When you start using weight loss medication, like Mounjaro or Wegovy, you’ll notice your appetite change. You probably won’t feel as hungry as you used, and your go-to meals might start to get boring.
Adding some new meal ideas into your diet plan will help you eat a wider variety of nutritious food – and you’ll get more satisfaction during mealtimes.
So, if you need some fresh ideas, here are 6 dietitian-approved dinner recipes to add to your meal plan.
Quinoa with Roasted Ratatouille
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
For the roasted ratatouille:
- 1 medium aubergine, diced
- 1 courgette, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the quinoa:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- Salt to taste
For serving:
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine diced aubergine, courgette, yellow and red bell peppers, sliced onion, minced garlic, olive oil, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the vegetables until evenly coated with the olive oil and seasonings.
- Spread the seasoned vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelised, stirring halfway through the cooking time.
- While the vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa under cold water.
- In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water or vegetable broth, and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
- Spoon the roasted ratatouille over the quinoa.
- Garnish the dish with chopped fresh basil or parsley.
- Optionally, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
Jacket Potato with Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Serves: 1 portion
Ingredients
For the jacket potato:
- 1 medium-sized baking potato
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the herb filling:
- 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 clove garlic, minced
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Mediterranean chickpea salad:
- 1/2 can (7.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cucumber, diced
- 1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash and scrub the potato, then pierce it with a fork a few times.
- Rub the potato with olive oil, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Place the potato directly on the oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the skin is crispy, and the inside is soft.
- In a small bowl, mix Greek yoghurt, chopped chives, chopped parsley, minced garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives.
- Add extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Once the jacket potato is cooked, slice it open lengthwise and fluff the inside with a fork.
- Spoon the herb filling into the potato, allowing it to melt into the warm flesh.
- Add the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad on the potato for filling.
Hunter’s Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes (400g)
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook the bacon until crisp, then remove from the pan and crumble it into small pieces.
- In the same pan, add the diced onion and minced garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and dried thyme to the pan, and stir until well combined.
- Place the chicken into a large oven-proof dish, spooning the tomato mixture over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes around the chicken in the dish, and season them with salt and pepper.
- Cover the dish with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the dish, and add the broccoli florets around the chicken and sweet potatoes. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, and season with salt and pepper.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes and broccoli are tender.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley or other fresh herbs of your choice.
Beef Stew
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
Base:
- 500g stewing beef
- 1 onion – diced
- 2 large carrots – halved and chopped into large chunks
- 2 celery stick – thinly sliced
- 100g button mushrooms – halved
- 100g peas
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 400mls stock
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 3 bay leaves
Optional:
- 100ml dry red wine
- Baby new potatoes, bread, or roast vegetables to serve.
Method
- Prepare the oven – preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan-assisted. Put the kettle on to boil.
- Sauté the vegetables – put the onion, carrot, celery, cumin, mixed herbs and bay leaves in a large, flame-proof casserole dish over a medium high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Sauté for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the gravy – stir in the flour, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce until thoroughly combined. Adding a little at a time, stir in the stock until a thick gravy is formed. Add dry red wine at this point if using.
- Cook the stew – add the stewing beef, mushrooms and peas to the gravy and bring to a simmer. Move to the oven and cook, covered for 2.5 hours. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes to reduce gravy.
- Serve – serve with your desired accompaniment (if having) and enjoy! Will keep in the fridge for a week or freezer for up to 3 months.
Broccoli and Lemon Chicken
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
Base:
- 340g chicken – sliced into small fillets
- 2 garlic cloves – sliced
- 200g tender stem broccoli or 1 head of broccoli – head broken into florets, stem sliced
- 200ml stock
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon honey
- One lemon – juiced and ½ used for zest
- Handful of cashew – toasted
Optional:
- 2x handful of spinach or kale
- Noodles or rice to serve
- 1 carrot – cut into matchsticks
Method
- Toast the cashews – heat a wok to medium-high. Toast the cashews for 30-60 seconds, stirring continuously. Remove from wok.
- Fry the chicken – Add 1 tbsp oil to the wok and wait for it to heat. Put the chicken in the wok and fry, stirring frequently, until golden-brown all over – roughly 2-3 minutes. Remove from wok.
- Cook the garlic broccoli – add garlic and broccoli (and carrots if using) to the wok and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove wok from heat.
- Prepare the stock – add stock paste (if using) to 200 ml boiling water and mix well. In a separate smaller bowl, add a small amount of slightly cooled stock to the cornflour and mix until a slurry is formed. Add this slurry to the stock and mix thoroughly. Finally, add the honey giving it a final mix.
- Combine – to the slightly cooled wok add the broth and return wok to heat, stirring until it has thickened. If serving with noodles add at this point. Return the chicken and toasted cashews to the wok and keep over the heat until the chicken is heated through, between 2-3 minutes. At the last minute, add kale/spinach if using.
- Serve and enjoy! Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.
Spiced Minced Meat
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
- 1 lb minced chicken or turkey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
Optional:
- Replace chicken or turkey with beef (try to limit your red meat intake to maximum once per week)
Method
- In a large skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced chicken or turkey and cook until browned, breaking up any large clumps with a wooden spoon.
- Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh coriander.