Inspire Me

5 go-to lazy dinners our team makes when they don’t feel like cooking

In this segment of 'What We Ate', the Food to Love team shares their go-to dinner that they cook when they're busy (or just don't feel like cooking) - from a healthy buddha bowl to a simple but oh-so-flavoursome shrimp pasta.

In our series ‘What We Ate‘, the Food to Love team shares their favourite food memories, go-to recipes and cooking hacks for you to try at home. If you’ve got a similar story, recipe or tip to share, send us a message on Instagram – we would love to hear from you!

My go-to meal on a busy day is a mix between a warm salad and a Buddha bowl. It’s really easy to throw together and you can get creative with whatever you have in your fridge. The way I make this meal is to think about it in layers: the base, the salad and the sauce. For the base, I’ll usually make some brown rice in my rice cooker. You could always use a packet of ready-made rice instead. Next I’ll throw some salad greens and any other salad-y things, like tomatoes, gherkin, cucumber, together. If you’ve got any leftover roast veges chuck them in too! I always have a tub of hummus in the fridge so I add a big dollop of that. Finally, I’ll add an egg that’s been boiled for 7 minutes exactly. It helps to round out the meal and I like using the yolk a bit like a sauce. Voilà! Quick, easy and healthy. Better living everyone.

I am often busy on weeknights, so if I don’t already have dinner prepared I like to have a fall-back option that requires little to no cooking. My current go-to is a super easy smashed avocado and edamame on toast like this recipe which you can literally have on the table in ten minutes. I love it because it’s just as flexible as it is delicious – you can mix it up with whatever you’ve got in the house. I usually use peas instead of edamame to keep it cheap, and throw in whatever herbs are flourishing in my windowsill pots. If I’m extra hungry I’ll poach an egg for an added dose of protein, or you could also crumble some feta on top if you’re feeling fancy. Serve with a generous side of smugness, knowing you could pay up to $18 for a similar dish at a café.

I would like to say my go-to meal is something super chic, but it really is just the quickest meal possible – homemade pizza! I love the toppings used in this Nadia Lim recipe but usually just switch it up depending on what’s in the fridge. I always have tortillas in the cupboard and use these as the base as I like them to be super crunchy. Once cooked, I add a dab of Kaitaia fire on top and I’m a happy gal!

I’m recently married, so while my husband and I both love cooking, we’ve been so busy that we’ve had to compromise on the complexity of our dinners – but never on the quality. My favourite mouth-watering dish in under 20 minutes is al dente pasta with shrimp – similar to this chilli prawn spaghetti. There are only a few simple ingredients: raw shrimp, butter, fresh cream, black pepper, salt, dry chilli, olive oil, white wine and, of course, passion. All of that poured over just-cooked spaghetti is incredible.

I recently discovered shakshuka, which has become a definite favourite in my flat. I throw a chopped onion into a pan with olive oil, then add a can of tomatoes and stew with whatever spices and veges are left in the fridge from that week. After 15 minutes or so, I crack a couple of eggs on top and let them poach. If you have any cheese on hand, this always tastes great on top- especially feta! This can then be served as is, or use it as a dip with some toasted ciabatta!

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