So you’ve been working on your divorce and you’ve lost track of time. The kids are going to be home from school in half an hour and you want to give them something fresh to eat.
Or you’ve just come back from a long, tiring day of work and are struggling to think of what to make for dinner.
We’ve gathered a few simple easy recipes for you to knock out at a moment’s notice when you’re not sure what to make.
The ingredients are all simple and should be in your food cupboards. They’re also all relatively inexpensive.
Tomato Pasta (3-4 people)
Serving: 3-4 people.
Ingredients:
- 100g of pasta per person
- 2 chopped onions
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 2 frozen ground garlic pieces/4 garlic cloves
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1 tbsp of dried mixed herbs
- Water (for boiling)
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of pepper
Method:
- Boil the pasta as directed on the packet and drain the water once done.
- In a pan, fry the chopped onions in the oil until golden brown.
- Add the garlic into the pan and continue frying. Saute for a few minutes.
- Add the tin of chopped tomatoes into the pan and continue to heat.
- Add the chicken stock cubes, some pepper, mixed herbs and a little salt.
- Heat until the oil separates from the mixture. Once this has happened, remove the mixture from the heat.
- Grind the mixture with a hand held blender until smooth.
- Add the pasta to the mixture.
- Serve with a side salad.
Marinade for chicken
Serving: 3-4 people.
Ingredients:
- Diced chicken breasts (1 breast per person)
- 1 tbsp of runny honey
- 1 tbsp of mustard
- A pinch of pepper
- A pinch of salt
- 2-3 tbsp of oil
Optional –
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce
- ½ a tbsp of garlic powder or minced garlic
Method:
- Mix the honey, mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl. You can also add half a tablespoon of garlic powder/minced garlic and a teaspoon of soy sauce into the mixture for added flavour.
- Add the diced chicken into the bowl and thoroughly coat the chicken in the mixture.
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Test the heat by placing a piece of chicken on the pan – if it sizzles, add the rest.
- Gently fry on all sides until golden brown. This should take approximately 10 minutes.
- Serve with a side of vegetables, some chips, or in a sandwich. Whatever you feel like!
- Serve with a side salad.
Chicken Noodles
Serving: 3-4 people.
Ingredients:
- Medium egg fried noodles (approx. 100g per person)
- 2-3 tbsp of oil
- 2 chopped onions
- 2 frozen cubed ground garlic pieces/2-4 cloves of garlic
- 2-3 tbsp of oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp of soy sauce
- A pinch of pepper
- Diced chicken breast (1 per person)
Method:
- Heat the noodles in hot water and drain as directed on the packet.
- In a pan, fry the chopped onions in oil until golden brown.
- Add the garlic into the pan and fry for a few minutes.
- Add a pinch of pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce into the mixture and mix for another few minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat.
- Grind the mixture with a hand held blender until smooth. You can skip this step if you wish.
- Add the diced chicken into the mixture and cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Place the cooked noodles on a plate. Pour 1 ladle of your chicken mixture in the centre of your noodles. Alternatively, you can mix the noodles straight into the mixture.
- The dish is ready to serve.
- Serve with a side salad.
Marinade for fish
Serving: 2-4 people.
Ingredients:
- Per 2 fish fillets
- 2 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp of honey or 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of garlic powder
- ½ a tsp of chilli flakes
Method:
- In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey or sugar, garlic powder, and chilli flakes. Increase the amount of each ingredient based on the amount of fillets you have.
- Add the fish fillets into the mixture and let them sit for 30 minutes. Although this will give the fish extra flavour, you can still cook the fish sooner if you do not have the time.
- Pour a tablespoon of oil into a pan and place it on a medium heat. Test the heat by placing a piece of fish on the pan – if it sizzles, add the rest.
- Depending on the thickness of the fillet, cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Serve the fillets as they are with a side salad or in burger buns with your favourite sauces. You can also throw a handful of chips in the oven with a drizzle of oil for 20-30 minutes as you prepare the fish.
Pan-fried Fish
Serving: 2-4 people.
Ingredients:
- Per 4 fish fillets
- 2 tbsp of oil
- Per 2 cups of flour (240g)
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 1 tbsp of pepper
- 2 tbsp of garlic powder
Optional (for a little extra flavour!)
- 2 tbsp of paprika
- 2 tbsp of onion powder,
- 1 tbsp of oregano
- 1 teaspoons of chilli powder
Method:
- In a bowl, mix the flour and spices together.
- Dip each piece of fish into the flour mixture and coat it thoroughly.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a pan and place it on a medium heat. Test the heat by placing a piece of fish on the pan – if it sizzles, add the rest.
- Depending on the thickness of the fillet, cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Serve the fillets as they are with a side salad or in burger buns with your favourite sauces. You can also throw a handful of chips in the oven with a drizzle of oil for 20-30 minutes as you prepare the fish.
Share some of your quick and easy recipes on our forum and social media! Show us your creations by tagging us in your posts with the hashtag #iamlip.
