What are your easiest, tastiest meals - quick to prepare when you can't think of anything!!
Hi guys I have a few 'standard' easy meals that I always have the ingredients handy, in case I seriously can't be bothered cooking a 'fancy' meal ....... feel free to add your own 'Favs'! ;) Last night, we had our winter favourite 'comfort food' - Lamb Shanks!! I cheat, and buy the Aldi FROZEN Lamb Shanks (2 for $12 already cooked - they usually cost that 'RAW'!!) - that way you can always have a couple in the freezer. I often take them with me when I am camping too - SO easy to just cook in the microwave with some sweet potato 'on the trot'! Take them out of the box and they are even easier to store in the Freezer. If you decide to cook them up later in the day - just pop them in the sink (or big container) with cold/lukewarm water & they'll thaw out pretty quickly. Change the water if you want them to defrost quicker. They come in 'individual Vac Pacs' - and because they are already Pre Cooked - when you open them, the 'cooked fat' is already 'in solid form' and you just pull it out - so they are healthier for you too!! There are 2 flavours - one with Mint in the gravy & the other one based on a red wine gravy. Both are LOVELY! This is how I prepare them for 2 people ....... In a BIG casserole pot, add 1 tin of diced tomato & 1 drained tin of Chickpeas. Add 1 x Cubed Potato, 1 x cubed small Sweet Potato, 1 x chopped/cubed Carrot. Mix them into the tomato/chickpeas sauce. Remove any 'solid fat' from both of the Shanks and add them to the casserole pot along with all the gravy in each pack. Mix the gravy well with the tomato mix. Cover the pot & cook at 180 degrees Celsius oven for 2-3hrs ..... stir every hour. The meat will just fall off the bone and I bet you enjoy them! BONUS: After serving up with the gravy and veggies (and cabbage or your choice of greens...) whilst the remaining gravy & veg are still hot - use a Bamix (or similar) to pulverise it all ..... this will make a wonderful soup for the next day or so! I usually water it down a bit as it can be quite thick. Lovely with some toast for lunch. One of my other favs is the 'Vac Pac'd' 'FLAT CHICKEN' .... once again, Aldi do a lovely one - with yoghurt & garlic with NO BONES - so you just cut up the chicken in slices when cooked. Just do a BIG ROAST - I do it in 2 dishes - the chicken in one (with alfoil under the chicken on a cake rack to reduce the cleaning!) and all the potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot & onion in another tray, all into the oven at the same time as the chicken - and it takes a bit less than 1hr to cook at 170 degrees Celsius. Turn the chicken & veg around after 1/2 hr. Cook greens in the microwave 5 mins before serving time. This gives us 2 full sized meals for 2 for 2 nights. Once again - keep one of the chickens in the freezer - as they are 'flat' they store really easily & don't take long to defrost in the sink in cold/lukewarm water - great for when unexpected guests turn up, too. When my Grandmother first went into secure living (with her own kitchen) I suggested that she cut up a whole chicken (for numerous meals) and put it into a casserole dish with a packet of Chicken Noodle Soup & the required amount of liquid, as well as a chopped onion & sliced red capsicum ..... cook it for about an hour - and it was YUMMY - and gives lots of meals too - served with salad. (Whole frozen chickens are VERY reasonably priced ......) Here's the 'after pic' of my lamb shanks last night ....... just as well we don't have a dog .... nothing much left! ;)š±Wednesday WellnessĀ -Ā 01Apr26 - Simple Nourishing Snacks During Treatmentš±
When youāre going through treatment, eating can feel like a challenge. Fatigue, nausea, taste changes or reduced appetite can make full meals difficult, and thatās completely okay. What can help is keeping small, gentle, nourishing snacks on hand so you can eat when it feels right. Here are some easy, comforting snack ideas that offer steady energy and nutrition without feeling overwhelming. š Soft and Simple Fruit Options Sliced banana with a drizzle of honey Stewed apples or pears with a sprinkle of cinnamon Berries or melon cubes for something refreshing š„ Protein Rich Little Boosts Greek yoghurt with a spoon of jam or purĆ©ed fruit A small smoothie made with milk or a milk alternative, banana and oats Cottage cheese with soft fruits or crackers š§ Easy Bites for Energy Cheese slices with wholegrain crackers Peanut butter on toast or rice cakes Avocado mashed on crackers with a pinch of salt š„£ Gentle, Warm Comfort Foods A small bowl of creamy soup Plain scrambled eggs Instant oatmeal with soft fruits š„ When You Need Something Quick Handful of nuts or trail mix if tolerated Muesli bars with simple natural ingredients A boiled egg or chopped cucumber sticks for grab and go options š A Gentle Reminder - Every day is different. Some days youāll feel like eating more and some days less, and thatās completely okay. Celebrate the little wins, and let these moments of nourishment be a reminder that youāre supporting yourself in the ways that matter most. You've got this šŖ šLet us know how you go with these snack ideas in the comments!Worried Iāll overdose on salt!
Hello, Iām new here. Iāve only had one round of chemo (last Tuesday) and Iām completely weirded out by my mouth turning into a foreign entity! The only thing that seems to give me any sense of my old self is salty liquid. Iām talking stock powder dissolved in boiling water - itās now one of the few āfoodsā that gives me any joy! Iām trying to eat a balanced diet, but finding it hard to do with zero appetite and a rebellious mouth. Worried Iāll overload my system with salt! Help!
