It was a Monday night and I was caught out for dinner because I hadn’t had a chance to meal plan on the weekend and my husband and I couldn’t figure out what we wanted for dinner.

All we knew is that we wanted something light but tasty and my mind wandered to all the things I felt would tantalise my tastebuds and we were rewarded with this simple, fresh, vegetarian pasta dish which served as leftovers in the kids lunch boxes the next day and went down a treat.

Tip: While you’re cooking the pasta get started on the other bits and you’ll have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration take a look at my ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and take the guess work out of what delicious, healthy food to make your kids for lunch!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Pasta
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper

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Simple Zucchini, Pea, Mint and Ricotta Pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 6

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 500 grams pasta, whatever type you like
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 medium size zucchinis, cut in half lengthways and finely chopped into half discs
• 350 grams fresh ricotta
• 2 lemons, zested
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• sea salt or river salt and black pepper
• parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
• handful greens like baby spinach and rocket to serve

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet.
• Add the peas to the pasta pot for the last three minutes of the cooking time. Drain and rinse with cold water once cooked.
• In the meantime, heat oil in a large pan and gently saute garlic for a minute. Add zucchini and cook for another minute or so.
• Add drained pasta and peas, lemon zest, lemon juice and mint leaves and toss well to combine.
• Crumble over the fresh ricotta and season with salt and freshly ground pepper and gently stir through.
• To serve stir through baby spinach and/or rocket and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and chilli flakes if you like.

Other easy light and fresh recipes you might like are…

Spiced Cauliflower and Chickpea Rice Salad

San Choy Bow

Garlic Prawn and Pea Spagetti

Fresh and Raw Zucchini Noodle Salad

I had avoided making lasagna up until now because all those layers just looked like hard work to me.

Having finally relented I discovered that it’s about as simple to make as spag bol, with just one extra (easy) step in making the cheesy bechamel sauce! The mind can play tricks on you it can : )

I made the traditional lasagna healthier simply by reducing the amount of meat and increasing the amount of vegetables. I also cooked it in some homemade chicken stock.

Simply by doing these two things, I’ve increased the vitamin, mineral, phytonutrient and fibre content of the dish.  Also, cooking the meat in the chicken stock makes it more digestible, not to mention boosts the immune system and delivers all that gorgeous gelatin, collagen and glycine to the body.

Lasagna will be definitely making a regular appearance on my meal plans.

It’s hearty, filling and comforting, all the things my kids love.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Olive oil
Tomato paste
Chicken stock
Dried thyme
Dried basil
Tamari sauce
Sea salt
Black pepper

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Healthy Lasagna

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 8

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 250-350 grams dried lasagne sheets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot finely diced
• 1 stick of celery finely diced
• 1 zucchini finely diced
• 1 cup mushrooms approx. three large, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 400 gms beef mince
• 200 grams pork mince
• 2 x 400gm can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons tamari sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and black pepper

Bechamel Sauce

• 3 tbsps butter
• 3 tbsps flour
• 2 - 3 cups milk
• 1.5 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Sea salt and pepper

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic, celery, carrots. Cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Add zucchini and mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Add beef and pork mince breaking it up as you go.
• Once browned, add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, basil, tamari, salt and pepper.
• Stir then pop lid on and simmer gently for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Remove lid and simmer for further 30 minutes until sauce reduces.
• Preheat oven to 180 C

Bechamel Sauce

• Make once meat and vegetable sauce is cooked.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium/low heat. Add flour and mix constantly for 1 minute and a smooth paste forms.
• Pour 1 cup of the milk in, mixing as you go to incorporate into the flour mixture. Once thickened add another cup of milk.
• Turn heat up to medium/ high. Stir occasionally, but when sauce starts to thicken, stir more regularly. If sauce is too thick gradually add in the last cup of milk, stirring as you go. Add in 1 cup cheese once the milk has thickened and stir.

Assemble

• Use a large baking dish.
• Smear a bit of the meat sauce mixture on the base, then cover with lasagna sheets. Tear sheets to fit if necessary.
• Spread over enough meat sauce to cover the sheets and pour over some of the béchamel sauce.
• Top with lasagna sheets. Spread with more meat sauce, then pour on more béchamel sauce. Top with lasagna sheets then repeat 1 more time.
• Top with a 4th layer of lasagna sheets, then pour over the remaining bechamel sauce.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, then bake for 25 minutes.
• Stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving, serve with big Greek or green salad.

Notes

You could do only 3 layers if you don't have enough lasagna sheets, meat sauce and bechamel sauce

If you know someone who could use some healthy dinner inspo, please share this recipe with them.

If you make my recipes please take photos and send them to me, or if you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. I get a total kick out of seeing you make my recipes.

And here are a couple other dinner recipe ideas you might love Summer Baked Meatballs with Kale and Juicy Tomato Sauce and Crispy Chicken with Garlicky Potato Cream Sauce.

By the way, do you follow me on Instagram and Facebook? I’m always sharing lots of ideas over there. Come say hi.

Bren x

It seems like there’s nothing in the fridge or in the pantry, and there are some hungry family members wandering aimlessly about, moaning like the zombie apocolypse has begun.

Before they reach the salt and pepper and start to season me, or before my head combusts from jibberish overload*, quick thinking is required to restore balance to the household.

* they’re not that bad, honest!

Mums understand the old adage that necessity is the mother of all invention quite well, but it always helps to have some leftovers to really get the creative juices flowing.

A couple of weeks ago I had some leftover spelt pasta in the fridge that needed eating. Combining it with a few regular fridge staples, a hearty, delicious dinner was served with super-nutritious eggs, the hero of the dish. The family was fed, I was saved from the wrath of the living dead, and we could all approach witching hour with the tiny morsel of knowledge that at least our bellies were full and satisfied 🙂

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Spelt pasta
Chicken stock
Nutmeg
Basil/Parsley

Print

Healthy Vegetarian Pasta Bake

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 150 gms spelt pasta shapes or gluten-free pasta, cooked al dente
• 6 pastured or organic eggs
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock optional boost of nutrition for the non vegetarians
• 150 grams baby spinach chopped
• 1/2 grated cheddar cheese
• 150 g feta
• 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• pinch nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs I used basil & parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius
• Grease a pie dish with butter and scatter pasta in dish
• Melt butter or ghee in frying pan and gently saute garlic on low heat for a minute
• Throw in baby spinach and lightly saute for for an extra minute. Turn heat off.
• Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl then add the cream, stock (if using), herbs, nutmeg, garlic and spinach mixture and cheese and combine well
• Pour the mixture over the pasta and crumble the feta over the top
• Bake for approx 30 minutes
• Make sure the eggs are set and the feta is slightly browned. If you need to, place dish back in oven for a further 5-10 minutes.

Notes

Serve with a big garden salad.
The leftovers are perfect when warmed up, placed in a thermos and sent to school the next day. It's always a great idea to make extra for lunchboxes and my kids loved it in theirs!

If you make this recipe and share on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

Some other delicious dinner recipes you might like are Garlic Prawns and Coconut Rice and Healthy Lasagna.