4 scrumptious meals you need to try

Published on: 4 September 2023. Are you tired of the same recipes on rotation? Get into the mood for food with these fresh, easy meals from Mindful Chef. Whether you’re feeding the family or it’s just for you, these four healthy meals are bound to tickle every tastebud. The time for summer salads and outdoor barbeques may be drawing to a close, but there's still plenty to get excited about. With super greens and sensational salads perfect for any season. Juggling everyday life can get in the way of finding, not just the time, but inspiration to cook up a mid-week storm. Food box group and Vitality partner, Mindful Chef, aims to make healthy eating easy by reducing the mental workload of making delicious, nutritious meals. “You don’t want to be spending too long in the supermarket and you don’t want to be spending too much of your time, meal planning or cooking, and I think Mindful Chef solves all three of those problems,” the group tells Vitality. Not only does it reduce the dreaded weekly supermarket visit, “the kids can get involved on the cooking side as well.” And with the flexibility of switching up your subscriptions, it is perfect for couples and individuals that are always on the go. And with a range of recipes to choose from, with gluten-free, dairy-free, keto recipes – you name it, there’s something to suit all needs. Now, back to the recipes... it’s time to plate up and dig in!

Harissa Squash with Quinoa & Rocket Salad – serves 4

Cooking time: 45 minutes Ingredients: 2 small butternut squash 2 lime 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 handful of fresh mint 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley 160g quinoa 80g rocket 240g tenderstem broccoli 80g almond yoghurt (Nuts) 4 tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp sweet harissa paste 1 tsp cumin ground 2 tsp sumac [embed]https://magazine.vitality.co.uk/cheap-eats-how-to-stay-healthy-on-a-budget/[/embed] Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9. Halve the squash lengthways and remove the seeds (save the seeds for later). Cut a criss-cross pattern into the flesh. Place on a lined baking tray, cut side up, then coat with the harissa, half the maple syrup, 1 tbsp oil a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 35-45 mins, until soft. Add the seeds to the tray for the final 10 mins, and roast until golden and crisp.
2. Bring a large saucepan filled with salted hot water to a boil. Add the quinoa and boil for 13-14 mins, until cooked, then drain. Return to the pan and set aside.
3. Place the broccoli in an ovenproof dish and toss with the cumin, garlic paste, 1 tbsp oil, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Halfway through roasting the squash, place the broccoli into the oven. Roast for 10-15 mins, until golden and cooked through.
4. Halve the limes. In a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, juice from 1 lime and a pinch of sea salt. Roughly chop the mint leaves and parsley.
5. Once toasted; roughly chop the squash seeds and mix with half the sumac and a pinch of sea salt. Stir the herbs, roasted broccoli, rocket, remaining maple syrup, a squeeze of lime juice and 1 tbsp olive oil through the cooked quinoa and season to taste.
6. Serve the squash on a bed of quinoa salad. Sprinkle over the remaining sumac seeds and drizzle with the lime yoghurt. Garnish with the remaining lime, cut into wedges.

Find more about this recipe on Mindful Chef.

Cambodian-style King Prawn & Black Rice Salad – serves 2

Cooking time: 25 mins Ingredients: 20g cashew nuts (nuts) 1 lime 1 mango 1 handful of fresh mint 1 spring onion 1 red pepper 100g black rice 1 tbsp sesame oil (sesame) 2 tbsp tamari (soya) 200g raw peeled king prawns (crustaceans, fish) 2 tsp chilli paste 4 tsp ginger and garlic paste Method:

1. Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 30-35 mins, until cooked. Drain, then rinse under cold water. Return to the pan and set aside.
2. Place the prawns in a bowl and marinate with the ginger and garlic paste and a pinch of sea salt. Finely slice the spring onion. Dice the mango into 1cm cubes. Thinly slice the pepper.
3. Make the dressing: pick the mint leaves from the stalks and roughly chop. Zest half the lime. Place both in a small bowl and mix with the sesame oil, tamari, juice from the lime, chilli paste and a pinch of sea salt.
4. Roughly chop the cashews. Heat a large frying pan with 1/2 tbsp oil on high heat. Add the cashews and toast for 2-3 mins, tossing regularly, until golden brown. Season with sea salt then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
5. Keeping the pan on high heat, add 1/2 tbsp oil and the prawns. Cook for 3-5 mins, until pink and cooked through. Meanwhile, add the mango, pepper and dressing to the saucepan with the cooked rice. Stir the prawns and any cooking juices through the rice salad. Toss to combine.
6. Serve the salad on plates and top with the toasted cashews and spring onion.

Visit Mindful Chef here for more on this recipe.

More articles on Vitality Magazine: 

• 4 ways to get more from your plan this summer
• 6 hacks for a more sustainable, waste-free kitchen
• 5 ways to adopt a healthy habit and stick to it

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Boats – serves 4

Cooking time: 30 mins Ingredients: 2 avocados 1 handful of fresh coriander 600g diced free-range British chicken breast 3 garlic cloves 1 romaine lettuce 1 lime 1 tbsp Mindful Chef Mexican spice mix 2 spring onion 1 tbsp smoked paprika 2 red peppers 2 sweet potatoes 220g baby plum tomatoes Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C / fan 200C / gas mark 7. Leaving the skins on, cut the potatoes into fries. Place in a bowl with 1 tbsp oil, half the paprika, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Transfer to a lined tray and roast for 25-30 mins, until golden and cooked through.
2. Finely chop the garlic. Slice the peppers into 2cm strips. Heat a large frying pan with 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat. Season the chicken with sea salt and black pepper and add to the pan along with the peppers. Cook for 5 mins, then add the garlic, Mexican spice and remaining paprika. Cook for a further 3-5 mins, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Add a splash of water if it seems too dry. Check your chicken is cooked through by cutting a large piece in half; the flesh should be white and the juices running clear.
3. Meanwhile, trim the lettuce, separate the leaves and then cut each leaf in half widthways. Roughly chop the coriander. Thinly slice the spring onions. Halve, destone and peel the avocados, then dice. Halve the tomatoes. Halve the lime.
4. Make the salsa: add the avocado, tomatoes, lime juice (to taste), half the spring onions and half the coriander to a bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix together.
5. Serve the romaine lettuce boats topped with the chicken fajita mix. Garnish with the remaining spring onions and coriander and serve with the sweet potato fries and avocado salsa.

Explore this recipe on Mindful Chef.

Mediterranean Black Lentils Salad with Avocado – serves 2

Cooking time: 15 mins Ingredients: 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 avocado 30g pitted black olives 1 red onion 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 roasted yellow pepper 40g rocket 180g tenderstem broccoli 240g black beluga lentils (drained) 110g seasonal mixed tomatoes 40g sundried tomatoes Method:

1. Finely dice the onion. Heat a medium frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Drain and rinse the lentils. Thinly slice the pepper. Halve the olives and the plum tomatoes. Roughly chop the sundried tomatoes. Add all to the onion pan and cook for 5 mins. Season to taste.
3. Trim the broccoli. Heat a griddle pan or medium frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 3-5 mins, turning occasionally, until softened and golden.
4. Thinly slice the avocado. Make the dressing; mix the vinegar, 1/2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of seasoning in a small bowl. Finely chop the parsley and stir through the lentils.
5. Serve the rocket topped with lentils, avocado and broccoli. Drizzle over the dressing.

Find this recipe on Mindful Chef here.

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Want to add some flavour into your diet? 

At Vitality, we’re all about encouraging our members to make small positive lifestyle choices that can make a big impact to their lives. Vitality members have seen a positive impact on their diet in the first year of engaging with the Vitality Programme, with 95% continuing to improve*. As a Vitality member, you can receive either a £5 or £10 weekly Mindful Chef discount by getting active. You must have a qualifying health insurance or life insurance plan. Terms and conditions apply.  Sign up to Mindful Chef here or visit vitality.co.uk to find out more.

*Vitality data 2023