[Guest Post] Simple healthy recipe ideas for busy parents by Danielle McAnn

Simple, healthy recipe ideas for busy parents

As a parent you probably know what a joy preparing and cooking a beautiful meal is, but getting it all together and getting kids to eat it can be another story. It can seem like a real battle getting a fresh healthy meal that everyone will eat on the table every night, some people even have their meals delivered by a place like TLC meals. Here are some simple recipe ideas to get you started.

Basic ragu to go with everything

You can eat this bolognese-like sauce with whatever you want; pasta, polenta, hamburger buns, potatoes. This makes about six cups of sauce.

A tablespoon of vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Two thirds of a cup of dry red wine

One handful of fresh herbs (could be any combination of thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, according to you taste)

One chopped onion

One clove of garlic, two if you're a garlic lover

Two cans of italian plum tomatoes

A pinch of red pepper or chilli flakes according to your taste.

Seven hundred grams of ground meat (whatever you like: beef, lamb, pork, sausage)

In your heavy saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat when the oil is hot, and mix it through with your wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper and brown the meat, don't boil it!

Once browned, lower the the heat and add the onion and a pinch of salt again. Cook the onion, then add the garlic and cook it until it's fragrant. Deglaze the pan with wine, stirring constantly. When the wine has reduced by half, add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pan. Add the herbs and the spices, if using. Bring the whole thing to the boil, then lower the heat to simmer and partially cover the pan to let the sauce cook and simmer.

Leave it that way for at least half an hour, ideally two hours. If it's up too high it will burn on the bottom. When the sauce is finished, the meat will be tender, the tomatoes will have broken down, and it will all have blended together. Add water or wine if you think it looks dry.

Black bean and quinoa salad

Half a cup of red quinoa

Juice and zest of a lime

Salt

Half a teaspoon of ground cumin

Half a teaspoon of chilli powder

Half a teaspoon of chipotle powder

Three thinly sliced spring onions

One quarter of a cup of olive oil

one cup of roasted peppers (red or yellow)

Two cups of black beans

A quarter of a cup of fresh coriander, chopped (herb shears are great)

Cook the quinoa (you may need to rinse it first)

Whisk the dressing together: lime juice and zest, salt, chilli and chipotle powder, cumin, and olive oil. Mix with all of your salad ingredients, garnish with a bit more lime and coriander.