Satisfying light meals for when you’ve overdone it

Too many BBQs, pizzas and homemade bakes? Avoid that bloated, full feeling with these quick and healthy dishes

It was the banana bread that started it all. Soon every day we were craving a treat, and our healthy habits are now firmly out the window. If you’re trying to cut back on foods that are leaving you feeling sluggish and unhealthy, try these light and tasty dishes.

Soy glazed cod with bok choy

The fast glaze in this recipe makes a light and healthy dish all the more flavourful.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 skinless cod fillets
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small red chile, thinly sliced
• 1 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 3 large heads bok choy, chopped
• toasted sesame seeds, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. In small microwave-safe bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Microwave until slightly thickened, 60 to 90 seconds.
3. Pat cod filets dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spoon half of the glaze over cod and brush to coat. Bake until cod is opaque throughout, 12 minutes. Spoon remaining glaze over the top.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add garlic, scallions, chile and ginger and cook, tossing for 30 seconds. Add bok choy and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing, until the bok choy is tender, 3 to 4 minutes more (adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary). Serve with glazed cod. Sprinkle fish with sesame seeds, if desired.

Healthy pad thai

Courgetti noodles and protein-packed prawns make this recipe a healthy twist instead of your usual takeaway.

Ingredients:

• sesame oil
• red chilli 1, diced
• ginger grated to make 1 tbsp
• garlic 1 clove, crushed
• spring onions 2, sliced
• egg 1, beaten with some seasoning
• courgette 2, shredded or spiralised  
• beansprouts 50g
• cooked and peeled prawns 200g
• lime 1, juiced
• fish sauce 1 tbsp
• coriander ½ bunch, chopped 
• roasted peanuts 2 tbsp, chopped

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a wok until very hot. Stir fry the chilli, ginger and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the spring onions for a few minutes before scraping everything to one side and adding the egg.
3. Quickly stir-fry, and toss everything around in the wok to get scrambled egg mixed with the spring onions and chilli.
4. Toss in the courgette noodles, and stir-fry for 4 minutes, then add the beansprouts and the prawns.
5. Cook for another 2 minutes until the prawns have warmed though and the water from the veg has evaporated.
6. Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Scatter with the coriander and chopped peanuts to serve.

Roasted pepper baked eggs

This fast recipe has all the flavours you love but each portion is just enough to kill your hunger, without you feeling stodgy and full.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 batch roast pepper sauce
• 4 eggs
• 4 thick slices of ciabatta
• olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• chopped parsley

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Divide ½ batch roasted red pepper sauce between four small baking dishes. Take 4 eggs and break 1 into each dish. Bake for 7-10 mins until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
2. Put 4 thick slices of ciabatta on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, rub with 1 garlic clove and cook in the oven until lightly toasted. Sprinkle the eggs with chopped parsley and black pepper, and serve with the toasted ciabatta.