People who love cooking for their families every single bloody day……

[Zippidydoodah]

…..and I’m sure there must be someone out there! 😜

Please could you inspire me? All I feel is seething resentment and verging on rage that I have to cook every. Single. Night.

I’ve tried “dump bags”- horrible name but amazing concept- nobody liked them.

The kids eat way too much beige and we don’t eat anywhere near enough vegetables. I’m genuinely scared for our future health!

Help us……please!

I'm so glad my kids are grown up. I now live off salads, fruit/yogarts/nuts and cut up veg and hummus.

Living. The. Dream!!

@SilverBlueRabbit
that cucumber dish sounds delicious, thank you!

My son makes an amazing range of pestos, using whatever nuts and whatever herbs or light greens, with extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan and garlic/lemon. They go down well with pasta in our house, and last a few days, if necessary.

Haven't read the whole thread, apologies.

But Gousto here too. Don't have to think about it, go and buy it or even work out portions. It's all done. And really, I save by not doing that massive weekly shop (and adding extras!!).

Get the kids to choose the recipes so they feel more invested. It's a great shout for midweek meals for us.

That will be Kylie Kwong. If you want chilli oil in it try this smacked cucumber in garlicky sauce
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/04/20-best-summer-salads-part-1-crab-avocado-sichuan-cucumber

I make my own chilli oil using Fuchsia Dunlop’s recipe and gochugaru, but I’m sure any chilli oil will work. Use balsamic vinegar if you don’t have Chinese black vinegar. It isn’t the same but we are talking inspiration, not authenticity! I don’t smack them either, just roughly chop into irregular shapes.

I make pickled cucumbers a lot. So easy and very flavourful.

I feel your pain
Taming Twins on Instagram is worth a look

@Stumpedasatree No! Jhol is a light gravy in Bengali. Jol is water. This is what my name means:
https://www.bongeats.com/recipe/bengali-mutton-curry

Eaten with luchi (https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/luchi-recipe-bengali-luchi-recipe/) it is my all time favourite meal.

Re: meal plans

Each month decide on a carb for each day. Spuds, rice, bread, pasta, noodles. Whatever you eat. Just do it on a rotation. Now you've made 50% of the decision for each night.

I don't mind cooking and share it with dh, but hate thinking about it so only do it once every 4 weeks when I do a 4 week meal plan. Have all the meals we eat on excel and just copy and paste into a plan.

I do actually love it but probably as I am a shift worker (emergency services) so when I do get to be at home I am so relieved to be there after long shifts etc.
On my working days we have hello fresh. We chose the meals that only take 20 minutes. On days off I cook things that might take a bit longer. Both my children have got involved from a young age which makes it easier. So for example if I'm making a risotto they will stir whilst I cut things up.
There is nothing wrong with you making something easy for tea like jacket potato, various fillings. Sometimes if I'm working evening shifts I'll batch make some jacket potatoes in the oven and then put them, salad and various fillings in the fridge so the kids can help themselves and microwave. So one of them might have cheese, beans and salad and the other one might have tuna and sweetcorn.
I take left overs into work so nothing gets wasted.
Steaks are expensive but so easy to cook. Steaks and corn on the cobb or steaks and asparagus.
Or make something like a chilli and have it for one night then freeze some so you have a back up for nights when you don't have time to cook. Watch people like Joe Wicks on instagram. He has some good ideas.

@MangshorJhol sorry to derail the thread but can I come to your house for dinner? I’d be in heaven with mutton curry and luchis! If I were to recreate the mutton recipe, would I just use lamb? Not sure where to find mutton.