Very low effort meals needed

[IsaBisaBuildsaBoat]

I have ME/CFS and have just realised I need to be more strategic about time spent in the kitchen. I need to reduce effort as much as possible, basically. Shame, as I enjoy cooking (sometimes) and have resisted making this change for too long. I use a perching stool so I can sit while I chop but still, the lower effort the better.

I need to change my shopping habits to include more preprepared frozen veg, frozen steam rice, more family size ready meals, and incorporate more dishes that are like 'dump the jar on the chicken beasts and walk away for forty minutes'.

So, please share your low effort tips. I would really really appreciate it.

Apologies if someone has already said this, but try the Crumbs website (crumbsfood.co.uk), for really nice quick meals.

Here's a nice one for the slow cooker. Slice, potatoes and onions thinly. chop streaky bacon and fry with some chopped garlic. Layer potatoes, onions and bacon in the slow cooker and just cover with chicken or veg stock. Put on medium and leave till you come home. Serve with peas and carrots.

That's tomorrow's tea sorted florence-sounds delicious!

I'm having a flare of my ME at the moment...too tired for anything so tonight's tea is coming from McDonald's via my wonderful dh delivery service.

Tomorrow will be better...

I got the boy (nearly 11) to make dinner! I supervised. Beef stir fry (marinade jar) and microwave Chinese style rice. The girl (nearly 9) cleared and set the table. Now they are washing up. Aaaaahhhhhhhh......

Tomorrow is sausages, frozen mash, and veg. We have kids over for tea so need a safe option. If there isn't enough leftover once the locusts have been, DH can go to kebab van.

Fuzzpig- soy sauce isn't gluten free! Unless you mean tamari?

Really?! I never knew that shiiit I've been poisoning my poor sod of a DH then. Normally I'm good at reading labels etc but I really didn't think it would be in that. Thank you for telling me.

Not that it matters because DH didn't really like that marinade anyway :o

If only I could train my cats to make dinner - I knew there must be a downside to not having kids that hadn't occurred to me.

I've got a vat of bolognaise sauce cooking, went for frozen peppers and onions but just chopping the mushrooms and courgette, frying the mince and opening the tins of tomatoes did me in for a bit. I've been tasting it and adding spices etc every time I've wandered past. It'll be worth it though because it should make nearly a dozen dinners for me and DH.

Some of the big bottles of soy sauce you get in the ethnic section/asian supermarkets are gluten free.

thanks I will have a look :)

Fuzz I buy gf soy sauce from Ocado, health food shops etc.

Queen the perching stool I have (courtesy of OT assessment) is FAB.

I commute and get exhausted after work- I have a steamer and steam veg whole garlic and quorn; fish/chicken too depending on husband's mood - takes 10-20 mins. I'll then smush out the garlic mix it with a little olive oil and herbs for sauce. It's quite nice with a bit of seasoning and a glass of white.

Yup, you wouldn't expect soy sauce to have wheat in it!! Glad to be of help. You never know, dh might like it if it hasn't got the evil gluten in it! Bodies are clever things. My tamari soy sauce was from sainsburys!

I have a perching stool too

Can't actually use it much though, as when I'm leaning on it I have to lift my arms up to cook/wash up etc and I can't do that for long :o

I'll look in all these places for GF soy sauce, thanks all. DH's intestines will thank you :o

No space in my kitchen for a perching stool :( - opening the (half sized) dishwasher takes up about a quarter of the floor space. On the plus side that means no real walking between the hob, fridge, sink and worktop.

Could you have wall hooks for a folding stool? Or something like this?

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-verona-folding-bar-chair/p329273?sku=231241226&kpid=231241226&s_kenid=5263bca4-d401-4ea8-b46c-67fc8bbbb429&s_kwcid=404x1323146&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

Ooh, good idea - we could probably move the fridge a couple of inches to store it.

The cat will occupy it a lit if my kids are anything to go by.

Not a total solution by any means, as fuzz points out, but often better than standing.

Oh yes, getting anything done around here goes along the lines of:
Fetch washing basket
Remove cat from washing basket
Add clothes to washing basket
Remove cat from washing basket
Clear space in front of washing machine
Remove cat from space in front of washing machine
Remove cat from washing basket
Put clothes in washing machine

Status report. Operation Very Low Effort Cooking is going well.

Last night: massive salmon with a glaze saucy thing, too many roasted herby new potatoes, and veg in a microwave steam bag (undercooked but will know for next time).

Tonight: left over salmon, two bags of Birds Eye frozen rice with green veg, all fried in sesame oil with gf soy sauce. Easy easy easy peasy.

Tomorrow: chicken breasts and soffrito in a slow oven with leftover potatoes from Monday.

My googling found a no boil pasta bake so I'm trying that this week! Probably tomorrow so will see how it tastes

Let us know hollin .Guess same principle as using no boil lasagne sheets in lasagne ,so could work .

Tried it! Worked really well however the flavour needs bumping up a bit for me. So I might use stronger cheese next time or add some different bits but here's the link to recipe
http://www.messmakesfood.com/quick-boil-tuna-pasta-bake/

Hollin, I'm making that tonight!