Nothing screams wholesome and fresh to your guests more than serving a whole fish with lemon wedges on the side. Packed with healthy fats and protein, fish is a great meal option and should be enjoyed 2-3 times a week if possible. The addition of nuts and pomegranate arils are typical of middle eastern dishes and not only add nutritional benefits (protein, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals) but also a variety of textures and beautiful pops of colour, adding to the overall eating experience.

This dish is a great way of using left over rice, as it’s quick to cook and fairly nutritionally complete, and is something simple enough to put together at lunch, post afternoon sports or dinner. Protein sources include eggs and chicken, carbohydrates provided by the leftover rice (as this has been cooled and reheated it has more resistant starch, lowering its GI) and vegetables, also offering fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Enjoy as is or with a light side salad.

This baked dish provides a nice combination of lean protein; carbohydrates from rice and corn; fats from cheese, milk, and oil; as well as a variety of vegetables, making it a relatively complete meal as is. A family fried dish as it’s relatively low in spice and boasts most well-received ingredients. Serve in a bowl on its own for ease of eating, or pair with a side salad.

Middle eastern food makes for beautiful dishes with their rich colours, sweet fruits, nuts, and pomegranate gems, making this dish a showcase of it all. The chicken breasts providing a lean protein, nuts protein and healthy fats, fruits boasting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and carbohydrates from the rice. Best paired with roasted veg or salad on the side to complete the meal.

Chicken and rice dishes are always a family favourite and preparing them together in a bake really enhances the
overall flavours of the dish. A popular protein, chicken provides a complete protein, while the rice provides much needed carbohydrates, and the red peppers are a great complementary nutrient-dense veggie. The main attraction here is the substantial addition of olives, improving the fat profile of the meal providing heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

These parcels are great when you have guests over or are sitting around the fire and don’t want to be bogged down in the kitchen. Quick to prepare, pre-portioned per guest, and can be loaded with nutritious veggies everyone likes (guests can even make up their own parcels from an assortment of ingredients you lay out). This recipe has a nice ratio of carbohydrates, lean protein from the prawns, and fat to offer as a meal, and with it all cooked together it really delivers on flavour..

As a salad this dish ticks the main checkboxes, loaded with veggies, olives, cheese, and a delightful dressing. The addition of cooled rice though gives this dish some complex carbohydrates, adding sustenance once eaten. As a vegetarian dish, the iron-rich spinach is complemented by the vitamin-c containing tomatoes and peppers. This homemade dressing ensures you aren’t loading your healthy salad with unnecessary kilojoules so often found in store bought bottled dressings. Enjoy on the side or add some extra protein for a main dish.

Sushi boasts protein with heart-healthy fats, cooled rice that’s higher in resistant starch (lowered GI) and vegetables, however, per piece of sushi, the ratio of rice to protein and veg is often disproportionate. For these reasons, a sushi bowl becomes a healthier alternative to ‘per piece’ sushi as the ratios of these ingredients is altered to represent a more balanced meal. Packed with raw vegetables, avocadoes boasting healthy fat, lean protein, and sufficient rice, this meal is complete and can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.

If you’re using left over rice, this dish becomes a snack that requires no cooking and minimal preparation time, key in our busy day-to-day lives. This on-the-go snack is an energy powerhouse, loaded with low GI dates, cooled cooked rice (lowered GI), condensed milk (although very sweet it is part reduced milk and therefore contains protein and is an intermediate GI), nuts and coconut (protein and fats), and cocoa powder (low GI carbohydrates, fats, fibre, and caffeine). All these ingredients lend themselves to high sustaining energy, great for an anytime of the day snack (in moderation), and even pre-exercise or during endurance events.