Three Ingredient Meal

All you need is three ingredients to make this delicious salad- cooked broccoli, boiled sweet potato and couscous. All cooked and mixed together and you have a delicious meal or side salad. Herbs and spices can be added for flavour but the sweet potato gives it a nice flavour on its own so it is actually nice to eat plain. I love simple, wholesome cooking and this was easy to do and one of my countryside meals. Vegetables are really easy to source at farm shops and from local sellers so it is easy to make these the basis of my main meals. I also like using couscous sometimes instead of rice or pasta as it is a lighter alternative. This is a simple meal with only three ingredients but one which will fill you up, keep you healthy as it is filled with vitamins and nutrients and is quick to prepare. It also make a nice base to add more things to- make it more filling with tofu or add more veggies like sweet corn and peppers to increase the flavour it is a great base for many more options. 

Hummus and Mushrooms on toast

When travelling I like to find the quickest foods to cook. I love cooking exciting recipes but when you are away from home and your usual cooking equipment it can be hard to recreate your favourite meals. This simple recipe has become a firm favourite of mine and something I am planning to have again. I simply fried some mushrooms and added them to hummus on toast. It was absolutely delicious especially with seeded bread. It is the kind of fast food I like because it's still healthy but you can have a meal ready to eat in minutes. This was great in the countryside as it gave me more opportunities to get out walking in the beautiful surroundings. 

A Meal with only 2 Ingredients

When staying away from home I like to keep my cooking simple. I don't have the usual herbs and spices I have at home so making easy and simple meals is important. 

This was one of my favourite countryside dinners as vegetables are so easily available when you are surrounded by farms and it also makes a healthy meal. 

Broccoli is a source of vitamin E and iron and is low in calories and sweet potatoes make tasty chips without the need for loads of additional flavouring. Also using only vegetables for a meal keeps food costs down while still providing a healthy filling meal. 

This is one vegan meal for anyone who doesn't like cooking but still wants nutritious food. It is simple to do, the broccoli only needs boiling and I peeled and chopped the sweet potato then roasted in the oven with a little oil and seasoned with paprika (although seasoning is optional). 

This is definitely one simple recipe. Only two ingredients but loads of vitamins and minerals. 

Scrambled tofu

For a quick and easy meal try scrambled tofu on toast. It's usually thought of as a breakfast meal but it is a great idea any time of day. Quick to make and full of protein this is one idea that you can use when you don't have the time to cook or have had a busy day and want something filling an healthy. 

Start of with a base of red onion and chopped spinach. I use fry light to cook anything that needs frying as it is healthier than using a lot of oil. If you prefer you can use white onions- it is a versatile meal that you can add anything to and adapt to suit your tastes. 

Add broken up pieces of tofu. I use cauldron tofu that is easy to use and easily broken up. Add two spoonfuls of passata sauce and one teaspoon of paprika. Any herbs and spices can be used. These were what I had available, you can make it different every time if you want, creating a different flavour at every meal! 

Add some mushrooms, I used organic mushrooms for the first time and I was impressed with the taste. Where possible try buying organic food you will notice the difference. 

Tofu is really quick to cook. This whole meal can take about 10-15 minutes. Make some toast while you cook the tofu. 

This is a quick easy meal. Have it for breakfast, dinner or tea or a protein filled snack after the gym. It is handy to know this simple recipe as it is a great quick and healthy meal. Who says fast food has to be bad for you? 

Supersized soups

Vegetable soup is the perfect meal for cold, blustery days. It is not only an easy way to eat more vegetables but it is a cheap meal. 

One way to make a simple soup extra special is to make it thicker. This is a good idea for making the meal more filling. By adding pearl barley you can make the soup thicker and add a nice flavour. 

This is a cheap addition to a soup. It gives a vegetable soup a kick and fills you up. It is a good idea if you are making a meal for a lot of people, you can make it filling without needed lots of extra ingredients. 

The simple ingredients of a vegetable soup become even more delicious. You can have a very basic soup of carrots, sweet potato, leek and brown pasta and add pearl barley for flavour.  

The barley makes it filling, adds a nutty taste and easily cooks as you bring the soup to the boil. 

It is also a cheap addition to your food cupboard and great to have in as it can also be used as a rice alternative. This is only 0.55p in Tesco, which is great for anyone on a budget. A small packet will last a while and make a wintry soup even more delicious. 

Try it in your soup recipes and see how it can improve on a classic dish. 

Quick pasta sauce

Using only basic ingredients you can create a quick, tasty and healthy meal. To make a pasta sauce firstly chop some vegetables. Try red onion, boiled potatoes and spinach as the base. 

Fry in a pan and add a teaspoon of paprika, add some passata sauce, enough to cover the ingredients depending on how many people you are cooking for and add a cap full of white wine vinegar for flavour. More can be added if you like a stronger taste or are making a larger portion. 

Mix all the ingredients together. There isn't anything that needs a lot of cooking time so this can be done while waiting for your pasta to cook. (Around 10-15 minutes). 

Add the sauce to wholewheat pasta. Brown pasta is a lot healthier and full of flavour, if you have never tried it give it a go. 

Once all the pasta and sauce is mixed add some chopped cucumber for added flavour. Optionally grate some dairy free cheese on the top. 

Who says a healthy meal has to be expensive and time consuming. This meal can be made in less than 30 minutes. 

Potato salad dinner

Using mainly vegetables you can create a quick and healthy meal. 

For this meal I used boiled new potatoes, mixed with cous cous, sunflower seeds, fried red onion and mushrooms mixed together and served with a spinach and cucumber salad mixed with white wine vinegar. I added some Violife cheese for flavour. 

I like simple meals that are quick and easy to create. This was so easy to make and meant I had a healthy meal in no time. Any one who is on a budget, doesn't have a lot of time to cook or is trying to eat healthier can make something like this. With only a few ingredients you can make a meal in minutes.