Power outage: Five no-cook dinners to feed a family when there is no electricity

Sandwiches, wraps and let's never forget the good old-fashioned Irish salad

Make a picnic in your sitting room and weather out the storm with these no-cook dinner ideas.

Curried Chicken Pitta

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This pitta ticks all the boxes — healthy, tasty and quick. I love to use yoghurt as a healthy swap for mayonnaise. This is really mild so it's suitable for

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 7 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 1 cooked free-range chicken fillet

• 2 tbsp chopped nuts

• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp curry powder

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 wholemeal pitta

• 1 small carrot, grated

• handful of salad leaves

Method

1. Pop the pitta in the toaster.

2. While it is toasting, mix the almonds, yoghurt, and spices in a small bowl. Add the cooked chicken and stir well.

3. Once the pitta is toasted, using a knife split it open and stuff it with the chicken mixture, carrot, and salad leaves.

4. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Avocado toast

Creamy, delicious and super satisfying, top with crumbled feta cheese for a salty kick

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 5 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 2 slices sourdough bread

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 avocado

• Juice of ½ lime

• Salt 

• Chilli flakes

Method

1. Toast your sourdough and slice the garlic in half. When the toast is still hot, rub the cut side of the garlic clove across the surface of the toast. 

2. With a fork, mash one half of the avocado onto each slice of toast. Spritz with lime juice, salt and chilli flakes and serve. 
   Note: For extra deliciousness, top with an egg, goat's cheese or crumbled feta and hot sauce. 

Black bean salad with corn, avocado and lime vinaigrette

recipe by:Darina Allen

This perky Mexican salad is a refreshing summertime lunch but can be made throughout the year with either fresh or tinned corn

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 2 tins black beans, rinsed and drained or 450g black beans, soaked overnight and cooked

• 175-225g cooked fresh corn or corn niblets

• 2 red peppers, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated

• 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

• 2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 125g fresh coriander, chopped, plus more for garnish

• 2 ripe but firm avocados, diced 

• For the dressing:

• 9 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp lime zest

• 6 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp sugar

• To serve:

• tortilla chips

Method

1. To cook the black beans, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Next day cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes approx. or until just cooked. Cook more than you need and freeze the remainder for another time.

2. To cook the sweetcorn, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add salt. Peel the ears of corn, trim both ends, drop into the water. Cover the saucepan and bring back to the boil, cook for just 3 minutes.

3. Put the black beans, sweet corn, red pepper, garlic and shallots into a bowl. Sprinkle the salt and cayenne and chopped coriander evenly over the surface. Toss gently to combine.

4. Mix the extra virgin olive oil with the lime zest and juice. Add the sugar and whisk to emulsify. Pour over the salad and toss. Taste and correct the seasoning and add a little more sugar if necessary to balance the lime.

5. Just before serving, add the avocado dice. Mix gently, being careful not to mash the avocados. Garnish with some more roughly-chopped coriander. Just before serving, fold some tortilla chips gently through the salad or serve as a side. Serve at room temperature.

Tuna salad wraps

These wraps are ready in minutes and hold really well when wrapped tightly in lunchboxes

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 5 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 160g tin tuna, drained

• 1 heaped tbsp good quality mayonnaise

• 1 gherkin or pickle, chopped finely (optional)

• 1 tsp pickle liquid from the jar (optional)

• ¼ tsp ketchup

• Salt and pepper 

• 2 large wraps 

Method

1. Using a fork, mix the tuna, mayonnaise and other ingredients in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

2. Spoon the filing onto the two wraps, roll and serve with crisps and vegetable crudités. 
   Note: Use a tbsp of Caesar salad dressing instead of mayo if you like, add sweet chilli sauce instead of ketchup or a pinch of curry powder and chopped apple for an indian-inspired wrap. 

Old-fashioned Irish salad

recipe by:Darina Allen

This simple, old fashioned salad can be quite delicious when it’s made with a crisp lettuce, good home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers, free-range eggs and home preserved beetroot

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• Fresh watercress or butterhead

• Lettuce

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, preferably free-range, quartered

• 2-4 tomatoes, quartered

• 16 slices of cucumber

• 4 slices pickled beetroot

• 4 tiny scallions or spring onions

• 2-4 sliced radishes

• Chopped parsley

• To serve: 

• Salad cream 

Method

1. Hard-boil the eggs for the salad. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, gently slide in the eggs, boil for 10 minutes (12 if they are very fresh), strain off the hot water and cover with cold water. Peel when cold. Wash and dry the lettuce and scallions.

2. To assemble the salads: Arrange a few lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Scatter a few quartered tomatoes and 2 hard-boiled egg quarters, a few slices of cucumber and 1 radish or 2 slices of beetroot on each plate. Garnish with spring onion and watercress, scatter the remaining egg white (from the dressing) over the salad and chopped parsley.

3. Put a tiny bowl of salad cream in the centre of each plate and serve immediately while the salad is crisp and before the beetroot starts to run.