Easy Healthy Recipes

Being healthy is one bandwagon that many of us have joined, and a very good one at that. However, not many healthy meals are easy to come by and most times we find ourselves falling into unhealthy habits.

And in our fast-paced life, we don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen. But we are here to change all that. Here is a start with healthy easy-to-prepare recipes, courtesy of Chef Noel Cunningham:

Salmon with garlic and thyme brown butter sauce with carrot and sweet potato mash

Category: Seafood

Cooking time: 8 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)

2tbs olive oil

3tbs butter

1tbs paprika

1tbs salt

1tbs black pepper

2 sprig fresh thyme

2tbs minced garlic

Direction:

1. Rinse and pat dry salmon, season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.

2. Heat saute pan on medium-high and add olive, butter and a sprig of thyme to the heated pan.

3. Place salmon into the hot pan with garlic (skin side down) and don't touch for two to three minutes or until brown.

4. Flip salmon carefully with a thin spatula, base with garlic and thyme butter and cook until brown on bottom.

5. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish and into the pan. Remove fish and plate the dish garnished with thin lemon slice and fresh sprig of thyme.

Carrot and sweet potato mash

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots

1 large sweet potato

2tbs unsalted butter

A grating of nutmeg

1tsp sea salt

black pepper

Direction:

1. Peel the carrots and sweet potatoes and roughly chop into large chunks. Leave the butter to soften at room temperature.

2. Put the vegetables into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes or until they are soft when pricked with a fork.

3. Drain and mash the carrots and sweet potatoes. Add the butter and mix thoroughly; season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

Pimento crusted pan-seared chicken thigh with coconut and quinoa bean salad

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa, rinsed

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained or cooked

1 medium onion, chopped

2tbs minced garlic

1 sprig thyme

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbs butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat except the quinoa and kidney bean. Bring to a boil then stir in the quinoa. Leave to cook for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Put quinoa to cool. Then fold in kidney bean and serve.

Chicken thigh method

Ingredients:

6 deboned chicken thighs (about 21/4 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs pimento (grounded)

1/3 cup olive oil

Direction:

1. Wash and remove excess fat from chicken thigh.

2. Marinate chicken thighs with salt, pepper and pimento then put aside. (This can be done overnight).

3. Preheat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat then place chicken thighs in pan and allow to cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side on medium flame.

4. Remove the chicken from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon and set it on a plate. Allow 3 to 5 minutes before serving to allow time for the juices to settle.

Tips

Serve the chicken thighs over a bed of quinoa.

If you're looking to cut out unnecessary fat, use cooking spray instead of oil or butter.

Marinated turkey roulade with spinach and cranberry

Makes four servings

Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole turkey breast

4 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

1/2 cup cranberries

1 small chopped onion

1 carrot

2 stalk celery

1tsp chopped thyme

1/2tsp black pepper

2tbs olive oil

2tbs butter (for basting)

1tsp paprika

1tsp salt

1/4tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup water and dried cranberries to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and let stand until soft - about 10 minutes. Drain reserving soaking liquid.

2. Chop cranberries, then sautÈ chopped cranberries, salt, pepper, spinach and onion together until tender then put aside to stuff your turkey.

4. Rinse turkey breast and pat dry, Make a pocket by cutting lengthwise along one side almost to, but not through, the opposite side;

5. In a small bowl, combine oil, paprika, salt, thyme and cayenne. Pour over turkey breast evenly, and inside the pocket of the turkey.

6. Spoon spinach mixture into pockets. Tie with butcher's twine or plastic wrap around each breast to hold in stuffing. Leave to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes or overnight

7. Preheat oven to 3758F.

8. In a medium skillet, add two tablespoons butter and sear turkey breast on each side until golden then place in a shallow roasting pan on a bed of chopped celery, onion and carrots. Roast for about 20 minutes or until turkey reaches 1708F. Remove strings from turkey. Cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with gravy.

Chipotle barbecue shrimp with wild and brown rice pilaf

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice

1/2 cup wild rice

2 cups water

1/4 cup butter (divided in 3)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 spoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup

Barbecue sauce

2 tbs minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined

Directions:

1. To a small saucepan of boiling water add the wild rice, then remove the pan from the heat, and let the rice soak for 30 minutes.

2. Place brown rice, 1 teaspoon salted butter and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Then combine both rice together.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, barbecue sauce and salt.

4. Marinate shrimp with salt and pepper then put aside. In a heated frying pan saute shrimp until opaque then add chipotle barbecue sauce.

5. Mix in the shrimp and serve with cooked rice.

Website: www.chefnoelcunningham.com

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