This article originally appeared in our new print magazine Healthy You, written by Allie Gaunt and Jessica Beaton.
Family mealtimes are the perfect opportunity to enjoy good food and encourage social interaction as a family, as well as provide good nutrition for your child’s growth, health and wellbeing. While most of us know that family mealtimes are important and we strive for healthy food to be placed on the table every night, our busy lives, picky eaters and the temptation from food companies means that the nightly meal unfortunately often becomes fast food – and not always of the good variety.
Dinner for the family doesn't have to be delivered in a brown paper bag every night. Regardless of your circumstances, there are many healthy, quick and cheap dinner ideas you can use to make your family's dinner special.
We believe that fresh and healthy food can be made fast. It is far quicker to make your own delicious pesto to stir through pasta than it is to mix a powdered pasta sauce. Our collection of recipes has been divided into 10, 15, 20 and 30 minute meals, which is less time than it takes to defrost a frozen meal lacking in nutrients or ordering and waiting for an expensive and unsatisfying pizza.
Five tips to cooking fast dinners on busy nights
1. Meal plan at the start of every week
Meal planning and buying or organising a home shop will ensure you have all the ingredients on hand and helps to avoid the expensive top-up shops or desperate grab for unhealthy fast food.
2. Record your recipes in a safe place
Keep a folder of healthy, fast recipes on hand. A good supply of tried and tested recipes will mean you always have a ‘go-to’ meal in a hurry.
3. Use the right appliances
Utilise handy kitchen appliances such as the Thermomix, slow cooker or pressure cooker. These appliances can literally cook food for you, which is particularly handy when you are racing around with the kids or helping with homework.
4. Frozen leftovers are your friends
Try and get into the habit of cooking extra food that can be frozen. Make extra risotto, a second lasagne or double your pie filling so you can keep healthy frozen meals on hand.
5. Prep your meals early
If possible, try and start dinner during the day. Chopped vegetables, weighed ingredients and mixed sauces can be prepped and placed in the fridge. This will save you a whole lot of time right when you need it in the chaos hour before dinner.
Grilled Prawn and Cucumber Skewers
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Yields: 8–10 skewers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ready in: 10 minutes
2 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp maple syrup 1 lime, juiced 500g peeled green prawns 1 large cucumber, cut into quarter rounds white sesame seeds to garnish
1. Soak your skewers in water for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup and lime juice. Add the prawns and mix to combine.
3. Thread the prawns and cucumber onto the skewers.
4. Heat the BBQ or a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the skewers in batches for about 2 minutes either side or until cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.
Storage: Prawn skewers are best eaten fresh.
Fussy Eating Tip
Serving food on skewers is a fun and non-threatening way for children to interact with a new food without actually having to touch it. It can reduce their anxiety around the new food, therefore helping them to become familiar with it and eventually accept it.
Roast Capsicum Pesto Pasta
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 15 minutes
400g penne or spiral pasta
2 red capsicums, quartered and deseeded
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp grated parmesan
¼ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tbsp chopped basil or parsley
1. Cook pasta according to packet instructions, or until al dente. Drain and keep warm.
2. While the pasta is cooking. Preheat the grill to high. Place the capsicums cut side down under the grill for 5–7 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling wrap and set aside for 5 minutes, then peel the blackened skin from the capsicum.
3. Place the capsicum in a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients and process until almost smooth.
4. Enjoy as a dip, a pasta sauce or use as a spread on sandwiches or pizza bases.
Storage: Store the pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze in ice cube trays for convenient individual portions.
Fussy Eating Tip
If your kids love traditional basil pesto, try making varieties with different herbs or vegetables such as red capsicums. It’s a familiar way to introduce new foods or encourage acceptance of foods they may be fussy with.
Tofu and Vegetable Udon Noodle Soup
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Serves: 2 adults, 2 toddlers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 15 minutes
2 x 90g portions dried udon noodles
750ml reduced-salt vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup water
1 tbsp mirin
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
½ carrot, sliced into matchsticks
¾ cup sliced Swiss brown mushrooms
1 cup snow peas, diagonally sliced
200g medium firm tofu, cubed
3 spring onions, sliced
1. Cook the udon noodles according to packet instructions.
2. While the noodles are cooking, place stock, water, mirin and soy sauce in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the carrot and mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the snow peas, simmer for a further 2 minutes then stir through the tofu.
3. Divide the noodles between serving bowls, ladle in the soup and top with spring onions.
Storage: Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for 1–2 days.
Nutrition Note
Convert your family to this delicious and clean tasting udon noodle soup. Packed with veggies and ready in minutes, this is infinitely more nutritious than ‘2 minute’- style store-bought noodles.
Falafel Wraps with Avocado and Tomato Salsa
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Yields: 8 large or 16 small falafel
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 15 minutes
1 x 400g tin of 4-bean mix
1 x 400g tin chickpeas
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp allspice
1 tbsp plain flour
½ cup chopped coriander, plus extra to serve
salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mixed tomatoes, finely diced
1 avocado, diced
1 lime, juiced
8 small wholemeal tortillas to serve
1 cup grated cheese to serve
1. Drain and rinse the beans and chickpeas. Place them into a food processor along with the lemon zest, allspice, flour, coriander and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Use your hands to shape 8 large or 16 small patties.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the patties, cook for a few minutes until golden then turn and cook until brown and crisp.
3. To make the salsa, combine the diced tomato, avocado and lime juice and toss together.
4. Heat the tortillas in the microwave or oven according to the directions on the pack.
5. To assemble, top the warm tortilla with one large falafel and a spoonful of salsa, sprinkle over some grated cheese and coriander if desired. Babies and toddlers may like to eat small falafel patties on their own or with cheese melted over them.
Storage: Store leftover falafel in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze in a freezer-proof container for up to 1 month.
Chicken and Mango Burgers
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Servings: 4 burgers or 8 small patties
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes
500g free-range chicken mince
¼ cup Greek yoghurt or cream cheese
1 cup diced fresh mango
⅓ cup chopped coriander
⅓ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp allspice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
¼ cup quinoa flakes or breadcrumbs
1 tbsp rice bran oil
4 multigrain burger rolls
Optional toppings: grated cheese, baby spinach, mango slices, mayonnaise.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the chicken mince in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, mango, coriander, red onion, allspice, garlic, and lime zest and stir until well combined.
3. Pour the yoghurt mix and breadcrumbs onto the chicken and use your hands to mix until well combined. Form the mixture into four large patties, or if preparing for toddlers you can shape instead into 8–10 smaller patties for finger food.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, turn and repeat on the other side.
5. Place the patties on the baking tray and pop in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.
6. Prepare your burgers with optional toppings. Place one patty on each burger to serve.
Tip: Coriander is a strong flavour. Reduce the amount or only use to garnish if you aren’t sure your kids will accept it.
Tip: These patties are quite a ‘wet’ mixture, so add more quinoa flakes or breadcrumbs if required and be gentle when turning them in the frying pan.
Storage: Wrap the cooked patties individually and store in freezer-proof bags in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Fussy Eating Tip
Adding fruit to meat dishes can encourage acceptance from kids who are fussy with meat, have a preference for sweet foods or who just simply love their fruit.
Chicken and Mushroom Risoni
Photo by Sarah Buckle
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes
2 tbsp olive oil
1–2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
200g Swiss brown mushrooms
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
250g chicken breast, thinly sliced
1½ cups risoni
2½ cups reduced-salt chicken stock
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2–3 tbsps natural or Greek yoghurt (optional)
1. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy based saucepan and heat over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5–10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.
3. Add the chicken, risoni and stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes or until the risoni is just cooked. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and parsley and stir to combine.
4. For a creamier pasta stir through the yoghurt and serve.
Storage: Leftover risoni can be stored in the fridge for 1–2 days.
Fussy Eating Tip
Ask your children to pick out the best mushrooms, count them, wash them and chop them. This will help them become familiar with mushrooms and interact with them away from the table, making them more likely to try them when it comes to eating them.