Versatile dinner ideas

[Jamhandprints]

I work Tues, Weds and Thurs and don't have much time for anything on these days.
I was thinking I could make something in the slow cooker on a Monday that could be used in a few different ways during the week as a back up packed lunch/ dinner option.
Last week I did a bolognaise sauce with lots of veg in, and used this for dinner with pasta and salad, leftover lunch option, jacket potato, convert to chili for some wraps.
We ate other things too but it stopped me reaching for the takeaway menu or microwave meals.
I can't really think of anything else so versatile though, our freezer is only tiny so I can't batch and freeze.
Any ideas?

[Chelsea26]

What about a big tray of roasted veg with some tinned tomatoes? You could blitz some for pasta sauce (add basil and oregano) add some to mince and make a quick chilli. Cook some chicken breasts and add a bit of paprika and some chopped chorizo to the veg and have over the chicken with rice...

[Jamhandprints]

That sounds amazing for other days @Chelsea26 good idea. But maybe a bit too much extra work for my busy days. Maybe if I cook the chicken on the tray too, then I'd just need to do the rice or pasta or some new potato roasties.
Thanks:-)

[Glitterpearl]

If you have time on the monday why don't you cook up a few meals that you can keep in the fridge to reheat?

A pot of soup will keep in the fridge and then you can just spoon some out into a bowl and reheat in the microwave as and when you need it.

Alongside the soup, roast a chicken and take all the meat off the bone. Save some for wraps for lunches, and make a curry with the rest, this could then be eaten with rice for dinner or over a baked potato for lunch.

I am so busy during the week that I usually do this kind of thing on Sundays.

Quiche is a regular here, I usually make two or three at a time, eat one for dinner, freeze one, and save one in the fridge for lunches or another dinner in 2 days time.

Also, roasting a gammon joint for dinner, saving some for lunches sliced thin. You could roast it on the monday, slice it up and lay in a baking dish, spoon over some of the cooking juices, and cover with foil. Then keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, and when you want to have dinner, reheat in the oven with the foil still on until piping hot. If there is more than you could eat for one dinner, use the rest for lunches just wrapped in foil without the juices.

[kateandme]

roast a chicken when you get home in the evening and it can be wripped apart fro a couple of meals.
make bolognase mince and it can be made to a pie.on jackets.enchilada.lasagne.chillie
make a base of red onion,garlic,peppers tomatos.red pesto,other veggie stuff like mushrooms,courgettes add some chorizo.cook down a bit.keep in tupperware.you can then mix it with mozzarella and pasta for a pasta bake.add to couscous or another grain.mix through some rice.bulk out with some passata and chicken and sweet potatos for a stew of sorts.have on toast.

[Ricekrispie22]

Veggie chilli - eat with rice, jacket potatoes, turn into enchiladas with the addition of tortillas and cheese, use for tacos, turn into shakshuka with eggs and feta www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/weight-watchers-black-bean-shakshuka, or top with mash for chilli bean pie www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/c/chilli-bean-pie.html

[FusionChefGeoff]

Do any of your appliances have timers?? They save my sanity in on busy days as can put stuff in early and set timer to be ready when we get home.

Or you can get timer plugs for slow cookers etc.

[Jamhandprints]

Great ideas, thanks everyone. I forgot about the mn chicken...of course! That'll keep us going all week. ;-)

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I often do a joint on a sunday, ham or pulled pork or brisket or lamb shoulder to eat with veg. The leftover meat works with pasta or fajitas or in a stirfry or simply with salad and cous cous for a couple more days.

[Gertrudesgarden]

If you don't mind rice two days in a row, this works well. I pretty much always cook double the quantity of rice we need and chill the un-needed half quickly under cold running water before draining well and shoving in the fridge. I then chill it till the next day so I've got the longest part of a fried rice dish all ready to go. Freshly cooked rice tends to go with a curry on the night it's cooked, then the next night, I make a chinese style egg fried rice with loads of veggies and cashew nuts (we're not veggie but nuts are quicker than cooking meat). I know I could buy the pre-cooked packs of basmati rice but I really don't like the smell and odd taste these have...I prefer just plain old steamed basmati cooked at home. If I'm cooking rice anyway...

I make a massive batch of tomato sauce (often with roasted veggies in it, so it's more like a ratatouille) and that keeps well for a few days, and easily stretches to a meal with pasta, becomes a chilli to have with bread and also covers the sauce element of pizza (I buy chilled pizza bases).