Hi everyone
I saw the post on doing too much and thought it might be helpful if we could share ideas for easy nutritious meals. Probably Ready Meals are OK a couple of times a week but it would be good to have some ideas for some other minimal effort meals. I don’t think recipe is the right word here, anything that involves a recipe is too much effort for me.
My contribution is a jacket potatoe and salad. Please excuse my lack of imagination but I’ve never aspired to be Nigella Lawson
Anne x
Sorry to be flippant Anne but my recipe for easy, nutritious meals is my well-trained husband! Mind you, it took me more than twenty years to get him there! Seriously though, I don’t think you can beat fresh fish or chicken with loads of veg. Anything that requires loads of chopping and prep is beyond me nowadays. Any prep usually has to be done by a willing volunteer ( if they’re unwilling I manage to persuade them otherwise!). Wouldn’t it be lovely to have your own cook? Bliss! Teresa xx
Hi Anne, what a great idea…
I would say beans on toast… very nutritious esp if you use wholemeal bread and low-salt low-sugar baked beans.
Next one is a bit of a recipe… BUT dead simple and I’ve timed it as under 10 mins:
Use one of those packets of microwave rice… brown rice is most nutritious.
Put some tinned fish in tomato sauce (pilchards or anything) in a pan and heat. Run some boiling water over some frozen veg (anything you’ve got) and then add to pan. (can add anything else… garlic, chilli flakes, curry powder, whatever).
Simmer till veg is cooked. Serve the fish & veg on the rice… dead simple, nutritious!
Pat x
@Tree65 Can you send him this way? I’ve had mine over 30 years and obviously failed as a trainer
@ Snow Leopard Thank you, will certainly give the fish in tomato sauce a try. I’m already onto the baked beans, which I usually put onto a jacket potato.
The skinless, frozen salmon fillets from Aldi are great and only take a couple of minutes to microwave from frozen.
I also love my comfort food but can’t ‘do’ mashed potato anymore so I buy Mr Mash instant mash (doesn’t even have any salt in it) and it tastes just as good as home made and only takes a minute to make. Lovely with a tin of chunky soup (like a stew).
I sometimes make a quick soup with some stock and fresh/frozen stir fry mix. Lovely with some noodles thrown in and very filling…
Hello Anne.
If you could use a food processor you could have a mass onion slicing session-they freeze quite well-ready for any single pan meals. Other veg can be tricky but I tend to sit myself at the table with music on and take my time. Again I will always do more than neccessary, blanch and freeze! Mince and diced meat are good for the one pan stuff as well. One brilliant thing my wife does is to cut things like onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroot, squash etc in large chunks and put them on a tray in the oven on a fairly high heat with olive oil and whatever ground spices or seasonings you fancy. If you have a nearby farm shop you can get squashes which don’t need peeling-unlike butternut! My PPMS is quite advanced but things like cooking add some purpose to the day when my wife is out at work or occupied by our very young daughter!
Best wishes, Steve.
Mags I use Aunt Bessie’s frozen mash… lovely… but I am impressed that Mr Mash doesn’t have added salt! I’ll give it a go.
Pat x
Thanks for the ideas ‘Auntiemogs’ and Steve. I will certainly add them to my repertoire
Yes, some great ideas here guys! Thanks, Teresa xx
Not saying that I don’t add my own Pat but I prefer to use sea salt… I would never have used it before I became unwell, I used to love cooking and would turn my nose up at such things! A friend who was very careful about what she fed her children on mentioned it to me. I get it from my local pound shop and it doesn’t have that fake potato taste like Smash etc…
Oh dear, can’t believe I’m getting so passionate about instant mash!
P.S. Also useful for making a quick leek & potato soup…
Hi all
Mixed bean chilli is fantastic, tinned tomatoes, onion,peppers,chilli,mixed herbs,any bean of your choice,garlic,salt and pepper,any other veg if you want.
This can be made with things already chopped or frozen or fresh your choice.
I tend to make a big batch and freeze some.
It is healthy filling and cheap. Love it on pasta with rice or my fav on a jacket potato
Also the other great thing it’s a one pot wonder 
I add onions and veg first them tomatoes and mixed beans.
Then add everything else, bring to boil the gentle simmer for around half hour till it thickens up then turn off I then like to leave for at least half hour so e everything blends together, and the temp is just right yummy
Hope you try and enjoy x
Quick meals for me are…
Sardines on toast
Scrambled eggs and beans on toast. (both together)
Pasta with dolmio sauce. They have started doing these in microwave pots which are quick and easy.
Welsh rarebit
Pitta bread filled with salad and tuna.(or wraps)
Mango chutney and stilton cheese on toast. (cheese is a bit naughty though - not nutritious as such)
When cooking pasta i always do too much so save leftovers for the next day. I eat it cold for lunch with lots of salad, tuna and sweetcorn.
Now i am feeling sooooo hungry! lol!
Teresa. x
Oh i forgot to say… i always have lots of frozen veg in freezer so when busy/too tired i don’t need to chop.
I also buy a really big joint of meat and when cooked i use my slicing machine and freeze it into portions.
I use a slow cooker also and put chicken breasts in some gravy in it. I do this in the morning and by teatime it is lovely and tender. Teamed with frozen veg and aunt bessies mash or roasts can provide a really easy meal with no fuss.
xxx
Hi Teresa… I always use frozen veg!
Felt very good about it when I read that it is just as nutritious as fresh veg… esp as much fresh veg in the shops is not all that fresh!
I admire your willpower… being able to cook extra pasta and keep it overnight. I find myself scoffing the lot by bedtime… although now that the trip from bed to kitchen is an effort I’m not quite so bad!
And now I’m hungry…
This is another good tip. Those fresh soups in plastic jars that the supermarkets do are really good. I’m having a ‘creamy veg’ soup for tea, with home-made bread (bread machine), cheese and olives.
I know cheese is not good for you but I simply can’t live without it.
Pat x
Hi Pat! I usually use fresh veg because my hubby is very fussy and hates frozen carrots and brocolli but it is sooo time consuming. Perhaps he would feel differently if he was the one doing all the cooking. I don’t have a husband that cooks like Tree’s hubby unfortunately - the best he can manage is beans on toast.
Yes - i’m very good saving the pasta - but you haven’t seen the amount i cook.
I love cheese but am trying to cut down as it makes me put on weight. I am a cheeseoholic!!!
soups are always a good idea and big pans of stew you can freeze into portions.
Omlettes are a good quick meal also as you can throw in bits of ham and veg as well.
The slow cooker is also good with uncle bens sauces. I love sweet and sour chicken and rice. Put uncle bens sweet and sour in pot with small pieces of chicken. Leave on low all day. Serve with rice. Easy peasy.
I’ve just bought a bread maker as well, Pat. Finding it really useful.
I spend half my life in the kitchen! with 4 of us to feed. My Gran is 84 now and i also quite often cook extra for her to freeze so we know she is getting some decent food. She can’t be bothered to cook as much now.
Oh!.. and when all else fails…order a take-away! (this is my favourite idea!)
Chinese/indian/ or pizza preferably!! Yum yum.
Teresa.x
I mainly eat ready made meals with frozen vegetables or Chinese takeaways (ordered on Just Eat website, I no longer order over the telephone as my debit card was cloned last May when takeaway was delivered and I entered pin number on handheld machine). I’ve never bought ready made meals from Wiltshire Farm Foods website but I might do so in future.
Hi Colin, I’ve heard that Wiltshire Farms and Oakhouse are both pretty good. Worth a try anyway!
Somebody where I live has Wiltshire Farms deliver and delivery man seems very friendly, plus they put it in freezer. I’ve seen the catalogue and huge selection to choose from.
Shocking about your debit card!
Pat x
Hi Annie I find that over the weekend and with a good movie, I sit and chop up alsorts of veggies, and put in sealable contains in the fridge, so durring the week I can just add to what every I’m cooking makes life a little easier. I also try and do one pot in the oven meals, like pasta bakes and casseroles. Hope that helps, and great idea for easy nutritious meals to share with earlyone. Deborah
The use of an electric carving knife is good for big tough things like swedes and squashes. I’ve just sat at the work surface and oven to make a slow cook medditerranean beef stew. Shin beef is cheap and is brilliant when cooked long and slow in my trusty old cast iron pot. Of course there’s enough for two meals for two of us!
Best wishes.
Thanks everyone for your great ideas.
I’ve no excuse now for reaching for the Ready Meals