Healthy meals that a beginner can cook?

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I cannot cook from fresh for the life of me,I was never really taught how to and when is ask for my mum to teach me , she'd get frustrated and shout at me if I didn't do something or I was asking for help so its put me off cooking.

I can cook fry up and can follow instructions on frozen food but I've never cooked with fresh or have never put things together to make a meal.

My fiance does all the fresh cooking in the house but I want to learn how to so that it's equal and he gets time off from it to focus on his stuff.

We like chicken and never really have any meat apart from mince beef for chilli .

We both like veggies but I hate tomotoes (will eat tomotoe puree in things like chilli or on pizza and some recipes but I hate eating it raw or as a side dish)

Ideas wanted for easy to cook healthy meals please and thank you in advance

Replies

  • itisidaisy
    itisidaisy Posts: 121 Member
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    You should check out recipes from Blogilates. Her real name is Casey Ho and she posts recipes on her YouTube channel and website. One of her YouTube playlists is called “Cheap, Clean Eats” and she makes videos for breakfast food, snacks, dinner, etc.

    I’ve bought her recipe guides and they’re pretty good too. I love her edamame quinoa salad, but I hate tomatoes too so I take those out.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
    edited April 2018
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    I recommend YouTube too. The Domestic Geek and many many others make sheet pan meals. You put everything on a baking sheet and pop into the oven, set a timer and done. My sister who struggles in the kitchen can use this method. She is great at roasting most veggies now. Start here the fajitas are great in a tortilla or over cilantro rice. Just keep trying it takes time to get great at anything including cooking. Good luck!

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=Qp8Tc4ncJgI

    This YouTuber is doing sheet pan and crockpot meals this month.
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=rXO6Vsb0G5M&t=2s
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Soup is generally forgiving and easy for a beginner.
    https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/16369/soups-stews-and-chili/soup/
    Slow cooker recipes are usually pretty low prep.
    http://www.ayearofslowcooking.com
    If you or your fiance bake, boil or grill a bunch of chicken you can use the meat for things like salads, sandwiches, wraps, casseroles, soups, pizza.
    http://www.noreciperequired.com/technique/how-cook-boneless-chicken-breasts

    There are lots of cooking videos and blogs.
    Help your fiance or a friend cook so you can learn how to make some basic things.

    Can you follow instructions and stay in the room while cooking?
    Maybe get a basic cookbook or a cookbook aimed at kids. It will often explain terms and equipment and not be too complex.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Get a a foreman grill. That and little marinade allows you to cook most proteins with a variety of flavor choices. Toss veggies in the microwave or roast in the oven. Make a salad. Cook some rice or potatoes if need more bulk. This will get you a long ways. Then try one new more elaborate recipe every week or two and soon you'll have a large arsenal.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,981 Member
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    Is your fiance more patient than your mum? Maybe he would be willing to teach you (since, after all, it's in his interest, assuming he doesn't want to have to do all the fresh cooking). Or, less formally, hang out in the kitchen with him, ask for easy chores to do, observe, ask questions about why he does things certain ways if you don't understand (maybe wait to ask until there's a lull)... Most people love to teach and be asked about thing that they're good at.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,626 Member
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    Here's a foolproof easy roast dinner for a weekend meal for two and an idea for leftovers.

    Get a small kitchen and spatchcock it, by cutting down the backbown with a sturdy pair of kitchen scissors. On a cutting plank, open out the bird skin side up and push down with your palm on the breast to flatten it. The reason for spatchcocking is that it ensures the legs (which take longer to cook) and breasts are done at the same time. You are using the fact that oven heat is cooler in the centre than on the perimeter.

    Cut up 1 large baking potato per person (you can peel or not) into 4-6 evenly sized pieces. Place the potatoes in a pan of cold water that just covers the potatoes, add a teaspoon of salt (should taste pleasantly salty). Cut the ends off a zucchini and chop into batons about half an inch wide and an inch long. It's easiest to do this if you halve the courgette in length, then half lengthwise, then cut each finger into one inch strips.

    Bring the potatoes up to a boil, and once the water is boiling, time for 2 minutes and drain. In the meantime put the courgette into a plastic bag and toss a tablespoon of olive oil and a little sprinkle of salt. Shake to cover lightly in oil and place the courgette in a single layer in the centre of a large oven tray. Once the potatoes are drained put them in the plastic bag with another tablespoon of olive oil. Shake to coat with oil and spread around the outer perimeter of the oven tray.

    Put the flattened bird on top of the courgette, skin side up, tucking the wing tips under and roast at 200C for about 35 minutes. Now make sure you carefully wash anything that has been in contact with raw chicken. After 15 minutes give the potatoes a toss so that all sides get browned.

    Start testing the chicken for doneness at 30 minutes. The most foolproof method is to use an instant read meat thermometer stuck into a thick peice of meat but not touching any bone. Chicken is done at 72C. If you don't own a thermometer, price the joint between the drumstick and thigh. If the juices run clear instead of pink, your chicken is done.

    Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes wrapped up in tin foil while you continue to brown the potatoes and zucchini in the oven. To joint the chicken, cut off the wings at the shoulder joint. Then cut off the legs at the hip join and then separate the drumsticks and thighs at the knee joint. Cut down the breast bone to separate the two breasts. If the bird is large you can halve the breasts by cutting crosswise.

    Turn off the oven and put everything onto a serving dish or separate into several dishes.

    Unless the chicken is very small, you will have leftovers. An easy way to use up roast chicken leftovers is this simple chicken salad. Chop an avocado, chop up some leftover chicken against the grain of the meat, and mix with a jar of commercial salsa. Serve in soft taco shell.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,626 Member
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    Get a small chicken, not a small kitchen.
  • freenowphoever
    freenowphoever Posts: 52 Member
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    My kitchen looks like it's been spatchcocked
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,981 Member
    edited April 2018
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    My kitchen looks like it's been spatchcocked

    I wish mine did. I could use the extra surface area.

    ETA -- sorry, should have said extra flat surface area.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    Get a little steamer basket to go in one of your pans. I have a little fold up on that looks like a metal bowl when fanned out. Those are nice because they fit lots of pans by just fanning out further. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, brussel sprouts - lots of veggies are good steamed. I like to grind some Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning or sprinkle Mrs Dash on them for a little flavor. Some water in the bottom, a lid on top and start it on high and turn it down to medium or medium high when it starts boiling pretty good. 5-8 minutes past boiling if you like crisp veggies, 10+ if you like them soft.

    If you like roasted veggies, foil line an oven pan and spray it lightly with Pam or equivalent (I like the olive oil one). Spread veggies out evenly and give them a light spray on top. Season much lik steamed, though I find I also like garlic on roasted a lot. 10 minutes at 425. I like roasted asparagus, but lots of veggies roast pretty well. Just make sure it is reasonable sized pieces; not too big. If you use brussel sprouts, cut them in half and then set them flat side up.