As a dad of four, Joe Wicks knows first hand the challenges of finding time to plan and cook healthy meals for the whole family that please the kids and don’t break the bank.
On a mission to make the back-to-school season a little simpler, The Body Coach has come up with 10 recipes that be whipped up in just 20 minutes and all serve a family of four to six with minimal hassle during busy weeknights.
The delicious recipes are packed with goodness and perfect for the whole family, with well-loved flavours and hearty, classic dishes incorporating nutritious twists, including the simmer and stir sausage stew, herby tomato cottage pie and slow cooker chicken curry.
“I want to help everyone, no matter their budget, put better food on their tables,” says Wicks. “This recipe series focuses on quick and healthy family food. I want to help people understand the connection between good food and good mood.
Simmer and stir bolognese
Family favourite bolognese gets a one-pan, faff-free twist for easy midweek success.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
½ tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 low-salt beef stock cube
500g pack reduced fat beef mince (12 per cent fat or less)
1 onion, grated
1 large carrot, grated (approx 200g)
500g pack passata
500g orzo
Method: 1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the mince for 5-6 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until golden all over. Season well and remove with a slotted spoon.
2. Add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook for another 2–3 mins until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic (if using) and herbs and cook for another minute.
3. Add the passata, stock cube and 750ml of just-boiled water before stirring in the orzo pasta and mince. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10-12 mins, adding 250ml more water and stirring halfway through until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve.
Cook’s tip: Kids love customising! Try serving with a bowl of grated hard cheese or cheddar for sprinkling on top and chopped parsley, if you like.
Leftover tip: This tastes great for lunch the next day. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge and loosen with a splash of water once reheated.
Smoky chicken fajita pittas
Classic fajitas get a pitta pocket makeover with an easy homemade fajita spice mix.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
½ tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
400g pack chicken drumstick fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ x 500g carton passata
2 mixed peppers, sliced
White pitta breads (6 pack), toasted
130g bag shredded iceberg lettuce
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for 5 minutes. Stir in the spices, onion, tomato passata and peppers, cover and cook for another 5 minutes until the peppers are soft and the chicken is saucy and cooked through.
2. Split the pittas and stuff with some shredded iceberg lettuce followed by the chicken and pepper mixture and serve.
Cook’s tip: Use your favourite protein here – lean pork or steak would work well too, and you could add a small can of sweetcorn for a kid-friendly veg boost. You can toast the pittas too, if you like.
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will taste delicious topping a jacket potato, or served with fluffy rice or salad.
Sausage stew
Sausages are pan-fried before sliced onion is added with flour, stock and mustard to create an easy onion gravy. Tinned potatoes just need to be warmed through to create a hearty classic in an instant.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp plain flour
600ml low-salt beef stock, made with 1 cube
Grainy mustard, to serve (optional)
400g reduced-fat pork sausages (8 pack)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 x 300g tins new potoates, peeled, in water, drained
300g pack carrots and peas
Method:
1. Put the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and brown the sausages all over for 4-6 minutes. Remove with tongs then add the onion. Season and cook for 4–6 minutes until beginning to soften.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Add the stock. Bring to a boil, add the sausages back to the pan then simmer for 10-12 minutes until thickened.
3. Add the potatoes (halving any large ones), peas and carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes until everything is heated through. Add a lid if you don’t want the sauce to thicken or reduce anymore.
4. Spoon the stew into bowls and serve with mustard, if using.
Cook’s tip: Got any yorkies in the freezer? Cook your Yorkshire puds quickly in the air fryer and serve alongside.
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for two days. Slice any sausages thinly to help with quick reheating.
Fish and potato pie
Classic but so simple, every family should have an easy fish pie in their repertoire.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3 tbsp plain flour
1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
750g white potatoes, peeled and chopped into roughly 4cm chunks
568ml (1 pint) semi-skimmed milk
520g frozen white fish fillets
300g frozen mixed vegetables, plus 400g to serve
Method:
1. Put the milk into a medium-sized saucepan and add the fish. Place over medium heat with the lid on and cook for 7 minutes until steaming. Cover and turn off the heat and leave for 5 mins. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and place in an ovenproof dish approx 22x22 cm.
2. Put the potatoes into a pan of salted cold water with lid on and bring to the boil. Cook for another 10-12 minutes until really tender. Drain well and allow to steam dry for a few minutes before adding 150ml of the fish milk and mashing well.
3. Add 250ml cold water to the saucepan of remaining milk, then off the heat, tip in the flour. Over a medium heat, whisking vigorously and constantly, bring everything gradually to a simmer. Continue whisking and cooking until the sauce has thickened, 2-4 minutes. Crumble in the stock cube, add the veggies, and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Preheat the grill to high. Pour the sauce over the fish and then top with the mash. Grill for 8-10 minutes until golden. Serve with the extra veggies on the side, cooked following pack instructions.
Cook’s tip: Once you’ve mastered this version, you can vary it to suit your children’s likes and dislikes. Substitute small, frozen prawns for some of the white fish fillets or top with a grated cheddar-spiked cheesy mash. Serve with lemon wedges, if you like.
Leftover tip: Bags of chopped, frozen veg last for months and make it super easy to up the count in stews, pasta sauces and fried rice or noodles.
Creamy mozzarella and broccoli pasta bake
You would never know this creamy sauce is made from just two store cupboard ingredients. Use whichever cheese you have but mozzarella makes the sauce super smooth and cheesy.
Serves: 4-60
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3 tbsp plain flour
1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
1 broccoli, florets removed (you can save the stalk for crudités)
569ml (1 pint) semi-skimmed milk
125g light mozzarella cheese ball, roughly torn
250g pack vine tomatoes, sliced
500g penne pasta
1 white pitta, blitzed into breadcrumbs
Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, adding the broccoli florets for the last 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 250ml of cooking water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, off the heat, pour the milk into a medium-sized saucepan and tip in the flour. Over a medium heat, whisking vigorously and constantly, bring everything gradually to a simmer. Continue whisking and cooking until the sauce has thickened, 2-4 minutes. Crumble in the stock cube, pour in the reserved pasta water and cook for 2-4 mins more. Season and stir in half the mozzarella until melted then remove from the heat.
3. Preheat the grill to high. Toss the pasta and broccoli with the sauce and transfer to an oven-proof dish approx. 20x28 cm. Top with the pitta, reserved mozzarella and sliced tomatoes and grill for 5 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Cook’s tip: The fatless white sauce method used above is super simple and cuts out the need for lots of butter. Just make sure the liquid is cold when the flour is added, and whisk constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.
Leftover tip: Old pitta bread can be freshened up easily, by popping in the toaster, or sprinkling with water and a short blast in the air fryer. It’s ideal for perfectly portioned sandwiches – or can be turned into mini pizzas. Freeze leftover pasta portions in individual dishes for future busy weeknights.
Chicken and pepper flatbread pizza
Asda flatbreads are topped with a simple herby tomato sauce, shredded chicken, sweetcorn and peppers for a speedy, simple pizza alternative.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
½ tsp dried mixed herbs
1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
125g light mozzarella cheese ball
198g can sweetcorn
6 tbsp (about 120g) passata
6 plain flatbreads (6 pack), opened out
160g pack Korean-style BBQ chicken thighs, shredded
Method:
1. Put the red pepper in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Pop the mozzarella and sweetcorn in a sieve to drain. Preheat the grill to high.
2. Mix the passata with the herbs in a small bowl, then spread all over the flatbreads.
3. Drain the peppers and tear the mozzarella into small pieces (or coarsely grate). Top the flatbreads with the chicken, sweetcorn and peppers before finishing with the mozzarella.
4. Transfer to a lined baking tray and place under the grill for 6-8 minutes until golden and the cheese is bubbling.
Cook’s tip: These are the perfect vessels for any leftovers you have in the fridge – make it veggie by adding seasonal mushrooms or other favourite veg.
Leftover tip: Keep tomato puree in the fridge for enriching tomatoey or stock-based sauces with a little squirt. Reheat leftover pizzas well-wrapped in foil to prevent the bases from drying out too much and becoming too hard for little mouths.
Veggie meatball chilli
A classic chilli gets a twist using Asda’s frozen protein-rich veggie meatballs plus hidden extra veg in the tomato sauce, topped with diced pepper and served with rice.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 low-salt beef stock cube
500gboil in the bag basmati rice (4 pack)
2 medium carrots, quartered (about 200g)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g pack meat-free meatballs (frozen)
400g tin red kidney beans, drained
1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
Method:
1. Cook the rice according to pack instructions, adding the carrots to the water too. Remove the carrots once very soft and mash well with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, add the chopped tomatoes, cumin, paprika and stock cube to a large saucepan. Fill the tomato can halfway with water then stir in along with the mashed carrot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand blender until smooth.
3. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, covered, until the meatballs are cooked through. Stir in the kidney beans and cook, uncovered, for another 2 minutes.
4. To serve, add the rice to bowls, spoon over the meatballs and scatter with the pepper.
Cook’s tip: Boiling the carrot with the rice saves time and is a super speedy way to add more veggies to your meals. Serve with lime wedges and chopped fresh coriander, if you like.
Leftover tip: Spoon leftover sauce onto baked potatoes or rice.
Slow cooker chicken curry
This creamy, delicately spiced dish takes minutes to assemble in the slow cooker, meaning you can have dinner ready the second you get in the door.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 6-8 hours
Ingredients:
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
400g pack chicken drumstick fillets
400ml tin reduced-fat coconut milk
300g pack carrots and peas
2 x 250g packs basmati or whole grain micro rice (or 1 of each, mixed together!)
Method:
1. Combine the flour, turmeric and curry powder in a large mixing bowl, season and toss in the chicken to coat. Add the coconut milk to the slow cooker, stir in the chicken then cover and cook on medium for 5-6 hrs or low for 6-8 hrs, until the chicken is tender and falling apart and the sauce has thickened slightly.
2. Microwave the carrots and peas according to pack instructions and stir through the curry.
3. Cook the rice according to pack instructions and serve with the curry.
Cook’s tip: Swap peas and carrots for other seasonal root vegetables that you can add to the slow cooker from the beginning, such as butternut squash, sweet potato or parsnip. Serve with fresh coriander, if you like.
Leftover tip: Stuff any leftover curry into wraps with salad and mango chutney, or use it to top a jacket potato for lunch.
Herby tomato cottage pie
This cottage pie has a bolognese feel with a tomato addition to the mince for extra flavour and richness – bolognese cottage pie, anyone? Plus, the lentils stretch the meat even further. Pop it under the grill to avoid a long bake time.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
2 tsp sugar or honey, optional
1 low-salt beef stock cube, crumbled
Splash of milk
800g white potatoes, peeled and chopped into roughly 4cm chunks
250g pack reduced fat beef mince (12 per cent fat or less)
1 onion, grated
3 medium carrots (about 300g), grated
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
390g tin green lentils in water, drained
Method:
1. Add the potatoes to a pan of salted cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for another 10-12 minutes until completely tender, drain well, season, then mash with a splash of milk.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan with a lid over medium heat and cook the mince for 5-6 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, draining away any liquid as you go, until browned all over. Season well and remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften.
4. Mix in the tomatoes, lentils, dried herbs, sugar or honey if using, stock cube and mince. Bring to the boil then cover with the lid and bubble on high heat for 5 minutes. Preheat the grill to high. Add the mince to a medium-sized baking dish and spread over the mash. Grill for 6-8 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Cook’s tip: Boost the bolognese slant on this filling by adding 2-3 crushed garlic cloves just before the onion and carrot have finished softening. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and frozen peas, if you like.
Leftover tip: A little leftover but not enough for another meal? Freeze for stirring into future Bolognese, chilli or cottage pie sauces. The mashed potato top will help thicken and enrich the base, the lentils will boost the health benefits.
Tomato and tuna pasta
This speedy supper uses wholewheat pasta and is tossed with a colourful, med-veg-inspired tuna and tomato sauce and finished with a garlic bread, crunchy topping to serve, for the win.
Serves: 4-6
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
½ tbsp olive oil
1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
½ x 170g garlic bread
500g wholewheat fusilli pasta
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 large courgette (about 150g), halved lengthways and sliced
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 145g tins skipjack tuna chunks in spring water, drained
Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, reserving 250ml of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, tear the garlic bread into chunks and pulse in a food processor to rough breadcrumbs. Toast in a frying pan on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until golden. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the peppers and courgette over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they start to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Dissolve the stock cube into the reserved pasta water, add to the pan along with the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine.
5. Stir the tuna into the sauce and bubble for 2 minutes more to heat through, before tossing it with the drained pasta and topping it with the garlic breadcrumbs.
Cook’s tip: Get the kids involved with this one and allow them to (carefully!) halve the tomatoes and deseed the peppers. They can choose their favourite pasta shape, too!
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will store well in the fridge in an airtight container for two days. Serve the pasta with the extra garlic bread on the side, if you like.
Asda has teamed up with Joe Wicks, AKA The Body Coach, to bring customers the ultimately healthy yet speedy school night dinner winner recipes. To make the recipes easy to navigate, customers can select their chosen recipe on Asda.com and purchase all necessary ingredients in one place.
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