If we’re being completely honest, who is thrilled about cooking a big, complicated dinner on a weeknight? Between work, social and family commitments, there’s very little mental and physical time for cooking.
While for some cooking is a relaxation and joy, for a lot of people it can be chore. The trick is to make it as pain-free as possible while still avoiding unhealthy takeaway traps (here’s looking at you, pizza!).
Here are five delicious dinner ideas that use five ingredients or less, so you’re not spending too long in the kitchen.
5-Ingredient Roast Dinner
Cut 1-2 chicken breasts into large pieces and pop in an oven tray with large chunks of sweet potato and pumpkin. Add 1-2 tsp olive oil to coat then pop into a pre-heated 180° oven for 30 minutes.
Pull tray out and add one bunch of broccoli, chopped into florets. Add a little extra olive oil and season with salt and pepper, baking for another 10 minutes. Done like a dinner!
Also read: 9 ‘Healthy’ Fridge Items You Should Ditch Immediately
Easy Egg Salad
Pop a few eggs into boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes. Drain water and rinse with cold water to cool eggs. Peel shell from eggs, rinse and drain a can of corn. Throw the corn and boiled eggs into a bowl with mixed greens and avocado.
Drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Mexican Bowl
Spray a small saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Dice ½ red capsicum and add to pan, stirring often. Once capsicum starts to soften, add Mexican seasoning, stirring for 1 minute.
Rinse and drain red kidney beans and add to pan with canned diced tomatoes. Turn down heat and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly. Serve with a good chunk of avocado.
Fully Loaded Frittata
Chop 1-2 small potatoes into 2cm chucks and pop into a saucepan of boiling water. Cook until you can easily poke a fork into them. Drain water and leave to cool.
Wisk a couple of eggs in a bowl. Spray a medium frypan over medium heat with olive oil. Slice up a zucchini and add to pan, along with frozen peas, stirring regularly.
When almost cooked, add in potato, spreading vegetables evenly in the pan. Add eggs and turn down the heat slightly.
Add a sprinkle of your fave cheese, leaving on the heat until egg is cooked through. Serve it up and enjoy!
Fast Fried Rice
Spray a medium frypan over medium heat with olive oil. Add tofu, leftover cooked rice and mixed frozen veggies (corn, peas and carrots will work well), stirring often.
Once tofu starts to brown, add a splash of soy sauce or kecap manis, stirring for a further 1-2 minutes. Serve it up and top with chopped fresh red chilli for a bit of a kick!
BONUS RECIPE:
The extra ingredient in this one is garlic, but at 6 ingredients we still think this one is fast and tasty enough to include!
Rice Cooker Pumpkin Risotto
- Â 4 Serves
- Â 10 min prep time
- Â 25 min cooking
- Â 319 Cal / serve
Ingredients
- 500g Pumpkin, diced into 2cm cubes
- 1 Cup Arborio Rice (200g)
- 1000g Liquid Vegetable Stock
- 1 Onion (145g), diced finely
- 2 Cloves Garlic (6g), crushed
- 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil (10g)
- 4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan (28g)
- 4 Leaves Sage (2g)
Method
- Dice your pumpkin and onion.
- Turn on your rice cooker and allow it to warm. Add the olive oil, garlic and onion and cook stirring for 1 minute.
- Pop the pumpkin in and stir for a further 1 minute.
- Add the arborio rice and stock. Stir and then close the lid.
- Give the risotto a stir after ten minutes and place the lid back down.
- The rice cooker will stop cooking when the rice is cooked.
- Once cooked, serve with parmesan and sage. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
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