Pizza!
It's quick and easy and goes well with a bag of salad, some garlic bread or chips. Get frozen pizzas and sit back while dinner makes itself in the oven.
Fajitas
Get a bit of meat, or veggie mince, and fry with some chopped tomatoes and a spice pack. Then all the sides: sour cream, guacamole, salad, wraps and nachos.
Great for a group with some dietary requirements. You can even get everyone to bring a side each.
Bean and Halloumi Stew (GF/DF/Vg Options)
Adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe, we've got the slow cooker version here for ultimate easy-cooking and crowd-pleasing amounts.
Ingredients to Serve 6-8
3 onions , thinly sliced
3 peppers (red/orange/yellow) , thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves , crushed
Most of a small jar of red chilli pesto/ sundried tomato pesto/ vegan alternative
3 heaped tsp ground coriander
2x 400g can mixed beans , drained and rinsed
1x 400g can of baked beans
2 x400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 250g block halloumi , sliced (optional but yummy)
A small bunch of coriander , finely chopped
Garlic bread, jacket potatoes or chunky toast to serve (optional)
See the original recipe at https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bean-halloumi-stew
Method
In the morning, chop and prepare vegetables and drain the mixed beans.
Put onions, peppers, garlic, pesto, ground coriander, beans and chopped tomoatoes in a slow cooker. Add one additional can of water if the ingredients aren't fully submerged.
Switch slow cooker on low and leave to cook for 8-10 hours.
Cook garlic bread or jacket potatoes in the oven (or get someone on toast duty).
While the carbs are cooking, heat a frying pan on a medium heat and chop the halloumi into 1cm slices.
Place the slices in the pan and cook gently until brown on one side (takes a couple of minutes). Flip to get both sides brown.
Chop the coriander ready to sprinkle and serve!
Jacket Potatoes with ALL the Toppings
Jacket potatoes are easy, satisfying and have an endless variety of toppings.
Buy red potatoes or a jacket variety for easy-fluffy results. Get one for each person, plus 2 or 3.
Stab each spud with a fork a few times and rub each potato with oil and sprinkle with salt before putting in a large overn tray and placing in the oven at 160C.
Cook for 1-1.5hrs.
(You can speed up the cooking by cutting larger potatoes in half or putting a metal skewor through the potatoes.)
While the potatoes are cooking, assemble toppings. You could get everyone to bring a topping of choice. These might include:
- Baked beans (warmed in the microwave or a pan)
- Canned tuna (drained and mashed with a fork)
- Mayonnaise (for the tuna or by itself)
- Grated cheese
- Coleslaw
- Butter or margarine (Make sure you have a vegan option like Vitalite if needed. If you're feeding a coeliac (allergic to gluten), the safest way is to start a new tub or pack as traces of gluten from breadcrumbs can be dangerous for them).
You may also want to get a bit of salad on the side.
When the potatoes are crispy on the outside and squeeze when you press them with a tea towel, they're ready.
Everyone serves themselves and you all have a lovely time.