Just because you're looking to eat a little healthier, doesn't mean you should be left wanting more. The key to a meal that's wholesome and filling is including plenty of protein, wholegrain carbs for slow release energy and lots of good fats.

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Below you'll find plenty of healthy meal ideas which use these key ingredients. Next, have a look at our best healthy dinners, healthy carb recipes and high-protein recipes. Plus, check out 10 foods that give you energy and 10 foods to boost brain power.


Healthy filling meals that won’t leave you hungry

Paprika chicken with Spanish-style chickpeas

Serve butterflied, marinated chicken breasts with honeyed paprika chickpeas for a flavoursome and protein-packed dinner.

Platter of paprika chicken with Spanish-style chickpeas

Roasted cauli and couscous salad with zhoug and crispy shallots

Our colourful cauliflower salad combines giant couscous with a punchy zhoug dressing for a filling meal.

Cauliflower Couscous Salad Recipe with Zhoug

Healthy salmon pasta

This healthier take on a creamy salmon pasta proves you can keep dinners light while feeling satisfied and fuller for longer.

Healthy salmon pasta with peas

Roast vegetable salad with kale pesto

Sweet potatoes, peppers and lentils form the base of this veggie salad, paired with a nutty kale pesto dressing drizzled over the top.

A grey background with a white platter, topped with roasted vegetables, grains and a green dressing

Sweet potato and lentil curry

A vibrant, low-calorie, vegan dinner made with sweet potatoes, red split lentils, coconut milk and plenty of spices.

Bowls of sweet potato and lentil curry topped with coriander and lime

Squash and coconut dal with jammy eggs and crispy onions

Pair butternut squash with coconut milk, lightly toasted spices and crispy onions to make a vibrant vegetarian dal.

Butternut Squash and Coconut Dahl topped with Jammy Eggs and Crispy Onions

Ginger chicken noodle salad

Toss nutty soba noodles, shredded chicken, crunchy sesame seeds and fresh aromatic herbs with a zingy ginger dressing for a high-protein, veg filled lunch.

A wooden table topped with a noodle and shredded veg salad, with a pair of black chopsticks on the side

Baked orzo with harissa prawns

Flavour prawns with harissa, dill, garlic and lemon, then serve swirled through orzo pasta, baked with tomatoes, for a healthy supper.

Baked orzo with harissa prawns on a blue plate with a wedge of lemon and fork

Five-bean chilli

Mixing up the beans in your chilli means you get different textures and plenty of vegan protein.

A cast iron pot filled with bean chilli with sliced avocado on the side

Broccoli and peanut soba noodles

Try using wholegrain soba noodles instead of the white variety for a meal with slower energy release. Combine with roasted peanuts for a crunchy hit of protein.

Soba Noodles in a Bowl with Broccoli, Peanuts and Limes

Chickpea and cauliflower curry

Ramp up the protein in this vegan curry with a tin of chickpeas, alongside lots of warming spices and creamy coconut milk.

Pan and bowl of chickpea and cauliflower curry next to some naans

Turkey ragu

Like a healthier version of spaghetti bolognese, this low-fat and high-protein ragu comes packed with celery, courgette and carrots, plus a little Marmite for a deeper savoury note.

Turkey ragu

Healthy one-pan chicken and rice

Chicken is marinated in soy, hoisin, honey and garlic, then cooked with brown rice. It's a simple midweek dinner that's packed with Chinese-inspired flavours.

A Large Pan of Brown Rice Topped with Chicken Breasts and Spring Onions

Flaky cod with a rosemary parmesan crust, served on a sweet cherry tomato and butter bean sauce is rich, wholesome and healthy.

Baked cod and butter beans in a casserole dish

Miso mackerel with chilli brown rice

You'll love this quick Japanese-style mackerel. The miso-mirin marinade takes minutes to make. Serve with brown rice for a meal that's packed with fibre and good fats.

Miso mackerel with chilli brown rice

Chilli con carne cottage pie

Make cottage pie so much more exciting with paprika, chilli and cumin. This low-calorie, high-fibre midweek dinner is topped with mashed sweet potatoes for a hearty dinner.

A cottage pie topped with sweet potato mash

Chicken burrito bowl

Chicken, rice and beans all provide plenty of energy. Here they are combined to make a quick, effortless lunch.

A bowl filled with sliced chicken, veg and rice next to a small plate of chopped herbs

Healthy slow cooker chicken curry

Double up the protein in your chicken curry by adding chickpeas – it all comes together in a handy slow cooker.

Two bowls of chicken curry with a white linen napkin and wooden-handled cutlery

Healthy sausage traybake

Sausages can be healthy too, when served with the right things. Serve with chickpeas and veggies for a fibre-rich meal.

A sausage, chickpea and potato traybake

One-pot winter warmer

A vegan one-pot packed with plenty of ginger and turmeric, plus filling sweet potatoes and beans.
A hearty one-pot in a yellow broth with vegetables and spinach


Healthy fried rice

A healthy twist on a classic, this paneer fried rice is flavoured with ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder. You can add in whatever veggies you have at home.

A silver pan of rice with vegetables with a serving spoon on a stone board next to wedges of lime

Avocado fusilli pasta

Avocados makes everything super-creamy, including pasta sauce. Plus, it's packed with the good variety of heart-healthy fats.

Avocado and Spinach Fusilli in Two Bowls

Healthy beans on toast

Make your own healthy beans on toast, instead of going for the canned processed version. These will keep you full for much longer.

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Healthy beans on toast on a plate

Chickpea tagine

Nutritious chickpeas and spinach form the base of this tagine, flavoured with warming spices like cinnamon, cumin and turmeric.

Two bowls of chickpea and potato tagine on a white linen table cloth

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