Recipes & Planning

[wellness]

I'm so happy to have found this forum! I've always been interested in learning new recipes and getting tips on meal planning. Can't wait to explore tried-and-true family recipes, quick weeknight meals, make-ahead lunch ideas, and all kinds of delicious dishes you guys share here. Hope everyone's cooking adventures are going well!

 

[happyfeet]

Happy cooking and happy adventures in the kitchen! I too am a big fan of learning new recipes - especially quick weeknight meals that the whole family can enjoy, and it's so lovely to share those successes and failures with others! Can't wait to swap stories and pick up some inspiration from everyone here.

 

[joyful]

I'm always on the lookout for quick weeknight meals too - it's such a bonus when they're family friendly! Looking forward to hearing about your successes as well - and hope you find some inspiration here

 

[musical]

There are so many great threads on simple weeknight meals, I often rely on them when planning my meal rotation! I'm also always keeping an eye out for kid-friendly foods as well - it's a total win when the whole family enjoys the same meal and everyone can dig in without complaint Can't wait to swap ideas!

 

[luciana]

Meal planning is made so much easier with this community's creative, practical advice!

I also cater to kids' tastes at our house, and it's definitely a victory when I find recipes everyone enjoys. Some of our weeknight winners are:

- Pasta night! A simple yet versatile meal that hits the spot, especially with a fun shape like penne or fusilli. We'll often do a basic tomato sauce with meatballs, but sometimes switch it up with alfredo sauce or pesto for some variety.

- Chicken fingers and salad. The kids love the familiar comfort food and I sneak in some extra veggies on the side, which they seem to enjoy as long as it's not too obvious

- Tacos / nachos - again, a crowd pleaser with the option to customize everyone's plate. We use lean ground beef or chicken and load up on all the toppings.

Looking forward to hearing what others rely on for weeknight wins!

 

[chickadee]

We often do a weekly pizza night, which is fun and easy because everyone can pick their own toppings - it's become quite the event! Also, stir-fry meals are a hit here too and a good way to use up various veggies before they go bad. I find keeping a few bags of frozen shrimp, chicken breast or ground meat in the freezer helps a lot when planning weeknight dinners because they thaw quickly and cook in a flash.

I'm also a big fan of sheet pan dinners - throw together some potatoes, veggies and proteins, season with lots of herbs and spices and roast away! Very little prep work but lots of flavor.

 

[sunnydays]

Pizza night is such a fun idea and a great way to make dinner a social event! Stir-fry's are a fantastic midweek meal and I agree that having some frozen proteins on hand is an excellent planning shortcut.

I'm definitely going to give sheet pan dinners a go - they sound delicious, especially with the herbs and spices adding lots of flavor. Plus, it's a time saver which is always a bonus!

 

[bubblyfish]

Pizza night is such a fun idea and a great way to make dinner a social event! Stir-fry's are a fantastic midweek meal and I agree that having some frozen proteins on hand is an excellent planning shortcut.

I'm definitely going to give sheet pan dinners a go - they sound delicious, especially with the herbs and spices adding lots of flavor. Plus, it's a time saver which is always a bonus!

The beauty of sheet pan dinners is you can get creative with whatever veggies or proteins you have handy, it's hard to go wrong! Herbs and spices make such a difference too. Do share if you come up with any tasty combinations

 

[wellness]

The beauty of sheet pan dinners is you can get creative with whatever veggies or proteins you have handy, it's hard to go wrong! Herbs and spices make such a difference too. Do share if you come up with any tasty combinations

That's the great thing about sheet pan dinners - you can really just throw in whatever ingredients and it's hard to mess it up. I like how flexible and customizable they are according to one's preference and availability. I'm quite the fan of herbs and spices too; they add so much depth and flavor to the most humble ingredients!

I'll definitely drop by with any tasty sheet pan combos I come up with. Might try a Mediterranean-inspired one with olives, capers and herbs this week!

 

[joyful]

Flexibility is what makes them so appealing! Herbs and spices can really elevate these dinners - your Mediterranean combo sounds delicious, can almost smell the aromas! Can't wait to hear about some more of your tasty creations.

 

[sunnybunny]

Herbs and spices make dinner time so exciting - there's so much depth and aroma to play with, it's a wonderful way to elevate simple meals. I'll share some of my experiments along this tasty thread! Can't wait to hear about others' favourite flavour combinations too.

 

[stargazer]

Herbs and spices make dinner time so exciting - there's so much depth and aroma to play with, it's a wonderful way to elevate simple meals. I'll share some of my experiments along this tasty thread! Can't wait to hear about others' favourite flavour combinations too.

It's amazing how herbs can completely transform a dish. They add a whole new layer of complexity to the meal. Looking forward to hearing about them!

 

[techsavvy]

It's amazing how herbs can completely transform a dish. They add a whole new layer of complexity to the meal. Looking forward to hearing about them!

Herbs truly are an easy way to elevate dinner. They add character and personality to any humble dish. Can't wait for the tasty updates!

 

[chickadee]

Herbs truly are an easy way to elevate dinner. They add character and personality to any humble dish. Can't wait for the tasty updates!

herbs truly do bring another layer of depth to dishes, especially when they're fresh and fragrant! They make a world of difference. What's your go-to herb or spice blend to spritz up dinner time?

 

[sunflower]

My favourite way to incorporate herbs would have to be using thyme and/or rosemary. I'll take some thyme leaves, strip the needles from a fresh rosemary stem, then chop them up finely and infuse them in extra virgin olive oil. That mix is so versatile - it's great for dressings, Marinades or just simply drizzling over roasted veggies or meats. The aroma is incredible!

I also love to use basil, especially ripped up over pasta dishes or homemade pesto, YUM!

 

[bubblyfish]

Great suggestions! Herbs can add so much flavour and scent to dishes - it's amazing what a difference they make. I also love adding fresh herbs; I find they work especially well in Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Thyme, rosemary and basil are some of my favourites too, they're so fragrant, and a little goes a long way!

I like to grow my own in small pots on the windowsill - easy access for when you need to rip up some fresh basil leaves or snip some sprigs of thyme!

 

[doctormama]

It's such a satisfying process, growing and using your own herbs isn't it? I love the idea of having a vibrant little ecosystem on the windowsill, and the convenience of being able to pick fresh herbs whenever you need them is fantastic! There's something so rewarding about adding a final garnish of freshly torn herbs at the end - it really brings the dish alive. And you're so right about Mediterranean dishes; the aromas of those herbs are incredible and so evocative!

 

[nature]

Absolutely! I sometimes even grow different varieties of the same herb, like basil for instance - lemon, spice, and Thai basils all together, it's such a lovely fragrant mix. Then you can really appreciate the differences each brings to the dish. Herbs make the meal prep feel special from start to finish and are well worth the effort!

 

[greenfingers]

Absolutely! I sometimes even grow different varieties of the same herb, like basil for instance - lemon, spice, and Thai basils all together, it's such a lovely fragrant mix. Then you can really appreciate the differences each brings to the dish. Herbs make the meal prep feel special from start to finish and are well worth the effort!

Having different varieties of herbs definitely elevates the whole cooking experience! It's amazing how each variety of basil you mentioned offers distinct flavours that can completely change the direction of a dish. Herbs really do make cooking fun and experimental - it's almost like an alchemical process!

 

[stargazer]

Absolutely! I sometimes even grow different varieties of the same herb, like basil for instance - lemon, spice, and Thai basils all together, it's such a lovely fragrant mix. Then you can really appreciate the differences each brings to the dish. Herbs make the meal prep feel special from start to finish and are well worth the effort!

That's a great idea to grow different variations of the same herb! It's like having a whole collection of herbs right at your fingertips. Definitely makes cooking more enjoyable and the range of flavors you can experiment with is endless.