Financial Year End and Prepared Meals

 It's getting closer to year end at the company where I work.  No, I don't mean Christmas/New year/holidays/parties.  No, not that year end.  I'm talking about the time of year which strikes terror into the heart of all accountants and auditors out there..*gulp*.. Financial Year End.  A time where data needs to be completed, recons need to be reconciled, balance sheets need to be balanced, cash flows need to flow, consolidations need to be consolidated.. and the auditors are at your heels.  Inevitably, this will result in late hours at the office, ticking up schedules and tying up numbers (for those of you who dont know what this means, count yourself fortunate).  Ah, the life of an accountant.
So, I am going to try to list my ideas for 'go-to' prepared/semi prepared meals which I have come across and really enjoyed.  These meals are not exactly 'dinner party' material - but they are certainly a step up from eating scrambled eggs and toast for supper.  Ladies, feel free to email these ideas to your other half -  "Honey, I am working late tonight, please can you prepare dinner.. Its really easy.. No skill required".  Also, I would suggest including where certain items are located or you may be getting some frantic calls (e.g. "Frozen fish? - It's in the freezer - thats the big white box in the kitchen - where you get ice from - no, not the fridge, the other one - yes, the one thats very cold").

1.  Fish with vegetables
What is easier than fish with vegetables?  There is a huge variety of frozen fish available, only requiring 20 mins in a preheated oven.  Some varieties are microwave prepared, which is even quicker.  I enjoy serving fish with creamed spinach and feta, which comes in single serve portions, which go directly from the freezer to the microwave and onto your plate.  Alternatively, oven baked vegetables or chips are also a firm favourite, and these can go into the oven with the fish.

2.  Fish burgers
Fish burger pattis + a roll and some relish = A delicious quick meal.

3.  Prawns burger
I recently discovered frozen prawns - these are prawn tails in batter.  Fry the prawns in oil, add a roll and some relish and you have delicious prawn burgers.  Healthy - not so much - I'm definitely not a promoter of deep fried food, but I think once in a while an exception can be made.

4.  Hot Wings
Another of my recent discoveries at my local butchery: hot wings! These are delicious prepared chicken wings already with all the sauces needed.  They are not covered in batter so there is no need to deep fry - just place in a pot with a little butter and cook on medium heat until done.

5.  Marinated chicken
Along the same lines as the hot wings above, there are chicken pieces available already prepared with all the spices and sauces required. Just cook and serve with rice or roti.

6. Frozen Leftovers
When making meals that can be easily frozen, double up on quantity.  Freeze half the meal so when dinner is required, defrost and ta-da! A meal with no extra work. Our butter chicken recipe works quite well for this.
 
7. Pizza!
Thank you so much to a follower of this blog for the following tip - Keep frozen pizza bases on hand - the type with the cheese and tomato topping. These pizzas usually need 10 to 12 minutes of oven time. Enjoy as is or add any extra toppings (like yesterday's leftover chicken).

Next time you visit your local supermarket or butchery, take a few minutes to have a look at the semi-prepared meals on offer.  With a little inspiration and some planning ahead, working late does not have to mean eating take out.   Keep some easy 'go-to' meals in your freezer and there will always be another option.  What is your 'go-to' meal? E-mail your ideas to us, we will add them to the post!

Quick tip número UNO : Change the way you eat oats

Everyone knows that oats are good for you,but I really wasn't a huge fan. It just looks gross doesn't it? All slimy and not so satisfying. Well, here's a good tip from my cousin mandareen ( no, it's not her real name, I just call her that)

Try eating your oats with a little milk, raisins and a sprinkling of cinnamon powder. I promise it tastes good and it has transformed my oats eating FOREVER. ( a tad dramatic I know, but it's really good!)
Try it.

Strawberry and chocolate chip loaf

Do you know which recipes are my favorite? It's the kind where you just throw in all the ingredients and by some magic the end result is a yummy one. Here is one such recipe that I have adapted from many other recipes I found online.

Here's what you need :

2 cups of flour
1 cup sugar
Half a teaspoon Baking soda
Two teaspoons baking powder
One teaspoon cinnamon powder
A quarter teaspoon salt
One teaspoon vanilla essence
Two eggs
One cup chopped fresh strawberries (I would probably increase this to about a cup and a half next time though)
Chocolate chips (I used a handful but you could add as much as you like I guess)
250ml milk

The very complex putting it together:

Mix flour,baking powder,sugar,baking soda,cinnamon and salt together in a bowl.
In another bowl, add the eggs,vanilla essence,strawberries, chocolate Chips and milk.
Combine all ingredients, bake in a greased loaf pan at 200 for about 25 mins and..... You're done! :)

Sam’s Spinach Lasagna

Spinach is really healthy and rich in nutrients.  Eating spinach is said to make you really strong (remember Popeye the Sailor Man?).  The recipe below is great for ‘Meat Free Mondays’ (or for any day of the week, really).

Thank you to my friend Sam for this recipe.

Spinach Lasagna

Step 1:  Spinach

300 - 400g spinach, chopped* (depending on the size of the dish you are using – see note below)

1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp jeeru
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt to taste
¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp ground green chilies

1 cup fresh cream

Braise onions in butter/ghee until soft.  Add garlic and braise.  Add spinach, and spices, and cook until spinach is done.  (Spinach should be limp and soft at this stage)
Add the fresh cream and allow to boil once.

Remove from heat and leave aside.

Step 2: Tomato chutney

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp mixed herbs

½ tsp basil

½ tsp basil/origanum

2 tsp sugar

Braise onion in butter/ghee until soft. 

Add garlic, tomato and spices. 

Cook until chutney is done.  (Chutney should be thick.  The onions should have ‘disappeared’ into the chutney).

Step 3:  White Sauce

1 green pepper, chopped.

1 green chili

½ litre milk* (depending on the size of the dish you are using – see note below)

Salt, pepper

1.5 tbspn maizena (cornstarch)* (depending on the size of the dish you are using – see note below)

Blend together the above, in a food processor.  Heat 3 tbspn ghee in a pot.  Pour the above mixture into the pot, and allow to boil, to a custard consistency.

Step 4:  Layering

Lasagna sheets

Add tomato chutney to the spinach.

Layer lasagna as follows:  White sauce, softened lasagna sheet, spinach mixture, white sauce, softened lasagna sheet.
(Optional:  To soften a lasagna sheet, place the lasagna sheet in a dish of hot water for a few moments, and then use in layering.  It helps the lasagna to soften in the baking process).

Top with cheese, if desired.  (This recipe is already very rich as it has a cup of cream in it – adding cheese is entirely up to you)

Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

*Note:  The above ingredients should be altered depending on the size of bakeware you will be using.  I used two 18cm x 11cm dishes – see picture.