20 healthy global recipes

Vietnamese turmeric fish with rice noodles and herbs

Jícama is a native Mexican plant, with a nutty flavour. Here, it's topped with creamy avocado ceviche, bursting with aromatic herbs and sharp red onion. This recipe comes from Soho’s El Pastor restaurant. At home, you can use radish for a light lunch that's loaded with veggies and healthy fats.

Got an avocado waiting to be used? Check out our best avocado recipes, we have baked avocado, avo and smoked salmon on toast and creamy avocado pasta.

Kolamba’s parippu (lentil curry)

A white bowl filled with a golden-coloured curry and white fluffy rice, scattered with coriander on a grey stone background

The co-founder of Kolamba in London’s Soho shares this recipe from the restaurant's kitchen. A lentil curry spiced with mustard seeds, chilli powder, curry leaves and cinnamon, with layers of delicate flavour – it makes for a delicious high-protein plant-based dinner.

We have plenty more veggie recipes packed with nutritious lentils, such as baked feta with lentils, chilli and herbs. Browse our vegetarian lentil recipes.

Syrian baba ghanoj

Baba ghanoush on a blue plate topped with pomegranate seeds

If you're looking for a low-calorie dip that's also gluten-free, try this recipe from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen in London. It makes great use of aubergines, tahini and greek yogurt. Enjoy as a snack or a side to a meze feast.

Looking for more aubergine recipes? Check out our top ways with this versatile veg, including aubergine chilli, lasagne and sticky soy aubergines on peanut fried rice.

Loobia chiti (pinto bean stew)

Reflecting the food of Tehran's hole-in-the-wall kebab houses, Berenjak restaurant's recipe is easy to recreate at home. Try this high-protein, vegan bean stew as part of a meze feast.

For more like this, check out our best healthy vegan recipes. You'll love the broccoli and peanut soba noodles, Moroccan veggie soup and chilli tofu ramen.

Cauliflower shawarma, pomegranate, tahini and pine nuts

Cauliflower Shawarma Recipe With Pomegranate, Tahini and Pine Nuts

This cauliflower shawarma with pomegranate, tahini and pine nuts is a a celebration of vegetables and comes from Berber and Q Grill House in East London. Serving cauliflower whole like this, fresh from the BBQ, doesn't only taste heavenly, it's also rich in fibre and antioxidants.

We can't get enough cauliflower. Have a look at our top recipes for dishes such as bang bang cauliflower, roast cauliflower korma and spicy cauli steak burgers.

Jamaican goat curry

This Jamaican curry is a great introduction to eating goat. You might not think of curry as healthy, but this one is rich in iron and vitamin B12. Top tip: if you can't get Jamaican curry powder, use a mild madras powder and add a pinch of ground allspice, too.

If you want to give your iron levels a boost, have a look at our iron-rich recipes, including Greek baked beans, kimchi-baked tofu and Persian rice with lamb.

Slow cooker Irish stew

A pot of slow cooker lamb stew with vegetables

This hearty, traditional stew is just the thing for dinner as the winter months roll in, especially as it's packed with protein and low in salt. It couldn't be easier to make, simply put the lamb and veggies in a slow cooker and leave for four hours.

Slow cookers make light work of dinner time and washing up, and they're energy efficient, too. Browse our slow cooker recipes for ideas like prawn and chorizo paella, pulled pork and chicken curry.

Turkish eggs

Eggs are a great vegetarian source of protein. Here, they're combined with yogurt to make easy Turkish eggs for a gut-friendly start to the day. Try it with crunchy sourdough for your next brunch. Traditionally you’d use pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes) for this, but smoked paprika gives a smoky kick and a beautiful red colour.

However you like your eggs in the morning, we have all the egg recipes you need. Enjoy scrambled, in egg mayo sandwich and a Spanish tortilla.

Istanbul’s mackerel sandwiches (balik ekmek)

A street-food favourite in Istanbul, these ciabatta sarnies are stuffed with fried mackerel, salad and a pomegranate molasses dressing for an easy lunch that's ready in just 20 minutes. You'll get health benefits from the oily fish, as it's a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, too.

If you're a real lover of mackerel, then you'll be a fan of our top mackerel recipes, including Spanish mackerel, mackerel curry and mackerel puttanesca with orzo.

Vietnamese turmeric and dill fish with rice noodles

This bowl of sunshine yellow deliciousness takes inspiration from the Vietnamese dish that's popular in Hanoi. The lean protein is combined with fresh herbs and antioxidant-rich chilli to make a light and tasty supper.

Need more healthy dinner ideas to get you through the week? Check out our turkey stir-fry, salmon traybake and more.

Anardana paneer kati rolls

Stack of round flatbreads topped with pink onion and golden paneer on an orange background

Anardana powder is a pantry staple in Indian and Persian cuisines. Made from dried and ground pomegranate seeds, it's high in antioxidants. Here, it coats paneer cubes before they're baked until golden and crisp to make a plant-based high-protein meal.

Make the most of bright and beautiful pomegranate with our best recipes, try roast carrots with tahini and pomegranate, slow-cooked lamb with pomegranate couscous and baked feta with pomegranate and tomatoes.

Sushi rolls (maki sushi)

Sushi rolls on a grey rectangular platter with picked ginger and wasabi and a pot of soy sauce

Fresh, homemade sushi is hard to beat for a light, flavour-packed meal, and it's healthier than you might think. The fish is packed with omega-3 and iodine, while the cooked and cooled rice is a gut-friendly starch.

We've got lots of recipes for a healthy gut, such as miso salmon, kefir smoothie and vegan overnight oats.

Spicy pork ramen

Rather than spending hours making stock to create the base for this cheat's ramen, we buy a good quality one and spike it with Asian aromatics. The broth is rich in nutrients, making it a great option to hydrate after a workout, and the dish contains a balance of protein and carbohydrates.

Put noodles at the heart of your meal with our noodle recipes. Try Singapore noodles, chicken chow mein and pad Thai.

Crab tostadas

A tray filled with stacks of crisp tacos piled with crabmeat and sliced avocado

Tostadas are a Mexican staple and they're surprisingly good for you, thanks to the dose of healthy fats and lean protein. This recipe comes from Tacos Padre, a stall at London's Borough Market. It's a vibrant celebration of crabmeat and is best garnished with coriander, jalapeños and fresh lime.

Discover more like this with our best Mexican recipes, you'll love spicy Mexican rice, tacos al pastor and pulled pork carnitas.

Red guacamole

Another fantastic recipe from Tacos Padre, at London's Borough Market, this guacamole is topped with toasted seeds, some chilli flakes, desiccated coconut and a drizzle of rapeseed oil. It's a nourishing snack that's filled with healthy fats and antioxidant-rich herbs and spices.

Curb your hunger pangs with our healthy snack recipes, we have no-bake date bars and fruity energy balls.