Midweek Meals: Five fuss-free favourites — perfect for good weather

Lazy-day? Last-minute visitors? We have you covered

Five fuss-free food favourites for all the family.

Beef Noodle Stir Fry

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

A quick and easy noodle recipe to add to your repertoire.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Asian

Ingredients

• 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

• A handful of fresh coriander, finely sliced

• A handful of lightly salted peanuts, finely chopped

Method

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo, guacamole or avocado crema for dunking.

6. Finish with a squeeze of lime.