Easy Healthy Recipes

Home cooking doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming.  In fact, some of the traditional favourites are incredibly easy healthy recipes and with a variety of fresh, wholesome ingredients.  

For those on a weight loss program, cooking at home is definitely preferable to eating out where you can never be sure of exactly what’s in the food you order.  Sure, restaurant meals usually taste delicious but chefs can be pretty heavy handed when it comes to butter, salt, cream and fat  - all of which lie hidden in that that tempting art on a plate meal in front of you.

Here are some easy, healthy eating recipes from celebrity chef, Ed Halmagyi.    They will make you look like the consummate chef but they won’t hurt your waistline!  

Rainbow trout fillets with miso and cauliflower

Ingredients

• 2 brown onions   
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil  
• ½ head cauliflower
• 4 cloves garlic  
• 5cm piece ginger   
• 2tbsp white miso paste   
• 1L liquid chicken stock   
• 8x90g boneless rainbow trout fillets   
• 2 shallot   
• 2tbsp soy sauce   
• 1 red capsicum (ideally bullshorn)   
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds   
• 1tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Set a 5L saucepan over a high heat.  Peel the onions and slice finely.  
2. Place the onions and vegetable oil into the hot saucepan and stir well.  Peel any leaves off the cauliflower then break into large pieces.   
3. Place the cauliflower pieces in the food processor and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs.  Add to the onions and stir well. Peel the garlic and mince finely.   
4. Slice the ginger into fine batons, then add the garlic and ginger to the saucepan.  Stir in the miso paste.   
5. Pour the stock into the saucepan and add the trout fillets.  Put the lid on.   
6. Slice the shallots finely and set aside.  
7. Stir the fish stew.   
8. Pour in the soy sauce.   
9. Slice the capsicum into very fine strips.   
10. Ladle the fish stew among the warmed bowls, then top with capsicum, shallots, black sesame seeds and sesame oil.

Larb gai: spicy Thai chicken salad

Ingredients

• 2 eschalots   
• 2 cloves garlic   
• 3cm piece ginger   
• 2tbsp peanut oil   
• 1tsp fine salt   
• 600g chicken mince   
• 1 stick lemon grass   
• 4 shallots
• 3 tbsp red curry paste   
• ½ bunch coriander   
• 4 kaffir lime leaves  
• ½ cup coconut cream   
• 2tbsp fish sauce   
• 1 cup bean sprouts   
• ¼ cup peanuts

Method

1.   Set the wok over a high heat.  Peel the eschalots and slice finely.  Place the eschalots in a large mixing bowl.  
2. Peel the garlic and slice finely then place in the large mixing bowl.  Grate the ginger finely into the bowl.
3. Pour the oil and salt into the wok then add the chicken mince.  Stir well to break up. 
4. Cut the green portion of the lemon grass, then slice the white part finely and add to the mixing bowl.
5. Stir the chicken.  Slice the shallots finely and ad to the salad.
6. Spoon the curry paste into the wok and stir well.  Pick the coriander leaves and add to the salad.
7. Slice the lime leaves very finely and mix into the chicken, then pour in the coconut cream and fish sauce. 
8. Mix the bean sprouts into the salad.
9. Chop the peanuts finely. 
10. Adjust the seasoning in the chicken as needed with salt, then combine through the salad.
11. Divide the larb gai among four plates, then top with chopped peanuts.

Shiraz-basted lamb backstrap with chickpeas and spinach

Ingredients

• 250ml shiraz  
• 2 tbsp golden syrup   
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil   
• 4 x 200g lamb backstraps   
• Salt and pepper   
• 400g can chickpeas   
• 1 red onion   
• 1tbsp mustard seed oil   
• 2 bunches English spinach   
• 1 chicken stock cube   
• 100ml sherry   
• 1 tsp unsalted butter 

Method

1. Pour the Shiraz and golden syrup into a 3L saucepan and set over a high heat.  Pour the olive oil into the large frying pan and set over a high heat.  Set the 5L saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Season the lamb backstraps with salt and pepper.  Drain the chickpeas and rinse in a colander under running water.  Peel the onion.
3. Place the backstraps in the hot frying pan.  Finely dice the onion and add to the 5L saucepan with the mustard seed oil.  Stir well. 
4. Stir the onions well.  
5. Once the Shiraz has reduced by three quarters remove from the heat.  Turn the backstraps.
6. Add the chicken to the onions and stir well.  Pick the spinach leaves and rinse in a colander under running water.
7. Add the spinach, stock cube, sherry and butter to the 5L saucepan and season with salt and pepper.  Turn the backstraps.
8. Baste the back straps with the Shiraz mixture and turn.  Baste again.  
9. Turn the back straps and baste again.  Divide the chickpea mixture among serving plates.
10. Carve the back straps and arrange over the chickpeas and spinach.