7 easy supper recipes

After my last post I have been thinking about woman who find the kitchen intimidating. I don’t know if you are one, but if so this is written to you. I realize that for some, the way Jamie Oliver writes his recipes are simply overwhelming. I get that! He chats his recipes, more than writes them and this is quite confusing.

I am no Jamie Oliver, so these are not those types of recipes. The 7 that follow are simply great easy filling nutritious ones that you can cook from scratch with whole ingredients. They are my favorites for nights when I know we will be in late. I would get the longer cooking items started around 3pm before we leave for afternoon activities and then spend 20 minutes finishing them off.

Just a note – we eat very little potatoes, rice and bread at the moment, as it is best for my husband’s blood sugar levels. Last time we checked he was clear of Type 2 diabetes. So if this is not a concern for your family, then you can add the carbohydrates.

Lamb Stew

500g lamb knuckles, neck or cubes

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

Olive oil

6 tomatoes, chopped

1 can of lentils

Beef or vegetable stock

250ml wine

250ml water

Salt and pepper

Variety of vegetables cleaned and chopped (carrots, potatoes, courgettes, green beans)

Brown the onion and garlic in the oil. Add lamb and brown. Add the other ingredients. Turn heat down to a gentle simmer. Allow to cook for about 2 hrs until tender. Add vegetables and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Serve on basmati or brown rice.

Shepherds Pie

500g beef mince

1 onion chopped

1 teaspoon garlic

250ml beef stock

250ml frozen peas, corn and carrots (or fresh chopped)

6 potatoes peeled and cubed.

Make your mash by boiling the potatoes until cooked. Mash with some milk ad butter. In the meantime fry onion and garlic and brown the mince. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Add the veggies. Transfer to an oven proof dish. Add the mash to the top and cover over the mince. Use a fork to make tracks on the top. Bake for 30 minutes on 180 deg Celsius.

(*We make cauliflower mash now using 3 large heads of cauliflower, steamed, and blended with salt pepper, parmesan and butter for the topping.)

Bunny chow in rootis

I make my own rooti (chapitis) but you can buy ready made wraps or rooti from most stores.

500g mince

1 onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic

Mixed frozen veggies or whatever your garden is yielding.

250 ml Beef stock

Brown the onion in some hot oil. Add the garlic and beef mince. Brown well. Add the veggies, spices, stock and cook for 15 minutes. Allow sauce to reduce. Spoon some into the centre of your rooti and roll up to eat.

Speedy Mexican Meal

This is a handed on recipe from my dear friend Elastic Mom.

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1T oil

½ red pepper chopped

½ t chilli powder

1 ½ t cumin

1 t oregano

½ to 1 t salt

1 can baked beans

300g finely sliced chicken

1 large packet corn chips (Nature's Choice is the most friendly for your body)

Cheese, grated

Lettuce, shredded

Spring onions, chopped

Sour cream / yoghurt

Salsa sauce (optional)

Olives, chopped

Avocado, sliced

Method:

Sauté onion, garlic and chicken until chicken is cooked. Add pepper and seasonings. Cook until pepper softens. Add beans (and tomato paste if necessary). Heat through and serve with remaining ingredients.

Chicken Pita Breads

6 deboned skinless chicken breasts

8 pita breads

Kikkoman sauce

Garlic

Sliced lettuce

Chopped tomato

Cucumber

Plain yoghurt

Grated cheese

Working with slightly thawed chicken breasts, slice them very thinly along the shortest width. Place them in bowl and pour the Kikkoman on to just cover.

Make your tzatziki sauce by grating your cucumber and letting it lie in a colander to drain. Mix the cucumber with 250ml of yoghurt and ¼ teaspoon fresh garlic.

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Add some garlic and some of the chicken pieces. Fry until cooked through. Set aside and fry the next portion. When all chicken is fried add it all back to the pan and pour the Kikkoman into the pan. Reduce.

Toast your pita breads. Slice off the top and let everyone fill their pita’s with the fillings.

Thai Chicken Curry

500g chicken breast fillets diced or sliced

2 carrots julienne

4 baby marrow (zucchini) julienne

1 red pepper sliced

1 can coconut milk

1 packet of cashew nuts

Green curry paste – 1 teaspoon or more depending on your tolerance.

Oil for frying

Basmati rice

Coriander (cilantro)

Yoghurt

Fry the chicken breasts with the green curry paste. Add the veggies and cook until cooked but still crunchy. Add the coconut milk. Add cashews. Allow to reheat. Serve on basmati rice.

Coriander yoghurt – finely chop coriander and stir into the yoghurt. Serve as a side portion with chicken curry.

Basil & Parmesan meatballs with spaghetti

500 grams beef mince

1 cup grated parmesan

½ cup chopped fresh basil (use dry if you have to)

Olive Oil

Spaghetti

8 fresh tomatoes finely chopped

Garlic and Oregano

Mix the beef, parmesan and basil together and make into little bit sized meatballs.

Fry gently in some olive oil.

Cook the spaghetti.

Put the tomatoes into the pan with the meatballs, sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until the tomato forms a chunky sauce.

Serve on a bed of spaghetti, sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve with a salad.

(We will make our own vegetable “pasta” with the spiralizer we bought. This is a great way to use up abundant marrows (zucchini) when you have planted too many J )