Written by Amirah Van Uden
If you are anything like me, cooking can be a real chore. After a busy day of work and studying, the last thing I want to do is deal with a mountain of dishes or the heat of the oven, so I have created a short list of meal ideas I can refer to when I don’t want to do overly complicated meals.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Looking for something to cheer you up after a hard days work? Spaghetti Bolognese is the perfect 1-pan wonder that uses all of those wilting veggies in your fridge.
Start by frying up some mince in a pan add a generous amount of garlic and a sprinkle of paprika.
Add in to the pan some chopped vegetables, these can be anything from carrots, zucchini, tomato to spinach, mushroom or eggplant. Whatever you have in the fridge!
Add a tin of diced tomatoes and some water and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. Season to taste.
Cook some pasta. My personal favourite pasta shape is the shells, so that the sauce gets caught in the grooves and can be tasted with every mouthful!
And finally serve!
Overnight oats
The best way to avoid making meals when you are tired is to pre-prepare the meal the night before! Overnight oats are perfect for this.
Simply mix some Greek yoghurt (or a flavoured yoghurt of your choice) in a container with some oats, frozen raspberries and honey.
Put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour and then you can enjoy!
Yoghurt Bark
Now this doesn’t sound appetising at first……but don’t skip past this simple recipe.
Mix some honey, Greek yoghurt (or a flavoured yogurt of your choosing) and raspberries in a bowl. Spread the mixture on to a flat plate or tray that has been lined with baking paper.
Sit it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. When the ‘bark’ is frozen, take it off the plate and snap it into pieces. Then you can enjoy!
This can last between 5-7 days in your fridge and makes for a super quick snack.
Buddha Bowl
If you need an energy boost, buddha bowls are my favourite meal to make. They can be meat free and can use just about all the leftover veggies in your fridge.
Start by dicing up some cucumber and tomato, then strain a tin of corn and kidney beans.
Grab a packet of pre-cooked quinoa or rice and a handful of baby spinach leaves.
Throw everything together in a bowl for a delicious colourful rainbow of a feast.
To top it off, add a bit of kewpie mayo to help combine all of the flavours.
The best part of this meal is the assemblage. My favourite way is to assemble the fruit and veg in rainbow colour order…it looks gorgeous!
Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagels
To make this delicious meal (that can easily be eaten on the go) mix up a tub of cream cheese with some roughly chopped dill and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Spread the mixture over a bagel, then top with slices of smoked salmon and some capers.
Another great way to tweak this meal is to replace the bagels with crackers, or Saladas.
These easy peesy meals will keep you feeling fresh and energised, packed full of goodness! I hope they can help you this summer with easy, stress-free meal ideas.
Charlie blog is a SSAF funded initiative.
