3 questions to ask yourself if you’re often hungry before bed

hungry before bed

One of the most common ‘rules’ you hear when it comes to losing weight – or maintaining it – is “do not eat after x o’clock.” Sure, there is definitely some truth behind this. After all, eating a large meal before bed can lead to an uncomfortable feeling, acid reflux and digestive issues. But what if you’re regularly hungry before bed? Going to bed when you’re hungry is not exactly a recipe for a good night sleep. So should you eat something or not?

3 questions to ask yourself if you’re often hungry before bed

Below, we’ve listed three questions you should ask yourself if you’re often hungry before bed:

#1. What does your breakfast look like?

While many people have a tendency to skip it, breakfast can really set the tone for the rest of your day. Indeed, it is the most important meal of the day. After all, breakfast is what activates your digestive system. If you wait (too) long before having your first meal, chances are you’re hungrier later on – which can also result in you getting hungry before bed. Are you not used to having breakfast? Or do you find it difficult to get something in your stomach that early in the day? Try experimenting with having a bowl of yogurt, a banana or a smoothie for breakfast, and see how you feel afterwards.

#2. What do you eat in the course of the day?

When you notice that you’re often getting hungry before bed, this can simply be because your body is trying to tell you that it didn’t get enough nutrients or energy that day. This is most likely the case when you’re skipping meals or are not eating enough. At any given day, you need at least three complete meals. A complete meal means that it needs to contain a combination of the three macro nutrients: carbohydrates (including fibres), proteins and healthy fats. Aside from that, you can make these meals as simple or complicated as you wish. Depending on what your day looks like (or how much energy you need) you can add some snacks between those meals.

#3. Are you actually hungry, or just craving something specific?

Have you gone through the first two questions and determined that despite the fact that there is nothing wrong with your eating habits, you still regularly experience hunger before bedtime? Then ask yourself this: Am I really hungry or am I just craving something? Personally, I can get through a whole day without any cravings, but I always crave chocolate after dinner – and I don’t think I’m the only one! In this case, it’s better to just give in to your craving and have that piece of chocolate, instead of trying to eat something else that will not remove that craving for chocolate anyway. I know we should enjoy chocolate while we still can, so yes, I have a little piece every day (sometimes a big one). On the other hand, you could actually be hungry. Maybe you have been more active than usual that day, meaning you burned more calories and therefore need to eat a bit more. You should also consider the possibility that you’re in the so-called luteal phase of your menstrual cycle. During this phase, which occurs in the days before your period starts, your body burns more calories than it usually would – yes, even when you’re not active. This is why many women do not only experience pms symptoms before they start shark week, but also a need for more food and more sleep. In that case, it is perfectly fine to have something to eat, as long as you give your body at least an hour (preferably two) to digest it before hitting the hay.

Final thoughts

If you’re often hungry before bed, this usually means you’re either not eating enough during the day, or you’re not eating complete meals and missing out on important nutrients. Or you’re just craving something (and it’s totally okay to give in to that – with control, of course). That said, you should never go to bed hungry – you’ll only end up waking up cranky.

3 delicious pasta salads!

Hoe maak ik een lekkere pastasalade?

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

ZUCCHINI PASTASALAD

Ingredients

  • 70 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 150 grams of zucchini
  • 40 grams of arugula
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 30 grams of dairy spread
  • 15 grams of pine nuts
  • pepper and salt

Method of preperation

  1. Cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut the avocado, zucchini, tomato and garlic to the desired size.
  3. Heat some baking spray in a pan and fry the zucchini and garlic in it. When the zucchini starts to cook, the tomato may also be added. Also add the pepper and salt and possibly some other herbs.
  4. Heat the pine nuts in another pan, without baking spray or coconut oil.
  5. When the pasta is ready, it can be added to the pan with zucchini, garlic and tomato, together with the dairy spread and avocado.
  6. Wait until the dairy spread has melted and make sure everything is well mixed.
  7. Put the contents of the pan on a plate and divide the arugula and pine nuts over it!

Wat is het recept van een avocado pastasalade?

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

CREAMY AVOCADO PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

  • 60 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 onion
  • 100 grams of broccoli
  • 30 grams of dairy spread
  • 70 grams of avocado
  • 2 tsp paprika powder
  • pepper and salt
  • optional: pine nuts

Method of preperation 

  1. Cook the pasta in 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut the tomato, onion and avocado in desired size.
  3. Heat some baking spray in a pan. Bake the onion, when the pasta and broccoli are as good as done.
  4. Add the tomato, avocado and paprika powder a little later. Wait until these are warm and then put all the other ingredients in the pan, including the pasta and broccoli. Leave the pan on a low heat for a short while.

Zo maak je een pastasalade

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

GREEK PASTA SALAD

Ingredients 

  • 120 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 100 grams of feta
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 120 grams of olives
  • 1 paprika
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 tsp green pesto
  • 60 grams of dairy spread
  • pepper and salt
  • parsley

Method of preperation

  1. Cook the pasta in 8 – 10 minutes.
  2. Cut the feta, tomato, olives, paprika and spring onion in desired size.
  3. When the pasta is ready, let it cool off a little and then mix it with all the ingredients.
  4. Put half of the pasta salad in a container after it has cooled. Keep it in the fridge (for your lunch tomorrow).
  5. You put the other half on a plate.

 

Which one are you going to try? These pasta salads are super healthy and very easy to make! Enjoy your pasta girls! 

All the photos are made by @storiesbysuus.

Recipe alert! Healthy chicken pesto pasta

Who doesn’t like pasta! We eat here at the Fitgirlcode HQ so many variations; with meat, fish or vegetarian. Hot or cold, it doesn’t matter to us. Today we share one of our favorite recipes: the healthy chicken pesto pasta. Buon appetito! 🙂 

INGREDIENTS:

  • Whole grain penne ( I love penne, but you can use any other type of pasta that you like)
  • Chicken fillet or smoked chicken fillet (it’s just what your prefer)
  • Jar of pesto, or make your own pesto
  • Mozzarella
  • Cherry tomatoes or dried tomatoes (I usually alternate)
  • Pine nuts
  • Basil

METHOD OF PREPARATION

  1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions.
  2. Cut the chicken fillet into small pieces / cubes and fry it in (coconut) oil until done.
  3. Sift the pasta and stir in the pesto to taste (I really like pesto so I usually add 2,5 tablespoons).
  4. Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into small pieces and add it to the pasta.
  5. Roast the pine nuts briefly on high heat and add a small hand of nuts.
  6. Finish the dish with some basil leaves and enjoy!

 

Are you looking for more food inspiration? We have a #FITGIRLCODE Guide, with more recipes and workoutschedules! Start your Fit journey with one of our Guides! Let us know what you think of this recipe in the comments 🙂

Vegan recipe: Wrapini with tahini

If you read this article, you are probably here for one of the following reasons: You want to eat (more) vegetables and you are looking for a tasty vegan recipe. Or you are looking for what the hell a wrapini is. We feel you ;). Until recently, we didn’t know what a wrapini was. But now we are a real fan since the discovery!

And now the moment you have been waiting for. Here is the recipe for the delicious wrapini!

INGREDIENTS FOR 1 PERSON

  • 2 whole-grain wraps
  • 20 grams of arugula
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 tomato
  • 100 grams of tofu
  • 25 grams of almonds
  • 10 grams of tahini
  • Pinch of paprika powder
  • Pepper and salt

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Cut the tofu into pieces and fry it in a pan with some baking spray and herbs.

2. Cover both wraps with the tahini.

3. Cut the spring onion, almonds and tomato to the desired size and divide this together with the tofu, arugula and herbs over 1 of the wraps.
4. Place the other wrap on it (with the tahini on the bottom).
5. Now place the wrap between a grill plate and heat it up. If you do not have a grill plate, you can also bake the wrap in a pan.

Nutritional values: kcal 556 | carbohydrates 50 | egg whites 25 | fats 28

 

Will you let us know what your thoughts are on the recipe? We are very curious about your creations! And now you can tell everyone what a wrapini is. 😉

Recipe alert! Salad with zucchini, pear and blue cheese

Now the weather is getting a bit warmer again, our food choices are changing as well. That’s why we thought it was time for another salad! This one is super easy to make and super tasty! Let’s read on… 

If you want to eat this salad for dinner, you can add some quinoa, for the carbs. Or warm a nice baguette with it. The choice is endless!

INGREDIENTS

The nice thing about the salad is that you only need a few ingredients. And that while the flavors are perfect! 😉

What you need for two persons:

  • 200 grams of arugula mix
  • 2 pears
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 avocado
  • handful of walnuts
  • 100 grams of blue cheese
  • olive oil
  • (fig)balsamic

gezonde salade

HOW YOU MAKE THE SALAD

  1. Peel and slice the pear. Seed the avocado and cut into cubes.
  2. Wash the zucchini well and cut into thin slices. You can use a cheese slicer for extra thin slices.
  3. Heat a large pan with a small dash of olive oil and fry the zucchini and pear for about 8-10 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and let it cool off. Do you have a grill pan? Then it is also very nice to grill the zucchini.
  4. Meanwhile chop the walnuts and crumble the blue cheese.
  5. Mix the arugula mix, avocado, zucchini and pear.
  6. Top with walnuts, blue cheese and a little olive oil and (fig) balsamic vinegar.

Let’s eat! 

I’d love to hear what you thought of the salad and whether you might have a good variation on it! Will you let me know below if you made it? I would like to know! 🙂

4 different salads with avocado

We love to eat avocado at noon. Because of the fats, you are full for a long time and that’s perfect, because you have more energy for the afternoon. But avocado toast can get a little boring. That’s why we searched for the best salads with avocado, that are filling enough. Want to know more? Read more! 

Zo maak je avocado salade met couscous

Source: @storiesbysuus

COUSCOUS AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients

  • 60 grams of couscous
  • 1 tomato
  • 80 grams of tofu
  • 1/2 paprika
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 100 ml of soy sauce

Method of preparation

  1. Cut the tofu in cubes and let them marinate in the soy sauce. The longer you let it marinate, the more taste it absorbs.
  2. Put the couscous in a bowl and pour over 50 ml of boiling water. Cover the dish and let it stand for 3 minutes.
  3. Fry the tofu in a frying pan.
  4. In the meantime, cut the avocado, paprika and tomato to the desired size.
  5. Stir all sliced ingredients into the couscous and divide the sunflower seeds over it.
  6. Season the salad with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Hoe maak ik een quinoa avocado salade ?

Source: @storiesbysuus

QUINOA AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients

  • 60 grams of quinoa
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 70 grams of sugarsnaps
  • 50 grams of cucumber
  • 50 grams of mixed salad
  • 20 grams of dairy spread
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 teaspoon of dill
  • salt and pepper

Method of preparation

  1. Prepare the quinoa as indicated on the package.
  2. Cook the sugarsnaps for 3-5 minutes in a pan with boiling water and cut the cucumber, spring onion and avocado to the desired size.
  3. Mix the quinoa, sugarsnaps, sliced vegetables, mixed salad and dairy spread.
  4. Finish the salad with the dill and some pepper and salt.

Wat is het recept van een avocado rijst salade?

Source: @lisa.s

TASTY RICE SALAD WITH AVOCADO

Ingredients

  • 65 grams of brown rice
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1/2 paprika
  • 20 grams of arugula
  • 50 grams of lentils
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 30 grams of Hummus

Method of preparation

  1. Prepare the rice and lentils as indicated on the package.
  2. Cut the spring onion, paprika and avocado to the desired size.
  3. Mix the rice, lentils, spring onion, paprika, arugula and avocado.
  4. Finish the salad by stirring the hummus through the salad.

Ben je op zoek naar een salade met avocado en zalm?

SALMON AVOCADO QUINOA SALAD

Ingredients

  • 60 grams of quinoa
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 salmon fillet
  • 50 grams of sugarsnaps
  • 25 grams of cucumber
  • 60 grams of mixed salad
  • 1 teaspoon of dill
  • 20 grams of dairy spread light
  • 20 grams of spring onion
  • salt and pepper

Method of preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
  2. Prepare the quinoa as indicated on the package.
  3. Meanwhile, put the salmon in a baking dish and sprinkle with some pepper and salt. Then put the dish in the oven for 20 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, cook the sugar snaps in 3-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water and cut the cucumber, iceberg lettuce, avocado and spring onion to the desired size.
  5. Mix the quinoa, sugarsnaps and sliced vegetables.
  6. Finally, stir in the dairy spread and dill and place the salmon fillet on top.

 

Hopefully we have given you some inspiration to make a new recipe with avocado! Which one are you going to try? Let us know what you think about this blog in the comments!

6 Delicious toppings for rice cakes

I’m a big fan of rice cakes because they are a healthy alternative to bread. If you find rice cakes taste like cardboard, then I have a few delicious toppings for rice cakes so you can conjure up a delicious snack or lunch. Let’s face it: without toppings, rice cakes are not very tasty. But they do have some very good qualities: gluten free, vegan, one rice cake contains 25 calories, no saturated or trans fats, convenient to carry and inexpensive!

6 Delicious toppings for rice cakes


1. PIZZA RICE CAKE

The good thing about this topping is that if the tomato sauce soaks into the rice cake, it gets a more bread-like structure. Put the rice cake into the oven until the cheese is melted. Add another pizza topping of your choice now!

Traditional Greek dip tzatziki

2. TZATZIKI AND CHICKEN BREAST

This combination ensures that I get a taste of summer that cheers me right up. Yes, that’s what tzatziki makes me think of…even on rainy days.

3. AVOCADO AND SLICED ​​CHICKEN BREAST

This is my absolute favorite! If you like to, you can also add slices of chicken breast. I think this is the best combination out there!

 

4. MOZZARELLA, PESTO, TOMATO & BASIL

This divine Italian flavour tastes good served with anything, including a rice cake! Indulge your taste buds with this combo.

5. PEANUT BUTTER OR ALMOND BUTTER WITH BANANA OR STRAWBERRY AND CHIA.

Had a bad day? Fortunately for you, there is nothing that peanut butter and spoon can’t resolve. Add some banana or strawberry, and you have a delicious treat!

6. COTTAGE CHEESE WITH SALMON AND AVOCADO

You can create so many snacks and sides with cottage cheese! Try this combination with smoked salmon and avocado, it is so incredibly delicious.

And those are my favourite toppings for rice cakes! I try to eat as well as possible every day with the most simple ingredients … and sometimes luxurious ingredients. Do you have any tasty tips for me? Then go ahead and write them in a comment below! 

4x Healthy Wraps

Us Fit Girls always try to eat as healthy as possible, but when we’re away from home or have a busy week ahead, it isn’t always possible to eat healthy. But that’s where the wraps come in. They’re the ultimate lazy Fit-Girl product and you can’t go wrong with wraps. So here you go: these are 5 super tasty and healthy wraps for a busy week. 

gezonde wraps

SALMON WRAP

I am obsessed with smoked salmon. I used to make salmon sandwiches every day, until one day I thought, why not put it in a wrap? This is exactly what I ended up doing. I made a delicious roll by putting smoked salmon in a healthy whole grain wrap. It is a great meal to make for lunch as well as dinner if you don’t feel like cooking yourself or are simply in a hurry. The seaweed especially adds a freshness to this delicious healthy wrap. Hmm, I’m getting hungry already!

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wrap
  • Cream cheese
  • Seaweed
  • Smoked salmon
  • Sesame seed

The method of preparation:

  1. Spread the cream cheese over the wrap.
  2. Add the salmon and seaweed.
  3. Sprinkle some sesame seed upon it and enjoy!

gezonde wraps

WHOLE GRAIN WRAPS WITH HUMMUS, FALAFEL AND AVOCADO

Hummus and avocado are two products that I always have in the house as I am absolutely crazy about them! This wrap contains several simple ingredients and adding the falafel to it transforms it into a filling and healthy meal. Take a look at the recipe and try it yourself!

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wrap
  • Hummus
  • Falafel
  • Cucumber
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Sesame seed

The method of preparation:

  1. Spread some hummus on the wrap. Add the falafel to it.
  2. Cut the tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in cubes.
  3. Sprinkle some sesame seed on the wrap and bon appetit

gezonde wraps

WALNUT AND CHICKEN WRAP

I have not yet had the chance to try this original recipe from Roos. After coming across it on the blog, my mouth immediately started watering. This is a recipe I will for sure try out this week! Finally, a salad but then put into a wrap. The combination of chicken, walnuts and appel creates the perfect salad-filled wrap you have been searching for this whole time. Who will try this recipe out with me?

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wraps
  • Smoked chicken
  • Arugula
  • Apple
  • 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche
  • Hand full walnuts

The method of preparation:

  1. Cut the smoked chicken and apples into strips.
  2. Grind the walnuts.
  3. Put the mayonnaise, creme fraiche, smoked chicken, apple and walnuts in a bowl. Voila, here you have it!
  4. Place all of it on a wrap and put some arugula on it.

gezonde wraps

PROTEIN RICH TOFU AND BEANS WRAP

Fit Girls like us need proteins to develop our muscles to the fullest and this protein rich wrap is the perfect way to get all the necessary proteins you need. I must admit, I was not a huge fan of beans at first, but over the years I have learned to eat them and I am telling you, they are a great contribution to your diet! They are packed with nutrients and make your wrap taste a lot better. Are you not a fan of tofu? Don’t worry, you can easily replace it with any kind of meat, such as chicken or fish.

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wraps
  • Tofu
  • Feta cheese
  • Maize
  • Tomatoes
  • Kidney beans
  • Cumin seed
  • Salt & pepper
  • Coconut oil

The method of preparation:

  1. Cut the tomatoes in half.
  2. Let the moisture out of the can maize and kidney beans.
  3. Cut the tofu in small pieces.
  4. Wrap the tofu in paper tissues. Put someone heavy on it, so the moisture can get out of the tofu.
  5. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add cumin seed, salt and pepper.
  6. Bake the tofu pieces for 4 minutes or until crispy. 
  7. Put the tofu on the wrap and add the maize, kidney beans, tomatoes and feta cheese. 

 

gezonde wraps

Enjoy these healthy and super tasty wraps! What’s your favorite wrap recipe? 

Delicious wraps for lunch

We love a sandwich for lunch, but we also love a bit of variation. That’s why we searched for other tasty, healthy options that you can easily prepare and take with you. What we found? Lunch wraps are an ideal solution! There are so many delicious recipes that we almost couldn’t choose … But we have selected the best ones for you!

 

Source: Lekker en Simpel

Lunch wrap with chicken breast

Ingredients

  • 2 (whole grain) wraps
  • 1 tomato
  • cheese spread
  • 1 spring onions
  • 4 pieces of chicken breast
  • a hand full lettuce

Easy does it! This super easy recipe is made within minutes and really delicious for lunch.

 

lunch wrap

Source: Pinterest

Wrap with tuna

Ingredients

  • 1 whole grain wrap
  • 30 grams arugula
  • 25 grams dairy spread
  • ½ bell pepper
  • 1 small onion
  • 50 grams tomato
  • 150 grams tuna (waterbased)
  • 20 grams feta cheese

This recipe is from our Happy Healthy Guide,

lunch wrap

Source: Wraps maken

Wrap with salmon and egg

Ingredients

  • Smoked salmon (12 pieces)
  • 3 eggs
  • 100 grams spinach
  • 6 wraps

Yum.. This recipe is really delicous! Are you hungry already?

 

Source: Over eten gesproken

Carpaccio lunch wraps

Ingredients

  • 2 wraps
  • 125 grams carpaccio
  • 1,5 tablespoon pesto
  • 1,5 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • Arugula
  • 20 grams pine nuts
  • Parmesan cheese

There is nothing better than a wrap with carpaccio! And it is super easy to make. Can’t wait? Let’s make it for lunch tomorrow!

 

Source: Kookidee

Wrap with parma ham and sundried tomatoes

Ingredients for 4 persons

  • 8 wraps
  • 8 pieces parma ham
  • 50 grams arugula
  • 35 grams pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons green pesto
  • 12 sundried tomatoes
  • Pepper
  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise

Yummy! These wraps are perfect for lunch, but also for a party. It doesn’t just look good, they taste good as well!

 

Source: Foodiecrush

Avocado Caprese wrap

Ingredients

  • 2 wraps
  • 1 fresh mozzarella, cut in pieces
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 avocado
  • Basilicum
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Arugula
  • Balsamic

This recipe is to good not to try! We get instant summer vibes. Do you want to try this?

So many choices.. We love them all! All of these wraps are easy to make and are super delicious. For everyone who wants to try something else for lunch, these wraps are the perfect solution. What is your favorite recipe? Let us know in the comments. 

5x healthy bbq side dishes

No summer is a real summer without BBQ’s outside. Who doesn’t like to enjoy the sunny weather in their garden by feasting on delcious, freshly grilled foods?! I believe everyone can enjoy a good BBQ as long as they’re surrounded by the right people. This means time to gather all your best Fit Girl pals and get eatin’! Now, BBQ’s may not seem very healthy but if the sides and the sauces are on point, then the whole BBQ will be. Good news, ay? Today I’m going to show you 5 healthy bbq sides.

1. Tomato & Mozzarella


Source: Little Broken

A very simple AND delicious side? Impossible! Well, not with this phenomenon: Tomato & Mozzarella! Name me a more iconic duo??? Almost isn’t possible as this combination of ingredients is on fleek and legendary.

Ingredients (10 people):

  • 5 tomatoes
  • 2 logs of mozzarella
  • Generous bunch of fresh basil leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • Provincial herbs

2. Pasta salad


Source: The Recipe Critic

Pasta salads are amazing as they are tasty, filling, AND healthy. A BBQ basically requires someone to make a pasta salad. Another plus point is that the larger the quantity, the cheaper it is! That’s a serious plus point when it comes to bbq’s as the meat alone can be quite expensive.

Ingredients (6 people):

  • 450 gr (16 oz) Pasta (farfalle)
  • 480 gr (17 oz) Jar of sun-dried tomatoes (drain it)
  • 1 Red bell pepper (diced)
  • 460 gr (16.5 oz) Jar of olives (drain it)
  • 340 gr (1 cup) Spinach
  • 85 gr (1/4 cup) Basil (chopped)
  • 170 gr (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Oregano
  • (opitional) Pinenuts

3. Creamy rice salad


Source: Kalyn’s Kitchen

This special recipe is actually from our Fitgirlcode Guide! When I was doing the Fitgirlcode Guide I was introduced to very many new recipes and, I gotta say, this one really stuck. I thought it was very tasty and thus continued to follow this particular recipe, even after I finished the Guide.

Ingredients (8 people):

  • 510 gr (1 1/2 cup) Brown rice
  • 1 can (~170 gr/ 6 oz) Black olives
  • 1 Red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 160 gr (5 1/2 oz) Cucumber
  • 300 gr (10 oz) Cream cheese
  • 160 gr (5 1/2 oz) Lettuce
  • 160 gr (5 1/2 oz) Spring onions
  • Salt
  • Pepper

4. Bruschetta


Source: The Garlic Diaries

Okay, if you haven’t noticed it yet, I LOVE ITALIAN FOOD! After my article about risottos, I think this became quite clear (lol). But, soooo, you shouldn’t definitely add bruschettas to your list! This healthy bbq side dish will please everyone present and doesn’t get too messy on your plate (Ay, we’ve got to think about everything right?!)

Ingredients (8 people):

  • 900 gr (2 lbs) Tomatoes
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 5 Basil leaves (sliced)
  • 2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 Baguette
  • Butter for the bread

5. Sweet potato fries


Source: Center Cut Cook

Are you a lover of ribs with fries? Yet you don’t want the guilt that normal fries give you? Move over and join the sweet potato side! On this side we enjoy all we eat, and most of all our BBQ’s with fries. Out of all healthy bbq sides this one has got to be the most traditional healthy bbq dish.

Ingredients (8 people):

  • 8 Sweet potatoes
  • 8 tbsp Olive oil
  • 4 tsp Parpika powder
  • 4 tsp Salt
  • 4 tsp Pepper
  • 4 tsp Rosemary

Barbeques are a great way to unite your family and/or friends! The easiest way to organize a BBQ is to have everyone bring a side dish, and that the organizer handles the meats/grilled goods. Now, we’re sure that with at least one of these healthy bbq sides you will be able to impress the whole crowd and help out the hostess lots! Are you also a bbq fan? Tell us what you’re favourite side dish is in the comments!

Photo credits (header): Maarten van den Heuvel, via Unsplash

Are you a vegetarian but you also love barbeques? No worries! Try grilling one of these 4 veggie burgers >

Recipe: Healthy pitas with falafel

This week my obsession for pita bread has been taking over. Pita is a treasure from the Middle East that has concurred every foodie’s heart. I love pita bread so much since it fills you up quite quickly and there are so many recipes you can make with it. And no, I am not talking about making big ass kebabs (even though they do have the word ‘abs’ in them), because they will not strengthen your Fit Girl habits. I am talking about healthy pita recipes that will keep the calorie count relatively low, fill you up, AND taste delish. Here is Fitgirlcode’s favourite pita recipe:

Falafel and pita

Interested in eating vegan? The first step to eating vegan is discovering the lovely wonders of falafel. Falafel is a deep fried ball most often made from chickpeas, and is nowadays the world’s known meat replacement. Even though you can just eat them as a snack, since they taste amazing on their own as well, I prefer to make them with pita. In our Fitgirlcode Guide we describe the recipe in full with the ingredients being pita, falafel, lettuce, tomato, cream cheese light, and low-fat yoghurt. As usual, you just stuff the ingredients in the pita pocket and there you go! Your very own vegan lunch break. ?

From burgers, to pizza, to veganism, pita is the underdog of foods and will take over your world as you begin to realize its magic. Pita, a long-lasting ingredient that can also simply be eaten as a snack with some hummus? We need more!

 

6 Avocado recipes to help shape your day

Are you also a big fan of avocados? Because we definitely are, and this trend must continue to thrive over the years. However, no matter how much of an experienced avocado-eater you are, it is sometimes impossible to avoid the horror of having half an avocado left at the end of your meal. How to avoid having to throw away a perfectly ripe avocado? We are going to suggest 6 avocado recipes that you can use throughout your day. These variant recipes will help you find ways to use your left over avocado before it turns brown. Avocadon’t throw it away!

From an awakening breakfast, to an energetic snack, to lunch and beyond. Here is how to calculate your meals based on your avocado. All these avocado recipes come from our Guides that aim to inspire you and keep you on your feet.

1. Breakfast- Rice Waffles with Egg & Avocado

This light and quick brekkie will brighten up your day from the start. According to our Happy Healthy Guide, all you need are some rice waffles, eggs, onion, tomato, chicken (or Parma ham) and, of course, half an avocado. Spread all the ingredients out on your rice waffles and you’re good to go. Now put the second half of the avocado back in the fridge and wait to use it later in the day.

422 kcal | 37 g carbohydrates | 17 g fat | 31 g protein

2. Breakfast- Avocado Toast

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. This toasted double decker is what dreams are made of. With a short grocery list of: Bread, egg, chicken filet and avocado, it is the perfect start to your day. What we love about these simple avocado recipes is that you can alternate ingredients according to what you like. Meat, no meat? Scrambled, omelette? See where your stomach takes you.

393 kcal | 36 g carbohydrates | 17 g fat | 24 g protein

3. Lunch- Turkey & Avocado Salad

With the second half of your avocado from this morning you could choose to make a delicious avocado-turkey salad that is rich in flavours and nutritious foods. Some tomatoes, carrots, bacon, … Anything can help you top off this salad! With just a touch of rosemary, your salad’s taste will come to life.

This avocado recipe that our Happy Healthy Guide describes includes lettuce, turkey strips, low-fat cottage cheese, cranberries, bean sprouts, blueberries and, last but not least, 1/2 avocado. A lovely and quick mix of ingredients will leave time for you to enjoy your meal and your break.

314 kcal | 22 g carbohydrates | 8 g fat | 38 g protein

4. Lunch- Grilled Chicken & Avocado Wrap

An alternative avocado-filled lunch recipe is this bad boy, the grilled chicken and avocado wrap! Take that left over avocado out of the fridge and get cooking (or grilling). Cut up some chicken, cut up some mozzarella, and finally cut up that ½ avocado. With some added spring onion and grated light cheese, all you still need to do is WRAP IT UP. When this easy combo gets placed between grill plates, and you see that cheese melting, you will be glad to have followed this Fitgirlcode Guide recipe.

582 kcal | 43 g carbs | 27 g fat | 42 g protein

5. Break- Banana & Avocado Smoothie

Did you just get back from the gym? Are you in need of a break right now? Make this energetic, protein-rich smoothie from our Fitgirlcode Guide. Here is how you get it done:

  • 200ml of water
  • 1 Banana
  • ½ Avocado
  • 1 scoop of whey protein
  • 10gr/ 1 tablespoon of cacao powder
  • Pinch of salt

Get your juices flowing once again and enjoy this smoothie no matter where you are. Your ½ avocado will be well spent, TRUST.

385 kcal | 39 g carbs | 16 g fat | 25 g protein

6. Dinner- Salmon with Rice & Avocado

This late night get together is perfect to celebrate the end of your day in front of the TV, surrounded by a blanket. A quick gathering of some grilled salmon, brown rice and avocado, makes for a perfectly healthy and balanced meal. For extra flavour try adding eggs, broccoli, nuts and/or mushrooms, as our Happy Healthy Guide suggests.

489 kcal| 44 g carbohydrates | 19 g fat | 35 g protein

It is always an icky feeling throwing away food, so hopefully these avocado recipes will help you avoid throwing away avocado and maybe even a few more ingredients? Tell me if you liked the avocado recipes in the comments, or give more suggesting to your fellow Fit Girls.

Inspired by these recipes? Go check out our guides >

 

5x mealprep recipes that are anything but boring

Mealprepping comes with so many advantages. Not having to wake up n the morning to make your lunch because you already have a Tupperware container set for you to go. Or coming home after a long busy day and not having to go to the grocery store and then cooking on top of that. Nope, there’s a delicious dinner already set for you in the fridge. Some people prefer to cook a large amount on Sundays that will last the entire week. I’m more of the type that makes a big portion the night before and then taking the other half for lunch the next day. Whenever and whatever you do: the following recipes are the perfect additions to your mealprep recipes that you’ve already got!

Source: Minimalist Baker

Vegan Salad with sweet potato and chickpeas

Ingredients:

For the salad:

  • 200 gram sweet potato
  • 400 gram chickpeas
  • 30 ml coconut oil
  • 2 to 3 tbsp tandoori masala seasoning mix
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1 big bundle of kale
  • optional: 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • optional: 2 to 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

For the dressing:

  • 55 gram tahini
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 to 2 tbsp hot water

How to make this filling salad? This is how!

 

Source: Damn Delicious

Greek Chicken Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 680 gram cherry tomatoes

For the chicken:

  • 900 gram chicken breast fillets
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • salt and pepper

For the salad:

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves knoflook
  • 1/2 tbsp oregano

For the tzatziki:

  • 1 cup Greek yoghurt
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp dill
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp mint
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

This bowl looks so good! Too much work? Buy a health tzatziki in the store and save some time.

 

Source: Simply Quinoa

Quinoa with roasted vegetables and tempeh

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 package of mushrooms
  • 2 zucchinis
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 red paprikas
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 packs of tempeh
  • 3 to 4 cups quinoa (cooked)

This vegetarian quinoa sounds so delicious to me!

 

Source: Popsugar

Homemade tuna salad wrap

Ingredients:

  • 2 wholewheat wraps (or pita breads)
  • 1 can of tuna
  • lemon juice from two wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1/2 cup red paprika
  • 1tbsp parsley
  • salt and pepper

This meal is packed with protein, making it Fit Girl-proof!

 

Source: Eazy Peazy Mealz

Italian chicken bowl with vegetables

Ingrediënten:

  • 900 gram chicken breast fillet
  • 1 1/2 cup broccoli
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 cup plum tomatoes
  • 1 zucchini
  • 2 tsp knoflook
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp basil
  • 2 tsp marjorom
  • 2 tsp rosemary
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 to 4 cups (cooked) rice

This tasty chicken bowl has the opportunity to become a weekday staple!

What are your go to meal prep recipes? Go on and share them with me 🙂 

 

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND FETA

Today I’m going to share the recipe of my favourite couscous salad with you. If it was up to me, I’d eat couscous for lunch all day err day. But hey, I know it’s important to variate with your regular meals. Still, I eat this salad at least once a week. It’s just so good… So, are you ready for the (extremely easy) recipe?

I always prepare this salad the night before I go to the office. I just mix all of the ingredients up in a plastic tray and put it in the fridge. This means I can stay in bed a little longer during the morning… 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

  • 80 grams of couscous
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 6 Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Spring onion
  • Piece of feta
  • Salt & pepper
  • Thyme
  • Honey
  • Olive oil

add

  1. Let the couscous soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes. (1 cup of couscous = 1 cup of water)
  2. Cut the avocado, tomatoes, feta and spring union into small pieces.
  3. When the couscous is ready, add one tablespoon of olive oil and a bit of salt, pepper and thyme.
  4. Mix together all of the ingrediënts and add some honey. Seriously, couscous and honey is the best combination ever!

I hope you are all going to enjoy this amazing couscous salad as much as I do! It’s very simple, healthy and easy to make. And these are all pretty basic ingredients which are probably lying around somewhere in your fridge already. Good luck!

6 steps to create the perfect salad

If you prepare them the right way, salads can be super tasty, appealing to look at and the perfect way to get your vital nutrients. Plus, they are so quickly to make! So, if you want to make the perfect salad, but don’t know how, here are the 6 steps you need to follow.

1. Pick your base

If you can, try to use leafy dark greens, such as spinach, rocket lettuce, or kale rather than iceberg or cos lettuce varieties. Darker greens usually have more nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and K just to mention a few.

2. Pick your grains

I think we have all once experienced the feeling of being hungry or wanting to snack right after we are done eating a salad. A good way to avoid this annoying feeling is to include grains into our salads. Grains are a great source of healthy carbohydrates, which supply our bodies with a little energy boost. Besides, they are a great source of fibre which can be very filing and is full of nutrients. Don’t know which grains to add? Try couscous or quinoa, besides being super healthy, they are full of flavor!

3. Add three vegetables

If you are not so experienced when it comes to eating salads, then I recommend that you first experiment with your veggies and the way you prepare them to see what you like. Don’t be afraid to experiment, remember that there is no right or wrong veggie combination and there is not an exact recipe to follow when it comes to salad prepping. Put together something you like, but make sure you at least add 3 vegetables. This will add more flavor to your salad, more nutrients, and more texture which will make it much more enjoyable to eat. If you have no idea which vegetables to add besides lettuce, here are some tips. Try tomato, onion and mushroom, or carrot, cucumber and capsicum. If you are feeling creative, you can also add some color to your salad by using veggies like purple onion, yellow tomatoes or purple carrot!

4. Choose your protein

Protein helps you feel fuller longer which is why it is important that you make sure that you include some in your salad. Adding grilled chicken to your salad is one of the most common ways to make sure you get your intake of protein. However another great option is grilled salmon or tofu. Salmon is a great source of Omega 3, which is great for your skin and helps fight against inflammation. Hello flat tummy!

5. Add some dressing

In my opinion, dressing can either make or break a salad. The important thing when it comes to dressing is to add it in the right amount. Once I drowned my salad in balsamic dressing, making it completely inedible. The same counts for that time I forgot to add any dressing to my salad, it was simply too dry and it felt like it was missing some flavor.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that some dressings are full of calories and preservatives. So, it’s always a better idea to make your own dressing. If you can’t make your own, make sure that you choose a fresh dressing with fresh ingredients and healthy oils like vinaigrette instead of something creamy, like ranch for example.

6. Add your healthy fats

While most people fear fat, our bodies need it! Of course there is a huge difference between trans-fat and healthy fats. Our bodies need healthy fat. Healthy fats help regulate our moods and blood sugar. Foods such as walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds are full of omega 3 which help our bodies regulate blood pressure as well. Incorporating fats into your salad is the easiest thing. Just sprinkle over some chopped walnuts, some chia seeds, or add some diced avocado and there you go! Not only will you make sure that you get your dose of healthy fats, your perfect salad will also taste extra delicious after adding these!

Now that you know how to prepare the perfect salad, all there is left to do is get your ingredients, go prepare it and enjoy!

Recipe: Beet Burger

Hi Fit Girls!

What’s more perfect than serving your friends a tasty burger the next time they come over? Oh wait, I know! Diverting a bit from the traditional, and pulling out a beet burger of course! Although I’m usually a bit of a skeptic when it comes to ‘healthy’ versions of ‘unhealthy’ recipes, I have to admit that this beet burger is actually super delicious! Enjoy…

I was recently at an event called “Vers is Gers” by Verse Oogst, a brilliant and fun company where you can sign up for a “fruit and vegetable” subscription. After that, you get a box full of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables delivered right to your door every week, and you can also find amazingly great recipes on their website. During the event, they served us this beet burger. I thought it was so delicious that I had to share the recipe with you!

Ingredients (6 burgers)

  • 4 spring onions
  • 400 grams uncooked beets
  • 100 grams of crumbled feta
  • 80 grams (grated) Parmesan cheese
  • fresh mint
  • 140 grams almonds or hazelnuts
  • 150 grams breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 head of lettuce
  • 2 table spoons olive oil
  • tzatziki of hummus (homemade works too!)
  • your favorite bread

bietenburger

The beet burgers at the event “Vers is Gers” held in the Markthal in Rotterdam

Preparation

  • Cut the spring onions, peel the beets with a vegetable peeler and shred them.
  • Warm up the olive oil in a pan and fry the shredded beets and spring onions for about 5 minutes.
  • Put the feta and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add the cooked beets and spring onions into the bowl.
  • Roast the nuts for about 5 minutes in a pan (without oil) until they become brown. Break them into small pieces and add them to the bowl.
  • Finely chop the fresh mint until you have about 4 teaspoons worth and add this to the bowl.
  • Add the bread crumbs and the juice from the 1/2 lemon and mix everything with your hands until it becomes dough.

Directions

  • Make 6 nice round burgers from the dough and fry them in a pan using a bit of olive oil. Fry both sides for about 5 minutes.
  • For a real hamburger:  Place the beet burgers on your favorite bread and top it off with the fresh lettuce and your tzatziki or hummus!

Now, doesn’t this belong on your to-do list? I know that it’ll be a hit with your friends, and you guys also will get a good dose of vegetables and fiber. Win-win! Thanks, Verse Oogst, for the healthy inspiration. On the look out for more delicious vegetarian recipes? The brand new Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide (only available in Dutch) is here to help you to a meat-free & happy life! Doubting a bit? Check out what you can expect from this Guide!

Love,

Roos

p.s. follow all my fit adventures! @fitgirlroos

Whole wheat bun with hummus, chicken & avocado

Do you ever get that feeling like you want to try a new lunch recipe, but you don’t feel like putting together a salad full of ingredients? Or you’re wondering what else you can try putting on your wrap? For those who haven’t sworn off bread, here’s a tasty lunch idea. At the #FITGIRLCODE headquarters, we all have one thing we enjoy: a whole wheat bun with hummus, chicken & avocado. 

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat bun
  • Hummus
  • Smoked chicken
  • Avocado
  • Salt & pepper

Instructions

It can’t get much easier than this, but…

  1. Cut the bun open and spread hummus on the lower half.
  2. Cut the slices of smoked chicken and place this on the hummus.
  3. Cut the avocado in slices and place this in the bun to top it off. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Cover with the top half of the bun, and boom, you’re done!

Naturally, you can add all sorts of ingredients to it, like rocket lettuce, spinach or mango. In any case, you’re avoiding a boring lunch! Bon appetite! 

 

5 Easy and delicious mealprep recipes

Mealprepping. The saving grace for many Fit Girls dealing with the chaos of everyday life. Once a week, all the pots and pans are being taken out of the cupboard to prepare a multitude of Tupperware cases filled with chicken, rice and veggies for the days to come. This is ideal, because you’ll be ensured healthy food for an entire week! But, there is only one little issue: it’s not that easy or sustainable to eat the same meal twice a day.  But, no worries! Especially for you, I’ve gathered my 5 favorite mealprep recipes.  Say bye bye to the rut and hello to healthy and delicious meals!

Tuna for the win!

Tuna is easy, fast, macro-friendly, and most of all, a tasty source of protein; that’s already reason enough to try out this salad!

For this meal you need: 1 handful of mâche (salad), 1/2 can tuna (in water), 50g olives, 10 sundried tomatoes, 100g cherry tomatoes, 100g cucumber (get rid of the seeds), 15g roasted pine nuts, 1/2 red onion, 100g cooked brown rice, fresh parsley and fresh chive. Cut all the ingredients into parts and mix them well: tadaa, a lovely fresh tuna salad.

(431 calories. 49 carbs/13 fat/26 protein)

 

mealprep recipes

 

Oh my Thai!

A meal with beef, do I need to say more!? Watch out that you don’t eat your Tupperware too! 😉

For this meal you need: about 100g beef, 100g cooked rice noodles, a handful of mâche, 1/2 red onion, 15g roasted cashews, 50g shortly cooked bean sprouts, 100g steamed green beans, 1/2 red pepper, fresh coriander, 50g corn and for the marinade 2 tblsp sweet soy sauce, garlic powder and chili powder. Marinade the beef and leave it in a bowl while you cut and prepare the other ingredients. Grill the beef as you prefer. Mix all the ingredients and you’re DONE!

(622 calories. 61 carbs/19 fat/48 protein)

mealprep recipes

 

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

A meal with chicken, but then with a twist!

For this meal you need: 80g cooked quinoa, 100g diced chicken filet, 100g cucumber (get rid of the seeds), 50g corn, 50g olives, 10 sundried tomatoes, 1/2 red onion, 50g red bell pepper, fresh parsley, fresh basil, 15g grated parmesan cheese, and 25g spicy chicken spices. Mix it together and done!

(617 calories. 54 carbs/18 fat/47 protein)

mealprep recipes

For the love of PASTA!

Zuchetti, the perfect calorie-friendly solution for pasta-loving Fit Girls. You can vary endlessly with this meal: you can make it with tuna, soy meat or make a pasta pesto! Make the strands of zucchini, sweet potato, cucumber or carrot – that way you can save some calories for dessert.

What do you need to make the meal in the picture? 2 cloves of garlic, 1 big red onion, 6 big tomatoes, 1 bell pepper, 150g minced chicken, 1/2 zucchini, 15g grated Parmesan cheese, 15g roasted pine nuts, Italian spices, sea salt, pepper, and fresh basil.

First make the sauce. Briefly cook the garlic and onion and in the meantime, cut the tomatoes and bell pepper into big pieces. Add these, together with some Italian spices, to the pan and cook until they become a bit softer. Add some water so it can simmer for a bit. If you want a thinner sauce, you could puree it with a mixer. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Put the sauce aside and cook the minced chicken. When it’s done, add the sauce and let it all simmer for a bit. In the meantime, make the zucchini strand with the Spirelli (a must-have kitchen tool for every Fit Girl) and put these in your mealprep box. Let the cooked mixture cool down a bit and then put it on the zucchini strands in the box. Top it off with some Parmesan cheese and pine nuts and your Italian meal is done!

(430 calories. 23 carbs/12 fat/32 protein)

mealprep recipes

An oldie but a goodie: Ceasar salad!

We all know this old-timer: the Caesar salad. Macro-friendly, super fast and always delicious!

This is what you need: 100g smoked chicken, a handful of salad, 100g cucumber (get rid of the seeds), 50g cherry tomatoes, 50g corn, 50g croutons, 1 cooked egg, fresh chive and parsley. Cut and mix all the ingredients and your mealprep is done!

(291 calories. 19 carbs/9 fat/32 protein)

mealprep recipes

 

Are you Fit Girls joining in the mealprep madness? Tag your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #fitgirlcodemealprep! For more recipe ideas, check out my Instagram acount!

Couscous salad with avocado and feta

Today I’m going to share the recipe of my favourite couscous salad with you. If it was up to me, I’d eat couscous for lunch all day err day. But hey, I know it’s important to variate with your regular meals. Still, I eat this salad at least once a week. It’s just so good… So, are you ready for the (extremely easy) recipe? 

I always prepare this salad the night before I go to the office. I just mix all of the ingredients up in a plastic tray and put it in the fridge. This means I can stay in bed a little longer during the morning… 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 80 grams of couscous
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 6 Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Spring onion
  • Piece of feta
  • Salt & pepper
  • Thyme
  • Honey
  • Olive oil

couscous

  1. Let the couscous soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes. (1 cup of couscous = 1 cup of water)
  2. Cut the avocado, tomatoes, feta and spring union into small pieces.
  3. When the couscous is ready, add one tablespoon of olive oil and a bit of salt, pepper and thyme.
  4. Mix together all of the ingrediënts and add some honey. Seriously, couscous and honey is the best combination ever!

I hope you are all going to enjoy this amazing couscous salad as much as I do! It’s very simple, healthy and easy to make. And these are all pretty basic ingredients which are probably lying around somewhere in your fridge already. Good luck!

5 easy peasy lunch recipes

I want to make myself happy every day with a delicious lunch. That’s why I dive into my kitchen and get prepping during the evening for the next day before I go and enjoy my late night snack. But it doesn’t have to take all evening, you just need to do some necessary preparation. Today I want to share 5 easy peasy lunch recipes for you to take a moment each day and truly enjoy your lunch!

MEAL PREPPING LUNCH RECIPES, YES OR NO?

I often get the question if I practice meal prepping. The answer is no, but that’s not because I’m against eating the same thing every day. As some of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen, I have oatmeal for breakfast every day. But why I do not do meal prepping? It’s very simple. I find it nice to try something new in my kitchen every evening. I discover new recipes and not only do I have a nice lunch the next day, it’s my daily relaxation moment! A win-win situation! Today I share 5 of my favourite lunch recipes so tonight you can also dive into the kitchen and prepare a healthy meal.

WRAPS WITH SMOKED SALMON

Wraps are very high on my list of favourite products. You can vary them endlessly and they are ideal to take with you for a packed lunch.

Ingredients

  • Two wraps
  • 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
  • 25 grams of rucola
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 large green onion
  • 50 grams of smoked salmon
  • 30 ml of yoghurt
  • 5 ml mustard
  •  pepper and salt

Preparation
Spread the cream cheese on the wraps. Cut the tomato and spring onion into your preferred size and place some on each wrap along along with the rucola and smoked salmon. Finally, create a dressing of yoghurt and mustard and spread over the whole lot. Add some salt and pepper to finish it off and your lunch is ready lunch!

lunch recipes

SPINACH COUSCOUS SALAD

Aside from wraps, couscous is something I like to eat several times a week. What makes it perfect for lunch recipes is not only is it easy to make, but also because you can make so many tasty, different combinations!

Ingredients

  • 75 grams couscous (uncooked)
  • 75 ml of boiling water
  • 100 grams of chicken breast
  • 2 good handfuls of fresh spinach
  • half a pepper
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 spring onion
  • oregano, salt and pepper

Preparation:
Cut the chicken into small pieces and fry in a pan until cooked. Pour the boiling water over the couscous and leave covered for three minutes (with some foil or a lid.. Meanwhile, cut the pepper, tomato, spring onion and spinach to the desired size. Stir the couscous, then add chicken and all the other ingredients. Finally add the spices. I’m sure you will get envious glances when you are eating this one.

lunch recipes

MEXICAN SALAD

This salad was conceived by accident. The night before I had a dinner made with mince and rice. Since I had a fair amount of it left over, I decided to keep it. When I went to the kitchen to make my lunch for the next day, the idea for this Mexican salad suddenly popped into my mind!

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of lean ground beef
  • 35 grams of sweetcorn
  • half an onion
  • 1 tomato
  • Half a mozzarella ball (light)
  • 1 spring onion
  • 70 grams kidney beans
  • 2 good handfuls of iceberg lettuce
  • 30 grams of cucumber
  • handful of sunflower seeds
  • Mexican spices, salt and pepper

Preparation
Brown the meat in a pan with some Mexican spices. Meanwhile, cut the tomato, onion, mozzarella, spring onion, lettuce and cucumber in the desired size. Add the onion, tomatoes, kidney beans and corn to the pan and wait for a delicious stew to cook until everything is heated through. Once cooked it is time to add the mozzarella. Wait until it begins to melt and then remove the pan from the heat. Allow the contents of the pan to cool and mix with the remaining ingredients for a tasty salad!

lunch recipes

SALAD WITH SWEET POTATO

Sweet potato, who doesn’t at this nowadays?! I remember very well when I didn’t, it always looked very dirty at the supermarket, so I never wanted to try it. But once I decided to taste anyway, I was immediately sold. Hence this salad with sweet potato!

Ingredients

  • 1 good handful of iceberg lettuce
  • 1 good handful of fresh spinach
  • 100 grams of chicken breast
  • 100 grams of sweet potato
  • half an avocado
  • 30 grams of cucumber
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 spring onion
  • 30 ml fat free yoghurt
  • 5 ml mustard
  • salt and pepper

Preparation:
Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and fry until cooked. Do the same with the sweet potato. In the meantime, chop the iceberg lettuce, spinach, avocado, cucumber, tomato and spring onion into desired size. You could also try a honey-mustard dressing on it instead by mixing in some honey with the yoghurt and mustard. Let the chicken breast and sweet potato to cool down, when they are ready and mix them with all the other ingredients. If you prepare the salad the night before, take the dressing in a separate container so the salad stays crunchy!

lunch recipes

CRACKERS WITH TURKEY BREAST

Whenever I have lunch at home, I eat something that is more difficult to bring to the office. Crackers quickly go soggy when you take them with you so I like to have those when I’m eating lunch at home!

Ingredients

  • 3 crackers
  • 30 grams light cream cheese
  • 6 slices of turkey breast
  • a handful of rucola
  • salt and pepper

Preparation
Spread crackers with cream cheese, turkey breast and rucola. Finally, add some salt and pepper! Easy peasy.

lunch recipes

Are you inspired to dive into the kitchen and make these delicious lunch recipes? Let me see your creative ideas by tagging me @estrellavtoor and of course @Fitgirlcode on Instagram! If you’re looking for more of my easy recipes that support an active lifestyle, get yourself the Fitgirlcode guide with 80 delicious recipes!