Free Healthy Recipes

I’ve seen many carnivores look expectantly at this vegetarian version of a meat loaf as it’s far more interesting and delicious. The walnut is one of the most nutritionally rich nuts available and works beautifully in a nut loaf. Someone once told me that foods are good for the body part they resemble. How much truth there is in that is questionable, (some sausages that are good for nothing), but in the case of walnuts with their “brain like” form, there is some justification to believe it. Walnuts contain a high percentage of Omega 3 fat that cannot be made by the body. Amongst other things Omega 3 fatty acids are believed to help improve cognitive function, in other words how your brain works.

Save this one for the weekend after you’ve had a long morning walk. It’s a deviation from the traditional scrambled egg made with milk, or, in some cafes, cream, but in my opinion much nicer. Rich in calcium, abundant nutrients from the eggs, cancer preventing lycopene from the roasted tomatoes, protein, good carbs and good fat, this meal’s got it all. The beauty of it also is, other than the tomatoes, which can be roasted on baking paper to save washing up, it ‘s all made in the one pan.

These easy pots make a delicious light supper dish on a weekend when lunch was the main meal of the day. They are light and nutritious and won’t weight heavily on the stomach before going to bed.

Nine times out of ten, I’ll end up ordering the tuna salad, or if it’s a posh place the salade nicoise. It would seem the nicoise is made with real tuna; otherwise it’s straight from a can. Regardless, I like them both. Tuna is a good source of iron, perfect for non meat eaters and with the egg the whole salad provides almost enough protein for the day.

Adding a few olives, tea oil and nigella seeds makes the humble egg sandwich distinctly more sophisticated. Not that the egg sandwich should ever be humble. The egg has a lot to shout about containing no less than 13 vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

This recipe is an extract from the Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes Handbook, and provides a suitable breakfast meal for those with pre-diabetes, or anyone looking for a delicious low GI start to the day. Peter Howard's pancakes are so versatile - sweet or savoury. And for breakfast, you can make the choice. Avocado slices with pepper and cottage cheese makes a suitable lunch with salad on the side.

It’s hard to imagine how something that looks this good could be healthy too, but it is and it’s well worth the effort to make it. Using spelt flour in the pastry reduces the gluten content of the pastry without effecting the taste.

This recipe is inspired by the famous Balinese dish. Boiling the eggplant whole for 5 minutes softens its skin, reduces the amount of oil required to cook it and the overall cooking time. Fried shallots are available from Asian stores and selected supermarkets.

This is a real favourite and incredibly easy to make. Don't be put off by the filo pastry. The real trick is allow it to reach room temperature and work fast. I use a pastry brush to brush the sheets lightly with oil. Thanks to Costa Georgiadis for passing this recipe of him mother's on.

It's amazing how good a few kaffir lime leaves mixed through fresh papaya tastes. Sprinkle over the top, a little fresh lime juice served on these coconut crumpets and you've made have an exotic dessert with fresh flavours of the East.

These rolls may take a little time to master, but persevere and your efforts will be rewarded when you do get the hang of it. Have fun with this recipe and be creative - tempeh works well as a filling, as does strips of avocado, ginger slices, pickles, salmon, chicken...the list is endless!

Finger food is typically deep fried, surrounded in pastry, or served with everything sitting on, or dipped in, bread. These polenta rounds make a nice change to the standard party fare. They are extremely easy to make and robust enough to hold heavier pieces of food including these little roma tomatoes. They freeze well so make more than you need in case unexpected visitors drop in. The recipe below makes approx 35 mini rounds.

How often do you see a group of women each armed with a spoon, each descending like seagulls onto a single plate of pudding? Women in particular enjoy the taste of something sweet to complete meal, but can’t, or won’t eat a dessert of their own because: 1. They can’t fit it all in, or 2. They’re worried about their weight. Whatever the reason, these juicy strawberries coated in bittersweet chocolate are the perfect solution for a single sweet fix, and complete any evening meal. Share if you like, but it’s unlikely you’ll want to.

Now that it's fashionable to eat whole grains, and other foods our ancestors enjoyed, it's time to make leftovers fashionable. That's not to say we should go down the road of bubble and squeak - where everything is thrown together and fried! These rice balls could have guests fooled into thinking you've been slaving over a hot stove for ours. They are delicious and make an ideal lunch (or make them smaller and serve as finger food at a party).

While making falafel it occurred to me that the word palaver, meaning fuss or bother should be substituted for falafel, coining a new phrase “What a falafel”. But don’t let me put you off! OK so they are a bit of effort compared to a packet mix deep fried feast from the takeaway, but for the improved health properties, and taste, it’s well worth it. In this recipe, the delicious flax seed coating adds numerous health benefits. Flax seeds are a rich source of lignans, helping to protect the body from oestrogen related cancers and regulating hormone levels. A food processor is an absolute must when making these so if you don’t have one already, it’s a great excuse to go shopping.

Spring rolls make the best finger food for drinks party (get plenty of practice making them before you embark on rolls for 50!) Typically, as you can see in this recipe, they’re made combining Asian flavours, but you can think outside the square, especially if you have a gluten allergy. The rice paper fills the role of bread and the filling can be many things you may use in a sandwich – with the salad!

This alternative to traditional oysters natural, Kilpatrick and mornay oysters is pretty and fresh. Oysters are known as an aphrodisiac possibly because they are such a good source of zinc - the mineral responsible in the production of healthy sperm. 6 oysters will give you 59 mg zinc - almost 5 times the recommended daily intake.

Mountain bread is paper thin unleavened bread available from supermarkets and health food stores. It can be used as a quick and healthy alternative to pastry and served as finger food to make a light entrée or pre-dinner canapé.

Since time, the oyster has been considered an aphrodisiac and as such is always on the menu for Valentine’s Day; maybe because it’s such a great source of zinc – the mineral responsible for healthy sperm production.

Gluten intolerant or not - everyone enjoys fresh spring rolls made with rice paper, veggies and vermicelli noodles. Make them the night before for the whole family to enjoy with enough left over for lunch the next day.

These are lovely little naturally sweetened treats to produce for dessert or when the kids get home from school. They’re very easy to make and take next to no time but do need to be eaten straight away otherwise the bread loses its scrunch.

This pate is a variation of “ Smokie pate’. Smokies are a haddock smoked in the small fishing town of Arbroath on the East coast of Scotland. They have an authentic smoked flavour but sadly we can’t get them here in Australia. The pate would typically be made with cream cheese therefore to use some creative license for health and availability, here’s a variation to serve on the classic Scottish oatcake.

Bright colours add to the beauty of this clean and fresh dish that is easily prepared. Low in fat and carbohydrates yet high in protein it's a winner all round.

A good veggie lasagne does take a bit of preparation but it’s not hard to do and the results are well worth the effort. And unlike traditional lasagne made with whole milk and full fat cheese this roast vegetable lasagne is low in saturated fat, with less than 200mg of sodium and with so many veggies and it’s loaded in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants.

Made from beans instead of minced beef this is an economical meal that is low in saturated fat, high in fibre, and loaded in antioxidants.

To find a healthy sweet dessert that tastes great AND is easy to make ticks all the boxes in my opinion. Easy raspberry and yogurt souffles are some of these great dishes. It’s an impressive low GI treat that will satisfy a sweet tooth yet it’s not that high in KJ. It’s very yummy and looks much harder to make than it really is.

This spicy and flavoursome marinade is delicious with a robust textured fish such as blue eye trevalla. The longer you allow it to marinate the better, and if you are feeding a family, don’t be put off by the term spicy – it’s not peppery spicy and will kids love it.

This is an easy way to make meat balls look good and taste great, without frying. Packed with iron, zinc and fibre, these meatballs contain vegetables that are well disguised for the fussy eater. Perfect for small hands, they make great finger food.

Oats are a nutritious complex carbohydrate, that are high in B vitamins, low GI, easy to digest and easy to cook with. Cooked oats make the perfect toddlers breakfast, especially compared to most commercial kids cereals that are packed with sugar and salt. The addition of fruit adds fibre, and together with milk, adds a natural sweetness without the need for sugar. Perfect for hungry little tummies!

Most children love to eat cooked rice. This is a quick and easy, delicious meal the whole family can enjoy. The vegetables in this recipe can be swapped for your toddler’s favourite vegetables too. Packed with loads of nutrients and energy dense, this dish will help keep your toddler happy and satisfied.

This delicious gnocchi is packed with protein, carbohydrate and calcium, which are all important nutrients for active growing toddlers. Fun to eat, this recipe makes eight toddler servings or two adults and two children servings.

Most, if not all toddlers love jelly and it’s a favourite at most kid’s parties. The problem is that most commercial jellies contain too many artificial additives. This Tutti Frutti Yoghurt Jelly is so creamy, delicious and easy, you’ll never want to buy a packet jelly again.

These lentil patties are very tasty and dead easy to make. The lentils are high in protein and together mixed with breadcrumbs, make a complete protein. A good alternative to meat, especially if your toddler is fussy with meat.