Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Recipes - Main Ingredient - All Recipies in all subcategories

This is an easy way to dress up chicken pieces - and there's only four ingredients! While it's in the oven, you can do the vegetables or throw together a large salad.

Cooking for vegetarians and meat-eaters in the one household? This easy recipe is one of those that can do double-duty, satisfying both camps - it's filled with a mixture of rice, beans, tomato, corn and cheese which makes for good protein for the vegetarians AND it can become a delicious accompaniment to a plain grilled steak or fish for the carnivores.

A flavoursome accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.

Try this fairly standard stock recipe and you'll never go back to commercial stock cubes or powder. It has loads of gutsy flavour but no added salt so can be used by anyone on a salt-free diet. If you must add some, just use half a teaspoon and taste as you go.

A delicious quick-to-make recipe, this egg dish is a cross between an omelette and a quiche - but without all the fuss or the fat of pastry! With its pumpkin base, it's a complete meal, ideal for vegetarians.

I love these quick healthy muffins with extra oats added. Great for a mid-morning snack or a healthy lunch box.

This super meal-in-one gives you carbohydrate, vegetables and chicken all together. It's a dish you can make ahead and reheat for lunch the next day.

I love this easy chicken recipe from McCormick with lots of paprika and oregano to add antioxidants. Also a good one for a gluten-free diet as pure dried spices have nothing else added (eg thickeners) and so are safe for coeliac disease.

Try this easy pasta recipe when you need a quick dinner and all you've got in the cupboard is a can of salmon and some fusilli or penne pasta. It's low GI (good for diabetes), low in saturated fat and high in those helpful omega-3s.

This is an interesting main meal salad or it can be served piled onto rice crackers as a pre-dinner nibble. You can prepare it ahead and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Don't add the dressing until the last minute.

This is a wonderful hearty salad to serve with a barbecue on a hot summer's day. It appeals to men who often want something more filling than the usual lettuce -and-cucumber combination. If you have vegetarian guests, it also doubles as a main meal salad for them.

This is a delicious, easy soup to make at home. If you are on a low salt diet, use water instead of the stock or cook up a batch of your own home-made stock without any salt.

This meal-in-a-soup is very low in fat, full of healthy vegetables and boasts low GI carbs from the barley and kidney beans. It's easy to make and very filling. What's not to love? It's ideal for someone who has diabetes and needs slow-release food for steady blood glucose.

If you love lamb, try this quick easy way to dress up lamb cutlets. Use a reduced-salt stock to keep the salt down.

A tangy and fresh tasting salad. Serve as is for a light lunch, or try adding some noodles, strips of chicken and tofu for a more filling meal. Once you've added the apples and dressing, serve immediately. I like this salad made with one sweet and one tart apple.

Got some bananas that are too-ripe?  Don't throw them out. Mash and use to whip up these easy muffins.

A refreshing tangy dessert which makes use of the wonderful navel oranges in season during winter. Perfect to serve after a curry or hot spicy main course. And it's low in fat and sugar, so it's good for you.

Here is a traditional dessert recipe that's been given a makeover. It's lower in fat, especially saturated fat, rich in low GI ingredients like the oats and apples but lightly sweetened. It's a healthy treat for everyone, but is especially suitable for someone with diabetes.

This is a smooth filling soup which nourishes the stomach and the soul. It still tastes wonderful even if you decide not to add the chicken pieces.

The combination of spinach, mushrooms and tofu gives a strong rich flavour to what is basically a low-fat soup.

This is an interesting clear soup which can be made hotter and spicier with the addition of chilli or can be a vegetarian dish if you omit the chicken.

Normally I'm a big fan of fresh spinach (I even grow it myself) but this easy soup is a great stand-by if you can't get the fresh version or you've got to get 'something' cooked and on the table in under 15 minutes - no mean feat by anyone's standards. It uses frozen spinach which is one of the more nutritious frozen vegetables and a handy thing to keep in your freezer.

This recipe is handy stand-by for those times when you're tired and want something warm and comforting to eat. It's based on a can of creamed corn and a can of crab meat. Easy!

Here's a hearty soup that's low in fat but high in fibre and flavour. Of all the legumes, lentils are the most convenient, requiring no pre-soaking overnight and no long hours of cooking.

Here's a dead-easy soup idea from the people at Salt Matters who eat a healthy diet without any added salt or salted foods. You first prepare the sweet potato and then add a can of reduced-salt tomato soup to thicken and add flavour.

This is a quick way to add a little zing to any fish fillet. If you haven't fresh rosemary, you can use the dried version, but add it later with the lemon juice and wine.

Here's a summer stir-fry recipe to head off the obesity crisis. It's got ample vegetables, a serve of lean protein (fish, meat, chicken or eggs) or its filling value plus a small serve of carbs (cut down, don't cut out) to balance out the meal.

A simply divine combination for when mangos are in season. Try to choose a mango that's firm or even a little underipe with its skin tinged with green.

This delicious recipe rewards you with omega-3 fats from the fish while the crunchy salad underneath gives you a boost of minerals and fibre. And the curried-yoghurt topping is rich in calcium.

Everyone loves these delicious salmon cakes and they're quick and easy to make. An interesting alternative to mince.

Tuna teams nicely with tomatoes, eggplant, capsicum and olive oil - all key ingredients of the heart-winning Mediterranean Diet.

Absolutely beautiful over a bed of soft rice. The spicy sauce also does justice to chicken pieces or vegetables.

If you like Asian flavours, you'll enjoy this delicious way to dress up fish fillets. The flavours of the ginger, sesame and garlic team well so nicely - and you can always add a little chilli for some heat.

The flavours of wine, lemon, pepper and parsley just add a little something but without taking away from the magnificent flavour of the fish itself. Keep the vegetables fairly simple without strong overpowering flavours and you'll create a delicious meal. The fat in this dish is mostly monounsaturated.

I love this quick yet healthy pasta dinner. Use up whatever vegetables you have hanging around in the fridge and you'll have a family friendly meal ready in under 30 minutes. Not bad!

Use this flavoursome variation of the usual basil-based pesto to enliven any fish.
 

Sardines are an oily fish which is high in omega-3s. Easy and convenient in cans, most people just put them on toast. This is a tangy recipe that uses them in a different way.

This recipe shows how to get the omegas in balance. It gives you the omega-3s from the prawns topped up with more from canola oil, walnuts, rocket and spinach. There's little competing fats. And it's light and low in kilojoules so it keeps you at the right weight - carrying excess weight strains and loads the lower joints in your ankles and knees.

Love prawns! Love asparagus! So here they are combined into one great dish with a hint of Asian flavours thanks for a light soy sauce and peanut oil.

A great idea for a summer barbecue. So simple to prepare - and no washing up afterwards! The fish takes on the fragrance of the lemon, herbs and onion yet retains its simplicity and freshness.

Although fresh is best, mango is not always available. Out of season, you can substitute canned or thawed frozen mango for fresh in this recipe. You can also use 1/2 sliced pawpaw instead of the mango - or use some of each.

I love this recipe from the thrifty team at Money Saving Meals. They suggest you can ring the changes with this recipe simply by using a different cheese or herb for flavouring.

Whip up this quick summer salad for a lunch or light dinner - easy if you've got leftover cooked pasta. And it works with all sorts of ingredients. See some of the variations you can try below.

Try this quick and easy recipe based on pasta plus a can of tuna. Best of all, it gives your omega-3s a boost!

Like something smooth and sweet after a meal? All you need is three ingredients! Easy!

The secret to stir-frying is the heat. You need a really high heat to cook the ingredients quickly and prevent them stewing in their own juices. That way your stir-fries will always be fresh and crisp, not limp and soggy.