Mid Week Meals

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 1 Comment

Homemade Chicken Burgers

The storm had just started as I was busy trying to finish and serve dinner.

Our 4 yr old hates storms, so as he was getting more and more upset, I was frantically trying to come up with some helpful and calming words for him.

As each new bolt of lightning lit up the sky and the big boys ran to the window with excitement, our little man’s screams would just go up a notch.

“Sshhh….it’s okay… you don’t need to scream…” as I am trying not to burn the burger patties in the frying pan and I am signalling to another child to start setting the table, while my little boy is wrapped around my legs.

“Um..just picture Lightning McQueen up in the clouds….he’s.. um.. trying to race… um….Mater and (insert sound of thunder here) LOOK…that’s just them having a BIG CRASH… but.. um… everyone’s really okay…shhh…. it’s okay… please stop screaming”

Then it’s my turn…”Can someone PLEASE set the table, dinner’s almost ready!” I yell.

I do sometimes wonder if I walked calmly around the house at this point, quietly gesturing for people to come to the table, if they in fact, would actually come? Let me know if this works for you in your house…

Probably more than I should, after a few quieter mutterings, I usually end up yelling something like “If you don’t come to the table NOW, you can’t touch your iPad for a MONTH.” That usually gets people there pretty quick.

Anyway, back to the storm.

Thanks to the quick-thinking of my eldest, he put some music on, hoping to calm our little man down.

He chose UPTOWN FUNK…not quite the calming, background dinner music I had in mind, but it worked.

Our little man started his moves and singing along….”UPTOWN FUNKY DUCK, UPTOWN FUNKY DUCK” he yelled over and over again.

At this point, I am placing things on the STILL UNSET TABLE (to which I decided to let go)… Who needs a set table when eating burgers anyway?

“I know, let’s have a DANCE competition. Everyone gets to choose one song and dance, and mum can score us out of 10” suggested one of my sons.

“How about we eat our dinner?” I suggest

To say spirits were a little high and there was lots of energy buzzing in our house that night, is an understatement. I quickly realised no-one was going to sit down and eat anytime soon, so embracing the ‘fun mum’ somewhere inside of me (she’s often not around at 6pm on a weeknight) I agreed to said Dance Competition.

Everything from here on in went well…until it didn’t.

The dance floor kept getting crashed by the now over-tired and over-excited 4 year old. Everyone wanted one more turn when their song ended and no-one was happy, when I declared all their scores were the same – 8.5 out of 10! I am all for fairness…..

The burgers were cold, but still tasted great. The highlight of actually eating dinner was reminding one of my children that we don’t use our whole hand and fingers to get the rest of the BBQ sauce out of the container, but maybe we try using a spoon or knife instead?

After cleaning up said sauce, breaking up another fight over a rumbling incident and heading back to the kitchen to realise I still had more burger patties to cook, I stood at the kitchen sink and looked out at the stormy sky.

‘Try and find the beauty, joy and adventure right where you are,’ were words I had read earlier that day.

Oh boy…I am trying.

Slowly the kitchen was cleaned and I started getting the kids ready for bed.

I was a little frazzled, but it had actually been quite a fun night, I thought to myself as I headed to our little man’s room to tuck him into bed.

And all over his floor and in his bed were hundreds of little beads…..from who knows where… and I just started to laugh.

You know that laugh? The slightly-crazy-person, could start-crying at any minute laugh?

Beauty, Joy and Adventure… right where I am…..

Back to the Burgers….one thing I do when I clean out my freezer and find leftovers of loaves of bread, crusts or the ends of breadsticks, I pop the lot in my food processor and make a big batch of fresh breadcrumbs.

I pop the breadcrumbs into smaller portions in snack size freezer bags and freeze them for a day like this when I want to quickly make some burgers or another day when I want to make some meatballs. It’s a great way of using up leftover bread you otherwise might have thrown away.

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The only limit to how you eat your burger is your imagination…so knock yourself out! This was our family edition – with un-toasted soft white buns and all! If I had my way, it may have had a few more fancy trimmings….but that being said, it tasted pretty good  just like this.

Homemade Chicken Burgers

Created by on October 21, 2015

  • Prep Time: 10m
  • Cook Time: 10m
  • Total Time: 20m
  • Serves: 5
  • Yield: 8-10 small patties or 5 large ones
  • Category:

Ingredients

  • 500 grams chicken mince
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, mint and chives

Method

  1. Place all ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly until well combined.
  2. Using your hands, form into the size patties you want to cook.
  3. If you have time, let them sit, covered in the fridge for up to half an hour - this just helps them bind well together.
  4. Heat olive oil in large non stick pan over medium heat and cook the patties on both sides, until golden and cooked through.
  5. Drain on paper towel while assembling your other ingredients.
  6. Serve on hamburger buns or bread of your choice with any fillings you like! We used lettuce, tomato, beetroot, store-bought beetroot relish, cheese, cucumber and pineapple. Avocado, hummus, Aioli (garlic mayonnaise) all work beautifully as toppings.
  7. These patties also taste great on their own with salad, if you want a carb-free meal.
Source: cook fast eat slow

 

 

 

 

 

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Poached Egg with Halloumi & Pan Fried Asparagus & Mushrooms (vegetarian)

Even passionate cooks need a night off from the kitchen.

In our current season of life, that is Sunday night for me.

After a week of meals that they have no choice but to eat, Sunday is the one night where my boys can choose (within reason) their own dinner. It’s often leftovers, a toasted sandwich, pasta and cheese, or ‘Upside Down Dinner’ which is when they have their favourite breakfast for dinner. I still try and get some carrot sticks or something nutritious into them, but generally, it’s our most relaxed ‘whatever works and is in the house’ dinner night.

This leaves me with a much needed night off from being the chief decision maker and vegetable enforcer, which I admit, does feel good.

I potter around the kitchen with the kids and my husband, but try and take a back seat, as I encourage my older boys to help construct their own meal.

Out of everything I will eat in a week, my Sunday night dinner is my favourite meal. It’s one of our most simple….but because I haven’t made it, it just tastes AMAZING.

So, what is this Sunday night dinner I hear you say?

Eggs.

Yep. Eggs.

Simple, cheap, nutritious eggs.

A few years ago my husband, who doesn’t spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, decided he wanted to learn how to poach eggs. I decided not to get involved and leave him to learn this for himself (best for our marriage that way!) Over time, he researched and perfected how to poach the perfect egg, and thus it has become the meal he cooks for me every Sunday night.

AND I LOVE IT!

I am usually banished from the kitchen altogether, for fear I will take over (Me? Take Over?) or if permission granted I get given ‘toast and extras’ duty, ie. roast the tomatoes, fry the halloumi, chop the asparagus.

Truth be told, it’s actually one of my favourite times of the week, having my man in the kitchen with me….doing something I love so much….together.

I know the best way to poach an egg can be highly controversial, but below is the way my husband swears by and I can attest that it tastes pretty darn good.

Ingredients

2 eggs per person

1 block of Halloumi cheese, cut in half horizontally

1 bunch of fresh asaparagus, ends trimmed, cut in half

a large handful of button mushrooms, washed and sliced

zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 clove garlic, crushed

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

approx 2 tablespoons of butter, for frying

sourdough bread to toast

salt and pepper to season

Method

Get your toast ready for toasting.

Melt butter over a medium heat in a frying pan.

Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme and lemon zest and fry until mushrooms are softening and slightly golden.

Add asparagus and fry for another 2 minutes, or until they are slightly soft.  Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

Place the frying pan back over medium heat and add a little extra butter. Once melted, add the Halloumi and fry on both sides until golden. Remove from the pan and pour the lemon juice over the Halloumi.

To Poach Eggs

Bring a medium size saucepan of water to a rapid boil with a lid on.

Remove the lid, crack the egg flush to the water surface and open shell slowly, so as it hits the water, the egg white seals almost immediately.

Leave in boiling water for approximately 60-90 seconds, or until the egg yolk is cooked to your liking.

Remove with a slotted spoon.

Plate up the toast, vegetables, egg and halloumi. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a lemon wedge if desired.

 

 

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Not-Too Spicy Beef and Rice Noodles with Cashews

So when I say the words ‘beef mince’ your mind goes straight to Spaghetti Bolognese? Thought so….

Well, it’s time my friend, to start exploring other ways to use beef mince in your meal plans!

We love this super easy, quick and fresh noodle dish using regular old beef mince.

Loaded with asian flavours and finished off with lots of fresh coriander, mint, and a generous handful of toasted cashews, it is a perfect mid-week meal for you and your family. You can increase or reduce the amount of curry paste or chilli based on how spicy your family likes their food.

The original recipe idea came from DELICIOUS magazine, September 2008.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

250gm rice vermicelli noodles (very very thin rice noddles found in the asian ingredients isle of your supermarket)

1 tablespoon of peanut or sesame oil

2 tablespoons lemongrass, pale part of stem, finely chopped

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ginger paste

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

500gm beef mince

2 heaped teaspoons of Thai red curry paste (more if your family likes it more spicy, this was quite mild)

1 red capsicum, de-seeded and finely chopped

100gm of fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons fish sauce

juice of 1 lime

a handful of fresh coriander leaves

a handful of fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts, chopped

Method

Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, refresh under cold water and divide among serving bowls.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chilli flakes and stir-fry for a minute.

Add the beef mince, and cook, breaking up the clumps until well-browned.

Add the curry paste, beans and capsicum and mix thoroughly.

Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until the veggies are a little softer.

Add fish sauce and lime juice and give a big stir.

Remove from heat and divide amongst the serving bowls.

Garnish each dish with fresh coriander, mint and chopped toasted cashews.

 

 

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 1 Comment

Lemon Coriander Chicken & Rainbow Salad (with a simple satay sauce)

The secret to eating well in the warmer months of the year is to keep a large variety of fresh produce on hand. A salad of any kind can be thrown together without too much forward thinking if your fridge is well stocked with protein and fresh seasonal veggies.

This Rainbow Salad was put together on a night where I was fossicking through the fridge, knowing we were going to have some kind of salad and meat combo for dinner, but not exactly sure what that was going to be.

It ended up being a real hit with the kids and was given a 9/10… yes… my boys are my harshest critics and often rate my dinner out of 10!  Obviously anything under a 5 never makes it to the blog.. LOL!

I think the reason it was loved in our house, is because it was ‘crunchy’ and not soaked in mayo as most salads like this often are.

Topping it with some grilled chicken breast that had been marinated in lemon juice and finely chopped coriander worked really well. But feel free to use any herb you have on hand or leave  out completely if you are pressed for time.

The hardest part of this dinner is the chopping. If you have a mandolin or a food processor, feel free to use those to chop the veggies, they’ll help you get them extra fine. Changing the way you present a food can sometimes encourage fussy eaters to give them a go.

Feel free to chop and change ingredients based on what your family loves. That’s the beauty of salads. Leave out the fennel and add cucumber, leave out the carrots and add celery…..whatever works for you and will get your kids eating some fresh veggies!

Rainbow Salad

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Serves a family of 5

Ingredients

2 Carrots, peeled and finely chopped or peeled into ribbons

1/4 purple cabbage, finely sliced

1/4 white cabbage, finely sliced

1/2 a small fennel bulb, white part finely sliced

1 red capsicum, seeds removed and finely sliced

a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves

Dressing

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon infused olive oil (or a mix of lemon juice and olive oil)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Combine all vegetables in a large bowl and pour dressing over.

(If possible, leave to sit for a little while before you serve it. The vinegar will help soften the vegetables a little and give it a nice flavour).

Lemon & Coriander Chicken

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Serves a family of 4-5

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally, to make it thinner, and then cut into smaller portions again (this just makes the cooking time a little quicker)

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 bunch of coriander, finely chopped

Method

Combine all the ingredients and set aside for as long as you have to marinate. (The acid in the lemon juice will start to ‘cook’ the chicken slightly, so you will notice it start to change colour from pink to white.)

Heat a skillet pan or BBQ over a high heat, add chicken, lower heat to medium and cook on both sides until cooked through.

Place on top of the salad and serve with the satay dipping sauce if desired.

Simple Satay Sauce

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This is a very ‘kid friendly’ satay sauce and not spicy at all. If you would like to have extra heat, just add some dried chilli flakes or finely chopped fresh chilli.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, finely grated or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste

1 teaspoon sesame oil or peanut oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons peanut butter

3/4 cup coconut milk

Method

Gently heat oil in a small saucepan and add the garlic and ginger.

Fry for a minute and then add all other ingredients.

Stir gently over a medium heat until combined.

Serve alongside the chicken and salad.

It will keep for a month in an airtight container in the fridge and also freezes well.

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Spring Vegetable Frittata (vegetarian)

I am breaking one of my rules in posting this recipe.

I’ve said from the beginning of cook fast eat slow that I would only post recipes that passed the ultimate test – “will my 3 boys eat it?”

Everything on the blog so far has passed that test.

Until now.

I’ve vacillated for a few days now as to whether to post this recipe, as my kids didn’t like it. Sadly, they are not all egg fans, ie. scrambled, poached, boiled, omelette – they just don’t like dishes where egg is the main event.

For me, it’s quite annoying, as eggs are an amazing food and make a great nutritious, cheap and easy base for a great meal.

So, back to Frittata’s….

A frittata is commonly known as an ‘open-faced omelette’ or a ‘crustless quiche’ and is a wonderful way of using up whatever you have on hand, vegetables or meats or a mixture of both.

My husband and I love them. Whether for a quick nutritious dinner, or an easy lunch, whether it’s warm or room temp, or from the fridge as leftovers, you just can’t go wrong.

So, even though my kids won’t eat a frittata, I am hoping yours might? Or even if yours don’t, you can add this to your menu for your mid-week lunch inspiration. It will keep for a few days covered in the fridge, so that means a high protein and nutrient-rich meal is waiting for you in the fridge each day that requires no prep. A winner all round!

The wonderful thing is you can make it as you like it. If you hate fennel and love peas, then leave out the fennel and add 1/2 cup frozen peas. If your kids love spinach but don’t like broccolini, swap them. Add bacon for flavour, throw in leftover cooked chicken. Use feta or goats cheese, add handfuls of fresh herbs, scatter with tomatoes….basically, the options are endless!

Or, if you are nervous and this is your first try, just follow the steps below and see how you go.

Ingredients

olive oil

1 cup of cauliflower florets, chopped roughly

1 bunch of broccilini, stems and tops, chopped roughly

1 leek, white part only, washed and finely sliced

1/4 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

6 eggs

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

3-4 tablespoons grated fresh parmesan

Method

Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan or shallow cast-iron casserole dish.

Add all of the chopped veggies, stir and sauté for a few minutes and then reduce the heat to low, place the lid on, and gently cook for a few minutes till the veggies are a little softer.

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Whisk together the eggs, milk and some salt and pepper in a jug.

Remove the lid from the vegetables, and pour the egg mixture over them. Give the pan a quick shake to evenly distribute the egg through the veggies.

Place the lid back on the pan and cook for a few minutes till almost set.

Grate the parmesan over the top of the frittata and then remove from the heat, place under a hot grill and grill till golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a side salad and fresh bread if desired.

IMG_7022These are the leaves   from a bunch of baby carrots, they are edible, so don’t throw them out. Just wash them and dress them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and use them as a simple salad or garnish.