It’s not always easy to prepare lunch for the entire family. There are things that not everyone enjoys, and not every meal can be easily made in larger amounts. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to come up with a healthy recipe for your family, we’re here to help.

Chicken with Rice and Peas

The first recipe we have for you is chicken with rice and peas. While this may sound too simple, it’s actually a healthy recipe that provides plenty of healthy nutrients, such as protein. The total time to make is around 45 minutes, in which you have 15 minutes of prep, and 30 minutes of actual cooking. This is a pretty easy recipe, and just about anyone can do it without any issues. Let’s kick things off with a list of ingredients.

Ingredients for the chicken

  • 4 chicken legs (about 1kg)
  • 2 red onions (halved, sliced)
  • 4 large tomatoes (chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1 red chili (deseeded, sliced)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon
  • 1 tbsp each of rapeseed oil, fresh thyme leaves, curry powder, ground allspice

Ingredients for the rice and peas

  • 400g can black-eyed beans
  • 1 red onion (chopped)
  • 125g brown basmati
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon

You start by heating the oil in a non-stick frying pan, a large one. Cook the onions for five minutes, or until they get soft. While you’re doing this, coat the chicken with the thyme, allspice and curry powder, then add it to the pan, just to allow it to briefly brown. Then, add in the chili, garlic, bouillon and tomatoes. Add 450ml of water, cover the pan, and let it simmer for around 30 minutes.

Time to make the rice and peas. Tip the rice in a pan, medium-sized, and add the thyme, garlic and bouillon. Pour 600ml of water inside, and cover it. Let it cook for 25 minutes, or until you see the rice is tender (and the liquid has been absorbed). At some point, before it’s done, check to make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the pan. Add the beans while stirring, and proceed cooking.

When all is done, you should be looking at four portions. If you want, you can add a few more thyme leaves, but this is a personal preference and not something you must do. Enjoy your healthy meal!

Gnocchi Bake with Chorizo and Mozzarella

If you and your family love that cheesy tomato pasta, adding chorizo, mozzarella and gnocchi can give it a completely different taste, and one you’ll love. It’s also rather low on calories, which is a nice touch. The ingredients are simple to find, and it takes around half an hour to make. To make things even better, if you go for the ingredient amounts mentioned below, you’re actually looking at six portions in total. For an average family of four, this means that you’ll have a bit of spare. Whether you reheat that for dinner, or someone is extra hungry and finishes two servings for lunch, that’s up to you.

Ingredients

  • 600g fresh gnocchi
  • 2x400g chopped tomatoes (cans)
  • 120g chorizo
  • 125g mozzarella ball (cut into chunks)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 tbsp each of olive oil and caster sugar
  • A little bit of torn basil
  • Green salad (to serve)

Preparation begins by heating the oil in a medium-sized pan. Add both the garlic and the onion, and fry until soft. Then, add the chorizo and fry for five more minutes. Tip in the sugar and tomatoes, and add seasoning. When you bring it to a simmer, add the gnocchi. Stir often, and cook for a total of eight minutes, until everything is nice and soft. Heat the grill to high.

While stirring, add ¾ of the mozzarella, and most of the basil. You can choose to divide the mixture in as many ovenproof ramekins as you want, or you can keep everything in one big baking dish. Add the rest of the mozzarella, and grill everything for about 3 minutes. You want the cheese to be golden and melted. Add more seasoning, and scatter the rest of the basil. Once done, serve with green salad.

This dish takes a more traditional pasta recipe and adds an interesting touch, which is something you’ll absolutely love. The flavor mix is simply impeccable, and your entire family will enjoy the meal.