You can prepare these recipes quickly and easily if you plan on going out or want to feed your troops before the evening begins. All of these recipes are delicious and easy to prepare.

LULU GRIMES recipes photographs WILL HEAP

Choose & Mix the omelet with Crunchy Croutons.

Croutons add texture to an egg omelet, making it more interesting. This recipe can be used to use up leftover sandwich fillings from lunches.

Serves 1 Prep 5 minutes Cook 5 minutes Easy

Cut one thick slice of bread into small cubes

1 tbsp olive oil

Two eggs

2 tbsp grated cheddar

Choose from 1 slice of ham, one piece of chicken, two pieces of salami, two pieces of chorizo, or a handful of prawns

Choose from a handful of quartered cherry tomato, 2 tbsp drained sweetcorn, two tablespoons defrosted frozen beans, or a bunch of rocket

Salad to be served

1 Heat 12 tbsp of oil in a small, non-stick pan. Add the bread and toss it around. Fry over medium heat until it begins to crisp and brown all over. Then, carefully wipe the pan. You can shred your meat or chop it roughly.

Then, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. You can season them if you like. Pour the egg into the pan after heating 12 tbsp of oil. Then, tilt the pan side-to-side until the bottom is covered. Add the meat and vegetables to the side nearest to the omelet. Cover the pan for one minute with the lid, add the cheese, and then cover again for another minute. Add the croutons last, then flip the omelet so the other side faces you. Slide the omelet onto a serving plate and top it with any salad.

Stir-fry noodles with crunchy peanuts

Choose the pack that best suits your needs. If you wish, fry the onion briefly before adding the other vegetables. Sometimes the pieces can be pretty significant.

Serves 3 Prep 10 minutes Cook 10 minutes Easy V

2 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

Chop 1 tbsp of roasted peanuts without salt, plus additional to serve

Egg noodles 300g ready-to-eat pack

1 tbsp of oil

Two eggs lightly beaten

Stir-fry vegetables 300g pack

Serve sweet chili sauce (optional).

1 Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, and 50ml of water. Add the peanuts. Pour boiling water over the noodles and place them in a large bowl. Gently stir them to separate them, then drain.

In a large wok or frying pan, heat 1 /2 tablespoon of oil and add the egg. Let the egg set, and then break it up using a spatula. Then, pour it on a plate. Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Stir-fry until the vegetables start to wilt. Add the noodles, and continue cooking. Then, return the egg to the wok and add the peanut mixture. Toss. Divide the mixture between two bowls and sprinkle with more peanuts. If you wish, serve it with sweet chili.

Chowder with corn & prawns

Fresh sweetcorn is best when in season. The rest of the time, you can use canned or frozen sweetcorn. If you prefer, you can use chicken instead.

Serves 2 (can easily be doubled). Prep for 15 minutes. Cook for 25 minutes. EASY

1 tbsp olive oil

Finely chop 1/2 onion

Cut 150g of potato into small cubes

300ml Whole Milk

200ml chicken stock

150g prawns small, cooked, and drained

Sweetcorn 195g, drained can (or frozen sweetcorn of the same weight)

One large pitta bread

Half a tablespoon of garlic butter

Small pack chives, snipped off (optional).

1 Heat oil in a pan. The onion should be fried until softened but not browned. Bring the milk, stock, and potato to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Gently squash some potato against the sides of the pan to thicken the chowder. Cook for 5 minutes more. Add the sweetcorn and prawns.

Spread the garlic butter on the pitta. Grill the pitta for a few minutes until it starts to brown, then cut it into strips. If you wish, sprinkle the chives on the soup and serve the pitta with garlic to dip.

Rice with chicken & chickpeas

If you don’t like chickpeas, add some frozen peas or another vegetable (that you know your family will eat) five minutes before the end of cooking time.

SERVES 2-3 PREP 15 mins COOK 25 mins plus standing EASY

25g Butter

One shallot finely chopped

Cut one carrot into thin batons (about 100g) and 1 skinless chicken (about 180g).

Cinnamon stick

One strip lemon zest

125g basmati rice

Two heaped tablespoons of raisins or sultanas

250ml chicken stock

Can chickpeas 215g (drained weight: 130g).

1 Melt half of the butter in a pan with a cover. Add the carrot and chicken after frying the shallot. Add the lemon and cinnamon to the veg and fry until they brown. Season well. Stir in the raisins and rice, then add stock and bring it to a simmer.

Cover with a lid and scatter the chickpeas over the top. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the stock. If the rice is still hard, add 50ml of water. After 5 minutes, fluff the rice. Serve the rice with any remaining butter.