Food And Nutrition
Easy spaghetti and meatballs
These moreish meatballs are super easy to make, top them with a simple tomato sauce and stir in some spaghetti for a quick midweek meal.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 250g/9oz beef mince
- 1 medium free-range egg
- 2 tbsp fresh or dried breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
For the sauce
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 garlic clove
To serve
- 150g/5½oz spaghetti
Method
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Put the beef, egg, breadcrumbs and herbs into a large bowl. Peel and finely grate the garlic then add to the bowl. Work the mixture together with your hands until thoroughly mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 10 equal-sized balls.
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches for 8 minutes until golden-brown all over. Return all of the meatballs to the pan then pour over the chopped tomatoes, mixed herbs and sugar. Peel and grate the garlic, add to then pan then cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
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While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10-12 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Just before the spaghetti is ready, add a ladleful of the pasta water to the tomato sauce to thin it down, if necessary.
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Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan with the meatballs. Toss to combine then divide between two serving bowls.
Nothing can beat a good Sunday roast. The weekend is the perfect time to cook a big piece of meat with sides, and it’s also the perfect time to do some meal prep. Add just a few minutes to your time in the kitchen on the weekend and save lots of time during the week. You’ll have three very different meals using just one roast.
Game Plan
Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Make a large roast beef (5 pounds) and serve hot with side dishes on prep day. Reserve the drippings and store them in a container. Let the leftover meat cool.
- Divide the remaining beef into two portions, putting two-thirds in a one-labeled container to make sandwiches and the remaining third in a container for noodle stir fry.
- If you have time, prep and chop the vegetables for the stir fry.
Prep Day Loin Roast With Sides
Roast a large herb-crusted beef top loin roast and serve it on prep day with creamed spinach and glazed baby carrots for a delicious dinner. Prepare the side dishes on the stove while the roast cooks away in the oven. Skip the gravy—the roast is moist and flavorful enough without it, and you can use the drippings for the next meal.
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Getting Dinner on the Table
- The roast can also be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- Cook the beef to medium-rare or medium at most since it will be cooked again in these other recipes.
- Reserve the drippings from the roast beef in a sealed container in the refrigerator to use for French dip “au jus” the next day.
French Dip Sandwich Night
Time: 15 minutes
Grab the container holding two-thirds of the leftover roast beef and slice thin against the grain. Heat the reserved drippings from yesterday’s roast along with beef stock and a dash of soy sauce and Worchestershire sauce while you toast the bread in garlic butter. Serve these French dip sandwiches with a green salad.
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Getting Dinner on the Table
- Replace the ingredients and method for the Instant Pot beef with the beef you cooked on prep day.
- If you like your au jus thicker, whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch and water slurry until it reaches the desired thickness.
Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Beef Night
Time: 15 minutes
Thanks to some prep and leftover beef, you can throw together this Thai beef stir-fry in no time. Cut the beef into thin strips against the grain. Skip marinating and cooking it, simply adding the marinade ingredients to the sauce. Toss the cooked beef in with the stir-fried vegetables at the end just to heat through.
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Getting Dinner on the Table
- Swap the vegetables out for your favorites, such as cauliflower, snow peas, or green beans.
- You can change out the noodles for cooked white or brown rice.
About Dinner Plans
Making quick weeknight dinners is easier when you start with a few building blocks. Dinner Plans is a realistic roadmap to help you achieve that goal, by putting in a few hours of work (planning, shopping, and prepping) at the outset. Preparing a big batch of one ingredient (protein, vegetables, or grains) gives you the flexibility to plan a variety of meals. And who knows? You just might discover your new favorite weeknight recipe in the process!
Raita is a cool, fresh chutney that takes seconds to make. Use it to top fiery curries or as a dip for poppadoms.
Ingredients
- 250ml/8fl oz natural yoghurt
- ½ cucumber, grated or finely chopped
- large handful mint leaves, chopped
- large pinch salt
- ½-1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Method
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Wrap the grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.
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Mix together all the ingredients and serve chilled as an accompaniment to any curry or as a dip for poppadoms.
A really simple and delicious way to cook beetroot. The sweet and mellow flavours complement roast chicken perfectly.
Ingredients
- 6 beetroots, unpeeled
- 3 medium unpeeled red onions
- 4 unpeeled whole garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp olive oil
For the glaze
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
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Place the beetroot, red onions, garlic, sprigs of thyme and olive oil in a medium-sized roasting tray making sure that the vegetables are well coated in olive oil.
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Roast for an hour and a half, until the beetroot feels tender. Peel and slice the cooked vegetables and put to one side.
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To make the glaze, place the roasting tray on a medium hob flame and deglaze by adding the stock, balsamic vinegar and the chopped thyme
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Bring this to the boil making sure to stir until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency. Season.
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Arrange the beetroot, red onions and garlic neatly on a warmed serving dish and cover in the glaze. Serve immediately.
