I would love to give you a barbecue recipe but given the weather we’ve had recently, I am worried that the current sunshine won’t stick.

So here’s the quickest one-pan tray bake for a healthy, tasty, summer dinner. Quick is important here. If you’re putting the oven on over the next few months, you’re going to want to make it snappy. Standing in a muggy kitchen is the last thing you need after a busy day!

I do love cooking but tend to procrastinate at the end of the day. When we get home from work and school, I tend to lay like a lizard on the warm brick patio, absorbing the heat and defrosting from a day of AC. Of course that hasn’t happened lately, I’ve been going for wet walks with the puppy instead. Either way, by the time I come in time has ticked along and it’s time to feed the rabble.

Making a one-pan tray bake is the easiest solution, plus it’s a totally versatile way of using up lonely veg that are in danger of tipping over the edge. All you do is marinade some fish, toss veggies in a little light olive oil and seasonings, roast the veg part-way, then make a space and add the other veg and fish. When the fish is done, the veg will be perfectly tender and everything will be delicious.

I always include one starchy option (potatoes, carrots, pumpkin or butternut squash) for a carb fix that is still loaded with fibre and nutrients. Then just pop the tray in the middle of the table and everyone can help themselves. Extra points if you serve a green salad on the side too. And it’s one less stress if you have picky eaters – they can very easily just pick out the bits they like (although do keep encouraging them to try new things)!

I’ve included my favourite recipe for this below but remember, you really can switch most of the ingredients around. Keep the concept but try different marinades, spices and vegetables. You just can’t switch the fish for KFC. That’s cheating.

When it comes to the marinade, you could make your own with a combo of lemon juice, olive oil and herbs/spices, but I have been loving the Acid League Barbecue Bourbon Peach Pit Sauce lately from Miles.

Acid League use fermented, living vinegars and keep the sugar content pretty low for something that tastes so sweet and delicious. They also do straight vinegars – Meyer Lemon & Honey, as well as Strawberry Rose. For any of you following the Glucose Goddess (@glucosegoddess on Instagram) hack of taking 1 tbsp vinegar before a meal to help lower glycemic levels – these are a delicious alternative to apple cider vinegar, plus they are a great base for home-made dressings. If you do try the hack, just dilute it with a little water and shoot it back. I don’t recommend sipping vinegar in water throughout the day as that has the potential to damage your tooth enamel.

OK, here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Summer BBQ Salmon Tray Bake (serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 fillets salmon (ideally wild but any will do)

2 large carrots

1 yellow pepper

1 bunch broccolini

10 cherry tomatoes

2 tbsps light olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp cumin (if you have it)

Salt and pepper

Acid League barbecue Bourbon Peach Pit Sauce (or similar)

Method:

1, Marinade the salmon in approximately 2 tbsps sauce per fillet for at least 20 minutes.

2, Preheat the oven to 400F.

3, Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

4, Scrub the carrots (no need to peel) and cut into wide batons. Place on the baking sheet and toss in 1 tbsp light olive oil, 1 tbsp maple and ½ tsp cumin. Pop in the oven for five minutes while your prep the other veg.

5, Chop the yellow pepper into large bite-sized wedges (stalk/seeds removed) and divide the broccolini stems into smaller pieces by slicing the larger stalks in half vertically. You can use almost all of the stalk – maybe cut off the bottom inch.

6, Remove the tray from the oven, add the pepper, broccolini and tomatoes, as well as the second tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Use some tongs to toss the veggies so everything is coated, then make a space in the centre of the pan for the fish.

7, Add the fish to the pan, leaving at least a 1in gap between the fillets. (It is fine to fill that gap with veg.)

8, Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. Rest for a few minutes before serving. And that’s it!

Catherine Burns is a fully qualified clinical nutritionist. She can be contacted at 291-4725, clinicalnutrition@gmail.com, Facebook or Instagram