Dinner for many families is the only opportunity to gather together at the table, to discuss the past day with loved ones. A calm conversation over a tasty healthy dinner brings people together, calms them down, and prepares them for a good rest. But despite the fact that metabolic processes slow down at night, the body’s active work does not stop, even when a person sleeps. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
Nutrients supplied with food replenish the resource necessary for all aspects of the functioning of organs and systems. It is during sleep that soft and bone tissue cells are renewed, hair and nails grow, and thought processes are activated.
The brain switches to a different operating mode, systematizes the information received during the day, and “cleanses” the nervous system. In order to provide the body with everything it needs at night without overloading the gastrointestinal tract, a light, healthy dinner, which makes up no more than 20% of the daily diet, is quite sufficient.
(1) – “In addition to the quantity and quality of food that we eat, when we eat is an important aspect of healthy eating habits. Optimizing meal timing has significant health benefits and shows great promise for lifestyle interventions in the near future“.
What is healthy to eat for dinner to avoid gaining weight?
Skipping from an evening meal in the hope of losing extra pounds most often causes the opposite effect. The body, accustomed to receiving nutrition in the evening, experiences stress and begins to store calories, depositing them on the neck, waist and buttocks. In order for a quick healthy dinner to help your dream of losing weight come true, its menu can be limited to salads of green vegetables and root vegetables, such as beets, celery, carrots;
a small piece of fish with a vegetable side dish;
a large grapefruit;
a couple of ripe bananas;
a glass of homemade yogurt with fruit.
Small portions, thorough chewing of food and the absence of overeating ensure a deep, restful sleep, speed up metabolic processes, and help normalize weight.
#1. Chicken legs in honey-soy sauce with grilled vegetables. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
A well-chosen sauce will be the decoration of any meat dish. We suggest preparing regular chicken drumsticks in honey-soy sauce. The drumsticks in this sauce turn out very juicy and soft. The sauce perfectly sets off the taste of the chicken and gives it originality and sophistication.
Ingredients for 2 servings:
chicken drumsticks 21.16oz
soy sauce 3 tablespoons
honey 2 tablespoons
garlic 2 cloves
salt to taste
zucchini 1 pc.
bell pepper 2 pcs.
olive oil 4 tablespoons
rosemary 1 sprig
lemon juice 1 tablespoon
chili pepper 1 pc.
ginger 1 clove
Instructions:
Cooking time one hour
Cut 1 clove of garlic, chili pepper and ginger into circles. Mix soy sauce and honey, add a little salt. Rub the chicken with garlic, pepper, pour sauce over it. Place the legs in a deep bowl for marinating, it will take only 20 minutes.
Place the chicken legs in a form greased with vegetable oil. Bake in the oven at 356 for 25 minutes for even cooking and an appetizing crust.
Meanwhile, chop the zucchini and pepper coarsely. Salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
Place the marinated vegetables in a form, add rosemary, bake in the oven in the “Grill with fan” mode at a temperature of 392F for 5-7 minutes. Serve chicken legs with vegetables.
#2. Salmon with vegetables. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
A delicious dinner recipe for your family. A great option for making a quick dinner.
Salmon will taste very good even when baked with a minimum set of spices. And if you pre-marinate the red fish with soy sauce and lime juice, the taste will undoubtedly be brighter. The fish is not baked in the marinade, but only kept in it for a long time. The marinade also includes ginger root and garlic, which add a pleasant aroma and piquancy to the finished fish.
Ingredients for 3 servings:
Nutritional value per serving 366 kcal
salmon 28.22oz
carrots 2 pcs.
zucchini 1 pc.
garlic to taste
olive oil 2 tablespoons
red onion 1 pc.
potatoes 2 pcs.
red bell pepper 1 pc.
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Instructions:
Cooking time 45 minutes
Peel the zucchini, cut into circles and place them around the perimeter of the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried garlic. Grease the dish with olive oil beforehand.
Cut the red onion into rings and the red pepper into short slices. Place everything on top of the zucchini. Peel the potatoes and cut them into circles. Place the main part of the potatoes in the center of the dish, place the rest between the zucchini circles.
Peel the carrots and cut into small cubes. Place the carrots on top of the entire dish. Season with salt, pepper and add dried garlic. Place in the oven preheated to 356F for 10 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and place the fish on top of the vegetables. Season with salt, pepper and dried garlic. Sprinkle with lemon (you can put lemon wedges between the fish steaks). Place in the oven for another 30 minutes. Enjoy!
#3. Baked pumpkin salad with chicken. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
Ingredients for 2 servings:
Nutritional value per serving 271 kcal
pumpkin 7.0oz
chicken breasts ½ pcs.
garlic 2 cloves
spinach 1 bunch
olive oil 1 tablespoon
flax seeds 1 tablespoon
apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon
mustard 1 teaspoon
salt to taste
lemons ½ pcs.
Instructions:
Cooking time 40 minutes
Rub the chicken with salt, pepper and one clove of garlic. Wrap in foil and bake in the oven at 356F for about 25 minutes. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar. Wrap in foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Mix mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add olive oil. In a salad bowl, put torn spinach leaves, baked pumpkin and chopped chicken. Dress the salad with sauce. Sprinkle with flax seeds. A hearty and healthy salad is ready!
#4. Salad with squid and shrimps .Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
For a salad with squid and shrimp, the dressing base can be mayonnaise with aquafaba or homemade cashew sauce.
Ingredients for 2 servings:
Nutritional value per serving 273 kcal
For the salad
lettuce ½ head
cherry tomatoes 10 pcs.
squid fillet 2 pcs.
shrimp 5.29oz
white crackers 3.53oz
olive oil 1 tablespoon
salt to taste
spices to taste
For the sauce
mayonnaise 2 tablespoons
capers 1 teaspoon
garlic 1 clove
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Instructions:
Cooking time 20 minutes
Prepare the sauce: mix mayonnaise with chopped capers and crushed garlic, add salt and pepper. If you don’t have capers, you can chop some pickled cucumbers into the sauce. Wash and dry the lettuce. You can use Romaine, iceberg or regular lettuce for the salad. Cut the squid fillet into small rings and pat dry with a towel.
Peel the shrimp. Grease a grill pan with olive oil and heat it well. Put the squid and shrimp in and fry for 1–2 minutes, sprinkle with salt and spices. Put the lettuce leaves, cherry tomato halves, squid, and white bread croutons in a bowl. Enjoy!
#5. Vegan spinach quiche. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
Make this Vegan Spinach Quiche, it’s so delicious! Shortcrust pastry crust and creamy cheesy spinach filling. This plant-based quiche is high in protein, light and perfect for a make-ahead meal.
Ingredients:
Nutritional value per serving 306 kcal
Quiche crust 1
Silken tofu 14.2oz
Cornstarch 2 tablespoons
Nutritional yeast 5 tablespoons
Salt ½ tsp
White onion, diced 1
Green onion 2 tablespoons
Garlic 1 clove, minced
Baby spinach, chopped 10.58oz
Instructions:
Cooking time 55 minutes
Preheat oven to 356F. Pre-bake pie crust for 10 minutes.
In a large skillet, begin to sauté white and green onions over medium heat with olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. When vegetables are browned, add garlic and cook for another minute, but not longer than that, to avoid burning.
Add spinach, stir, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a blender, combine tofu, cornstarch, nutritional yeast and salt.
Remove the blender from the base and add the spinach and onion mixture. Mix using a long spoon (not the blender!). Then spoon the creamy spinach mixture into the pre-baked crust. Make sure the filling is well distributed.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Then let the quiche sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing and eating.
Notes
Be sure to let the quiche sit for at least 20 minutes before slicing to serve, it needs to set first!
You can add sautéed mushrooms, kale, leeks or red peppers to this recipe. If you add more vegetables, use less spinach to maintain the same texture, and sauté it first to remove excess water.
You can add some raw potatoes to the creamy mixture, as long as you peel and dice them into small cubes first (so they have time to cook thoroughly).
Proper nutrition for dinner. Healthy recipes and balanced meal ideas.
You need to approach a proper dinner correctly, think through and make a menu.
Sample menu:
Monday: oven-baked fish (5.29oz) + cauliflower or broccoli salad dressed with olive oil (3.53oz) + multigrain bread (3.53oz)
Tuesday: chicken fillet (3.53oz) + vegetables (5.29oz) + wholegrain bread (3.53oz)
Wednesday: seafood (5.29oz) + vegetables (7.0oz) + wholegrain bread (3.53oz)
Thursday: steamed or stewed vegetables (5.29oz) + boiled poultry (5.29oz) + wholegrain bread (3.53oz)
Friday: omelette (5.29oz) + chicken salad with avocado and egg(5.29oz) + wholegrain bread (3.53oz)
Saturday: cottage cheese casserole (5.29oz) + fruit (3.53oz)
(1) – US National Library of Medicine; When to Eat: The Importance of Eating Patterns in Health and Disease; Emily N C Manoogian, Amandine Chaix, Satchidananda Panda; 2019 Dec 8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7213043/
Elena runs a private practice as a nutrition coach in the USA and many countries around the world. https://elenasunshinemagazine.com/services/
I offer:
Evaluate current meal plans and give general recommendations.
Individual consultations.
Making individual meal plans.
Recommend gradual dietary changes and consistent dietary practice.
Discuss the importance of balanced macronutrient intake.
To offer recommendations on eating behavior.
Promote the calorie recommendations set out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MyPlate, the Eatwell Guide in the United Kingdom, or other acceptable organizations.
