Light dinners

[IndigoBluey]

Due to various activities during the weekend, I’m often not home until 8pm. In recent weeks I’ve not felt much want or need for a proper dinner and had thought about trying out eating my main meal of the day middle of afternoon and then having something light for dinner. I eat eggs at breakfast so would like to avoid these in the evening. Anyone else do similar and want to share some easy and interesting recipes?

I find the easiest thing is to batch cook on weekends and microwave each evening, or cook a base item on a Sunday eg shoulder of port and use the leftovers for different meals each day that are quick eg a stir fry, pulled pork wraps, Thai curry rice bowl, put with creme fraiche, onion, spinach, lemon zest and mushrooms for a speedy pasta sauce to name a few

Cheerios?

I used to be in a similar situation, but I never really fancied cooking as soon as I got through the door so it was usually something pre-made, either by myself at the weekend, or shop-bought.

Falafel and humous wraps or pitta
Salmon and cream cheese bagel
Quiche and salad
Soup and roll
Ramen
Beans on toast
Banh mi baguette
Cheese on toast
Puff pastry tart
Fish cakes and peas
Reheated jacket potato and coleslaw or tuna mayo

Toast and soup when cold and a salad/sandwich when hot! I batch make soup (love a butternut squash Thai soup) and have bread in the freezer to toast.

Simple salads - caprese, Greek, watermelon, watermelon feta and mint.
toasted pita with hummus and crudités.
bruscetta
In winter soup is my go to.
Garlic mushrooms with a green salad
quasedilla.

My go-to is usually roasted veggies with chicken, fish or flatbread. I vary the veg and seasoning - Cajun, Indian, Italian, lemon and herb. About 15 mins in the air fryer.

If I have a rare evening when I don’t have to cater for either kids or husband, I default to thinking protein / carb / fibre and anything that fits that is a-ok. So peanut butter on toast with an apple. Or a sandwich with tuna mayo and sweetcorn. Or a supermarket soup and a part bake roll. Don’t overthink it - listen to your body. We mostly eat too much and have an obsession with ‘a hot meal’ in UK and as long as you’re getting your nutrition needs met it could be really basic.

I tend to go with things on bread/wraps etc in these moments. I like to cook lightly oiled greens in a hot pan so they get a bit caramalised, then cook slices of halloumi, add some honey, lemon, garlic and chilli and stick that in a pita bread or wrap.

Or do a quick taco with a bit of fried steak or chicken with a super quick tomato salsa of sorts (tomato, red onion, sherry vinegar, salt, tiny bit of olive oil) and some sour cream. And this can be sized up or down for hunger levels sideeyes DS who can eat 10. I ahve 1 or 2

Fried mushrooms on toast. Baked beans on toast.

Chorizo and / or halloumi salad
quesadillas
tortilla
steak sandwich
puff pastry pizza
wrap pizza
butter bean stew
Italian bean and tuna salad
croque Monsieur

I quite like knowing I've got some dal in the freezer for a quick meal (https://meerasodha.com/recipes/daily-dal/) A bean chilli or home made baked beans is nice with rice or in a wrap with some sour cream and cheese.

Baked mushrooms with cheese and chillli.

Pan fried queenies.

Crab linguini.

Nigel Slater's real food fast is still a classic for a reason....https://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Fast-Food-Nigel-Slater/dp/0141029501