Low prep recipes trying to avoid UPF’s - asking the impossible?

[Strugglingforanamechange]

Just that really. I’m trying to cut back on UPF’s but I am very short on time and struggle to meal prep.
My current go to meal is pan fried or poached salmon, baby potatoes and some kind of vegetables. Obviously I can vary the veg and I can sub out the salmon for another protein but it’s a very plain / boring meal so I am looking for new ideas please!

I roast a load of veggies with a non processed oil (I use ground nut) peppers onion and sweet potato then broccoli and courgette added later. This van then be added to all kinds of things. Goats cheese salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, garlic rice with soy sauce and a fried egg broken on top, tossed in parmesan and eaten as is, added into an omelette or frittata.

Why not buy or cook a few jacket potatoes and heat then up when needed. Add butter and rattitoi or tuna.

What about a hearty meat and vegetable soup?

Don't forget that there are plenty of foods that are not ultraprocessed. I have started buying wraps that are only flour, salt, water and olive oil. Sainsbury's and Tesco's have them.

Pulses! I use lots of them in my cooking because they are a great source of protein. Toniight I'm making Jamie Oliver Broccoli minestrone, he puts lardons in but I leave them out.

V easy dinner- tin of good tinned tomatoes with a jar of tuna in oil. If feeling a bit more energetic do fried garlic and onion. Add a bag of spinach and serve with wholewheat pasta.

Is it just for you, or are you feeding a family?

If just for me, I like:

baked sweet potato, with fresh mango salsa and a blob of soured cream

omelette with roasted asparagus, or roasted mushrooms and spinach

Spanish omelette

garlic mushrooms

a quick chickpea curry - onion, spices, chickpeas, a chopped tomato and a bit of yoghurt to make a little sauce

jacket potato and salad (start it off in the microwave for speed)

I don't know if tofu counts as ultra processed or not, but it's really good cooked in the air fryer with some quick stir fried vege

I’m cooking for a family of 3 adults and 1 child.

thank you for the suggestions.

I can whip up a really quick lentil dhal. I use balbir singh spice blends and all their curries are delicious. But I can make the dhal in about 15 minutes (minus cooking time) and batch cook it to freeze.

A friend of mine from India often makes rice, peas and plain natural yoghurt, my kids love it.
Other quick meals: baked sweet potato with Philadelphia and spinach
Brown lentils and rice (plus carrots perhaps)

Nigel Slater's early book Real Fast Food is a good starting point, and the New York Times cookery app always has a selection of worknight suppers if you don't want a book.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie We add peppers to our chickpea curry - for me, it's a game changer! It's actually on my list for next week!

OP - a few quick things we do that might work for you:

Burrito bowls - quick home made salsa, chicken or other protein flavoured with paprika, cumin and coriander, rice and beans. we add sour cream (or sometimes make a bit of a mayo-based dressing but that's using premade mayo mixed with yoghurt so might not work for you) and grated cheese.

Halloumi/chicken/steak on pita/flatbreads (swap out for quick home made pitas - I have done this once or twice but i admit, I usually just buy in wraps/pitas/flatbreads) - layer homemade hummus (assuming tahini meets your requirements), then chargrilled greens, cooked protein. I like to make a quick dressing in the pan with garlic, chilli, lemon and honey to pour over. If doing steak, I might ditch the honey!

Tonight I'm doing fish fillets lightly dusted in flour and fried. I'll be serving those with new potatoes, garlicky cannellini beans and some wilted spinach. I like this one as it's super quick and I can do the veg in advance then just cook the fish as each person needs it which, on a tuesday, is in relays due to complicated schedules.

Salmon and vegetables sounds perfect.

Vary the protein, vary the vegetables, herbs etc

this is how we used to eat, delicious and filling. What it doesn’t do is provide that illusion of different foods made in a factory nor does it provide the overfull feeling that UPF, which are mostly starchy and sugary foods

welcome to good health.

Hi @SpaceOP Peppers with chickpeas in a curry are great and I often do that. The one I described is just the laziest/easiest one ever. I quite fancy it now, actually!

Do you have a freezer?

If you have a freezer then batch cooking is the way forward. Soups, casseroles, curries, chilli, and sauces for pasta or to liven up your protein & veg (freeze sauces in ice cube trays and then you can defrost the amount you need).

I am interested in this too

Wraps or pittas with hummus, salad and tofu/falafel/chicken/other protein

Stir fry (our go to very quick mid week meal)

Roast veg with a protein

Mexican baked rice

Soup

Salad (so many options with salad!)