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One-pot meals are simple, no-fuss dishes that are produced using a single cooking pot.

Here are some tips on how to prepare healthy one-pot meals.

Pack in the veg

Adding plenty of vegetables to your one-pot meal can help you get your five-a-day. Using fresh or tinned tomatoes for a sauce is another way to increase your fruit and veg intake.

Add a lean source of protein

Lean chicken, seafood, beans, peas, pulses and nuts are good sources of protein that can be included in your one-pot meal. Avoid fatty and processed meats, such as bacon, sausages and lamb as they are high in saturated fats, which can increase your risk of heart disease.

Include wholegrain foods

Regularly eating wholegrain foods, such as brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholemeal breakfast cereals and wholewheat pasta can reduce your risk of heart disease. Try adding brown rice or wholewheat pasta to your one-pot meal. Pasta and rice will soak up the sauce and the flavours, helping you to create a wholesome, filling and tasty one-pot meal.

Cut down on salt

Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease. Instead of adding salt to your one-pot meal, use herbs and spices to add flavour. If your one-pot recipe includes stock, choose a low-salt stock or a home-made stock without added salt. Shop-bought sauces can be high in salt, so try to use home-made sauces with no added salt instead.

Why not try our vegetarian mushroom and pea risotto recipe

You can also find healthy recipes on the Heart Research UK website and in our celebrity cookbook.

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