Simple, quick and healthy meals.

[LapsedTwentysomething]

I have two little DCs (4 and nearly 2), have been working FT since September and after half term will be trying to fit some exercise in 3-4 times a week. I need to lose weight but can't manage the hassle of a diet, and think I would find it boring and demotivating anyway. Instead I need plenty of ideas for quick and healthy meals that will improve my dreadful, ad-hoc eating habits.

So far, I've thought of really basic things like baked potato with tuna or chilli with salad, slow cooker meat-based meals (ideas appreciated please!), something on toast for desperately busy days ... and that's as far as my inspiration runs. I have no interest in cooking; DH a little moreso and don't have time to be doing masses of batch cooking at te weekend.

Any more interesting ideas?

My favourite meal at the moment is quinoa with chicken.

Cook the quinoa in chicken stock and when it's done drain and mix in the juice of a lime and some chopped coriander. Dry fry some chopped chicken thighs and put over the top. Sometimes I'll also have asparagus.

It's delicious, quick, easy and really healthy!

If you like curry, that can be quite quick.
Fry onions, add patak paste, add tomatoes, yoghurt or coconut milk depending in the type of curry then add chicken and veg.

Pasta with pesto. Add veg like green beans and cherry tomatoes.

Stir fries with straight to wok noodles.

I cook up quite a lot of short grain brown rice, cool and put in fridge.

Then, for lunch or dinner, I soften some veg in butter (mushrooms, leeks, cooked broccoli, anything really). When it is cooked I stir in some rice and alongside some cheese - feta, cheddar, whatever you fancy. Tuna fish will probably work too.

It's quick, easy, healthy and filling.

Madhur Jaffrey curries put the spices etc in the slow cooker but don't add any oil. It works honestly! Cajun chicken, mini chicken breasts with cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, chilli and garlic. Can do the same with salmon. Omelette with tuna and vegetables. Any kind of fish cooked whole. Chicken fajitas (ww wraps, only staining needed is oregano and lemon juice, serve with 0 per cent Greek yogurt and salsa. The standard spagetti bolegnese. I cook a slightly weird chicken casserole with stock, thyme, tinned tomatoes and kidney beans also (a rip off of 'spanish chicken' jar sauce) which is bizarrely nice.

Possibilities are endless

seasoning not staining