5 quick non pasta based meals

[anothernotherone]

Totally lost my meal planning energy, such that it ever was, atm. One kid won't eat pasta at all even if he's really hungry - texture issues.

Can anyone fire 5 quick pasta based meals at me - I have to do the week's shopping this morning as I'm working Tuesday to Sunday and need to stop myself just buying beige freezer food out of total apathy!

NON pasta based meals that should say obviously, argh. Obviously incapable of typing as well as meal planning...

Tray bake - chicken thighs, chopped up carrots/ new potatoes, those long shallots sliced down the long way, peppers, rosemary and thyme if you have any - last 20 mins add tomatoes, courgettes, peppers - whatever your guys like.

Throw them all on a baking tray with olive oil and seasoning for 30- 40 mins in a hot over.

Excellent FredaFrogspawn that's exactly the sort of thing! Perfect! I hope someone has a few similar suggestions for a few more days' meals! Many thanks

Salmon fillets (grill) with microwave rice (tilda) and salad / veggies (also tuna steak good)

Wraps - either with grilled chicken that you put straight in oven or else mince (I make mine night before with loads of veg in including celery, carrot, peppers)... make double and have a day or two later with rice. Creme fraiche, cucumber, peppers etc

Salad, with tuna / boiled egg / lentils / avocado / prawns (not all together) etc to bulk up. With bread rolls.

Pizza, can also buy bases and prep own toppings.

I work FT and have 20 mins when in to make dinner so almost always prep the night before. We don’t eat pasta so usually have rice or new potatoes with a meal. Good luck

If you’ve time to bake then other favourite is chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham (sprig rosemary inside), with rice / new potatoes etc as above. Again you can prep the night before and throw straight in

Risotto takes approx half an hour, and you can do a baked risotto in the oven instead of having to stand over it. Try this one:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2818/ovenbaked-risotto-?amp

Sweet potatoes only 40 ish mins to bake as alternative to rice

Tacos - cook mince or chicken breast with a packet of taco seasoning, tortillas (I prefer soft), shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa.

Breakfast burritos as my ds calls them, hash browns, sausages, bacon and scrambled egg all chopped roughly and laid out on a wrap. Roll up and eat.

Egg fried rice - cook rive ir take it iut if tge frudge and break it up well. Heat lots of oil in a wok or big pan (sesame if you like the flavour), cook chopped peppers, spring onions, anything you like; break one egg per person into a bowl and break up/beat, then pour the eggs into the oil and stir well as they cook, then add the rice and heat through, stirring to combine.

Scrambled egg on toast
Sardines with tomato slices on toast

Cheats ramen: hard boil one egg per person. In another pan fry onion, veg and a bit of meat in a bit of oil, add Chinese five spice. Once cooked through add lots of stick and heat. Put one nest of noodles in the stock and cook to instructions, adding shredded greens at the end. Pour into bowls. Peel, halve and add the eggs.

stock not stick for the ramen. Sorry about awful typing

Cheese and ham omelette, oven french fries, tomatoes salad

Sausages, boiled new pots with lots of butter and mint, green veg

Eggy bread

Use your pasta recipes but substitute veg 'spaghetti'.

Male 'lasagne' but use pancakes instead of pasta, make the pancakes one day and serve half with cheese, bacon and mushrooms. The next day make the 'lasagne'

Eggs - omelettes, boiled, fried, on toast.

Toad in the hole.

Sweet potatoes only 40 ish mins to bake as alternative to rice

Microwave 5 mins, turn microwave another 5 mins - squeeze out for sweet potato mash.

If you have a slow cooker there is a few no or just chop an onion type meals you can sling in the cooker and go...

Cous cous is quick and easy. We have it with sausages, roasted veg and pasta sauce.

Grilled halloumi in flatbread with salas

*salad

Thanks everyone!

No slow cooker but I do those type of meals in the oven in my favourite heavy cast iron pan in winter, if I'm not working or on an early that day. I work shifts so it's not possible to have a routine of preparing food the night before as sometimes I work 12-22:00, sometimes 06:00-14:00, sometimes 09:30-18:00, sometimes overnight starting at 16:00 so I have to be flexible and plan things the teen and pre teen can cook!

DH does freezer food if he has to cook for the kids, but teen DD is a good cook and to some extent 12 year old DS also cooks family meals when I'm not home, and will cook what I've shopped for and left as long as it's straightforward and something they like!

OP

Get a slow cooker. You can do whole joints or chicken in them. So you could stick a chicken in the SC, when teens get home they can hack a leg or breast off but leave it cooking for anyone coming home later.

Leave it up the the teens if they do salad or veg or even just bread to make sandwiches.

sashh maybe I should, any recommendations?

I don't want them eating bread in the evening as they all take bread based pack lunches. There's an 8 year old in the mix too

Loads of great suggestions on here, this week is sorted anyway!

For a slow cooker? I have 2 basic ones (different sizes) but loads of people on MN have the fancier ones that sear or one pots. I think my large one was £10 in Tesco.

If you want to do a meat and veg then the easiest thing is a pot roast.

Piece of brisket
an onion
carrots
a leek
new potatoes
veg of choice
stock cube
seasonings and or herbs of choice - I find I need to put more seasoning in than I would if cooking in the oven.

Put the kettle on to boil.
Put the meat in the centre of the sc and switch it on. (I dust with flour first to make a thicker gravy).
Chop the veg.
Pack the veg round the meat.
Add the stock cube and seasoning.
Pour over boiling water.
Leave for 6 hours.

To do a chicken or roast you can add seasoning but just stick a chicken or joint of lamb in the sc, switch on and leave. You don't need to add any liquid.

Shoulder of lamb is really good, the fat melts and bastes the meat.

I find vegetable biryani super easy and can use frozen veg!