Every household cook has a repertoire of recipes designed to feed the hungry masses come 5pm. You know the ones; the crowd pleasers, the dishes that result in clean plates every time.
However many popular family meals could do with a little help on the health front. So how to adjust your tried and tested recipes without anyone noticing? The trick is to start with small swaps. We went in search of the simplest low-cost ways to pack in extra nutrients while removing some of the fat in three common dinner dishes. Whether you introduce elements from our round-up into your own cooking or try the recipes we recommend below, you’ll be making a positive improvement in your family’s diet… and it won’t hurt your waistline either.
Shepherd’s pie: Swap the lamb for lentils midweek
A cold-weather staple in most Irish households, shepherd’s pie often constitutes a hefty helping of potato and rich lamb. Trade the topping for sweet potato and the lamb for beautifully seasoned lentils and vegetables and you’ve got yourself a protein-packed pie that’s packed with nutrients and low in fat.
This tasty recipe by vegetarian chef Ana of The Awesome Green makes six servings and it tastes just as good for lunch the next day.
Lasagne: Ditch Mama’s recipe for a model’s healthy version
It’s the perfect make-ahead dish for a hungry family, but traditional lasagne recipes tend to be loaded with fat and calories. In this delicious recipe, model and foodie Roz Purcell trades minced beef for turkey, pasta sheets for sliced courgette and the bechamel sauce for Greek yogurt and parmesan. The result is a low-carb, low-fat lasagne that’s as tasty as the one mama used to make.
Get the recipe at her blog Natural Born Feeder and watch this space for more on her first cookbook, out next year.
Rice on the side? Make it cauliflower rice
A delicious alternative to one of the most popular side dishes, 100g of cauliflower rice contains just 24 calories, compared to 100g of rice at 355 calories! Serve up the cauliflower version alongside your favourite stir-fries, curries and and stews or use it as a replacement for mashed potato with traditional roasts and midweek meals. A cousin of broccoli, the cruciferous cauliflower contains cancer-killing sulforaphane and choline, a B vitamin known for its role in brain development. Need we say more?
