Whether you find great enjoyment in cooking or loathe the process, it is sure and certain that no one finds pleasure in the stack of dirty dishes that appear after an hour or so in the kitchen.
One pot wonders are slightly less complex to orchestrate and a great way of cutting down on washing up for those who struggle with multi-tasking.
Stroganoffs, curries and stews are all tasty and nourishing meals that can be produced using just the one saucepan. Perhaps my favourite one pot meal, is a classic Chilli con Carne.
This is such a tasty and versatile dish, which can easily be made vegetarian/vegan by replacing mince with Quorn, lentils or simply more beans!
If you want to keep the dish true to the one pot rule and are feeling particularly indulgent, enjoy the chilli as a nacho topping.
I am willing to bet they’ll be better than any you get in a pub! Another one pot staple in my repertoire is a spicy sausage and butter bean casserole; with a rich tomato and red pepper sauce, fresh chilli, paprika and a whole lot of garlic.
This dish is immensely warming and incredibly satisfying. It’s also really great to make in bulk so that you can pop some portions in the freezer!
If you are feeling a little more creative and adventurous with your one pot wonder, the BBC Good Food website has some really delicious recipes for you to try.
I would particularly recommend the Jambalaya; this is a wonderfully fragrant dish, herby and with an edge of hot spice from the addition of paprika and cayenne.
The Sainsbury’s magazine website also has a really great section on one pot meals, from spaghetti dishes to seasonal stews. The website also has really handy filters that allow you to specify how many the meal is for, the meal type, the cooking time and any dietary requirements.
I’ve found this a really great website to use because of this, as it reduces the results being shown, making online recipes more accessible as I often find the sheer quantity slightly intimidating and overwhelming.
Many of us steer clear of sweet treats at university, largely because desserts and cakes often require more specialist equipment than the average student would own.
However, if it is one of those days where all you want is a good nourishing pud’, then a rice pudding is an absolute go-to. All you need is pudding rice, milk, a knob of butter and a small amount of sugar.
I like to scatter a little nutmeg on its surface, as this gives it a lovely subtle spice and helps to form the skin on the rice pudding surface (which is hands down the best bit), but this is entirely optional!
So when you are a bit short on time and washing up seems to be the bane of your life, when you’ve a million and one other things to do, pop a few one pot wonders on your meal plan for the week.
Start cutting down those dishes and simply enjoy the process of cooking without the kitchen carnage.
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