|
If you are like Carrie from Sex and the City and use your oven for storage rather than cooking, this guide is for you!
Whether you don’t like cooking, don’t know how or don’t have the time, this guide will convert you with easy, simple ways to eat well with minimal fuss...  Step One: What to buyFirst things first – stocking the pantry. There are some essential basics to keep on hand in order to make quick, easy and healthy meals - all with minimal cooking involved. Below is a basic shopping list to get you started: - Canned tomatoes
- Dried noodles, pasta and rice
- Soy, Sweet Chili, Worcestershire and Hoisin sauces
- Canned chilli beans, chickpeas, lentils etc
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Packet of burritos
- Mixed herbs, Paprika, Chilli Flakes, Curry Powder
- Jar of pesto
 For the Freezer- Mixed stir fried vegetables
- Wholegrain bread (so you don’t have to rush down to the shop if you run out)
- Frozen fish fillets
- Chicken
- Lean beef
Step Two: Kitchen Gadgets It’s all very well having food in the kitchen but you also need the right tools to prepare it. Here are some necessary and handy things to have: - A microwave: Makes life easier for cooking rice, defrosting frozen food etc
- The basics: Sharp knife, potato peeler, fish slice, wisk, wooden spoon, tongs, chopping board, bowls and oven dishes.
 Step 3: Nutritional BalanceThe easy way to ensure you get a balanced meal is to use the ideal plate model. This involves dividing up your plate so half of the plate is vegetables, one quarter is protein (eg meat, fish, chickpeas etc) and the last quarter is carbohydrate (eg potato, bread, rice, couscous etc). Here are some examples of the ideal plate in action: - Tuna salad made with two cups of vegetables, a can of tuna and a bread roll.
- Beef stir fry made so that half is vegetables, a quarter is lean beef and a quarter is rice.
Step 4: Putting it together Probably the most daunting thing for non cooks is actually attempting to make something edible, and if you’ve had a few disastrous attempts already, mustering the effort to make something is all the harder.
Below are some simple, healthy and tasty recipes to try that require minimal cooking effort. Enjoy!
 Mexican Bean BurritosServes four 2 teaspoons of oil 1 small onion 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of tomato paste 1 can of diced tomatoes 1 can of Watties Chilli beans or Kidney Beans Tortillas Grated cheese, chopped tomatoes and lettuce to serve Heat oil in pan and cook onion until soft. Add paprika, mix, then add in soy sauce and the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Mash the beans into the spice mix, leaving about ½ of them whole. Heat thoroughly, adding water if needed to make a softer consistency. Serve the bean mix in the tortillas with cheese, lettuce and tomato.  Chicken and Pesto PastaServes two Cook 1 cup of pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10-15 minutes until cooked. While the pasta is cooking, chop one chicken breast into bite size pieces. Heat a non stick fry pan and fry for 15 minutes or until cooked through. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the fry pan with the chicken. Add ½ cup of pesto and mix through until hot. Serve with a large side salad with mesuclin lettuce, chopped tomatoes, avocado and cucumber.
For those that can’t be bothered making your own salad, at the supermarket you can buy already mixed salad bowls.
Nicola
(224).jpg)
|
.jpg)