Quick, healthy meal idea Avocado and Chickpea spread on a Bagel with Couscous and Salad

I love quick and healthy foods it makes evening meals easier especially when you are in a rush. This meal idea combined lots of my favourite foods, I made it when I was home late so didn't want to spend a long time cooking but still wanted something healthy. 

I mashed together an avocado and a tin of chickpeas and added the juice of half a lemon and seasoned this with black pepper and added it to a toasted bagel. I then added chopped tomato and cucumber, fried onion and paired it with wholemeal couscous made with mushrooms and grated carrot. It took less than  30 minutes to prepare and was extremely filling and tasty, I also added tahini as a dressing. Eating healthy is easy and doesn't have to take long to prepare. Plus when you have a meal with many different foods you gain the nutrients from all the different ingredients as well as having array of flavour. I used the New York Co bagels for this meal which are vegan and high in protein making them a great part of a meal or a snack after working out. You also gain protein from the chickpeas and healthy fat from the avocado as well as nutrients from the rest of the vegetables. This meal shows that healthy food can be quick, simple and delicious.  

A Simple way to Eat Healthier

Eating healthy can seem hard sometimes. If you don't know where to start simply adding a salad to each main meal will increase your health. It doesn't have to cost a lot, lettuce and cucumber make a budget friendly healthy salad that can simply be added to your main meal. It is filling, tasty and adds many nutrients to what otherwise would be a plain meal. Give it a go to get healthier. 

Raw Salad

For a quick and healthy lunch a raw salad is convenient and will leave you feeling great. For this easy meal idea follow these simple instructions: 

You will need: 

• Half a courgette 
• 1 carrot 
• Half a cucumber
• Half a red onion
• A handful of lettuce 
• Mixed seeds (eg. sunflower, pumpkin) 
• Organic cider vinegar and mixed herbs 

Simply chop all the ingredients apart from the carrot which should be peeled and grated and mix in with the vinegar and herbs (Around 1tbsp of vinegar and any herbs of your choice) 

This raw meal is so quick and simple, it is the ultimate vegan fast food. Raw food holds more nutrients and fills you up as vegetables hold a higher water content. It is perfect for a hot day or when you are bored of sandwiches. Try adding different vegetables each time and different herbs and spices which will change the flavour. The easiest way to stay healthy is to make your plate as colourful as possible as you know you are getting a range of vitamins and minerals in every meal. 

Scrambled tofu, sweet potato and spiralized courgette salad

Vegan Meal Idea- Scrambled tofu, sweet potato and spiralized courgette salad. This healthy, quick meal is a perfect combination for a tasty evening meal. I love scrambled tofu and believe it is not just a breakfast choice, it is high in protein and contains magnesium and calcium. Try adding red onion and avocado to it for flavour and season with your favourite spices. Sweet potato is a great addition to any meal, it has a naturally sweet flavour meaning it can simply be boiled for around 20 minutes and added to the dish. I have posted a recipe for my raw courgette salad, this makes a great raw lunch and any left overs can be used along side your evening meal. I like meals that are quick to prepare and healthy and it is possible to do both. Try adding different items to any meal to make it healthier and full of nutrients and most importantly filling. Vegans definitely don't just eat rabbit food. 

Spiralized Courgette and Carrot raw salad with avocado dressing

For this raw salad you will need: 

Ingredients for the salad: 

• 1 Courgette (spiralized)
• 2 Carrots (spiralized) 
• 1/2 small Cucumber (spiralized)
• 1/2 Red onion 
• Lettuce chopped (Handful) 
• 2 Celery stalks finely chopped 

Ingredients for the dressing: 

• 1/2 Avocado 
• 2 tsp Organic Cider vinegar
• 100ml water 
• A mixture of spices (Try chilli, basil, paprika, mixed herbs and pepper) 

1. Spiralize the courgette, carrots and cucumber 
2. Chop the celery, red onion and lettuce 
3. Mix all the vegetables in a mixing bowl 
4. Blend the avocado in cider vinegar and water until a smooth paste
5. Add your choice of spices and herbs to the dressing and blend again (Any can be used) 
6. Add the dressing to the vegetables and mix the serve

This is a simple raw salad perfect for lunch on a raw diet or when you are trying to eat healthier. This also makes a great side salad for an evening meal.