If you've ever spent too long staring searchingly into your fridge, willing a weeknight dinner to make itself, you're not alone. Mondays, rent days, mid-week, any evening we might be strapped for time / cash, we too often find ourselves with cohesive dinner prospects falling through the cracks, and letting one of many food delivery services (or the remnants of snacks in the fridge) take the reins.
Personally, I’ve always been a dinner lover, so letting go of the idea of a ‘proper’ meal at the end of the day is a reality I’d rather not face. However, growing the hell up often looks a bit like never having the funds or space that you are constantly working for, rendering you time and cash-poor. And so, when motivation to cook an inspiring meal on a weeknight is at an all-time low, or your craving for toast is at an all-time high, see below for a compilation of weeknight meals that will neither rob you of your time or sanity.
A poké bowl’s minimal pal. Fresh cold crunchy veggies are doused in salty, sweet, sour dressing and thrown over a bed of rice. This Basically recipe hinges on minimal clean-up and maximum satisfaction - consider this a light option (that isn’t an unsatisfying salad) for the warmer days .
Insane people might say they don’t fancy hoovering down a bowl of oil-covered pasta. To them I say grow up, but also, add kale if you feel as though you need some roughage. This Bon Appetit take on a classic uses mostly pantry staples, save for the kale, and comes together in minutes (post-pasta boil).
Insane people might say they don’t fancy hoovering down a bowl of oil-covered pasta. To them I say grow up, but also, add kale if you feel as though you need some roughage. This Bon Appetit take on a classic uses mostly pantry staples, save for the kale, and comes together in minutes (post-pasta boil).
If you enjoy cooking and Alison Roman isn’t on your radar / at the centre of your universe, I suggest you get on the internet, fast. With a number of viral recipes, namely #thestew, it’s no surprise that her #thestew2 is equally as delicious. Saucy beans with robust greens and crumbly cheese make just as good a packed lunch the following day as they do night-of.
When in need of something roasty toasty, cover all of your components in olive oil and throw into a preheated oven, wait just over an hour and be met with an impressive and comforting time. Something about crispy, salty chicken with deeply sweet grapes really does it all. This recipe is perfect for adjustment novices (aka if you don’t have one thing to roast on hand, sub it out for another). I like to leave out the shallots and add cherry tomatoes or briny green olives, always accompanied by crispy smashed potatoes. I implore you to not leave the pan juices unattended.
When in need of something roasty toasty, cover all of your components in olive oil and throw into a preheated oven, wait just over an hour and be met with an impressive and comforting time. Something about crispy, salty chicken with deeply sweet grapes really does it all. This recipe is perfect for adjustment novices (aka if you don’t have one thing to roast on hand, sub it out for another). I like to leave out the shallots and add cherry tomatoes or briny green olives, always accompanied by crispy smashed potatoes. I implore you to not leave the pan juices unattended.
Stuff on toast
Ye old faithful, and my personal favourite when time-poor. There is really no limit to what you put on toast, but here are some suggestions to level up your toast-time experience:
Grill or fry your bread: if you do nothing else with your stovetop, at least give your toast some extra air time by grilling your bread to add smokiness, or frying it for a melty crunch.
Favourite toppings include: Ricotta with jam and prosciutto, anchovies with garlic and fresh tomato, avocado and shaved ham with olive oil, roast tomatoes and garlic with Labne, good butter with fish roe and herbs (more of a weekend treat), the list, quite literally, goes on ..
