This sports nutritionist’s delicious 15-minute meal serves up 40g of protein

Healthy recipes have a reputation for being bland, but this prawn and cannellini bean dish delivers plenty of flavor and some impressive health benefits too, despite taking just 15 minutes to make.

"The combination of both prawns and beans provides a high protein meal, and the vegetables give a healthy dose of fiber to help feed your gut bacteria," says creator and sports nutritionist Reema Pillai.

Pop it in airtight containers and you can keep it in the fridge for three days too, Pillai adds, making it a great option for meal prepping. And the plus points don’t end there.

"Prawns provide a fantastic source of B vitamins, including B6 and B12, crucial for energy production. They also provide vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant," says Pillai.

"The cannellini beans are a source of potassium, copper and even iron—with the lemon juice helping to enhance the iron absorption."

Nutritional information per serving

• Calories: 430
• Protein: 40g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Fat: 4g
• Fiber: 12g

Ingredients for four servings

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 medium white onion, diced 
• 2 medium pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 tins (21oz) of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin (15.5oz) cannellini beans
• 4 level tbsp harissa paste
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1lb raw prawns, peeled and deveined 
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 4 slices of sourdough bread (one per person)

How to make it

1. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for four to five minutes until soft.
2. Add the chopped pepper, tinned tomatoes and harissa paste. Mix well and simmer for five minutes.
3. Add the beans to the pan, mix and simmer for two to three minutes. 
4. Add the prawns, season with salt and pepper, and add in the lemon juice and zest. Mix well and simmer on medium heat until prawns are cooked.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. 
6. Serve in a bowl with a slice of toasted sourdough bread.