Autumn Night Easy Dinner Ideas for Anxious Mood

You need

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• thumb ginger
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 can tomatoes or coconut milk
• rice to serve

Method

1. Soften onion, garlic and ginger; add spices for 30 sec.
2. Add lentils, tomatoes and ~2 cups water.
3. Simmer ~25 min until soft and thick, stirring now and then.
4. Season and serve over rice.

You need

• whatever's around: cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts
• hummus or peanut butter
• something crunchy

Method

1. Pick one creamy, one crunchy, one sweet thing.
2. Arrange on a plate so it feels intentional.
3. Add a dip.
4. No cooking required.

You need

• 1 cup milk (any)
• 2 tsp cocoa
• 1–2 tsp sugar
• small piece dark chocolate
• pinch salt

Method

1. Warm the milk gently.
2. Whisk in cocoa, sugar and a pinch of salt.
3. Melt in a little chopped chocolate for body.
4. Pour and hold the warm mug.

You need

• 1/2 cup rice
• 4 cups stock or water
• thumb of ginger, sliced
• soy sauce
• spring onion
• optional: egg

Method

1. Simmer rice, stock and ginger ~25–30 min until soft and soupy, stirring now and then.
2. Swirl in a beaten egg at the end if you like.
3. Season with soy.
4. Top with spring onion.

You need

• 1 block instant noodles (discard seasoning)
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 handful spinach or frozen greens
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• optional: chilli oil, sesame

Method

1. Boil the noodles in ~2 cups water until just soft.
2. Lower the heat, stir in the miso and soy until dissolved (don't hard-boil miso).
3. Slide in the egg and greens; cook 1–2 minutes.
4. Tip into a bowl, scatter spring onion and chilli oil.

You need

• 150g pasta
• 1 garlic clove
• splash cream or cream cheese
• handful peas or spinach
• parmesan
• salt, pepper

Method

1. Cook pasta in just enough salted water that it mostly absorbs.
2. Stir in garlic, cream and greens in the last 2 minutes.
3. Add parmesan and a splash of pasta water to loosen.
4. Season and serve.