Joe Wicks’s 20-minute week night dinners: Quick, healthy recipes that won’t break the bank
As a dad of four, Joe Wicks knows first hand the challenges of finding time to plan and cook healthy meals for the whole family that please the kids and don't break the bank.
On a mission to make the back-to-school season a little simpler, The Body Coach has come up with 10 recipes that be whipped up in just 20 minutes and all serve a family of four to six with minimal hassle during busy weeknights.
The delicious recipes are packed with goodness and perfect for the whole family, with well-loved flavours and hearty, classic dishes incorporating nutritious twists, including the simmer and stir sausage stew, herby tomato cottage pie and slow cooker chicken curry.
"I want to help everyone, no matter their budget, put better food on their tables," says Wicks. "This recipe series focuses on quick and healthy family food. I want to help people understand the connection between good food and good mood.
Simmer and stir bolognese
Family favourite bolognese gets a one-pan, faff-free twist for easy midweek success.
: 4-6
: 20 mins
:
1⁄2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
2. Add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook for another 2–3 mins until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic (if using) and herbs and cook for another minute.
Cook's tip: Kids love customising! Try serving with a bowl of grated hard cheese or cheddar for sprinkling on top and chopped parsley, if you like.
Leftover tip: This tastes great for lunch the next day. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge and loosen with a splash of water once reheated.
Smoky chicken fajita pittas
Classic fajitas get a pitta pocket makeover with an easy homemade fajita spice mix.
: 4-6
: 20 minutes
:
1⁄2 tbsp ground cumin
1⁄2 x 500g carton passata
White pitta breads (6 pack), toasted
:
Cook's tip: Use your favourite protein here – lean pork or steak would work well too, and you could add a small can of sweetcorn for a kid-friendly veg boost. You can toast the pittas too, if you like.
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will taste delicious topping a jacket potato, or served with fluffy rice or salad.
Sausage stew
Sausages are pan-fried before sliced onion is added with flour, stock and mustard to create an easy onion gravy. Tinned potatoes just need to be warmed through to create a hearty classic in an instant.
: 4-6
: 25 minutes
:
Grainy mustard, to serve (optional)
:
1. Put the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and brown the sausages all over for 4-6 minutes. Remove with tongs then add the onion. Season and cook for 4–6 minutes until beginning to soften.
Cook's tip: Got any yorkies in the freezer? Cook your Yorkshire puds quickly in the air fryer and serve alongside.
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for two days. Slice any sausages thinly to help with quick reheating.
Fish and potato pie
Classic but so simple, every family should have an easy fish pie in their repertoire.
: 4-6
: 25 minutes
:
:
Cook's tip: Once you've mastered this version, you can vary it to suit your children's likes and dislikes. Substitute small, frozen prawns for some of the white fish fillets or top with a grated cheddar-spiked cheesy mash. Serve with lemon wedges, if you like.
Leftover tip: Bags of chopped, frozen veg last for months and make it super easy to up the count in stews, pasta sauces and fried rice or noodles.
Creamy mozzarella and broccoli pasta bake
You would never know this creamy sauce is made from just two store cupboard ingredients. Use whichever cheese you have but mozzarella makes the sauce super smooth and cheesy.
: 4-60
: 25 minutes
:
1 broccoli, florets removed (you can save the stalk for crudités)
:
Cook's tip: The fatless white sauce method used above is super simple and cuts out the need for lots of butter. Just make sure the liquid is cold when the flour is added, and whisk constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.
Leftover tip: Old pitta bread can be freshened up easily, by popping in the toaster, or sprinkling with water and a short blast in the air fryer. It's ideal for perfectly portioned sandwiches – or can be turned into mini pizzas. Freeze leftover pasta portions in individual dishes for future busy weeknights.
Chicken and pepper flatbread pizza
Asda flatbreads are topped with a simple herby tomato sauce, shredded chicken, sweetcorn and peppers for a speedy, simple pizza alternative.
: 4-6
: 15 minutes
:
1⁄2 tsp dried mixed herbs
:
Cook's tip: These are the perfect vessels for any leftovers you have in the fridge – make it veggie by adding seasonal mushrooms or other favourite veg.
Leftover tip: Keep tomato puree in the fridge for enriching tomatoey or stock-based sauces with a little squirt. Reheat leftover pizzas well-wrapped in foil to prevent the bases from drying out too much and becoming too hard for little mouths.
Veggie meatball chilli
A classic chilli gets a twist using Asda's frozen protein-rich veggie meatballs plus hidden extra veg in the tomato sauce, topped with diced pepper and served with rice.
: 4-6
: 25 minutes
:
:
Cook's tip: Boiling the carrot with the rice saves time and is a super speedy way to add more veggies to your meals. Serve with lime wedges and chopped fresh coriander, if you like.
Leftover tip: Spoon leftover sauce onto baked potatoes or rice.
Slow cooker chicken curry
This creamy, delicately spiced dish takes minutes to assemble in the slow cooker, meaning you can have dinner ready the second you get in the door.
: 4-6
: 6-8 hours
:
:
Cook's tip: Swap peas and carrots for other seasonal root vegetables that you can add to the slow cooker from the beginning, such as butternut squash, sweet potato or parsnip. Serve with fresh coriander, if you like.
Leftover tip: Stuff any leftover curry into wraps with salad and mango chutney, or use it to top a jacket potato for lunch.
Herby tomato cottage pie
This cottage pie has a bolognese feel with a tomato addition to the mince for extra flavour and richness – bolognese cottage pie, anyone? Plus, the lentils stretch the meat even further. Pop it under the grill to avoid a long bake time.
: 4-6
: 25 minutes
:
Splash of milk
:
Cook's tip: Boost the bolognese slant on this filling by adding 2-3 crushed garlic cloves just before the onion and carrot have finished softening. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and frozen peas, if you like.
Leftover tip: A little leftover but not enough for another meal? Freeze for stirring into future Bolognese, chilli or cottage pie sauces. The mashed potato top will help thicken and enrich the base, the lentils will boost the health benefits.
Tomato and tuna pasta
This speedy supper uses wholewheat pasta and is tossed with a colourful, med-veg-inspired tuna and tomato sauce and finished with a garlic bread, crunchy topping to serve, for the win.
: 4-6
: 15 minutes
:
1⁄2 tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 x 170g garlic bread
:
Cook's tip: Get the kids involved with this one and allow them to (carefully!) halve the tomatoes and deseed the peppers. They can choose their favourite pasta shape, too!
Leftover tip: Any leftovers will store well in the fridge in an airtight container for two days. Serve the pasta with the extra garlic bread on the side, if you like.
