Nowadays, we have quite an astonishing number of diet choices and ready-made diet plans available …However, as any nutritionist will tell you, some basic principles of healthy and balanced dieting never change, like the time-honored rule of keeping your last meal of the day as light and easy on your digestive system as possible.

In this article, we bring you seven carefully selected and easy to make healthy dinner recipes, taking into account our belief that a healthy dinner should consist of proteins and vegetables, altogether banning harmful and difficult-to-digest combinations (such as carbs and proteins, fruits for dessert, etc.) and preparing your body for nighttime rest. We have included a selection of different “super-foods” in the mix – starting from good old chicken, to quinoa and edamame.

Before we begin, remember one more thing: have your dinner at least a couple of hours before bedtime! Our metabolism tends to slow down during sleep, many enzymes stop being active and the food remains undigested for a long period of time, which in turn leads to fat accumulation, and eventually, after years of poor nutrition, to more serious conditions.

Make this simple and delicious salad a weekly item on your dinner menu, or just put it together quickly whenever you want something hunger curbing and satisfying – it is easy enough, and has all the protein and fiber you need!

Ingredients:

Preparation: Start with boiling the chicken breast. Once it’s done, chop it into small pieces. Drain the white mushrooms of extra marinade and chop them into slices. Grate the pickles, wash and shred the lettuce. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, after which you should leave them in some cold water to cool down for a few minutes.

Peel the eggs and cut two of them into little cubes, and leave the third one for decoration later. Cut the parsley into tiny pieces. In a separate container, mix sour cream, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper, until you get an even dressing. Join all the previously prepared ingredients in a deeper bowl and pour the dressing over. Stir the entire salad lightly. Finally, place the salad into a serving bowl and decorate it with egg slices.

Here is another ultra-light and savory salad, which is also vegetarian and vegan-friendly. It could also be served as a side dish for lunch, but it is more than enough on its own for dinner. Good to know: Aside from being packed with dietary fiber and useful nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, folic acid and beta-carotene, zucchini have very high water content and are very low in calories.

Ingredients:

Preparation: Peel the zucchini and cut them up into slices. Sprinkle the zucchini with some salt and leave them aside for a while to drain. Cut up the garlic into small pieces, and do the same with parsley leaves after washing them. Mix the garlic, parsley and lemon juice together into a tasty salad dressing. Next, cut up the chili peppers and fry them briefly using a teaspoon of olive oil, in order to enhance the aroma and spiciness.

Pat the zucchinis dry with a towel or drain away the liquid using a colander, and fry them briefly using a couple teaspoons of olive oil. Finally, use a deeper bowl to line up the salad layers: start by placing a layer of zucchinis, sprinkle it with the dressing followed by chili peppers, and repeat this until you’ve used up all the ingredients. You can serve the salad while it’s still hot or wait for it to cool down.

Have you started growing your own mint, by any chance? Use the aromatic fresh leaves for lovely cold soup. It is tasty, refreshing, and very easy to make. You will prepare it in no time; it’ll just take a while to cool off. Much has been said and written about the health benefits of celery – it’s full of antioxidants and very low in caloric value, to mention just the main ones.

Ingredients:

Preparation: Dice celery and scallion sticks into tiny pieces. Do the same with the onion. Place these three ingredients into a pan over a little heated olive oil, and cook for around five minutes. Add vegetable bullion to the mix and wait until it boils. After that, add a cup of your chosen vegetables. Leave it to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool down for a bit, and then process it in your blender until it turns into mash.

Throw in the mint leaves, and then leave the mixture in your fridge for an hour until it cools down completely. Process the yogurt and cottage cheese together in a blender, and add garlic to your liking. Serve chilled soup in plates or small bowls, with cheese and yogurt dressing poured on top and sprinkled with fresh mint.

This aromatic and appetizing chicken dish is a perfect choice when you’re having guests over for dinner, or you want to impress that special someone with your cooking skills, and still stay on track when it comes to light and healthy dining. This quantity is enough for four servings. Good to know: Edamame (which is a fancy name for boiled green soybeans) is a yummy soy snack packed with fibers, proteins and vitamin and mineral content, originating from the cuisines of East Asia.

Ingredients:

Preparation: In a zip lock bag, combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chicken tenders, seal the bag, and gently turn to coat. Set aside. The next step is heating 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot, remaining garlic, edamame, and tomatoes; cook for 4 minutes.

Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into long ribbons. Add zucchini and remaining lemon juice and thyme to vegetables in skillet; sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, stir in feta, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Finally, add remaining oil to skillet. Remove chicken from marinade and sauté 2 to 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve with vegetables.