Cloudy Day Dinner Ideas for Stressed Days

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

• 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

• 2 slices bread
• butter
• 2 slices cheese
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• pinch sugar
• salt, pepper

Method

1. Simmer tomatoes with crushed garlic, a pinch of sugar and salt for ~10 min; blend if you like it smooth.
2. Butter the bread on the outside, fill with cheese.
3. Fry on medium until golden both sides and melting.
4. Cut diagonally and dunk.

You need

• 1 large baking potato
• butter
• filling: beans, cheese, tuna-mayo or coleslaw
• salt

Method

1. Prick the potato, microwave 8–10 min, then crisp in a hot oven 10 min (or all-oven for an hour).
2. Split, fluff and butter.
3. Add your filling.
4. Season well.

You need

• cheeses
• cured meat or olives
• bread or crackers
• something sweet (grapes, jam)
• something pickled

Method

1. Aim for soft, hard and tangy cheeses.
2. Add a salty, a sweet and a sharp thing.
3. Spread it on a board so it looks generous.
4. Open something nice to drink.

You need

• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2–4 eggs
• bread to serve

Method

1. Soften chopped onion and garlic in oil.
2. Add spices, then tomatoes; simmer ~10 min until thick.
3. Make wells, crack in the eggs, cover and cook to your liking.
4. Serve straight from the pan with bread.