What to do when you lack the inspiration, time or energy to heal your family? Simplicity is often the best ally to prepare an easy and tasty family meal for a maximum of 20. List of ingredients (fish, vegetables, meat, eggs, aromatic herbs, vegan products, etc.), simple preparation and quick cooking… here are 5 easy-to-use recipes to make without hassle and share with the whole household.
What if we told you we could give you some free time in your already busy day? And no, we are not wizards! Here’s the headache solution multiplied by 5: lentil soup, Provençal stew, stuffed conch shells, baked risotto and Scandinavian meatballs. Delicious, easy and light on the wallet, our recipes can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. The proof below!
Lentil Soup with Tofu – Easy Vegan Family Meal
Necessary products for 4 servings:
- 200 g of green lentils
- 100 g of coral lentils
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- olive oil
- 2 tbsp. garam masala
- 2 liters of vegetable broth
- 2-3 sprigs of oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 190 g of tofu
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
Start by rinsing the lentils with clean water. Then peel the carrots and cut them into slices. The same goes for onions. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a casserole and fry the garam masala with the onion for a few minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth, then the herbs and green lentils. Season with salt and pepper and cook covered for half an hour. Halfway through cooking, add the red lentils. Meanwhile, the tofu is cut into cubes and fried in a pan with a little olive oil. Just before serving the soup, add the tofu cubes and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Have a nice lunch!
Conchilioni stuffed with spinach, walnut and ricotta
Do you love pasta and can eat it 365 days a year? So you’re sure to love this quick and easy recipe for a family meal! The only downside? Although easy to prepare, the dish has several stages of production. Do not forget to prepare the pumpkin puree in advance.
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 clove of garlic
- 100 g of cashew nuts
- 24 conchiglioni
- 200 g of spinach
- 100 g of ricotta
- 2 tbsp. tablespoon peeled pumpkin seeds
- olive oil
- nutmeg
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
Start by making the pumpkin puree. To do this, heat the oven to 180°. Peel and dice the pumpkin, salt and pepper. Peel the garlic clove and place it together with the pumpkin cubes in a baking tray. Drizzle the vegetables with a little olive oil and roast them for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, following package instructions. Drain and refresh them under cold water, then spread them out on a clean towel. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and puree it in the blender with the garlic, cashews and a little olive oil. You should get a thick puree. Line the bottom of a large baking dish. The pasta is garnished with the remaining porridge and put on the plate. Bake for 15 minutes.
During this time, wash and dry the spinach leaves. Sauté them in a pan with a little olive oil. Remove the dish from the oven and garnish each shell with some spinach and ricotta. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Salt, pepper and grate nutmeg. Cover the conquilions with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Baked risotto
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 250 g arborio rice
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1 liter of vegetable or chicken broth
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- grated parmesan or pecorino
- fresh herbs (basil, thyme, parsley, chives, sage)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
After heating the oven to 180°C, peel the garlic and shallots, then finely chop them. Put them in a fireproof dish and fry them with a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add the rice and mix well. Pour in the stock and tomatoes, season, then add the bay leaf. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the rice. Bake again for 8 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the stock. Remove from the oven, add the Parmesan, the chopped herbs and mix. Adjust seasonings and serve.
Necessary products for 4 servings:
- 500 g minced pork from free-range hens
- 2 dill bulbs
- 3 grated beets
- 400 g beans (canned)
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 C. olive oil
- 200 ml of chicken broth
- 1 C. Dijon mustard
- 20 g of fresh dill
- ½ tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 egg
- 100 ml of cream
- 1 handful of fresh dill
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
First preheat the oven to 180°C. Then mix the fennel, beetroot, broad beans, garlic and olive oil in a baking dish. Then add the chicken stock. In a bowl, combine the pork, mustard, dill, fennel seeds and egg. Form about 22 walnut-sized balls and place them on top of the vegetable mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Then stir in the sour cream when it comes out of the oven, then sprinkle with dill. Finally, season (if needed) and serve! Have a nice lunch!
Stew of fish, saffron and fennel
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 500 g of fish fillets
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 bulb of fennel
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 leek
- Orange peel
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pinch of saffron
- 500 ml of fish stock
- 50 ml of olive oil
- 1 lemon in juice
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
First preheat the oven to 180°C. Then cut the cherry tomatoes in half and put them together with the dill, garlic, leek, orange peel, bay leaf, saffron, stock and olive oil in a small baking dish in the oven. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. During this time, cut the fish fillets into pieces. Remove the casserole from the oven. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, add the fish and cook again for about 5 minutes or until the fillets are cooked through. Salt and add lemon juice. Sprinkle with dill or dill. Finally, serve the family meal immediately with toast or breadsticks.