Ideas for really easy and fast healthy meals

[ASinisterPlot]

I get really, really tired midafternoon with the perimenopause, so I've become stuck in a rut of takeaways and ready meals because I don't have the energy to cook.

Can I ask for ideas please for really quick and easy meals? I've already thought of cancelling my veg box and instead buying pre-chopped vegetables just to save on one task.

I'm vegetarian, but otherwise fairly unfussy! Thanks in advance.

I meant to add - I really like beans and lentils, also grains like brown rice, bulgar wheat, etc. And I love vegetables. My problem is all my go-to meals are a bit long-winded and I don't have the energy to make them.

A bag of stir fry veg and a pack of tofu is my go to easy, healthy meal.
This daal is very easy-literally just spices and lentils with spinach (frozen works fine) if you want.

www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2013/10/spinach-and-coconut-dal.html?m=1

Batch cooking and freezing is my way of getting around not wanting to cook in the evening.

Ready to eat lentils in a packet (eg merchant gourmet) with avocado, tofu, grated carrot and hummus

Fresh past (filled) with stir in sauce and plenty of greens on the side

Stir fry?

Those are my go to lazy meals - not sure about nutrition

Nice vine tomatoes with a little oil, salt, pepper and a couple of whole garlic cloves roasted for 15 mins while you cook spaghetti. Mix pesto (making your own takes seconds or look for a veggie jar version) and serve with the roasted tomatoes. You could toast and add pine nuts too.

Cheat risotto - finely chop and soften an onion and garlic in an oven proof casserole (or buy frozen ready chopped). Add a mug of risotto rice and 500 mls of veg stock. Bring to boil then put lid on, place in preheated oven at 200 degrees for 25 mins. Then stir in frozen peas and broad beans and return to oven for 5 mins. Stir in cheese (I use granary padano as proper parmesan not veggie) and it's done! Chopped peppers or courgettes can be added at the onion stage if you like.

Jamie Oliver does a very quick and tasty spinach and paneer curry using curry paste, an onion and fresh spinach. It is minimal effort.

I’d do a huge pan of roasted veges one night. Then use it to make couscous and chickpea salad with lemon dressing.

Then another night to make pesto vege pasta
If you do buy prechopped veges those are both pretty easy meals.

Scrambled eggs with a side salad is an easy quick meal
I also do pan fried mushrooms with garlic and thyme topped with feta and a squeeze of lemon.

I also do a very quick Mexican bean mix which is one onion cooked until soft, add 2 cloves garlic, one chopped capsicum, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, sprinkle of garlic flakes. Cook 5 mins. Add 1 can kidney beans 2 tablespoon tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Heat through. Serve on baked potatoes or nachos or in burritos.

I use tinned chick peas quite a bit.
Couscous is very quick. Put couscous in a pan, add seasoning and hot water, throw some chickpeas in and leave for couscous to get ready. Then add any veg like spring onion, cherry toms, cooked green beans and some parsley and lemon juice.
Omelette in pitta bread
Ready prepped stir fry and straight to wok noodles
Quick curries with Pataks paste, coconut milk or some tinned tomato and any veg or lentils.

@Rainbowqueeen

I’d do a huge pan of roasted veges one night. Then use it to make couscous and chickpea salad with lemon dressing. Then another night to make pesto vege pasta If you do buy prechopped veges those are both pretty easy meals. Scrambled eggs with a side salad is an easy quick meal I also do pan fried mushrooms with garlic and thyme topped with feta and a squeeze of lemon. I also do a very quick Mexican bean mix which is one onion cooked until soft, add 2 cloves garlic, one chopped capsicum, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, sprinkle of garlic flakes. Cook 5 mins. Add 1 can kidney beans 2 tablespoon tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Heat through. Serve on baked potatoes or nachos or in burritos.

I often roast a load of veg to keep in the fridge and have with cous cous and feta or halloumi or mix into pasta or even have in wraps or toasties.

Felafels and hummus with olives and chilli sauce and salad etc also makes a nice easy meal.

Thank you everyone. Some great ideas here, and all stuff I love as well!

If you’ve got a blender or food processor, sweetcorn fritters are really easy using tinned or frozen sweetcorn. Just put everything in except the flour, then tip it in and quickly. I’ve just made these for lunch…

www.recipetineats.com/bill-grangers-corn-fritters-avocado-salsa/

For extra ease, leave out the onion or pulse that on its own first.

Lovely with bought salsa and a bag of salad, or cous cous.

The Green Roasting Tin is a great cook book - lots of recipes where you put ingredients into a roasting tin and just leave to cook. If you're going down the pre-prepared veg route frozen is really convenient because you can just take out what you need and it doesn't go off.

Is it just you want to keep time prepping to a minimum or are you after means which literally go from cupboard to plate in the shortest possible time? It’s just that there are loads of things that are low hands on time but then need longer in the oven. I’m thinks root veg casseroles, chillis, jacket potatoes or sweet potato, various tray makes etc. Hand on time negligible but do their thing for a while in the oven.

@UnaOfStormhold

The Green Roasting Tin is a great cook book - lots of recipes where you put ingredients into a roasting tin and just leave to cook. If you're going down the pre-prepared veg route frozen is really convenient because you can just take out what you need and it doesn't go off.

Ordered that! It looks great.

@AtleastitsnotMonday

Is it just you want to keep time prepping to a minimum or are you after means which literally go from cupboard to plate in the shortest possible time? It’s just that there are loads of things that are low hands on time but then need longer in the oven. I’m thinks root veg casseroles, chillis, jacket potatoes or sweet potato, various tray makes etc. Hand on time negligible but do their thing for a while in the oven.

It's the prepping. I don't mind how long it takes to cook - I work at home, so it's easy to take 10 mins out to pop something in the oven and leave it to cook.

If you can be arsed, I highly recommend Gousto boxes. I pick quick prep recipe quite frequently, but they also do prepped in 5" recipes which might be better for you?

Looking at this week's recipes there are 33 vegetarian options.

If you wanted to try, I'm shamelessly punting a referral link cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo_code=ALLIS33205208&utm_source=android app which gets you 60% off your first box and 30% off any further boxes this month. And I get £30 credit 😁

We've used it irregularly for a couple of years, and the recipes are generally excellent. I always order at least one veg meal per week, often a couple although we're meat eaters. I think we've had about 3 recipes we didn't rate (but were still edible) out of easily 100 or so. I keep the cards and make them again, they are great for meal planning.

A 3-egg omelette with a little soy sauce beaten into the eggs then, when it is just starting to set on the top, scatter over about half a bag of shredded stir-fry veg, roll up or fold over and eat!

Roast some Mediterranean veg (buy the ones in the foil tin if you don't want to chop). While they are roasting have a pan with tinned tomatoes, crushed garlic (I buy the stuff in the tube) and herbs de provence simmering on the hob. When the veg are cooked stir them into the tomatoes and you have ratatouille. I often stir in some tinned beans to make it more substantial and add protein. Serve with baguette, pasta, rice, potatoes, pretty much any carb.
Or do the same but instead of herbs use garam masala and instead of beans add lentils. Now you have curry.
Or instead of tinned tomatoes do coconut milk and garam masala, and add some chickpeas (you can put them in the oven for the last 15 minutes) for a different curry.
I love this way of cooking, having the sauce simmering while the main bit cooks in the oven saves so much time standing stirring a frying pan.

Gousto is amazing and changed my eating habits for the better !

Super quick and easy and super delicious, Pea and Herb Omelette
www.dailybread.co.uk/recipes/recipe/pea-and-herb-omelette

Shakshuka is little hands on time. Fry off the veg (you could use frozen, ready chopped red onions and peppers). Add the the tomatoes, herbs, spices, whatever your using. You would probably benefit from investing in the jars of Very Lazy Garlic, ginger and chilli. Allow it too simmer away while you relax, then add your eggs. If you wanted you could make loads and freeze portions before adding the egg.

Super easy meals here are roasted veg with Linda McCartney sausages, or with sliced halloumi - sprinkle with fennel and cumin seeds and toss in olive oil first. Both just get stuck in the oven in one roasting tin, and I am generally lazy and buy bags of veg for roasting. (Iceland actually do a good one which cooks from frozen.)

@AtleastitsnotMonday

Shakshuka is little hands on time. Fry off the veg (you could use frozen, ready chopped red onions and peppers). Add the the tomatoes, herbs, spices, whatever your using. You would probably benefit from investing in the jars of Very Lazy Garlic, ginger and chilli. Allow it too simmer away while you relax, then add your eggs. If you wanted you could make loads and freeze portions before adding the egg.

We often make frittata with frozen peppers and peas in it. If we have left over cooked potatoes we slice them up and add them too.

Halloumi roasted with chunks of onion, chunks of red pepper and halved mushrooms. Eat in a flatbread with some chilli sauce.

Quick chickpea curry - fry some onion and garlic. Add some spices and a couple of chopped fresh tomatoes. Add a drained tin of chickpeas and a bit of natural yoghurt. Eat with naan bread, pitta or microwave rice.

Jacket potato with Greek salad, or with cheese and salad.

Fake ratatouille - roast onion, pepper, mushrooms (if wished), courgette and halved cherry tomatoes with olive oil and a bit of oregano. Add fresh basil when done. Eat with a jacket potato and cheese.

Gousto also have ten minute recipes. We've just had 10 minute chicken and tarragon made with cream cheese and wholegrain mustard. We're not vegetarian but we substituted the chicken with mushrooms. Literally just ten minutes if you use microwave rice, otherwise add bringing water to boil time.