MEAL IDEAS
ct320
Posts: 89 Member
Hi I'm getting stuck with meals - we end up having the same meals week in week out, so im looking for uk ideas as most threads are full of american recipes and even though they look really nice some of the ingredients are not available in the uk.
please share your meal ideas
please share your meal ideas
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Replies
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What are you eating at the moment? Do you need meals for you and your family?0
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Hi thanks for replying it tends to be quick and easy things due to working etc I will post some of my recipes when i get a chance later. yes family meals would be very helpful as I have 2 children and the bf so cuts out us all having different meals 0
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This one is dead easy & quick to prep (so I'm told!!) - it can also be tailored to individual tastes by adding or leaving out some of the "extras".....
Put a packet of flavoured couscous (lemon & coriander/tomato & onion etc) into a bowl with a drop of oil & 7 fl oz (200ml) boiling water - stir then cover with cling film & leave to stand for 10 mins.
Stir again, then add chopped spring onions/chopped sundried tomatoes/pieces of chorizo (whatever you like - these are the "extras").
Spoon couscous onto individual sheets of baking parchment (will serve 2 -4), place a boneless/skinless salmon fillet on top & fold parchment into a tightly sealed parcel.
Put each parcel onto a preheated baking sheet & cook for 15 -20 mins at 180*C.
(And if you want to give it a posh name to impress your friends call it "salmon en papiliotte".)0 -
thanks that sounds tasty and easy and could also involve my son (hes 5) in the prepping 0
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We have a similar problem of getting bored and having the same thing time and time again!
Do you have a slow cooker? Found some great receipes on pinterest for these and so easy to throw everything together.
What kind of food do you like? English, Indian, Italian, etc?
J0 -
Got carried away typing – this is long…
I try to vary my meals and sometimes I find myself racking my brain of what to cook, especially as I have a 2 year old and he doesn’t always want to eat stuff apart from cake!!!
I have been intending to meal plan for the longest time but I haven’t got around to it yet. Me and my husband eat most things and we like spicy tasty food too. All of my meals are from scratch, don’t do packet stuff but just as an idea these some of the things we eat:
Sunday – always a roast usually chicken with lots of vegetables and probably rice and peas (I’m from the Caribbean) or a pulse as a side dish like lentils or kidney beans or roast potatoes.
Monday – leftovers from Sunday, might do a stir fry with vegetables and the leftover meat
Quiche – I usually make a vegetable quiche every other week and serve it with more vegetables…lol..usually roatsted something like butternut squash which is filling and tasty.
Rice Pilaf – basically soften onions and garlic, and seasoning salt, pepper, herbs whatever you want in oil and then add rice to this mixture add a little bit of water or stock and whatever veg or meat pieces you want to add leave it to cook and you have a tasty meal.
Shepherds Pie – I made this yesterday – the usual mince meat with mash potato on top.
Homemade burgers – I got a burger press from Lakeland plastics, works really well and couldn’t be easier. Add meat mince or veg of your choice, so far I’ve done beefburgers, turkey burgers and fishcakes using it. Squash it out of the press and you’ve got perfect shaped burgers which can be grilled to cut down on calories.
Meatballs – just season and shape mince into balls and cook in tomato sauce*on the hob or you can lightly fry.
*Tomato sauce - Lightly soften chopped onions, garlic and herbs in oil, add 2 tins of tomatoes , a little bit of sugar to taste and tomato puree if you want and leave it to simmer for about 45 mins or until it thickens. I then leave it to cool whizz it up in my blender and usually freeze it in batches for use later. Can be used for loads of stuff – meatballs, pasta, on vegetables whatever.
Homemade chips – cut up some potatoes, toss in olive oil (not too much) and add salt. Spread out on a baking sheet in the oven and cook till golden brown – you can do this with other veg too.
One last thing this is not really a meal but a snack:
Kale Chips (ready salted crisps by any other name)
Buy a bag of curly kale, wash and toss in olive oil and salt – place in the oven until crispy – about 20 mins I think (sorry I never take a note of timings I just tend to look and see if things are done). They taste just like ready salted crisps!
PS.
I second the slow cooker - cooker always comes in handy during the week I set it on a timer while I’m at work.0 -
Great ideas, Tanteee!0
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As Tantee said, homemade burgers are great. I don't have a press, but if you use an egg to bind the meat and other ingredients (e.g. last night we had pork, apple and sage burgers), roll the portions and then fry in a little oil, you can cook a mean burgger that way.
At this time of year, I'm a big fan of stews. Brown meat and onions, add meat and cook the outside. Add veggies, cook a bit more, add liquid, boil then simmer for 45 min or so while you help the kids with homework or what-have-you. Serve with steamed veg and/ or a carb (bread is good for mopping up gravy!)0 -
I make sure I make a new meal every week, over the past few weeks we've tried homemade chicken tikka pieces with salad and pitta; harrisa chicken tray bake with feta and cous cous; Spanish pork chorizo and butter bean stew; Sicilian fish stew with cous cous.
Let me know if you want any of the recipes and I'll dig them out. I usually use bbc good food website to search for ideas0 -
Thanks for all your replies I do have a slow cooker they are a god send sometimes I have a recipe for chicken mulligatawny soup which is always a hit i will post it when I get a chance, i like all sorts of food my son is slightly fussy to see veg on his plate but I still try get it down him some how.
@tantee i also had shepherds pie yesterday i use carrot swede and sweet & normal potatoes for the mash to try get some extra veggies in us all:) I am also a great lover of carribean cuisine if you had any recipes that would be great .:)
I will try bbc good food forgot about it I used to go on quite a lot as like you can choose specific recipes for diet/occasions etc.
thats a good idea I may make it a goal to try one new thing a week stop us getting fed up of the same meals all the time x0 -
Allrecipes UK is also a good site for recipes
Slow cooker chilli is great and you can make a lot and freeze it.
We have fajitas quite often,
chicken breasts filled with cheese wrapped in bacon, or topped with mayo, cheese and breadcrumbs,
baked bean lasagne,
fish and veggies,
homemade potato wedges (just par boil, chop the potatoes, spray with low cal spray and bake for half an hour)
spaghetti bolognese...
Now i'm getting hungry!
Hope that helps 0 -
I do all these and also recommend slo cooker in which I batchcook, curries, casseroles with loads of veg and make stock from chicken carcass then use for soup.Got carried away typing – this is long…
I try to vary my meals and sometimes I find myself racking my brain of what to cook, especially as I have a 2 year old and he doesn’t always want to eat stuff apart from cake!!!
I have been intending to meal plan for the longest time but I haven’t got around to it yet. Me and my husband eat most things and we like spicy tasty food too. All of my meals are from scratch, don’t do packet stuff but just as an idea these some of the things we eat:
Sunday – always a roast usually chicken with lots of vegetables and probably rice and peas (I’m from the Caribbean) or a pulse as a side dish like lentils or kidney beans or roast potatoes.
Monday – leftovers from Sunday, might do a stir fry with vegetables and the leftover meat
Quiche – I usually make a vegetable quiche every other week and serve it with more vegetables…lol..usually roatsted something like butternut squash which is filling and tasty.
Rice Pilaf – basically soften onions and garlic, and seasoning salt, pepper, herbs whatever you want in oil and then add rice to this mixture add a little bit of water or stock and whatever veg or meat pieces you want to add leave it to cook and you have a tasty meal.
Shepherds Pie – I made this yesterday – the usual mince meat with mash potato on top.
Homemade burgers – I got a burger press from Lakeland plastics, works really well and couldn’t be easier. Add meat mince or veg of your choice, so far I’ve done beefburgers, turkey burgers and fishcakes using it. Squash it out of the press and you’ve got perfect shaped burgers which can be grilled to cut down on calories.
Meatballs – just season and shape mince into balls and cook in tomato sauce*on the hob or you can lightly fry.
*Tomato sauce - Lightly soften chopped onions, garlic and herbs in oil, add 2 tins of tomatoes , a little bit of sugar to taste and tomato puree if you want and leave it to simmer for about 45 mins or until it thickens. I then leave it to cool whizz it up in my blender and usually freeze it in batches for use later. Can be used for loads of stuff – meatballs, pasta, on vegetables whatever.
Homemade chips – cut up some potatoes, toss in olive oil (not too much) and add salt. Spread out on a baking sheet in the oven and cook till golden brown – you can do this with other veg too.
One last thing this is not really a meal but a snack:
Kale Chips (ready salted crisps by any other name)
Buy a bag of curly kale, wash and toss in olive oil and salt – place in the oven until crispy – about 20 mins I think (sorry I never take a note of timings I just tend to look and see if things are done). They taste just like ready salted crisps!
PS.
I second the slow cooker - cooker always comes in handy during the week I set it on a timer while I’m at work.
Also do lots of stir fries but concoct own seasoning sauces check out Ken Hom and we like liver done in peppers onions and little tomato puree and stock in frypan very fast serve on pasta or rice. I call this liver italienne
Also fisherman's pie with low cal white sauce mixed fish, hardboiled eggs sliced potato topping and no cheese:-)
Kedgeree is good too.0 -
Bean burgers are fun to make,
Tin of beans (not baked beans) boil them up and let them cool under cold water, Grate carrot and chop a onion and a teaspoon of cornflower add everything into a bowl and "mash it up" with some cumin. Make into burger size stuff and fry/grill away. Add some chilli/garlic/lemon to add some zing.
(i can eat a whole tin of this without feeling guilty)0 -
I have bought both of the hairy dieters cookbooks and have made loads of easy family meals from it, they're filing and easy0
