# Simple food prep ideas



## Uptonogood (Feb 23, 2021)

I put this together for someone who had been given a meal plan but it was very basic (IE eat mince and potato) but didn't give any guidance on how to prepare it so is appetising.

It's very basic as the lad has little experience in the kitchen 

Simple ways to Prepare Simple Foods

White Fish:

Note: Cheapest & best white fish is Basa. Either plain or Smoked. Basa is practically indistinguishable from cod/pollock. Haddock is slightly richer in flavour.

Sea Bass is another option for white fish however has such a complex flavour profile all that is needed is a knob of butter & dill when roasting

Simple Breaded Fish
Mix panco bread crumbs with 2 teaspoon chives and black pepper. Place Fish Fillets on baking paper and press a light coating of bread crumb mix on top. Cook at 180c for 20 minutes until golden

Tandoori Fish

Mix 50g low fat natural yoghurt, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1tsp diced ginger and a crack of salt. Coat fillets in sauce. Fry over a high heat for 4/5 minutes per side until outsides slightly charred.

Teryaki Fish

Pan fry fillets over high heat 4/5 minutes per side. Remove fish. Add 30ml soysauce, 15g honey, 1tbspn mirin to pan. Cook until thickened – spoon over fish. Garnish with seaseme seeds and spring onions.

Crispy Pesto Fish

Mix 30g Panco Breadcrumbs and 45g green pesto. Coat top of fish fillets. Oven bake @ 180c for 15-20 minutes until crispy

Asian Style Dipping Sauce for fish

Mix 20ml soy sauce, 2tbsp rice vinegar, 2tbspn seaseme oil, 15g diced ginger & 1tsp chilli flakes. Simple dipping sauce for fish.
Chicken 

Mexican Style Chicken

Cut Chicken fillets into thin strips. Mix 2tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chilli flakes on a plate. Add chicken strips to spice mix and turn until coated. Pan fry medium-high heat for around 8-10 minutes until slightly charred

Creamy mustardy Chicken

Pan fry chicken breast over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side. Add approx. 100ml water and cover. Cook for a further 10 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove from pan and shred with 2 forks. Return to pan and add 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard and 10g low fat cream cheese. Stir until thickened. (can also add mushrooms & green beans!)

Soy Glazed Chicken

Pan fry chicken breast for 3 minutes per side. Add 100ml water and cover. Cook further 10 minutes. Mix 30ml soy sauce, 15g honey, 3g corn flour. Drain any remaining water from pan. Add soy sauce mix and coat fillets. Cook for further 3 minutes until thickened. Garnish with sliced red chillies

Honey Mustard Tray Bake

Mix 2tbsp whole grain mustard, 1 tbsp honey & 1tbsp red wine vinegar 
Cut potatoes in to chunks/chips. Cut carrots into chunks. Cut red onion into Wedges. Line tray with greaseproof paper. Add chopped veg to one side and chicken fillets to other. Cook for 20 mins @ 200c. Remove from over, coat chicken in honey mustard mix, return for a further 20 mins.

Lean Mince

Ginger & Garlic Mince
Pan Fry mince & drain. Add 0.5tbsp minced garlic & 0.5tbsp diced ginger. Mix and pan fry until fragrant

Beef & Thyme

Pan fry Mince. Drain. Add 1 tsp thyme, black pepper, 0.5tsp minced garlic and cook until fragrent. Add 1tbsp tomato paste and 200ml beef stock. Mix. Add 1 tsp lee & perins and cook until thickened. 

Simple Chilli

Pan fry mince. Drain. Add 1tsp smoked parika, 1tbsp cumin, 1tsp chilli flake, 1 tbsp chipotle paste. Cook 1-2 minutes till fragrant. Add 200ml passata. Cook down until thickened. (add sweetcorn or red kidney beans if desired)

Burgers
Dice Onion – mix onion, mince beef, salt & pepper (other seasonings can be added) and a small amount of panco bread crumbs. Separate into balls (approx 100g each) and shape into burgers. Cook in oven @ 180c for 25 minutes or pan fry

Rice

To cook perfect white rice everytime:

130g white rice (Dry Weight)
300ml cold water

Rinse white rice under cold water for 2 minutes. Add to pan. Add 300ml cold water. Heat on high until rolling boil. Reduce to low-medium and cover – cook for 10-12 minutes until water almost entirely absorbed. Remove from heat and leave covered for further 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

For Fragrant Rice

Add lemon grass of ***** lime leaves to water whilst cooking for fragrant rice

For Coconut rice

Disolve 10g creamed coconut & 1 stock cube in 300ml boiling water. Cook rice as above.

For spicey Rice:

Dissolve 1tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper & 0.5tsp chilli flake in 300ml boiling water. Cook as above. 

Potatoes

Mash – Cook, mash, add seasonings/milk/butter as desired

Chips – Cut into chip shapes, lightly coat in oil (1 tsp will coat 4 good sized potatoes – you don’t need much!), seasons with salt/pepper and place on grease proof paper. Oven bake @ 200c for 30-40 minutes until golden

Rosemary & garlic Potatoes – Cut potatoes into chunks (or use baby potaotes) – add to bowl with 1 tsp oil, 1tsp mince garlic or garlic past & 1tsp rosemary – toss until coated. Oven cook @ 180c for 40 minutes until golden


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## PaulNe (Oct 29, 2020)

Will go through the list one by one and get the wife to make them


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## MM84! (7 mo ago)

PaulNe said:


> Will go through the list one by one and get the wife to make them


Whilst monitoring her progress from the kitchen table with cup of fresh coffee, made with beans ground from her own bare hands!!


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## mrwright (Oct 22, 2013)

Maggi bags
Microwave rice

Basically same thing 87% less effort


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## Uptonogood (Feb 23, 2021)

mrwright said:


> Maggi bags
> Microwave rice
> 
> Basically same thing 87% less effort


Alot more dollar though. We're in a recession, dontchakno? 😏


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## mrwright (Oct 22, 2013)

Uptonogood said:


> Alot more dollar though. We're in a recession, dontchakno? 😏


60p per Maggi bag for 1kg of chicken
40p per 250g serving of rice

A quid a day plus what £5 for a kg of chicken for seasoned flavoured tasty meals

And makes what 30 mins - 1 hour of work plus loads of ingredients utensils etc into 30seconds

Work smarter not harder brah


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## Uptonogood (Feb 23, 2021)

mrwright said:


> 60p per Maggi bag for 1kg of chicken
> 40p per 250g serving of rice
> 
> A quid a day plus what £5 for a kg of chicken for seasoned flavoured tasty meals
> ...


I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one 😂


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