Midweek Meals: Five quick and easy dinners perfect for back-to-school
Five quick and easy dinners.
With the Easter holidays behind us, it is time to return to the routine of regular meal times and after-school dinners.
But, that doesn't have to mean spending hours in the kitchen each evening. These quick and easy meals are ready in 20 minutes or less and are perfect for after a busy day.
From pasta and noodles to curry and quesadillas, these recipes are sure to please the whole family.
Tagliatelle with mozzarella and fresh basil
A quick, comforting lunch or dinner
Servings
4Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
15 minsTotal Time
20 minsCourse
MainCuisine
ItalianIngredients
- 350g of dried tagliatelle
2 shallots, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
180mls tomato passata
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 balls mozzarella, cut into large cubes
AÂ bunch of fresh basil, roughly ripped up
Method
Cook your pasta.
Sauté the shallots in a dash of olive oil until translucent and add the garlic for the last minute. Add in the passata and thyme. Allow to bubble on a low heat for ten minutes. Season to taste.
Toss your pasta in the sauce and toss in the mozzarella and basil. Season and serve.
Beef Noodle Stir Fry
A quick and easy noodle recipe to add to your repertoire.
Servings
4Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
20 minsCourse
MainCuisine
AsianIngredients
350g egg noodles
A dash of sesame oil
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
an inch size piece of ginger, finely grated
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 carrot or red pepper, sliced into very thin slices
450g of either beef steak cut into thin slices, or firm tofu cut into thin slices
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 tbsp stock
To garnish:
2 scallions, finely sliced
AÂ handful of fresh coriander, finely sliced
A handful of lightly salted peanuts, finely chopped
Method
Put the noodles into boiling water and cook until they have softened but still have bite. Toss in a little sesame oil and set aside.
Heat another dash of sesame oil in a large pan or a wok until it is hot. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan. It will start to colour quite quickly so add in the strips of beef and carrot and toss them.
Add in the soya sauce, hoisin sauce and stock. Serve on top the noodles. You can add a little more stock if the sauce evaporates too quickly.
Mushroom Quesadillas
If you're short on time, skip the guacamole and just dunk in sour cream with a squirt of hot sauce
Servings
2Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
15 minsCourse
MainCuisine
MexicanIngredients
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
200g portobello mushrooms, sliced 8 mm thick (or other mushrooms of choice)
½ tsp chipotle powder*
¼ tsp cooking salt*
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ cup (75 g) shredded* colby cheese2
2 x 20 cm flour tortillas*
To serve:
Sour cream
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole or avocado crema
Lime wedges
Method
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, using a spatula to toss them regularly.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, toss to coat the mushrooms, then add the chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Cook for a further 1½ minutes until the surface of the mushrooms is golden. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and wipe any loose bits out of the pan with a paper towel.
Sprinkle half the cheese on one half of a tortilla, top with half the mushrooms, then fold the other half over. Repeat with the other tortilla.
Return the frying pan to the stove on medium heat (no extra oil is needed). Transfer the tortillas to the frying pan and cook for 1½ minutes until crisp and golden. Flip and cook for a further 1 minute until crisp.
Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo, guacamole or avocado crema for dunking.
Finish with a squeeze of lime.
10 minute lentil dahl
Who needs convenience food when you can make this Indian classic in just ten minutes?
Servings
6Cooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
10 minsCourse
MainCuisine
IndianIngredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
1 thumb-sized piece of turmeric, grated or
2 tins cooked lentils
2 tins coconut milk
Salt
bunch fresh coriander, chopped
To serve:
Naan bread, rice or quinoa
Method
On a high heat, melt the coconut oil in a heavy-based pan.
Add the spices and the onions and cook, stirring, for three minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for a further two minutes until they are fragrant.
Add the drained lentils and coconut milk to the pan, stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for five minutes, taste and season generously with salt.
Before serving, stir in some freshly chopped coriander and serve with naan bread, quinoa or rice.
You can use dried red lentils instead of tinned ones, but make sure to rinse well before adding to the pot, topping up the liquid with an extra tin of water.
Adjust the cooking time by adding ten minutes and whisk well before serving.
Recipe note:Â To add more protein to this dahl, add a tin of mixed beans or chickpeas with your lentils.
Midweek noodles
A staple recipe in my home, these noodles are: healthy, tasty and quick to prepare
Servings
2Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
15 minsTotal Time
20 minsCourse
MainIngredients
1 tbsp oil (whatever oil you have at home)
1 packet of stir-fry vegetable mix (1 handful of stir fry veg of your choice, I suggest carrots, peppers, courgettes and spring onion)
2 tsp garlic (2 tsp of garlic cloves minced)
2 tsp crushed ginger
3 tbsp dark soy
1 packet of straight to wok rice noodles
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds, to garnish
Method
Heat the walnut oil in the pan; add the vegetables and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger and soy sauce and continue to cook until the vegetables are slightly softened.
Add in the noodles and cook until heated through, roughly 2-3 minutes.
Squeeze over the lime juice and drizzle with sesame oil, toss well to combine.
Serve sprinkled with some lightly toasted sesame seeds and enjoy.
