Healthy Summer Recipes

I've been asked to come up with a couple of healthy recipes for the Most Wanted Summer Shape Up, Save Up project, which are under 500 calories and £5 per portion.  I try and cook healthy meals whenever I can to compensate for all the cakes and sweet stuff that is usually knocking around the kitchen. It's not always easy to cook healthily when you're in a hurry though, and it's usually quicker to throw something unhealthy in the oven for tea.

Tasty salads and meals don't have to take ages to make and these took under 30 minutes to prepare. The salad is around 320 calories and under £2.50 per portion and the chicken pitta around 400 calories and under £2.00 per portion

Grilled Halloumi and Aubergine Salad - serves 2

1 Aubergine, sliced
125g Halloumi, sliced into 6 pieces
2 tbsp Olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 small green chilli, finely sliced
6 fresh mint leaves, ripped
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
black pepper

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

handful of fresh coriander
35g Rocket

• Use your finger to rub a small amount of olive oil onto both sides of the aubergine and halloumi slices
• Heat a griddle pan and cook the halloumi and aubergine in batches for approx 2-4 minutes each side for the aubergine and 2 minutes each side for the halloumi
• Mix the remaining olive oil with the lemon juice, chilli, mint leaves, white wine vinegar and black pepper
• Cut the grilled aubergine & halloumi into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl with the tomatoes 
• Toss in the dressing to coat everything fully
• Add the coriander and rocket to the bowl and toss quickly
• Serve immediately

Pesto Chicken Pitta - serves 4

4 skinless & boneless chicken breasts

60g sundried tomato Pesto

1/2 small white cabbage

1 carrot, peeled

1 small red onion, peeled

100g Low fat natural Greek yoghurt

10 mint leaves

grated zest of 1/2 large lemon

4 pitta breads
Lemon wedges for serving

• Rub the pesto onto both sides of the chicken 
• Grill, griddle or barbecue the chicken for around 5-8 minutes each side, depending on how thick the breasts are, checking that they are cooked right through
• Meanwhile finely slice the cabbage, carrot and onion
• Chop the mint leaves and mix with the yoghurt and lemon zest
• Once the chicken is cooked slice it into thick slices
• Toast the pitta breads and slice open
• Fill the pittas with salad and top with slices of chicken and yoghurt
• Serve with lemon wedges

Summer healthy eating tips

• Drink plenty of water
• Have lots of fresh fruit and vegetables ready prepared in your fridge for snacking on
• Make fun fruit kebabs with children to get them eating more fruit
• BBQ your meat for a tasty result without using cooking oils
• Bulk out your sandwich with lots of fresh salad
• Frozen fruit is great to stock up on for chilled fruit smoothies
• Use Greek yoghurt in salad dressings and dips instead of mayonnaise - even the low fat version is creamy

I was compensated for the cost of ingredients