3 food swaps that still make dinnertime fun (and tasty)

Mid-week madness (read: after-school music lessons and never-ending work deadlines) often leads to last-minute dinner decisions that aren’t as good for you as they probably could be.

No judgement here. Sure, we’d all love to whip up Gwyneth Paltrow-approved meals each and every night (or just have a live-in chef), but we also know that life has a way of getting real busy, real fast.

That’s why we love a food swap, a swapportunity, if you will. A way to basically still have your ~~cake~~ carbonara and eat it, too. Instead of ditching your go-to recipes, just swap out ingredients with a few better-for-you alternatives.

Whether you’re looking to shape up, or you’re just sick of going to bed feeling guilty or stuffed, it’s an easy way to feel great without skipping any fun.

Hit play on the video above to see our dinner food swap suggestions, from cream-free carbonara with ham to Hawaiian “pizza” flat breads and a fish and bacon burger that will soon become a firm Friday night favourite.

Easy to make, these recipes are also open to a bit of creativity. Use leftover veggies and salad favourites to put your own spin on the dishes (and cater for those picky eaters at the same time). They also all use DON All Natural ham and bacon, which are free from artificial ingredients, colours, flavours and preservatives but loaded with great flavour.

Recipes

Cream-free Carbonara

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 375g spaghetti

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 100g DON All Natural English Style Sliced Leg Ham, diced

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan or pecorino

• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely sliced

Method

1. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water following packet instructions, until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan on medium high. Sauté onion for 2 minutes until soft. Add ham cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat. Add the drained hot spaghetti and eggs to pan. Toss well to coat the pasta in beaten eggs until thick and glossy (gentle residual heat from the hot pasta and pan will cook the eggs without curdling them).

4. Toss through parmesan and season to taste. Serve straight away, sprinkled with pine nuts and parsley

Hawaiian Flatbread Pizzas

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 Lebanese bread rounds

• 125g ( 1/2 punnet) cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup tomato passata

• 1 cup grated tasty cheese

• 1/4 small pineapple, peeled, cored, thinly sliced

• 100g DON All Natural Double Smoked Sliced Leg ham, sliced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced) and line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.

2. Pierce cherry tomatoes with the tip of a knife and squeeze out the seeds.

3. Spread 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce over each flat bread, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle with cheese, then top evenly with pineapple, tomato and ham.

4. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until cheese melts and bases are crisp. Slide from tray onto a chopping board and cut into wedges.

Fish & Crispy Bacon Burgers

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200g DON All Natural Pan Size Bacon Rashers

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 4 firm white skinless fish fillets (480g)

• 4 seeded wholegrain rolls, split

• 1/2 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated

• 1 large tomato, sliced

Lemon yoghurt sauce

• 1/2 cup thick Greek style yoghurt

• 1/2 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

1. Cook bacon in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes each side, or until well browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

2. Wipe out the pan with paper towel. Heat oil in pan on high. Season fish lightly with salt. Cook fish fillets for 3 minutes on one side, then 1 minute on other side (depending on thickness), until just cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, preheat grill on high. Spray rolls with olive oil and place cut-side up on an oven tray. Toast under preheated grill for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. To make lemon yoghurt sauce, combine yoghurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a small bowl. Season and mix well.

5. Spread base of each roll with lemon yoghurt sauce. Top with lettuce, fish, bacon and tomato. Sandwich together with toasted lids.

Brought to you by DON All Natural. Flavoursome all-natural ham and bacon products that are better for you.