Are you looking for some quick, home-cooked dinners that support your goals and work great as meal prep? These recipes are nutritious and high in protein, making them ideal for gym-goers.
You can adjust any ingredients or portion sizes to better suit your needs and requirements. All of the oven cooking times can be reduced if you’re using an air fryer, to make this even simpler.
Beef and broccoli noodles
Using pre-cooked noodles saves loads of time and reduces the number of pans you need, making this quick and delicious meal even more tempting.
Time: 20 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1/2tbsp vegetable oil
200g beef
1 onion
1 chilli
1 garlic clove
100g tenderstem broccoli
1 packet pre-cooked wok-ready noodles
Sauce
2tbsp hoisin sauce
1tbsp Chinese rice wine
1tbsp ginger paste
1/5tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp cornflour
To serve (optional)
Sesame seeds
Method
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan
- Peel and chop the onion into slices and beef into bite-sized chunks
- Add the onion and beef to the hot pan
- Chop the garlic and chilli
- Chop the tenderstem broccoli into bite-sized lengths
- Once the beef and onions are cooked, add the garlic, chilli and broccoli to the pan and cook until fragrant
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together, add to the pan along with the pre-cooked noodles and cook for 2-3 mins
- Serve topped with sesame seeds
Chicken & squash satay curry
Healthy spin on a classic satay curry. If you prefer to use light coconut milk, go for it either by buying some, or using half the amount of full-fat and topping up the rest of the liquid volume with water. You can also freeze leftover coconut milk in ice cube trays for future use.
Time: 45 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
200g chicken breast fillets
25g onion
75g red pepper
50g mushroom
100g butternut squash
¼ tbsp toasted sesame oil
100 ml coconut milk
½ tsp cumin
5g ginger
2 garlic cloves
5g very lazy chopped red chillies
5g korma curry powder
10g PB2 peanut butter powder – natural
To serve (optional)
120g rice (dry weight)
Fresh coriander
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180c
- Bake the chicken breast in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through then shred and set aside
- Cut the squash into slices and place on a microwave-safe plate
- Place the squash in the microwave and cook for 5 mins, or until tender
- Dice the onion, pepper and mushrooms
- Fry the onions, peppers, and mushrooms in sesame oil then add the squash and chicken
- In a blender mix the coconut milk, garlic, cumin, chilli, curry powder, PB2 powder to make the sauce
- Add the sauce to the pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes
- Serve with rice and coriander
Herby mushrooms, greens and eggs
Quick and easy meal for when you want to eat freshly cooked food but don’t have the time to prepare something extravagant. This can be cooked in advance and saved for later but we do think this is best eaten fresh.
Time: 15 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 tbsp butter/olive oil/coconut oil
1 spring onion/onion powder
1 clove garlic/garlic powder
2 sprigs of thyme/dried thyme
100g mushrooms
50g frozen peas
Handful spinach
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
To serve (optional)
Fresh coriander
Method
- Slice the spring onion and mushrooms and crush the garlic
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spring onion, garlic and leaves from the thyme and sauté for a few minutes on a medium heat until soft
- Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 mins
- Add in the spinach and stir until slightly wilted
- Make two ‘wells’ in the pan and crack in the eggs. Cook until the whites are solid
- Putting a lid on the pan can speed this up, make sure you use medium heat otherwise the bottom will burn
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper
- Serve topped with fresh coriander
Black bean soup
Beans might not be your first thought when it comes to soup, but they are so full of fibre and protein that this silky smooth soup is guaranteed to keep you full and satisfied for the rest of the day.
Time: 60 mins
serves: 2 to 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 red chilli (remove seeds for less heat)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
2 400g cans black beans
2 tsp thyme
1 stock cube
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve (optional)
Lime juice
Avocado
Handful of coriander
Method
- Finely dice the onion, red pepper and chilli
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Add diced vegetables and lightly sauté for 5 minutes
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano and mix well
- Drain and rinse the black beans well and add to the pan
- Add the thyme and stock cube before adding water until the beans are just covered
- Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes
- Take the pan off the heat and blend thoroughly with an immersion blender
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Ladle into bowls and top with avocado, coriander and a squeeze of lime juice
Prawn and chorizo skewers with sweet chilli glaze
Skewers aren’t just for the one BBQ a year you get to enjoy without being interrupted by the rain. They make a fun, easy and really healthy meal at any time. Just cook them up on a frying pan or under the grill. If you’re using wooden sticks remember to soak them in water beforehand, and to be honest you don’t have to put them on a stick if you don’t feel like it.
Time: 10 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
150g raw king prawns
40g cooking chorizo
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 courgette
1/2 red onion
40g sweet chilli sauce
Method
- Slice the chorizo and courgette
- Halve the cherry tomatoes
- Chop the onion into 8 wedges
- Heat a frying pan or grill to medium
- Thread all the ingredients into the skewers and brush with the sweet chilli sauce
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the prawns are pink and cooked through
- Drizzle with the remaining sweet chilli sauce
