lifesavers for a busy lifestyle?

[colly strings]

hi all!

i've been semi on the extra easy wagon for a while but my main issue is time restraints. i work full time and have a 2nd job and a lot of other commitments so unfortunately dont often have time to "cook", not properly anyway.

what are your go to meals for when you dont have time to cook? looking for some inspiration to keep me on track!! especially if its something i can take to and east straight away or prepare at work (so no cooking facilities at all really), today i tried a mug shot, it was quite nice i wish i liked salad but i don't, blergh x

 

[Ygerna]

uncle bens two minute rice bags which I then add things like prawns too. Can be eaten hot, or cold as a rice salad.

 

[mandy296]

As you've managed a mug shot at work i guess you can get boiling water, so you could try cous cous - the Ainsley Harriot ones are quite low in syns and are nice just on their own - and no need for a hob, just boiling water and leave for 5 mins.

I'm always on the look out for stuff you can cook from frozen - when i've been too disorganised to take a chicken breast or pork chop etc out the freezer - lots of things like that i'm a bit wary of cooking without defrosting first. Currently I rely on birds eye chicken chargrills and the peri-peri and reggae reggae flavours (basically whichever variety dont come in breadcrumbs or batter I think are reasonably low syn, about 3-4). ASDA have some hot and spicy chicken fillets in their frozen barbecue section that are free on original/EE (but presumably wont be available once they get rid of summery type items later on).

Any other good cook from frozen ideas anyone?(sausages would be good - most of the low syn ones seem to be fresh and if you froze them, would need to be defrosted first)

 

[colly strings]

uncle bens two minute rice bags which I then add things like prawns too. Can be eaten hot, or cold as a rice salad.

are those free? i always worry about the instant rice packs as in the directory a few of them seem to have to be synned!!

As you've managed a mug shot at work i guess you can get boiling water, so you could try cous cous - the Ainsley Harriot ones are quite low in syns and are nice just on their own - and no need for a hob, just boiling water and leave for 5 mins.

I'm always on the look out for stuff you can cook from frozen - when i've been too disorganised to take a chicken breast or pork chop etc out the freezer - lots of things like that i'm a bit wary of cooking without defrosting first. Currently I rely on birds eye chicken chargrills and the peri-peri and reggae reggae flavours (basically whichever variety dont come in breadcrumbs or batter I think are reasonably low syn, about 3-4). ASDA have some hot and spicy chicken fillets in their frozen barbecue section that are free on original/EE (but presumably wont be available once they get rid of summery type items later on).

Any other good cook from frozen ideas anyone?(sausages would be good - most of the low syn ones seem to be fresh and if you froze them, would need to be defrosted first)

again is the cous cous free? i will def check out the asda chicken, although i always end up buying loads of stuff like that, putting it in the freezer, then sitting there until i have a day off to defrost and cook it, which sort of defeats the purpose!

 

[colly strings]

and yes hot water is about as good as it gets here, also a little fridge...

which cooked meats (ham, chicken etc) do you buy from supermarkets that are syn free? i can get to any of the major supermarkets within a 2 mile radius so shoot- i struggle with which brands/types are free food and which arent!

 

[mandy296]

Ainsley cous cous packets are around 1/2 syn each on EE/Green. The ASDA fillets can be cooked from frozen, as can all the Birds Eye stuff, so no worries there.

I work on the basis that all the flavoured chicken you can get in the chiller section is free on red/EE (ie the ones that come in the packets in little salad/sandwich friendly chunks, so things like chargrilled, tikka, chinese, sweet chilli, hot and spicy etc).

 

[colly strings]

see i was worried those would be really high in syns, but if theyre not i could take a pack of them and a mug shot/cous cous to work with me...hmmm!

 

[bex552]

Beware on the pre packed meats, I looked up the syn value for tesco value chicken pieces used for sandwichs and worked out at 14syns for the packet!!

 

[Mrs_H]

I like to keep a tub of couscous made up in the fridge. I make a big batch which I can get a few lunches out of and then just eat and run.

I just buy plain couscous and cook up a red onion, garlic and baby plum tomatoes in some fry light, then soak the couscous in chicken/veg stock made with a stock cube and add the onion mixture plus some fresh mint and corriander and squeeze a lime over.

Sometimes I add some lean beef strips to the onion mixture and use beef stock instead. I leave out the mint and lime when I do this.

I've always hated couscous so decided to make it my own way and it's a must have now.

Oh - I always use the ratio of 250g of couscous to 1 pint of stock.

 

[colly strings]

Beware on the pre packed meats, I looked up the syn value for tesco value chicken pieces used for sandwichs and worked out at 14syns for the packet!!

this is what i fear!! anyone got any *definitely syn free* suggestions?

I like to keep a tub of couscous made up in the fridge. I make a big batch which I can get a few lunches out of and then just eat and run.

I just buy plain couscous and cook up a red onion, garlic and baby plum tomatoes in some fry light, then soak the couscous in chicken/veg stock made with a stock cube and add the onion mixture plus some fresh mint and corriander and squeeze a lime over.

Sometimes I add some lean beef strips to the onion mixture and use beef stock instead. I leave out the mint and lime when I do this.

I've always hated couscous so decided to make it my own way and it's a must have now.

Oh - I always use the ratio of 250g of couscous to 1 pint of stock.

mmm sounds nice, i might try it if i get the chance soon...

 

[Chicaloca]

Ainsley is not 1/5 a syn a pack, its varies but can be from 1/5 a syn per 100g cooked on EE or Green.

Check EVERYTHING online, its the best way.

 

[Lovely_Laura]

Tesco Tikka Chunky Chicken is free and lovely and the plain one which I can't find a photo of. The more expensive ones with flavours can have syns so you have to check but those 2 are definitely free. Great to grab with a tub of cottage cheese for a meal.

Aldi have some packs of flavoured couscous which is yummy and there's a lot more than the Ainsley one. It says you need a hob but it cooks just as well if you pour boiling water over it and leave for a few minutes.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Aldi Stores Worldwide Foods, Thai Style Curry Low Fat Couscous, excluding butter, dried 100g cooked[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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½ Syn on Extra Easy

Original 6½ Syns

Green ½ Syn [/FONT]
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[*honey]

'Super noodles to go' are free on GREEN and EE, just add hot water.