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Let’s be honest: by mid-February, the enthusiasm for new year’s resolutions is hanging by a thread. The novelty of batch-cooking lentil soup has worn off, the air fryer has been relegated to a cupboard and the temptation to just order a takeaway is creeping in. But fear not – Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, has teamed up with Asda to throw you a lifeline.
This isn’t diet food; there’s no sad desk salad or joyless grilled chicken in sight. Instead, Wicks has put together three midweek meals that are packed with flavour, easy to throw together, and – crucially – won’t leave you staring at a mountain of washing up. They’re designed for families (Wicks, now a father of four, knows the drill), but just as good for anyone looking to get a decent dinner on the table without much fuss.
These are recipes that work with what’s in the cupboard, come loaded with sneaky veg, and take no longer than 25 minutes to make. There’s a slow cooker sweet potato hotpot, a comforting take on the British classic with lentils, onion chutney and thyme-laced layers of golden sweet potato. A traybake of Mexican meatballs, full of hearty beans, warming Cajun spice and finished with a dollop of cooling yoghurt. And for the pasta lovers, an all-in-one Italian chicken and orzo bake, where tender chicken and roasted veg come together with butter beans, olives and a bubbling tomato sauce.
Better still, every ingredient you need is available at Asda, making the weekly shop a breeze. You can find everything in one place at this link. Because these recipes are affordable, nutritious and perfect for warming up in this never-ending winter, they’re exactly what you need to get through the week ahead. Here’s what to cook.
Slow cooker sweet potato hotpot
A layered sweet potato topping makes a real star of this healthy veg and adds a colourful twist to a true Great British favourite – perfect for this time of year. Once you’ve bought the Rollback sweet potatoes the rest of the meal is very store-cupboard and freezer friendly, using lots of supermarket shortcut products to really simplify a classic for busy families.
Serves: 4
Hands on time: 15 mins | Hands off time: 3½-5½ hours (depending on what suits you best)
Ingredients:
650g sweet potatoes, peeled
200g frozen vegetable base mix
50g tomato puree
50g onion chutney
1 vegetable stock pot
4 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp dried thyme, plus a few pinches more
2 x 390g tins green lentils in water, drained
1 tbsp olive oil
½ head broccoli, cut into small florets
175g frozen peas
Method:
1. Boil the kettle. Grate 100g of the sweet potatoes and put in a slow cooker pot with the frozen veg, tomato puree, thyme, chutney, stock and flour. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until the flour disappears, then stir in 550ml boiling water. Cook on high for 3 hours, or Low for 5 hours.
2. Add the lentils to the slow cooker and stir well into the sauce. Re-cover and cook for another 30 minutes to heat the lentils.
3. Meanwhile heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Cut remaining sweet potatoes into ½ cm thick slices, add to the lined tray with the oil and some seasoning, toss to coat then spread potatoes into a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes until tender and golden.
4. Divide the lentil mixture between 4 individual, or 1 large, baking or pie dish. Layer the roasted sweet potato slices on top, flipping upside down as you do. Scatter with pinches more dried thyme and bake for a further 5 minutes until pies are bubbling and potato topping golden.
5. While the pies finish baking boil the broccoli in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Add the frozen peas and boil together for a further 2 minutes before draining and serving with the pies.
Traybake Mexican meatballs
Family favourite peppers plus store cupboard kidney beans and sweetcorn make this all-in-one meatball dish simple, colourful and substantial. Served simply with rice, but it would also be good with jacket potatoes or scooped into warm wraps.
Serves: 4
Hands on time: 10 mins | Hands off time: 25 mins (all oven time)
Ingredients:
12 beef meatballs
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 red onion, cut into wedges, then wedges halved
2 peppers, deseeded and cut into bite-size chunks (e.g., red and orange)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 x 400g tins red kidney beans in water, drained and rinsed
198g tin sweetcorn in water
2 x 250g wholegrain microwave rice
1 lime, zested then cut into wedges
250g fat-free Greek-style yoghurt
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put the meatballs into a large roasting tin.
2. Add half the Cajun seasoning and roll around the meatballs in it until all are coated. Add the onion, peppers, remaining seasoning and olive oil to the tin and toss lightly to mix.
3. Put the tin in the oven, lower the heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and roast for 20 minutes until the meatballs are nicely browned.
4. Tip the whole contents of the sweetcorn can, liquid and all, into the tin with the kidney beans and stir through the roasted meatballs and veg. Cook for another 5 minutes until everything is piping hot, and meatballs cooked through.
5. Meanwhile microwave the rice following pack instructions. Stir the lime zest through the yoghurt. Divide rice between plates then scoop the Mexican meatballs on top. Serve with lots of yoghurt for cooling, and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Italian chicken and orzo bake
Minimal washing up required for this all-in-one Italian inspired orzo bake. Quick and easy to assemble, let the oven do all the work for this hearty and comforting midweek winner.
Serves: 4
Hands on time: 10 mins | Hands off time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
2 x 400g trays Mediterranean-style vegetables
6 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
600g chicken breast fillets, halved and seasoned
1 tbsp olive oil
400g tin butter beans in water, drained
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
200g orzo pasta
50g pitted black olives, rinsed
Optional – finely grated hard cheese
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and tip the vegetables and garlic cloves into a roasting tin that can hold about x litres of water. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan with the oil over a high heat, then add the chicken breast chunks. Fry to lightly brown and sear the outside. Boil the kettle.
3. Stir the beans, chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning and orzo into the roasted vegetables, along with 350ml boiling water and some seasoning. Add the chicken breast chunks, scatter over the olives, then cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 mins.
4. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more until the orzo is cooked – the chicken should also be cooked through. Leave the dish to stand, loosely covered for 5 minutes.
5. Use a wooden spoon to give the whole dish a good mix so that everything is equally saucy. Serve, topped with a little grated cheese, if you like.