Five ingredients, 10 healthy meals
You only need a handful of ingredients to have a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner in a matter of minutes. Serve up curry, fried rice, spaghetti and more.
Here are our favourite five recipes using just five ingredients, all offering health benefits as well as saving you time, money and effort.
For more healthy inspiration, check out our quick and easy healthy recipes, five-ingredient chicken recipes, budget healthy recipes and don't forget to check our five-ingredient family meals.
1. Baked banana porridge
Oats are a nutritional powerhouse – if you've got a bag of these in your cupboard, you can have a nutritious breakfast in minutes. Start the day right with this healthy baked banana porridge containing walnuts, banana and cinnamon. Bananas are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make the feel-good hormone serotonin. When eaten with a carb source such as oats, the brain can absorb the tryptophan easily.
Our healthy breakfast recipes are worth getting out of bed for and they'll keep you energised all morning.
2. Easy egg-fried rice
Forget oil-laden takeaway fried rice, make your own healthy egg-fried rice with our easy recipe. If you're someone who exercises in the evening, this would be a great carb-based meal for refuelling after your workout. The combination of rice and eggs provide a good balance of energy and protein. It's filling enough to eat as it is, simply add a dash of soy or chilli sauce as needed.
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You'll never run out of ideas with our quick and healthy recipes.
3. Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime
Technically this low-calorie pasta has six ingredients, but the chilli is optional so you could leave that out. Using wholemeal linguine rather than white pasta means your blood sugar levels won't spike and crash after your meal.
Avocados are nutritionally rich, they're an excellent source of monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, helping to lower cholesterol and support heart health.
Browse our healthy pasta recipes to find more favourites.
4. 5-ingredient falafel
Make falafel with just a handful of storecupboard ingredients. Serve them however you like. We like the crunchy, spiced chickpea bites in a wrap with lashings of chilli sauce. If you're cutting back on meat, chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and they contain plenty of fibre.
Browse 20 ways with chickpeas.
5. Inside-out chicken kiev
A quick, easy, low-fat recipe with just three ingredients. Here, we take the crunchy golden coating, succulent chicken and garlic butter of a classic kiev but make it a little lighter. This meal is high in protein but fairly low in carbs, making it a good option for anyone following a high-protein, low-carb diet.
See more of our healthy chicken recipes.
6. Saucy bean baked eggs
Make these five-ingredient baked eggs with tomatoes and beans using storecupboard staples. It's a quick, easy and tasty and dish. Make it veggie by leaving out the ham, you'll still benefit from protein-packed eggs and beans. Spinach is another big hitter when it comes to nutrients – it's an excellent source of vitamin K, as well as being a source of bone-friendly magnesium and calcium.
Our healthy brunch recipes are guaranteed to have you bouncing out of bed.
7. Creamy pasta with asparagus & peas
Take five ingredients and whip up this simple green vegetable fusilli supper for two, plus get three of your five-a-day. Interestingly, asparagus acts as a prebiotic in the body, feeding good bacteria in the gut. Outside of asparagus season, you could use green beans or broccoli instead – you'll still get plenty of green goodness.
Read up on the health benefits of asparagus.
8. Super berry smoothie
If you're always in a rush in the morning and tend to skip breakfast, try whizzing up a smoothie in a blender. This vitamin C-packed super berry smoothie contains just five ingredients including oats, so it'll help to sustain you until lunch. To keep you going for longer, add a spoonful of whey powder – this protein hit will help keep hunger pangs at bay. Check out our review of the best protein powders to buy.
9. Healthy pancakes
Who said pancakes were a no-go for breakfast? These healthy ones make a wonderful start to the day, they get their fluffy texture from whipped egg whites. Instead of topping with chocolate spread or maple syrup, stack them high with fresh berries and a spoonful of low-fat yogurt. This will stop your blood sugar levels spiking, and you'll benefit from the antioxidants in the berries, too.
If you're plant-based, you should see our best vegan pancake recipes.
10. Squash & coconut curry
It's not easy to find a stew (healthy or not) with just five ingredients, but this curry is just the thing. Colourful squash contains beta-carotene which supports eye health and supports the immune system. For a more substantial meal, and to top up your fibre intake, serve this with wholegrain rice.
Enjoy another one of our healthy butternut squash recipes.
Want more like this? Try...
Budget healthy recipes
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All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
