I’ve recently discovered the magic of the air fryer. I never thought it was something I would want, but when my oven stopped working, I didn’t have much choice and now I wouldn’t be without it. Roasting a chicken in the air fryer is so simple. It takes around an hour and all you need to do is put it in, salt it a bit, programme the air fryer and let it do its thing. It takes all of 2 minutes to set up and you can do what you want while it’s cooking away. If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, you could cut up some potatoes, toss them in a little oil, salt and pepper and add them in for the last 15 minutes for roasties, but you don’t have to. Steamed broccoli, leeks, beans and peas (maybe not all together) make a complete meal for very little effort. You can use the leftover chicken for lunch on the go in a salad or wrap the next day. Or, add leftover chicken bits to a carton of broth along with some rice noodles and whatever veggies you have to hand for a quick and simple soup. Another great air fryer tip is to air fry salmon fillets for 6-7 minutes without any oil. They will be perfect, and just as quick as a ready meal. Even my husband does this if I’m out for the evening.
Speaking of fish, fresh fish can be very costly, and rather daunting for non-cooks. Tinned fish, however, can be just as nutritious. I’m not sure how I’d manage without tins of tuna; they are so versatile. On toast if you can’t think of anything else or added to pasta or frittata or baked potato (I’ll bet you can cook those in the air fryer too, although I haven’t tried yet. Sweet potatoes give you more bang for your nutritional buck than white ones in case you were wondering). For a quick salad, add a tin of tuna and some halved cherry tomatoes to a drained, rinsed can of cannellini or butter beans or a pouch of pre-cooked brown or green lentils. Add avocado and a finely chopped red onion, lemon, olive oil and mustard and you have a highly nutritious packed lunch. If you’re a vegetarian try with feta or goat’s cheese and pre-cooked beetroot instead of tuna.
I may not understand having no interest in cooking, but I totally understand feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, lacking in inspiration, rather resentful and experiencing mental burnout because I’ve felt all these things many times.
But all the ideas above (with the exception of the chicken) can be done in as little time as it takes to cook a ready meal, and are very nearly as easy, just as tasty and a great deal more nutrient dense. I use them a lot when life gets particularly busy.
These are just a few super-simple ideas to get you started. If you’d like to go to the next level and learn a bit more cooking, but still with the aim of making your kitchen life quick and simple and reducing overwhelm, why not join me in Scotland for a cooking and creativity break this summer? It’s going to be so much fun and you’ll get a chance to work with local artists as well. Even if you think you’re not arty, you’ll have a wonderful time and get both your creative and culinary juices flowing. Bookings aren’t open yet, but please leave a comment to be added to the waiting list.
I hope to see you there.