Stuck for dinner ideas? These nourishing recipes from mum and author of Anna’s Family Kitchen, Anna Stanford (@annasfamilykitchen) are easy and delicious
Nourishment is so important for sleep-deprived new parents, but when you’re trying to adjust to a new routine with your newborn the last thing you need are complicated meals.
Hopefully these recipes will lighten the load.
With no hard-to-source ingredients, they’re quick and easy to prepare. You can make them ahead and in a larger batch so there are leftovers for a meal another day, or pop a portion into the freezer.
I’m the biggest advocate of developing flexible recipes for busy families, so in each recipe I’ve suggested different cooking methods, ingredient swaps and alternatives.
Fish goujons
I like these homemade fish fingers best in warmed tortilla wraps with the chipotle mayo and salad, but you can also serve them with chips or baked potatoes. They’re delicious sandwiched in between two slices of bread – the best fish finger butty ever! Any skinless white fish will work – haddock, cod or pollack are ideal. You can make a larger batch and freeze some; they can then be cooked straight from the freezer when needed.
Mix together the panko, paprika, salt and oil in a bowl with a fork. Keep mixing until the breadcrumbs aren’t stuck together.
Cut the fish into pieces approximately 4cm x 8cm.
Working with one piece at a time, dip the fish into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Make sure each piece is completely coated before laying on a lined baking tray.
Bake in an oven at 180°C fan for 15 minutes. Alternatively cook in an air-fryer for 15 minutes at 195°C.
Serve with the chipotle mayo loaded into warmed tacos, with salad, or with baked potatoes or oven chips.
Harissa sausage & roasted veg tray bake
This budget-friendly simple dinner solution involves just a few fridge staples all cooked in one roasting tray, or to speed things up even more, in an air fryer. You can switch the sweet potatoes for regular potato wedges, whole new potatoes or gnocchi. Diced courgette or aubergine also work well.
Keep a jar of harissa paste in the fridge and a couple of tablespoons will liven up all sorts of otherwise plain dinners. Try it on chicken or fish, or stir it through vegetables before roasting.
Toss everything together in a roasting tray. Cook for 35 minutes in the oven at 180°C fan, giving everything a turn once during the cooking time. To cook in an air fryer, line the air fryer basket and add all the ingredients. Cook for 15 minutes at 180°C, turning everything once during the cooking time.
Sprinkle with the fresh basil and serve.
Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated for 10 minutes in the oven at 180°C fan or 8 minutes in an air fryer at 180°C.
Lentil & veggie bolognese
Packed with protein from the Puy lentils and containing all of your five a day, this is one of my favourite hearty vegetarian meals. To make life easier, use a pouch or can of lentils because dried lentils need pre-soaking and take longer to cook.
You could switch the aubergine for courgette and add a pepper, a cubed sweet potato or diced carrot. The recipe below will make 4 generous portions but it’s worth doubling quantities for a larger batch as it will sit in the fridge happily for 4-5 days and freezes well.
This bolognese is great served with pasta, rice or on top of a baked potato. Adding extra stock to a portion will make a delicious and extremely nutritious soup, too! You can cook it on the hob or in a slow cooker.
Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 aubergine chopped
2 carrots chopped
100g mushrooms chopped
2 x 250g Puy lentil pouches (or 1 x 400g can, or 200g dried green lentils soaked for an hour)
500ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or 1 tbsp brown sugar)
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 cans cherry tomatoes (or fresh cherry tomatoes, halved)
Method:
Heat a pan and soften the onion for a couple of minutes in olive oil then add the garlic, aubergine, carrot and mushrooms. Soften all those then add the lentils, stock, balsamic vinegar, oregano and tomatoes. Season well and simmer for 45 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
If cooking in a slow cooker, add all the ingredients and leave on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
Spoon onto pasta, rice or jacket potatoes and finish with grated Parmesan, pecorino or vegan cheese.
