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A thread of genuinely easy, quick, non-UPF recipes

63 replies

MaryMaryVeryContrary · 19/06/2024 19:25

Anyone up for it?

Stipulations being:
5 ingredients max. No ‘just add 6 herbs and spices..’
Quick - on the table in 30 minutes or less
No or minimal UPF ingredients
Preferably something kids won’t moan about too much!
Bonus points if it’s one pot or similar - who needs extra washing up!

OP posts:
RuinedBack · 19/06/2024 20:49

Tuna pasta - tinned tuna, mayo and or pesto, whatever pasta you have in, couple of types of veg (tinned, fresh or frozen all work). If you are feeling daring enough to break the 5 ingredients rule then put some grated cheese on top

Wraps - more than 5 ingredients if you use it all but - wraps, lettuce, mayo/bbq/sour cream/ whatever, bit of paprika/chilli powder, chicken/beef/pork/prawns, bit of salad or fried onions and pepper. And cheese again if you fancy it

Stir fry - bag of frozen stir fry veg, fresh baby corn/spinach/broccoli to spice it up, noodles or rice (can egg fry them for a bit of extra protein and flavour) and frozen salmon which takes 5 minutes in the microwave. Cover in sriracha

TrustPenguins · 19/06/2024 20:50

Great thread, thanks OP!

Elsbetka · 19/06/2024 20:51

I just made teriyaki aubergine - mix together brown sugar, soy, mirin, rice vinegar and ginger powder. Fry some v finely sliced garlic in oil, add aubergine (sliced into sticks) to pan and cover in teriyaki sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 6 mins til lovely and sticky. Very good with rice and a green veg such as broccoli.

*I know this isn't fewer than 5 ingredients - sue me 😀

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

KnickerlessParsons · 19/06/2024 21:05

Beef casserole
Chicken casserole
Lamb casserole
Pork casserole
Shepherds pie
Cottage pie
Chop egg and chips - with veg
Fish and chips - with veg
Lasagne
Spaghetti bolognese
Curry
Chilli
Faggots and peas
Fishcake with veg
Rissoles with veg

The options are infinite.

soupfiend · 19/06/2024 21:08

Jamie Oliver did a whole series of 5 ingredient meals.

spikeandbuffy · 19/06/2024 21:58

KnickerlessParsons · 19/06/2024 21:05

Beef casserole
Chicken casserole
Lamb casserole
Pork casserole
Shepherds pie
Cottage pie
Chop egg and chips - with veg
Fish and chips - with veg
Lasagne
Spaghetti bolognese
Curry
Chilli
Faggots and peas
Fishcake with veg
Rissoles with veg

The options are infinite.

Most of these don't fall into quick though! Or 5 ingredients

MaryMaryVeryContrary · 07/07/2024 21:52

Comedycook · 19/06/2024 20:07

Honey and lemon chicken

Chicken pieces, new potatoes cut in half, throw in baking tray. Squeeze over a lemon, add lemon slices, olive oil and a drizzle of honey. Roast. Serve with a steamed green veg.

Oh I like this! Thanks

OP posts:
MaryMaryVeryContrary · 07/07/2024 21:53

MoonshineSon · 19/06/2024 20:24

Egg fried rice. cook brown rice. Meanwhile chop pepper. Fry with egg add sweetcorn and peas and feta

Pasta with tomatoes and chickpeas cook paste and

Fry onions &garlic and cumin, add tin of tomatoes cook for 15 mins add chickpeas for 3 mins.

Dhal (cook orange lentils, fry onions garlic and ginger, add together cook for longer. Serve with rice and yoghurt. (If want to add any or all of lemon, cumin and salt)

Chicken thighs, peppers, whole tomatoes, garlic in oven, serve with boiled new potatoes.

Omelette (egg, cheese,) celeriac (in air frier) bag of salad.

Can I ask how you cook the egg? Do you break it over the rice or something?

OP posts:
GeneralMusings · 07/07/2024 21:54

Oooh following want to reduce upf but have zero patience or energy after work to Do Things.

Elphame · 07/07/2024 21:59

Old Italian peasant dish. My emergency quick dish!

Put spaghetti on to cook

Finely chop onion, garlic and chilli and gently fry in olive oil until soft. Pasta will now be cooked. Stir in the contents of the frying pan and serve with salad leaves and tomatoes

Katypp · 07/07/2024 22:47

Can someone explain to me what non-upf actually means? Surely these suggestions are just ordinary home cooking?

soupfiend · 07/07/2024 22:55

Katypp · 07/07/2024 22:47

Can someone explain to me what non-upf actually means? Surely these suggestions are just ordinary home cooking?

Yes, whats the problem?

OP wants ideas that are quick, but not shop bought convenience food quick

So she doesnt want to cook breaded or battered prepared things, or ready meals.

'ordinary home cooking' varies from household to household doesnt it. For some people putting a jar of sauce on pasta or putting waffles and beans and chicken nuggets in the oven is their ordinary home cooking. (nothing much wrong with that either - but OP doesnt want that)

Katypp · 07/07/2024 23:02

There's no problem. I am just genuinely curious.

soupfiend · 07/07/2024 23:04

Ok, I thought the query sounded a bit smug, sorry if I misunderstood

Luminousalumnus · 07/07/2024 23:06

Loads of these things are upf! Mayo, baguettes, chorizo, puff pastry, BBQ sauce?

MaryMaryVeryContrary · 07/07/2024 23:09

Katypp · 07/07/2024 22:47

Can someone explain to me what non-upf actually means? Surely these suggestions are just ordinary home cooking?

UPF means ultra processed food. So, food items where when you read the ingredients you don’t recognise half of them. Food that has been very processed before hitting the shelves. It’s often tricky to cook meals without using UPFs as they’re so embedded into our eating culture now, however a lot is coming out about how unhealthy they are so I was hoping for a thread for busy parents to cobble ideas together about what to make.

OP posts:
Renamed · 07/07/2024 23:17

Bread (sourdough anyway, I don’t mean the Chorleywood type) is not a UPF, it’s processed obviously as all food is once you’ve done something to it instead of eating raw flour. Butter, cheese, tofu are processed not ultra processed. You COULD make them at home, but mst people would rather not.

AliasGrape · 07/07/2024 23:46

My daughter’s favourite - Lemon prawn orzo. Cook orzo (or she actually prefers the tiny star pasta) and chuck some frozen peas in there for last 4 mins or so. Meanwhile gently cook some prawns in garlic infused oil (or normal oil and add crushed garlic or garlic paste or just whatever is easiest for you!) and then add plenty of fresh lemon juice, take off heat, add the pasta and peas to the pan with a knob of butter and give it a stir. You can add parsley if you have it at the end.

Baked salmon (or any fish) in foil parcels, rice and whatever veg we have. Or with noodles and a packet of stir fry veg. There’s loads of different flavourings/ seasonings you could add in with the fish but that doesn’t make it particularly complicated or make it take longer and you just adapt to whatever you have in.

Creamy leek pasta. Cook your pasta, finely slice your leeks and start to sauté them in a pan with butter and/ or oil. As they start to soften add splashes of pasta water to keep sweating them down. Once pasta is cooked and leeks are all really soft, take leeks off heat and add some fresh cream, grated cheese and black pepper. Combine with the pasta.

Homemade pizzas - bit more than 5 depending on toppings but you can make the base with flour and yoghurt (or use the crosta and mollica flatbreads for something extra easy), make a really simple tomato sauce - it can honestly be as simple as just blending up tinned tomatoes and seasoning as you like it, or I will just cook down whatever tomatoes we have in a pan with some oil/ garlic and splash of balsamic till they’re going a bit gooey then blitz with a hand blender. Grated cheese and whatever toppings you want on top.

Roast whatever veg you like, if you wanted to make it fewer ingredients you could use a bag of prepped Mediterranean style veg, along with garlic and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic. Once cooked stir through cooked pasta (or couscous would work) and crumble over feta.

Thelnebriati · 07/07/2024 23:47

Tofu is easy - warm 1 litre of soya milk and add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir gently until the whey is clear, then strain through a cloth. You can use it as it is, add flavouring and press it, or press it and marinade.

Snugglemonkey · 08/07/2024 00:19

Not going to lie, I have not rtft, so obviously ignore repetition.

Mushroom "fried" in a wee spray of water for 2 mins, with a couple of garlic cloves and:
Pancetta, then spinach pour on beaten egg for a super omelette/frittata/eat on toast/ on a baked potato/ with pasta (though I do really like toated pine nuts and a good grating of black pepper and parmesan here)
Or with some black pepper, garlic salt, spinach a nice topping for a steak, or lambchop.
Or carbonara, so quick, OK, slightly more than 5 ingredients, but I really don't count butter, salt, pepper etc. We do this one:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-spaghetti-carbonara-recipe
We use leftovers from when we roast gammon, but I appreciate you might not like gammon.
Prawn linguini
Soften peppers, red onion, garlic in pan. Stick pasta on. Add punnet of cherry tomatoes. Let bubble and start to break up. Chuck in prawns. Mix with cooked pasta, season lots. Do this with salmon/cod/ whatever seafood you like and can buy at a good price.

Smoked salmon/ haddock/ prawn/ bacon and mushroom risotto are star meals that can fill gaps. Can you teach dc about super heros needing proper nutrition?

TwigTheWonderKid · 08/07/2024 00:32

Don't think this quite squeaks in with the number of ingredients but it is easy and turkey is really good for you!

Turkey escalopes and cauliflower cheese.

Cook whatever cauliflower you like (I use frozen) and whilst that is cooking make a cheese sauce the usual way (flour, butter, milk and cheese). Pour over cauliflower and put under grill.

Dip turkey in a beaten egg and then in some seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fry.

You could also serve with new potatoes if you want carbs.

pollingstationpooch · 08/07/2024 02:08

C

Bjorkdidit · 08/07/2024 06:44

I think the things to avoid are the ones where you need loads of veg chopping finely for curries etc. Also where there's lots of stirring, again curries. To do it properly you need to chop the onions finely then fry them off for far longer than it usually says in the recipe. When I make curries I find I've spent at least an hour chopping, stirring, then keeping an eye on it, sorting rice etc.

Which I think is why people recommend tray bakes. You can quickly chop the meat and veg into larger chunks and stick it in the oven and forget about it for 30-40 mins. Perhaps need to stir a couple of times.

I think my dream is some sort of oven all in one curry style dish, perhaps where you can blend the onions and spices into a paste rather than having to chop them up finely, smear it onto the meat and bake with veg, pulses and rice to produce something nice with less effort. I've tried this and it's OK but not quite what I'm hoping for yet.

I'm not bothered about limiting the number of ingredients (we have all the spices, which are cheap if you buy them from Asian shops or even the world foods aisle in most supermarkets so they might as well get used) and we also have frozen cubes of prepped garlic and ginger. It's the having to chop and stir for ages that puts me off.

Bjorkdidit · 08/07/2024 06:45

TwigTheWonderKid · 08/07/2024 00:32

Don't think this quite squeaks in with the number of ingredients but it is easy and turkey is really good for you!

Turkey escalopes and cauliflower cheese.

Cook whatever cauliflower you like (I use frozen) and whilst that is cooking make a cheese sauce the usual way (flour, butter, milk and cheese). Pour over cauliflower and put under grill.

Dip turkey in a beaten egg and then in some seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fry.

You could also serve with new potatoes if you want carbs.

That might not take ages but I hate making cheese sauce and I also hate breading and dipping. Sounds nice though.

I used to cook loads but I'm sort of over it now.

soupfiend · 08/07/2024 07:37

Bjorkdidit · 08/07/2024 06:45

That might not take ages but I hate making cheese sauce and I also hate breading and dipping. Sounds nice though.

I used to cook loads but I'm sort of over it now.

I wouldnt bread anything, I agree with you

But a cheese sauce only needs to be cream and grated cheese, slowly warm the cream, add the grated cheese, stir together, the cheese just melts in the warming cream

Simple. Make sure you add nutmeg, black pepper and English mustard. Its lovely