Really fast food, home made

samanya, Oct 15, 12:39am
What do you do?
I'm not usually a packet food type of cook, I can spend ages cooking a meal for myself, but sometimes I lose my cooking 'mojo' after a hard day & feel like something healthy (ish) & fast!
Tonight I quickly stir fired a small piece of chicken, celery, spring onion, red capsicum & a heap of spinach & added it to a pkt of nasi goreng 2 minute noodles & it was delicious & all ready in under 10 minutes.
I'd be interested in what others do as a fast, 'go to' with little effort.
Thanks.

monofoil, Oct 15, 12:54am
I marinade sliced schnitzel and then fry and put on a bed of lettuce or other leafy greens, tomatoes etc, if I am lucky brie cheese too. If I could eat them those crispy noodles for texture.

samanya, Oct 15, 12:58am
that sounds great, thanks.
I always have eggs on hand, but sometimes I need more flavour.

davidt4, Oct 15, 1:04am
Steak and a salad are our favourite super-fast dinner. Another is free range chicken breast plus bok choy, both sliced 1 cm, cooked for about 5 minutes in a mixture of Thai chilli jam, coconut cream and fish sauce.

rainrain1, Oct 15, 1:07am
Poached eggs on toast is mine. or a cup of soup and marmite on toast

lats66, Oct 15, 3:04am
A cheese, tomato, spring onion and mushroom omelette is quick to make. I sometimes make one for lunch. (Mrs)

valentino, Oct 15, 2:43pm
If you love your eggs then Omelettes are great, it is the filling that can vary and usually to personal taste and liking, likewise wraps or pancakes etc.

Oh, sometimes a smaller helping of fettuccine (rest of fresh packet can be frozen and portions defrosted as you go), with some Pasta sauce and tin of Salmon or a little bit of Chopped Ham, smoked chicken, smoked fish and so on.

samanya, Oct 15, 4:21pm
I go through patches where I can't be faffed cooking & yet I like fresh, tasty food.
Is it just me, or do we all have those patches?
Thanks for the yummy ideas.

huca1, Oct 15, 4:25pm
I do too, I have to cook for teenage boys and people who do sport and I'd be happy with a handful of pasta and salmon or a baked potato or salad and everyone moans if they don't have plates full of food!

I can't be bothered half the time and can't think of enough variety another 1/4 of the time, burgers are saving my sanity at the moment.

We did pasta week once though, that was good made everyone cook at least once and it had to be pasta!

grouch, Oct 15, 5:19pm
I make up patties with either lamb or beef mince. Onion, cumin, curry powder, tumeric and coriander, egg and breadcrumbs. I freeze and then when I cant really be bothered doing too much, I take one or two out. They are versatile as you can put in a burger or wrap or just have on their own with a bit of chutney.

samanya, Oct 15, 5:25pm
I freeze excess soup, chowder etc & even lasagne & nacho mixture, as I often miscalculate & make too much & they are handy to have . as long as I remember to thaw them out in time.

jan2242, Oct 15, 6:51pm
Bake a whole kumara (scrubbed). When cooked scoop out and mix with tinned salmon and feta, or any cheese. Reheat and eat with greens. Much nicer and more filling than a baked potato.

roseann48, Oct 15, 7:20pm
When in this state of mind I start by grating cheese & carrot & adding whatever I have. Always nice & tasty. Last nights was piece fish ,
grated cheese & carrot, thinly sliced silverbeet leaf, tomato ,cucumber, gherkin, No cooking & not much cleaning up

roseann48, Oct 15, 7:21pm
When in this state of mind I start by grating cheese & carrot & adding whatever I have. Always nice & tasty. Last nights was piece fish ,
grated cheese & carrot, thinly sliced silverbeet leaf, tomato ,cucumber, gherkin, little cooking & not much cleaning up

holly-rocks, Oct 15, 10:10pm
I love baked kumera too except i generally used creamed corn, so good when i want something easy.

buzzy110, Oct 15, 11:12pm
Check out the vacuum packs of confit duck when next at the supermarket. There is a crowd called Riverside Farm doing these. They are not horrendously expensive with the only drawback being there is enough for 2 servings per bag.

The instructions are simple - empty contents into an oven proof dish and bake 170C for 15mins. It doesn't say so but they can be easily pan fried instead. I also pan fry with mushrooms or bake in my Easy Cook.

While the duck is cooking cut up cauli, broccoli, carrot, leek and cook in your usual way - microwave? I would steam all of them in one of the small pots I have that are designed for just that purpose. Select other vegetables if you want.

The entire simple meal I suggested will take 20-25mins from go to woah and the duck is divine. Of course you can make it fancier if you like but you asked for really fast so save flash for another time.

awoftam, Oct 15, 11:14pm
I cook udon noodles, and while they are boiling cook some sliced chicken, onion, carrot, cabbage - or whatever veges are on hand then tip cooked noodles in, add some chopped spring onion and soy (I use tamari).

Takes 10 mins.

I eat a huge amount of veges, a lot raw, but last night I wanted steak, eggs and potatoes all cooked in duck fat so I did that - and it was amazing and fast.

samanya, Oct 16, 12:09am
More good ideas!
I keep a pkt of filo on hand in the fridge & tonight it''s leek, spinach, blue & feta cheese garlic tart, with eggs,& a dash of cream & seasonings ( & s & p). easy as & quick.
I usually add chicken, but didn't thaw any in time.

samanya, Oct 16, 12:12am
That reminds me of a fast dish I love.
Salmon coated with black sesame seeds,(could be white seeds) cooked briefly & sliced on top of cooked udon noodles mixed with finely chopped nori & a rice wine dressing . that's fast & tasty as well.
I think it's an original one from Annabel Langbein.

awoftam, Oct 16, 1:31am
I love raw salmon. I pull the pin bones, dice it (not too small) and sit it in a mix of sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy, grated ginger and toasted black and white sesame seeds for about 10 mins then eat it with whatever I fancy at the time.

Yummy.

rebecca18, Dec 14, 10:18am
This is fast and very delicious. Cook the rice the night before and simply reheat what you need.

M A S A L A F I S H

Ingredients:
good olive oil
600 grams thick fish fillets, cut in approx 1” pieces (choose a firm fish)
2 large red capsicums, chopped into pieces approx 1” square
2 large bunches spring onions, including all the green tops, cut in 1½” lengths
1-1½ rounded teaspoons freshly ground garam masala
very coarsely ground black peppercorns
salt

What to do:
Heat a generous measure of olive oil over med-low heat in a large cast-iron frypan. Add the vegetables and fry for approx 8-10 mins, stirring every so often, until very lightly cooked. Add the fish and stir gently. Cook approx 5 mins, stirring occasionally and then add generous measures of salt and pepper plus the garam masala. Continue cooking until the fish is just cooked through. Serve on rice.