‘WHAT’S FOR DINNER?’ must be the most common of all refrains, whether you’re cooking for one or many.

It’s the endless mental conversation that (if you’re like us) takes up most of the chatter (and day) in your poor, addled head – what do I want for dinner?  What do I feel like? What do I have in the fridge? What can I scrabble together?

Until you’re so hungry you would eat your own arm rather than wait any longer for a nutritious meal.

stevendepolo stevendepolo

Never fear – help is at hand. As your granny, or mammy or someone once told you at some point in your life – preparation is key. Stocking the cupboards with some basics like eggs, cans of tomatoes and tins of chickpeas or other pulses, rice, pasta and a couple of spices means you can rustle together meals with very little trouble, and save the day when you’re in a fix.

So, in order to make your life as simple as possible here are five one-pot wonders that you can throw together, likkedy-split.

1. Spinach, onion and goats cheese omelette

An omelette is a really simple, surprisingly versatile way to get a filling, nutritious meal made very quickly and by mixing up your ingredients (using goats cheese instead of cheddar) it gives that gourmet edge.

There are endless variations that can be made using what’s in your fridge (onion, peppers, ham, cheddar cheese, chorizo, peas, leeks – you get it), and the most basic of versions is just beating some eggs together and pouring over your desired filling – but we decided you deserved something a little fancier.

Craig Craig

Ingredients

• 1/4 medium onion
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 large handful of spinach
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 oz. goats cheese
• 1 medium spring snion (Garnish)
• Salt and pepper to Taste

Directions

1. Spread out 2 tbsp. butter into a hot pan using your hands.
2. Cut 1/4 onion while the butter begins to brown. Slice into long strips.
3. Once butter begins to brown, add onion to the pan and allow the onion to caramelize.
4. Once onion is translucent, add 1 large handful of spinach (~2 cups) to the pan. Let this cook down and wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove the spinach and onion mixture from the pan and set aside. In a small measuring container, crack 3 large eggs.
6. Add 2 tbsp. heavy cream, salt, and pepper to the eggs. Mix this together well.
7. Heat the pan to medium-low heat (it should already be hot). Add your egg mixture to then pan and allow it to cook.
8. Once the edges begin to set, add the onion and spinach mixture back into half of the omelette. Crumble 1 oz. goat cheese over the top of the spinach and season with more salt and pepper if you’d like.
9. Fold the omelette in half once the top begins to set and serve! Garnish with spring onions if you’d like.

2. Lamb stew

You just can’t beat a stew for its easiness to make and pure comfort food levels. This one adds a couple of extra ingredients for a rich gravy and is cooked slowly for melt in the mouth meat. Delicious.

SuperValu SuperValu

Ingredients

• 750 ml beef / lamb stock
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 sticks celery
• 30 g cornflour
• 1 lb diced lamb
• 1 medium onion cut in slices
• 1 parsnip peeled and chopped
• salt to season
• 1 swede chopped
• 1 tsp tomato purée

Directions

1. In a large saucepan heat a little oil. Add the lamb, having cut it into small dice and fry quickly until coloured or sealed all over. Prepare the vegetables (carrots, celery, parsnip, onion, turnip) and cut them all into bite size dice similar to the lamb. Add the vegetables to the sealed lamb and mix them well around and cook for 3-4 minutes until all the vegetables are sealed and glazed as well as the lamb.
2. Next mix in the tomato puree and sprinkle the 30g cornflour on top and stir, (the cornflour will act as a thickening agent) ensuring that all the vegetables and meat are covered and coated lightly.  Season with some salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the stock and bring the stew to the boil, then reduce then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 1/2 -2 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender and the sauce is a nice consistency.
4. Serve

3. Vegetable curry

An easy-to-make tasty and delicious vegetable curry that can be made more or less spicy to taste. And with the addition of chicken, you have chicken curry. Simply fry chopped chicken breast just after the onions are sautéed – but why would you? It’s amazing already.

Gooddinnermom Gooddinnermom

Ingredients

• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (2 and 1)
• 3 teaspoons mild or sweet curry powder
• 1 teaspoon red curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 medium red potato, cut into ½ inch pieces
• ½ sweet potato, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 Serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced - Note: seeds may be added if you want to increase heat
• ½ head cauliflower, trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets, about 3 cups
• 1¼ cups water
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1½ cups frozen peas
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (For vegan option, use coconut yogurt, cream or milk)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• Unsalted cashews and chopped green onions, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Pulse the tomatoes, with their juice, in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 8 pulses.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3. Add the curry powders and garam masala, and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
4. Add the onions, yam and potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and the vegetables are softened slightly, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
5. Clear the center of the pot, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and chile, and cook about 30 seconds.
6. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spices coat the florets, about 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the processed tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
8. Stir in the peas and continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Off the heat, stir in the yogurt. Serve over rice with cilantro, cashews and green onions for garnish.

4. Tunisian spiced lamb with pumpkin couscous

Now, this needs a little minding and is quite a slow cook, so this might be more of a weekend meal, rather than a weekday rushing-around meal, but never let it be said we don’t bring you the tastiest recipes, no matter what the cost (to us).

Taste Taste

Ingredients

• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 6 lamb shanks, French trimmed
• 2 red onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground paprika
• large pinch of saffron threads
• 1L (4 cups) stock
• 2 x 400g cans tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
• 380g (2 cups) couscous

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Cook the lamb, in 2 batches, turning, for 5 minutes, or until brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the dish over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, ground coriander, paprika and saffron for 1 minute or until aromatic. Stir in the stock, tomato, sugar, half the fresh coriander and half the mint. Bring to the boil. Season.
3. Add lamb. Cover. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Add pumpkin. Cover. Bake for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.
4. Transfer lamb and 2 cups of sauce to a heatproof bowl. Cover to keep warm. Add couscous to the pumpkin mixture. Stir until just combined. Cover. Set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid has absorbed. Divide among bowls. Top with the lamb and sauce, and remaining coriander and mint.

5. Spanish chicken with beans

And to end on a little spicy note, here’s a lovely, easy chicken recipe packed full of flavour and nom-ness (totally a word).

Ipcdigital Ipcdigital

Ingredients

• 600g chicken thighs
• 125g skinned and sliced chorizo
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 1tbsp red pesto (or sun-dried tomato paste)
• 410g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 300ml hot chicken stock
• A few thyme sprigs
• 1tsp smoked paprika

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down, skinned and sliced chorizo and onion. Cook the chicken for 5 mins without turning it over to allow the skin to brown, but stir the onion and chorizo.
2. Turn the chicken over and add the red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks, a large garlic clove, peeled and chopped, red pesto (or sun-dried tomato paste), cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, hot chicken stock and a few thyme sprigs.
3. Sprinkle smoked paprika on top of the chicken. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 mins, until chicken is tender.

Have we inspired you to get cooking? Let us know your favourite one-pot recipes in the comments below.