.
Potatoes can be done in the microwave in 5 minutes, defrost the bolognese and you’re good to go.

Omelette with ham, mushrooms and onion and sweet potato fries or a salad.

Ready cooked chicken from the hot counter with veg/salad

[RatherBeRiding]

Baked apple with reduced fat creme fraiche. Get yourself one of those nifty apple corers (£1 from Home Bargains), fill with chopped dried fruit like dried apricots, and some sultanas and chopped ginger or grated fresh ginger, a sprinkle of cinnamon, put a dab of low fat spread on top and shove in oven. Make two at a time and have one cold for breakfast. Delicious! Very filling and not particularly calorific if you stick to low fat creme fraiche and don't use any sugar in the filling - you really don't need any additional sweetening.

[Checklist]

I second Hairy Bikers (Diet in my case) books. Recipes taste excellent! I also use BBCs "Eat Well For Less" recipe books, very similar to HB! Easy meals:

1 Roast a chicken. Eat it cold with salad and jacket potatoes; or bubble and squeak; or home made oven chips (Eat Well recipe) plus veg. Ours lasted 3 dinners, sandwiches x 2 and then made 2 soups last week!

1. When chicken is used up, make stock from the carcass for soups.
   
2. Steak plus home made potato wedges (Eat Well recipe), salad or veg
   
3. Chilli con carne
   
4. Spag Bol x 2, then use other half for lasagne
   
5. Stew made either with beer or red wine for boeuf bourguignon
   
6. Chicken fajitas with salad, salsa or whatever dips you like
   

I use a slow cooker a lot and freeze left over portions

[PinkHeart5914]

This chicken and asparagus recipe is very tasty www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2220657/creamy-chicken-with-asparagus-and-tarragon

Jacket potatoe with beans and some salad

Omelette with salad

Salmon with sweet potato mash and veg

Cod fillet, put a tea spoon of pesto on the fish roast in the oven as the pack says. Have with sweet potato mash or wedges and salad or veg

Soup

Chicken and chickpea curry have with broccoli rice instead of normal rice

Stir fry ( can buy diced chicken, pre chopped stir fry veg)

Roast chicken, few baby potatoes and salad

Veg chilli ( I prefer it to meat chilli and if you use chickpeas, butter beans, kidney beans, pepeprs, onion it’s a easy way to eat lots of veg)

I like something sweet after dinner so I make smoothie ice lollies

[BifsWif]

I just made myself the following in less than 20 minutes.

Two chicken fillets, sliced and fried off in olive oil.
Added orange and green peppers and an onion, all sliced, half a packet of chicken fajita mix and two big handfuls of spinach on top of a baked sweet potato done in the microwave.