You have worked hard all day, fought the traffic to get home and now you have to slave over the stove for an hour to make dinner, right?
Wrong.
Here are some quick, nutritious and (most importantly) tasty meal ideas which will let you get out of the kitchen, and into something you really want to do!
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Chinese pork and vege stir-fry (all done in 25 minutes)
400g pork schnitzel (or protein of your choice), sliced into strips
1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
210g pouch Honey Soy Stir-Fry Sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
750g mixed veges of your choice (fresh or frozen)
2 spring onions, diagonally sliced
2 tsp cornflour
toasted cashew nuts to garnish (optional)
Method
Place the sliced pork into a bowl with the ginger, garlic and ½ the pouch of Honey Soy Stir-Fry Sauce . Mix together and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add marinated pork and stir-fry until almost cooked. Add veges and the remaining stir-fry sauce. Continue cooking until vegetables are crisp and tender. Stir through chopped spring onions.
Mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Mix through the stir-fry to thicken the sauce. Serve over rice or noodles, garnished with toasted cashew nuts if wished.
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Chicken with Mustard Crème Fraiche (all done in 25 minutes)
2 Tbsp oil or butter
4 med. (150g) Chicken Breasts fillets
125g mushrooms, sliced (1 1/2 cups sliced)
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
250g pottle creme fraiche
salt and pepper to season
1 Tbsp French or Dijion mustard
Method
Heat half the oil or butter in a frying pan and when hot, place the Chicken Breasts fillets skin side down first. Cover with a lid and cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Turn over and cook a further 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Set aside on a plate and keep covered.
Add the remaining oil or butter to the pan and when hot, stir in the mushrooms and onion and cook over a moderate heat, stirring regularly until the vegetables are softened.
Stir in the mustard, creme fraiche and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, cover and heat through for a further 1-2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with veges
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Moroccan Lamb (15mins then forget about it)
(Do all the prep for this one the night before, pop it into the fridge overnight then start the crockpot before you go to work)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1kg lamb shoulder chops
2 small onions, cut in large cubes
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 parsnips, peeled, sliced
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup halved dried apricots
400g yams
390g can chickpeas, drained
Method
Heat a frying pan and add half the olive oil. Preheat slow cooker to high. Sprinkle spice and seasoning over chops and rub in. Brown chops on each side and place in slow cooker.
In same frying pan gently fry onions then cover and cook for a few minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Add the remaining oil, celery and carrots. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Add garlic and stir through for 1 more minute. Add to slow cooker with parsnips.
Add tomatoes and water to pan then bring to the boil. Pour over the ingredients in slow cooker. Sprinkle over apricots and whole yams. Turn to low and leave to cook for 6 hours.
Test to see if the meat is tender (it should fall away from bones). Add chickpeas to lamb and cook for 30 more minutes.