Advice

|21 Mar 2019|4 mins

8 Mid Week Dinners That Aren’t Pizza

Turns out there is such a thing as too much ham and pineapple.

You get up, you go to work. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you take a lunch break. And then you get home. By the time you get there, it’s six, maybe seven o’clock. And, whether you’ve got one hungry mouth to feed or eight, it’s all too tempting to call your local Hawaiian with extra pineapple and a side of chilli in to bat.

I know I do. I live approximately 300 metres from a pizza restaurant. That’s close enough not to make a dent in my step count and far away enough for me – especially when on a deadline – to order in.

And why not? It’s easy, it’s delicious and if you play your cards right there’s a slice of breakfast pizza in your not-so-distant future.

But, just as I discovered with pasta, you probably shouldn’t eat this delicacy every night. Nutritional value aside, your loved ones will no doubt get sick of it (I know mine did). So, then what?

Well, where else to turn to than where I get 78 percent of my information from … Instagram. Here's some mid-week dining solutions thanks to the chefs of social media.

Thanks to Getty Images

@brownpapernutrition

Anything with Brussels sprouts

Hear me out on this one. They’re tipped to be high in nutrients, rich in antioxidants and a go-to source of fibre. On tonight’s menu? Salmon, thanks to Jacqueline Alwill, Accredited Nutritionist, authour, mum and the woman behind @brownpapernutrition.

“Here's what to do: Lots (and I mean lots, not just a measly spray) of olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt on sliced brussels, is the trick then into the oven at 200C for about 10-15 minutes depending on how much crispy factor you're after!”

@bondiharvest

One veg wonder

All you need here is a whole head of cauliflower, and orange, some herbs and a spare twenty minutes. Eat this creation by @bondiharvest Guy Turland by itself or run it as a side piece. Delicious.

@spoonforkbacon

Yes, we’ve got a thing for cauliflower right now

Did someone say takeout style? Yes please. This honey-garlic cauliflower over steamed rice @spoonforkbacon is super fast to make and best of all, throw in a different set of greens and it will double as lunch. We swapped the white rice for brown, too.

@teresacutter_healthychef

The freeze and go solution

Add this vegetable lasagne from a chef and nutritionist Teresa Cutter to your Sunday night to-do list. “If there’s any leftovers you can cut into portions and freeze them for easy meals during the week when you’re pressed for time.”

@donna.hay

Mastering the art of poaching

Poaching anything always sounds hard. We’ve all lost five too many good eggs in an effort to serve a café breakfast in the morning. Poached chicken? Sounds even harder but it’s not! It’s easy and breezy and best of all fast. We’ve been living off Donna Hay’s – the matriarch of Oz cooking – chilli and coconut poached chicken salad.

@thehealthyhunter

Go green

“These are so easy. Like ridiculously easy. As long as you have a food processor you can make them in mere minutes.” Sold, before we even get to the ingredients list. Plus, they’re bright green on the inside so they even look healthy.

@ashrod

This is not an omelette

This is an incredibly fancy-looking skillet of baked eggs, leeks, olives and goats cheese. It could, though be anything in your fridge. Serve it up with a fresh green salad or run it as the only dish. Either way it’s a win.