Quick meal ideas for when maternity leave finishes

[sabrinathethirtysomethingwitch]

Hi all.

Thinking about how we will manage cooking when I return to work full time from maternity leave. Have a while to go yet but would love to practice some quick new recipes now.

Currently cook batches of curry, spaghetti bolognese, chilli etc and love meals like roast chicken or salmon. Basic family staples really.

We will be able to eat these meals every week but we would also love a bit more variety. Ideally recipes that can be cooked within 30 minutes. Recipes only need to suit DH and I.

I've been looking online this morning. Came across Hello Fresh and some of their recipes look delicious. I also see that Jamie Oliver has a 30 minute recipe book.

Have you tried Hello Fresh meals? Seem expensive but might be useful for ideas.

What are your favourite quick recipes?

Hello fresh is ok - I’ve done it a few times but it’s nothig you can’t do yourself if you can get to the shops.

I remembered a really quick recipe the other day and made it again and it was lovely.

I’m not good with quantities so i’ll Have to guess at them but

Chop 4 slices of bacon and slice 8 mushrooms
Put spaghetti on to boil
Fry bacon and mushrooms in a deep frying pan until cooked to your liking.
Add half a jar of pesto and half a tub of cream cheese. Season and stir until melted.
(Add a scoop of the pasta water to the sauce if you like it a bit thinner)
Drain pasta, tip into pan with the sauce and combine.

Also frozen Mediterranean veg, halloumi and cous cous

Tip half a pack of frozen Mediterranean veg into a roasting tin, add salt, pepper, thyme, paprika (or cayenne pepper, harissa, Cajun -whatever you have) and roast for 20 mins

Slice a block of halloumi and put on a grill pan ready

Boil kettle

When veg is done remove tray from oven, put over dried cous cous and stir in, add boiling water and stir again, scraping the bottom of the pan to get any good crusty bits...

Cover roasting tin with cling film and leave for 10 mins while you grill halloumi on both sides.

Fluff up cous cous, top with halloumi and eat. I like it with natural youghury mixed with hot sauce on top too

Thank you @Tvturtle will definitely be trying these!

Egg fried rice
Stir fries
There are some really quick gnocchi recipes www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/724643/gnocchi-with-lemon-and-chive-pesto This one is really good for leftover roast chicken.
This is my favourite gnocchi recipe www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-gnocchi-smoked-trout-dill
Couscous salads are usually quick and easy www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/11690/10minute-couscous-salad
Omelettes
Always keep a jar of passata and olives (if you like them!) in the cupboard and some pizza bases in he freezer to knock up a quick pizza with leftover roast meet, cheese and veg.
Tinned tuna and tinned beans are also store cupboard staples for quick meals www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2913/mexican-tuna-and-bean-salad

Thank you @Ricekrispie22

This crispy gnocchi recipe www.thekitchn.com/recipe-crispy-sheet-pan-gnocchi-and-veggies-247360 - sometimes I prep all the veg, mix it together then pop it in a tupperware in the fridge until I'm ready to cook. Incredibly easy and very delicious.

I had a thread on this sort of thing, it was called something like lunch ideas and ten minute meals. Sorry, I'm not sure how to do a link on my phone! But you should search for it because there were some handy suggestions! I'm cooking extra on a Sunday so that's Monday sorted, using my slow cooker a lot, having omelette or something with eggs at least once a week, pasta tortellini which takes 5 mins, using microwave rice when I need to, straight to wok noodles, stir fries which I prep the night before, spaghetti with tinned tomatoes, mozerella and spinach, griddled fish or chicken with cous cous and quick veg such as sugar snap peas, baby corn, courgette...

I'm also loving tray bakes, there are some great ones on the BBC recipes page. I usually do the prep earlier in the day then just have to stick the oven on and distract children for half an hour.

Some amazing ideas here I'm. Particularly loving the gnocchi tray bake! Do you have a slow cooker op? It's one of my saving graces especially in the cooler months, one of my faves is a kind of minestrone soup with quinoa instead of pasta

I know that your preference is for home cooked food, but it might be worth getting a few freezer ready meals too. Have a look at Cook www.cookfood.net, they're good quality and delicious!

Thanks all!! @Fevertree I do have a slow
cooker but the only thing I like cooked in it is a ham. I don't know am i doing something wrong. I've never tasted anything that's nicer in the slow cooker

Ah @Heuschrecke can't get those in NI ☹️

Simple baked fish with a big tray of roasted veg is very good.

Stir fry

Mezze type stuff- pitta/hummus/salad/feta/olives/meat

Roast chicken thighs/pieces - garlic and lemon or Harrisa paste or miso and lime juice plus appropriate carbs and veg/salad

Baked potatoes and fillings

Batch cooked curries/lasagne/shep pie/pasta sauces. I find my best time to batch cook is Saturday or Sunday mornings. I potter round th kitchen and get it all done by 8.30am. I only need to do this once a month or so

We also like a retro fish finger sarnie or chicken goujon wrap now and again

Also plan something treat-ish for a Friday night to stop you reaching for the take always. So pizza/burgers