Achieving a good night’s sleep can feel like the Holy Grail at a time when we’re all busier and more stressed out than ever. But did you know that your diet can impact your quality of sleep? Research shows that meals lower in saturated fats and high in protein help us to fall asleep faster and wake up less frequently at night.

With this in mind, we’ve put together three delicious and nutritious dinner ideas that are packed with nutrients to soothe and calm your body and mind – all created by nutritionists. And the best part? They’re all super quick to make, leaving more time to catch some Zs. 

“This recipe is super calming,” advises nutritionist Hannah Hope. “Both chicken and chickpeas are excellent sources of vitamin B6, which helps the body to produce GABA, an amino acid known to have a calming effect. Vitamin E from the red pepper can reduce cortisol production, and if you serve this with a side of broccoli, you’re getting a great hit of magnesium and fibre, both of which are linked to more restful sleep.” 

Ingredients

500g chicken thighs

1 tin of chickpeas

4 carrots

1 handful of baby plum tomatoes

1 chopped red pepper

1/2 onion

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Seasoning

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole dish and add the chicken, chopped carrots, chickpeas, pepper, tomatoes and sliced onion.
2. Brown the chicken. 
3. Pour over the lemon juice and seasoning and put in the oven at 180ºC for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 
4. Serve with steamed broccoli and garnish with the parsley.

Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice are a really good choice for your evening meal as they’re packed with fibre. “This recipe is delicious on its own,” says Hope, “but for added nutrients, you could also add chopped avocado, spinach or some seeds on the top before serving.”

Ingredients

250g brown rice

1 chopped butternut squash

250g chopped kale

200g sliced mushrooms

Seasoning

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Cook the rice according to the packaging.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add the squash, kale, mushrooms, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. 
3. Add some chilli flakes if you like some spice. 
4. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring often. 
5. Put the cooked rice into a bowl, add the squash mixture on top and enjoy! 

“Before bed, aim for foods that are rich in the amino acid tryptophan,” advises nutritionist Thalia Pellegrini. “Tryptophan helps the body to make the feel-good neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin (the ‘sleepy hormones’). Both may help us sleep better. Sources of tryptophan include turkey, chicken breast, salmon, firm tofu and edamame.”

Ingredients

½ cup brown rice

175 grams Tofu (extra-firm, pressed then crumbled into pieces)

2 tbsp tamari 

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1½ tsp sesame oil

1 carrot (medium, peeled and chopped)

½ cup frozen edamame (thawed)

1/3 cup water

2 minced garlic cloves

3 stalks green onion, chopped

1½ tsp Sriracha

1 cup cauliflower rice

Method

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, add the tofu to a bowl with 1/4 of the tamari and the rice vinegar. Stir to combine and ensure the tofu is well coated.
3.  Heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned tofu and cook for five to six minutes or until browned. 
4. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. 
5. To the same pan add the carrots, edamame, and water. Cover with a lid and steam for about five minutes until the carrots are just tender. 
6. Add the garlic and half of the green onion and stir to combine then add the remaining tamari and sriracha. 
7. Stir well and ensure the tamari is bubbling before adding the cauliflower rice, cooked brown rice, and tofu to the pan. 
8. Stir to combine and continue to cook for two to three minutes or until the cauliflower rice is tender. 
9. Stir in the remaining green onions. 
10. Season with additional tamari or salt if needed.

Images: Getty