food for thought...

It is seriously uninspiring at times to be cooking for one - it is incredibly tempting to just have toast for tea some nights. Add a baby into the mix, and gourmet goes out the window in favour of quick and simple.

I am someone who normally gets excited about food - cooking it, and eating it! But at the end of the day when energy levels are low, and I've just put the kiddo down to bed, it can be tough to feel motivated to cook anything at all let alone anything fancy. I am conscious of the need to eat well to make sure I stay healthy, with a little one relying on me - I also want Evie to see us eating healthy dinners, and modeling her own eating habits on ours.

I do a lot of one-pan/pot meals nowadays, and I use a slow cooker in cooler months. And pre-prepping dinner is my saviour! Of course, when V is home it's all much easier, there is a spare set of hands for kiddo-wrangling during that witching hour.

Lunch is seriously my downfall. I eat lunch after Evie has had hers, and gone down for her nap, and I am just so unmotivated to make anything elaborate most days! I have to confess to resorting to toast or baked beans (or sometimes just coffee! eeek). Today was better - I prepped a brown rice and chicken salad last night with the leftovers from dinner. Need to do this more often!

One of my favorite go-to dinners is tagliatelle with lemon - the ingredients are simple and there is barely and prep or cooking involved! Just cook some grated lemon rind in olive oil, add creme fraiche, lemon juice and Parmesan. I don't measure, just go by taste. Serve with loads of salad, simple!

clockwise from top - grilled chicken salad; lemon tagliatelle; baked chicken with brown rice; roast veges and haloumi salad

What are your go-to weeknight recipes? Any lunch suggestions for me?

xoxo