What to cook for dinner when you don’t feel like cooking dinner

There are some nights when thinking about dinner is almost too much to bear. We’re going to assume that you’re out of Pepper Leaf meals (because if you had one, dinner would be easy, right?) but are still grown-up enough to realise that carrots and hummus is not really dinner. And that you’re sensible enough to know that ordering takeaway (or delivery as it’s rapidly becoming) is not the healthiest option for your wallet or your waistline.

Instead, pour yourself a drink, and enjoy our suggestions for what to cook when you really don’t feel like cooking. Honestly, these are so simple that it almost feels like cheating and yet, there you are, with a home-cooked meal!

• Pull out a frozen pizza base (or a pita bread or a wrap), smear some pasta sauce (or pesto or tapenade) on it and then top with very thinly sliced vegies (we like zucchini, red onion, capsicum for starters). Scatter with grated cheese (whatever you’ve got in the fridge) and bake in a hot oven until cheese has melted and vegies have cooked. Bonus points if you throw some chopped ham on there.
• Squeeze a couple of good quality sausages out of their skins and fry over medium heat. Add a drained and rinsed can of white beans (or chickpeas if that’s what you’ve got) and stir until warm. Slosh in some white wine if it looks dry. Pour yourself  a glass while you’re at it. Toss in a handful of chopped kale or spinach and stir until wilted. Top with a squeeze of lemon, some grated parmesan and a sprinkle of dried chilli if you like it hot.
• Put half a cup of couscous in a bowl, pour over half a cup of boiling water. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap. While that’s cooking, grab a can of tuna (in oil is better than in water), finely chop half a red onion, halve some cherry tomatoes, chop a handful of parsley, zest a lemon and grab a spoonful of capers. After five minutes, fluff the couscous with a fork, stir through the tuna etc and season with salt and pepper. If you’ve got anything else in the fridge that looks good (like olives, a bit of preserved lemon), throw that in too.
• If you’ve got chickpeas, you’ve got dinner. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, pat them dry then toss them with some olive oil and whatever spices or flavours take your fancy. If you’ve got a jar of pesto in the fridge, that would be good. Meanwhile, cook some frozen peas in microwave (about 90secs should do it) and then toss with the chickpeas. If you’re feeling energetic, fry up some chorizo or bacon and stir that through as well. Top with some yoghurt.

See? Easy!

What do you cook for dinner when you don’t want to cook?