Would you like to cook healthier dinners? We discover the tricks and tips that will allow you to do it. Often, it is easy to give in to the temptation of being lazy and grabbing the first thing we find in the refrigerator or pantry to satisfy hunger without take into account whether what we are eating is healthy or not.
Traditionally we have been taught that, of the 3 or 5 recommended meals a day, breakfast It must be of great importance in our daily diet. It is the first meal of the day, the most important!, my grandmother said, and with it we will face the first part of the day that, in general, involves greater wear and tear.
In the same way, dinner It implies the opposite: It’s the last meal of the day andinstead of activity, precedes our time of rest and overnight fasting at rest. Despite this important difference, the two meals They should be complete and varied, but dinners should also be healthy. Precisely those two words are what “complicate” our lives.
Because We think that making a complete and healthy dinner will take a lot of effort (just what we don’t want at that time…), just like We think that fast food or dinner is synonymous with junk food.. But we are wrong!
Here we are going to give you some tips and recipes to prepare healthy dinners in a short time and be able to enjoy a restful rest, correct nutrition and good care of our body.
Healthy dinner recipes
Microwave eggplants stuffed with vegetables and cheese
Stuffed eggplants are very versatile, proof of this is the large number of recipes that we have prepared and the many that we still have to make. The ones we present today are filled with vegetables and of course covered with a good layer of cheese (which could be of plant origin, to make them a vegan dish).
Gratin broccoli with cheese sauce
We are aware that not everyone likes broccoli and that sometimes it is difficult to get the little ones (and many adults) to eat this vegetable. Therefore, the old trick of camouflaging it with delicious things is still a more than valid option to little by little get used to its flavor, color and texture.
Green asparagus cream
For a light and healthy dinner, nothing like a good cream. This vegetable cream with asparagus It is perfect for when we need a light dish to give us energy for the next day. It is very simple to do and will not take you too much time, so enjoy a break after work with it.
Mimosa Salad. A very simple and healthy salad
The mimosa salad It gets its name from the yellow flower, which looks so similar to this dish, giving it a delicious appearance that catches the eye. But it is also very tasty, with just a few ingredients arranged in layers, we will obtain a delicious salad, perfect for a dinner with very little effort and without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Julienne Vegetable Soup
This vegetable soup is one of the healthiest, most nutritious, with multiple properties that make it essential in any month of the year and the best solution for the coldest days.
Easy zucchini cream
This zucchini puree recipe also adapts to all times of the year, since we can enjoy it on the table hot or cold, as we like. It can be made with or without onion, adding or not adding some potato; and then in the final part, you can have cream or cheese instead.
cauliflower cream
A great cauliflower cream to warm up quickly and, above all, get that amount of vitamins and minerals that the body needs.
Cauliflower and onion omelette
How to make one cauliflower and onion omelette. It is an excellent option for a healthy dinner. Made with humble products, their quality is essential for the result to be optimal. Good vegetables, free-range eggs and top-notch oil. Nothing else is required to obtain a luxurious and, of course, delicious dish.
Hummus or chickpea cream
I assure you that this Hummus recipe is a delicious dish available to everyone, cheap and simple. At home it is a dish that we cook at any time of the year, in summer and winter. And it can be accompanied by bread or raw vegetables to dip and have a complete dinner.
Vegetable stew with ham
Vegetable stew is undoubtedly one of the most typical preparations in Spain. Adopted in many areas of the world, which allows us to consume various vegetables at any time of the year. As a child, I think I didn’t like it because it was so healthy, but now it is one of my favorite recipes.
Noodles with chicken and vegetables
In our kitchen we always have Chinese noodles as a wardrobe staple, they save you a quick dinner to prepare with chicken and vegetables sautéed in the wok. Furthermore, this recipe allows for a lot of variations, both in the ingredients and in the preparation. You can have them with more broth, as if it were a noodle soup, or more crunchy, passing them a little more in oil.
Pasta salad with salmon and avocado
We are clear that pasta salads are a guaranteed hit for the whole family. We can make it light and simple, serve as an accompaniment or garnish, or we can turn it into a complete single dish like this pasta salad with salmon with the necessary nutrients for a meal.
Pasta with vegetables
Preparing a whole wheat pasta with vegetableswe have a healthy dish as well as delicious. This simple pasta recipe allows us to enjoy the nutritional benefits of the garden, without losing any of its power and intensity of flavor.
Baked lemon chicken thighs
There are recipes that never go out of style because they are delicious, simple and easy to prepare, as is the case with these baked lemon chicken thighs. A light recipe for dinner after a hard day at work. You will surely fall in love with these chicken thighs for their flavor and aroma.
Chicken nuggets with spinach
These chicken and spinach nuggets I assure you that they fly, they are some snacks that are a great success among the little ones at home, and also those who are not so children.
Couscous with chicken and vegetables
A tasty and very easy recipe, with this chicken and vegetable couscous you will have a very complete and satisfying, but healthy and balanced meal. A very comforting dish thanks to all the aromas it incorporates. It can be prepared in advance, since the chicken sauce will also gain in flavor.
Zucchini stuffed with minced meat
If there is a recipe with vegetables suitable for those who do not like vegetables but do like pasta (and especially meat lasagna) this is it. Some zucchini stuffed with meat with a soft bechamel and baked in the oven with cheese.
Hake burger
A juicy, soft and very healthy hake burger, which, on good bread and accompanied by a little salad, will delight young and old alike.
Salmon in puff pastry
On the blog you will find many recipes with this fish, and it is very versatile in cooking. I know that it is not one of the cheapest fish nowadays, but from time to time it is worth treating yourself to a good salmon to prepare this healthy salmon in puff pastry.
Prawn tacos
A powerful taco without losing a bit of flavor and, if we want, also spiciness, accompanied with homemade pico de gallo. These tacos with prawns are a very simple recipe that I assure you will be a success, you’ll tell me.
Country or country rice
Among the classic rice dishes, among those that we learn to make when we are new to cooking, peasant rice is, without a doubt, one of the most popular. The simple preparation of this rice and the basics of its ingredients put this rice among the favorites for everyday use.
Salmon poke bowl
Surely you have come across poke bowls on social networks or have seen or heard about them. It is the latest trend with rice and fish that has arrived with a bang, and who knows if it will stay. It is a healthy, balanced and tasty dish, it has everything to succeed.
Flamenco style eggs
A healthy, tasty and economical recipe, perfect for your weekly menu and to everyone’s taste. These are flamenco eggs, a traditional Spanish recipe that does not have a single way of preparation.
Chickpeas with prawns
A dish that allows many modifications so that everyone can prepare it as they wish. A stew of Cádiz origin, its famous chickpeas with prawns, a seafood dish that goes well at any time of the year.
Lentils with vegetables
The recipe came up precisely one day when we were in the mood for some good lentils but without that greasy touch that meat gives them. These lentils with vegetables almost make themselves, a healthy and very tasty dish.
What to eat healthy at night?
To plan your own low-calorie dinners that help you eat healthy, these are the four pillars to keep in mind:
- You should eat a generous portion of vegetables accompanied by a source of protein.
- Moderate the use of oils.
- If you decide to consume bread or cereals, always choose the whole grain versions.
- And for the finishing touch, for dessert, a delicious seasonal fruit or a natural low-fat yogurt.
Also remember that, to plan dinner, we must take into account what we have eaten throughout the day and seek a balance in our overall diet.
How to cook quickly but healthy?
As we said at the beginning, fast food is not synonymous with junk food. To achieve this, keep these tips in mind when preparing your quick and healthy dinners:
- Avoid high-calorie preparations. Forget about pre-cooked, fried, battered or fatty stews late in the day. At night it is advisable to take more protein, less carbohydrates andabove all, little amount of food.
- Team up with the iron, microwave and oven. In this way you will cook in a few minutes and you will avoid fats at your dinners. You can use the grill for everything: meat, fish or vegetables. Like the griddle, the microwave and the oven allow us to cook dishes with less oil than the frying pan or deep fryer.
- Fish better than meat. Fish contains protein, like meat, but it is lighter for digestion. Something to keep in mind at night, just before going to sleep. In dinners we must include fats, but of quality and in small quantities. That is why it is recommended avoid cold cuts, sausages, sauces and dressings at dinners.
- Avoid sugars. We can include carbohydrates at dinner but we must choose them well. In this sense, when using pasta, rice or cerealsit is preferable that we opt for the integral. Forget eating industrial cereals for dinner! Avoid acidic fruits and those containing a lot of sugar at night It will also help us prevent them from affecting our gastric juices and sleep cycles.
- Use fresh foods. Wash, peel and cut. Is there anything faster? You can have complete and varied salads in a short time by combining different types of green leaves, tomato, onion, corn, cucumber, but also mixing fresh cheese, fruits rich in water or nuts.
- Take advantage of preserves. Add to your dinners, especially to salads or stir-fries, vegetables, legumes or canned fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines, chickpeas, lentils, beans) and you will gain flavor and nutrients.
- Don’t throw away leftovers. Because food is not thrown away. So every time you cook during the day, save the leftovers to use for dinner. You will save time and money!
But in addition, we must keep in mind that to have a restful sleep and rest it is highly recommended leave a space of two hours between dinner and going to bed. As well as drinking an infusion that helps us fall asleep, such as valerian, chamomile, lime blossom, lemon balm or roiboos.
How do you have a healthy dinner at home? Tell us in the comments and be sure to check out our recipes for quick and easy dinners where we give you lots of other ideas for the last meal of the day.
Categories: Gastronomic news Food school: cooking, techniques and ingredients