Hit me with your easy but not beige dinners

[Oncewassmith]

Sorry if this isn't a true AIBU but I've been diagnosed with breast cancer and I'm facing a double mastectomy (plus reconstruction) - so I need some go to super quick dinner ideas for the family (me and DH, DS6 and DD4).... so what do you go for when you need a quick, low fuss dinner?

Another vote for Mindful Chef/Gousto etc although expensive in the scheme of things but takes away the thinking/shopping bit. You could just have a few meals a week. Also can give the family something to do together in the evening particularly in the early days. It was quite a bonding thing for my dc and dad, keeping their minds occupied.
Good Luck.

It was me that mentioned the support thread I'm rubbish at links but you should get it with this;
Cancer support thread #80
Loads of support available it really has been a lifeline.
I hope you find us your be very welcome on the thread no-one wants to be on x

Ahh good somebody's already linked see you over there!

I have a chronic pain condition and I do gousto but only choose the 10 minute meals (some of the longer ones have way too much washing up)
It really helps me

Smoked salmon fillets (wrap in tin foil) in oven for 20 mins. Chuck some new potatoes in olive oil and salt in at the same time then steam veg in the microwave.

Sorry for your diagnosis and wishing you the best of luck on your journey.

Be aware your sense of taste may alter. My DD found chilled melon really helped when she had chemo.
My quick and easy menu.
Cherry tomatoes halved
Block of feta cheese
Sweet peppers
Courgette
Garlic paste
Chilli paste
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Roughly chop veg, throw in oven dish with tomatoes and block of feta, mix in paste, drizzle with oil, season.
Cook in oven for about 15 minutes
Cook pasta, you can also throw a jar of pasta sauce in when you drain the pasta if you fancy. I sometimes throw in a small jar of Asda’s tomato and mascarpone.
Give feta a really good stir until creamy, add pasta, sprinkle grated cheese on top, return to oven until cheese melts.
We sometimes substitute the pasta for gnocchi.
Good luck with your treatment

Yes tastebuds are destroyed by chemo. Beer tastes better than wine.
You might discover cravings too. Mine was McDonalds strawberry milkshake- which I wouldn’t usually give house room to but the sweetness reached through tastebuds and cold was heavenly on a sore mouth.

Good luck OP

Here are our quick meals
Cook mint kebabs in oven (no stick needed) serve with pitta breads (to fill) salad and mint yoghurt or mayonnaise - they make their own shish kebabs that way
You can do similar with cooked minced beef with a bit of spice on it

Jacket potatoes with baked beans and grated cheese on top that melts

Cooked breakfast for tea - sausages go in oven then bacon, poach eggs or fry, add baked beans and toast. Takes 20 mins

Ham and cheese toasties with salad from a bag (smear of tomato chutney or bbq sauce inside)

Tuna mayonnaise salad

Pasta bakes (pasta + jar of pasta bake sauce) that you've chucked in the oven added torn ham & sweetcorn or tuna into

Chicken breast cooked with sweet potatoes and fresh carrots or sweetcorn in one of those So Juicy bags with spices in it, seal and shake them 45-60 mins in the oven. So easy but be careful you don't scald your hands when opening it. We add little pittas or flat breads

Frozen pizzas- 12 mins in the oven. Buy your garlic mayonnaise in a sauce bottle for that dominoes effect !

Ideas for your family to cook for you:
Vegetable tart: pre-rolled puff pastry, lay it out on a baking tray, mix a tub of quark/cream cheese/cottage cheese with an egg and spread it on the pastry, add sliced veg (courgettes, tomatoes, spinach, peppers all work well), bake for 20 mins
Those microwave bags of pre-cooked grains or rice with hot smoked salmon, or roast fish or chicken and some salad or veg
Pasta and jar of sauce
Tin of chickpeas or lentils with a jar of curry sauce and some shop bought naan
Halloumi and peppers baked in the oven, served with pita bread and sweet chilli sauce

Prawn and pea risotto is so easy to make too
Add some oil to sauce pan, low heat, stir your risotto rice in for few minutes keep stirring it whisk you do this until all rice has change colour (it goes slightly translucent) . Add pack of defrosted prawns, quick stir . Add in fish stock, herbs (eg parsley, mixed herbs, black pepper, tiny pinch of crushed chilli flakes if you like spicy) ), add frozen peas. Stir. Lid on saucepan to simmer then drop heat on low for about 10 mins stirring occasionally. Take off the heat when liquid nearly soaked up, stir, keep lid on. Let it stand for few minutes until all liquid soaked up. Serve when ready as it keeps it's heat for ages

*which not whisk

Fish, cooks in 2 minutes. I like stir fry veg, noodles and salmon for instance, 5 mins cook time if you buy the refrigerated noodles and cut up veg.

Another easy meal is couscous made with boiling water and the zest and juice of a lemon, frozen Mediterranean veg thawed mixed with couscous put into a oven dish cook for 10 mins. Then add fish fillets on top and cook 8-10 mins depending on how thick fish is until cooked. I squeeze another lemon all over and top with chopped parsley.

Frozen or prepared veg is a brilliant option to save standing up time - stewing veg with chicken pieces, couple of stock cubes, herbs de Provence, cube of frozen garlic (world food aisle) and a handful of Pearl barley is a hearty meal and once in the pan you just leave it to simmer. Frozen mash or cooked mash helps with standing up again

And @Oncewassmith best wishes, you come across as so lovely, loved the comment on new boobs!

Everyone is different but I know my friend found thinking about food really positive and did cook even when she didn't fancy eating, it made her feel in control

Risotto. Arborio rice, oxo chicken stock cube, handful of Thyme, pinch of ginger, salt, crushed garlic all in the boiling water of the rice. Add parmesan towards end when most water boiled off so it goes sticky, add peas. Garnish with slices of smoked salmon.

Tikka Chicken
Smoother a chicken in tikka paste and add cut up potatoes and cauliflower to the base. It's a great quick Sunday lunch alternative and zero effort.

Oh poor you

An easy dish I do is a chickpea curry. 1 tin chickpeas, 1 tin chopped tomatoes & 1 tin (or half tin) of coconut milk. Takes literally about 10 minutes! I usually add some lime & fresh chopped coriander too. Serve with rice. It's really delicious.

Also, salmon or trout fillets in the oven, wrapped in foil with some salt pepper olive oil, serve with any veg and/or chips.

When I was quite ill and debilitated a few years ago I used to stagger to the kitchen table in the morning chop stuff up and put it into the slow cooker turn it on. It was heaven not be cooking at the later end of the day when I was really knackered.

Our Best recipe is Nigellas Slow cooked Lamb and Pasta. And Slow Cooked Brisket served with Mash. But there are loads of recipes out there. Sorry not to be more specific. I would investigate a slow cooker generally.

I follow Anna's Family Dinners on Insta. Lots of simple achievable stuff on there.

All the best OP

A lovely simple one is chicken and salsa bake with potato wedges and veg...

Put chicken breasts in dish. I flatten them if they're thick otherwise they take quite a while to cook. Or cut them into chunks. Cover with 1-2 jars of salsa (hot or mild depending on taste) and grated cheese, then bake for about 30 mins at 220/gas 7

Serve with potato wedges. Cut a large spud into 8 wedges lengthways, drizzle with oil and add garlic granules or cajun seasoning, then put on a preheated baking tray and bake at the same time as the chicken. It's really easy and so tasty.
Include whatever veg you like.

My big tip is when you're not feeling up to lifting heavy saucepans don't cook potatoes- use cut up pitta breads, flat breads, or garlic bread that you pop in the oven or frozen pre made Yorkshire puddings ... or those 2 minute microwave in the bag (just tear the top 2 cm) flavoured rice or couscous packets

Steam in the bag vegetables- or buy in the bag salads.

Don't add extra work for yourself, then all you need to do is put all your chicken or fish with knob of butter & herbs or garlic paste in to foil into the oven for 20 mins.

It was a lifesaver for me after my (different) operation not to have to lift heavy pans or stand for long to prepare things. So many vegetables can be bought either frozen and pre chopped (sweet potatoes, red onions, and butternut squash!) Or pre cut fresh (carrot sticks! Baby corn, mange toutes) . Mine even had raw veg with dips

Also hummus (you can get sweet chilli one which is lush) and long thin sweet peppers, carrot or cucumber sticks to dip with flat bread on the side makes such an easy lunch.

Quesadillas. Tin of mixed beans drained and mashed. Table Spoon of tomato purée. Same amount chipotle paste or less maybe depending on how hot you want it. Add big handful grated cheese Season. Spread on half a tortilla/ wrap. Fold in half. Fry for two minutes each side in tiny amount olive oil. I use two frying pans with two cooking in each at one time. Adults can add Tabasco or something when serving if they want more heat.

Serve with any salad but good with cubed avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, rocket and a splash of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic.

Super quick and yummy.

Take care Op xx

Forgot to say obviously mix the ingredients thoroughly into a paste before spreading onto tortilla

Gnocchi bake. Basic tomato pasta sauce with sautéed onions garlic olive oil etc . I add capers and sliced olives. Add stock cube and a couple of cups of boiling water. Tip in two bags of plain gnocchi. Add chopped broccoli or raw leaf spinach. Mix. Tip into oven dish top with mozzarella or other cheese. Bake until brown.

^^ Serve with salad and Italian bread if you’re a carb fiend

Gosh, I’m sorry. I hope you’re on the mend soon

Some favourites of mine are:

Pesto tomato tart - sheet of ready rolled puff pastry, jar of pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, Parmesan and pine nuts. Score a line one cm in from the edge of the pastry all the way around. Spread pesto in the middle and sprinkle over cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, grated Parmesan and pine nuts. Cook at 190c for about 20 minutes, til the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pasty has puffed up round the edges and turned golden brown. Serve with new potatoes and a bag of salad.

Cherry tomato pasta - cherry tomatoes, spaghetti, garlic, white wine, basil, olive oil, salt, lemon, Parmesan. Put cherry tomatoes and chopped garlic to taste (I use 3 large cloves) in a pan with olive oil and salt and cook til the tomatoes have started to split. Put the spaghetti on to cook in salty water. Add a good slug of white wine to the tomatoes and cook off. Add handful of chopped basil and lemon zest at the end. Add al dente spaghetti to the tomatoes with half a cup of pasta water and cook together for a minute, stirring continuously. Serve with more chopped fresh basil and Parmesan.

Onions in pan until brown, add drained chickpeas, tin of tomatoes, ras al Hanout, salt, pepper and spinach.

Some chopped aubergine if you can be bothered goes in with the onions until brown.

Let it bubble. Serve in a bowl on its own or with microwave rice and chopped mint and a drizzle of honey.

Takes 10 minutes and is delicious.

To pimp it out: have with flatbreads and sprinkle with flaked almonds.