Dinner inspirarion!

[thislittlelife]

Please give me your top tips/recipes for healthy weeknight meals!

We're a busy family of 4, both work full time and kids are primary age. DS will eat anything, DD is quite fussy but I don't pander to it - I ensure there is something accompanying her meal that she really likes and allow her toast with butter if concerned about her being hungry.

I need some inspo for weekday meals which are healthy and quick to bash out please! Current repertiore includes things like fajitas/tacos, spag bol/meatballs (kids fave) and a slow cooker dinner during the winter. I'd love to add a fish dish to the rotation (not fish pie as nobody other than me likes it!).

I'm a compentent cook but see it as a chore rather than a pleasure.

Extra points if it's something which would keep well if put aside for shift working DH when he comes in... but not essential as he often sorts himself out.

I'm just feeling really uninspired... so please share what works for you!

I’m fortunate to have time in the week now, but when working full time I found things like one pan cooking (chicken legs and veggies in a baking tin type of thing) and slow cooker stews, frozen batch cooked meals and home made sauces like pasta, curry, bolognaise etc really helped. Then I’d buy mince, lentils, diced chicken and veggies and just cook them while the sauce was defrosting in the microwave.

Some pretty low effort fish ideas:

• fillets coated in seasoned flour, egg, breadcrumbs, lay on baking sheet, drizzle oil and in oven whilst you do some veg
• fillets with whatever herbs / spices you want baked in a foil parcel. Add veg in the parcel if you want them to steam in with the fish - v little effort
• thai fish / prawn curry
• a paella-type dish; add whatever fish / seafood you want towards the end of the rice cooking time.
• Prep ahead? Huge batch of fishcakes. They freeze fine and over bake from frozen. Microwave some peas / whatever for a low-effort dinner.

Chilli-type meals - very forgiving on all manner of substitutions, extra veg, whatever beans you have, different meats / plant proteins, whatever carb you want on the side. Also good to get kids involved in prep - if they like salsa / guacamole with their chilli, neither are hard to make. Chilli also forgiving for kaaping and reheating later.

Slow cook a pork shoulder for pulled pork and serve whichever way you prefer, or cook a chicken / pork whatever / topside / etc. at the weekend to use for cold cuts during the week, or to chuck into a quick stirfry.

If you can and if your kids are amenable, getting them to make their own snacks, etc. and getting them to be functional in the kitchen will really help you and them out as they become hungry teenagers - if they're able to sort out some healthy snacks for themselves and wash up afterwards, you'll help them out with life skills, save on hanger-driven arguments, and avoid spending your after-work hours making constant snacks for hungry teens.

About twice a month I do a roast on Sunday for dinner and that does Monday night too with leftovers. This week it’s a pork joint, roast potatoes and veg, but sometimes it’s a stew or in the summer, a pulled pork on rolls or BBQ. Basically, a meat based meal that takes longer to cook so I stretch it to 2 nights so only reheating on Monday.

Another night this week I’m doing a paneer curry. It does take time to prep and cook, but does me 2 nights. It’s a good candidate for a Saturday or Sunday dinner and then leftovers for the week with rice and naan. I’m not fussy about reheating rice. I just whiz up some salad to go with it and reheat.

Baked salmon, new potatoes, roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli. Takes about 30 minutes.

We also do lots of ‘breakfast’ for dinner sort of things. Fried egg on toast with beans and melon slices or a fruit salad. The most time consuming bit is chopping the fruit salad, but only takes about 10 minutes.

Lasagne - new pots - coleslaw

Other easy fish dishes are based on using mayonnaise as the base for a quick topping. This idea is from the Serious Eats website.

This is ad hoc; you will need to experiment according to your family’s preferences. Mix a decent mayo like Hellmann’s or Waitrose Essentials to taste with something like

Mustard and fresh dill

Mango chutney or lime pickle

Jarred pesto and Parmesan cheese

Lemon juice, tiny capers and caper brine

Etc

Spread fairly thinly on fillets such as salmon, sea bass, salmon trout, etc. All of the above are good on salmon, the combo with mustard and dill is particularly good on salmon trout, the version with capers goes well with sea bass, etc.

Other fillets would also work. I tend to reserve this method for less flavourful fillets such as those that have been frozen.

Let the topping sit on the fillets for a few minutes while you work on the rest of your quick meal, then grill or bake as usual.

PS The method I described takes a bit of experimentation. The topping should taste a bit strong on its own because the fish will cut the flavour.

We spread the topping fairly thinly, and grill low in the oven.

I often recommend Jamie Oliver’s Hit ‘n Run Chicken traybake. I do alter it a little.
You can pick up Mediterranean vegetables already chopped up, otherwise it’s peppers, red onions, courgettes, tomatoes, garlic cloves in their skins and whatever other veggies you like - cauliflower would be good. Chop roughly and spread out in a roasting tray, good slash of olive oil, very good glug of balsamic vinegar (much more of both than recipe calls for), salt pepper, hot and smoked paprika (loads of both). Toss. Lay on top skinned chicken thighs- about two/three per person and roast. Serve with rice and don’t forget the juice from bottom of the tray! I’ve be er given it to anyone who dirdnt live it.
I also recommend Nigella’s Express. Lots of good easy meals in there (the chilli and curry in a hurry our favourites).

I’ve been doing a lot of frittatas and shakshuka recently. Frittata is really versatile and good for using us any odds and ends. I do mine in the oven so minimal hands on time and leftovers are good for lunch.
Shakshuka I make a big pot of the base sauce and freeze, then just defrost and crack eggs in for a really quick dinner.
Cod wrapped in pancetta is super quick and easy.

Expensive but my kids love salmon. Done in the airfryer - fillets topped with Schwartz Lemon and dill seasoning 180 degrees for 10 mins. Served with steamed tenderstem broccoli and steamed baby new potatoes tossed in butter and (frozen) chopped parsley. Takes 20-30 mins altogether.

Quick favourites in our house:

Masala frittata https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/masala-frittata-avocado-salsa

Tuna burgers https://www.john-west.co.uk/recipes/teriyaki-tuna-burger/

Peanut noodles https://healthylivingjames.co.uk/speedy-satay-sauce-noodles/

Quick and quick(ish) fish dishes that I do:

brush red pesto on salmon fillets, bake in air fryer for 10 mins on 180 or grill for 10 mins. Meanwhile
cook pasta, when done mix with 4-5 dessert spoons pesto and the same amount of crème fraiche, serve with salmon on top.

Baked white fish fillets (I use frozen filets from Sainsbury’s, I think they’re the Stamford Street ones): place (defrosted) fillets in a baking dish, add salt and pepper, cover with a tin of tomatoes and a tin of ratatouille, cover with foil. Bake for 30 mins on 160.

Jack Monroe’s fish tagine - quick and tasty https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/06/jack-monroe-fish-tagine-recipe?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Sweet potato and chickpea curry. Easy to make. Keeps well and can be frozen. I batch cook it and freeze in portions.

This.