Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Recipes - Light meals - Subcategories and recipes

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.

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.

This salad is a fresh and zesty accompaniment to grilled fish on the barbecue. It has almost no fat, heaps of fibre and we've kept the salt down by being frugal with the fish sauce - a little goes a long way! If you haven't got a turnip, it still turns out fine.

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.

A great high-fibre filler for dieters in cold weather - heat a bowl or microwave a mug whenever you're hungry. This is the sort of soup that gets promoted in Kickstart Diets or various Detox regimes (not that I'm a fan of either). But this soup is low in kilojoules/calories and high in veggies and fibre so it's a dieter's best friend.

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.

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.

If you have lots of zucchini (courgette or squash), this is a quick recipe to turn them into a lovely light soup. The trick is to cook both the zucchini and the leeks long enough so they're nice and soft before you puree.

One of those old-fashioned clear soups with lots of veggies for you can fill up and eat lean while enjoying a hearty warm bowl of hot soup.  This one is high in fibre (good news for your bowels) with no added salt so kind to the kidneys as well. What a bonus!

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.

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.

Easy and full-flavoured, this salad gets better the day after as the flavours develop. The beans makes it low GI and high in fibre while the tuna adds protein and those all-important omega-3s.

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!