Take Five! 8 Easy Recipe Ideas For New Parents To Do One-Handed

Even though with lockdown we might all have a little more time off than usual, juggling all of our jobs, work responsibilities and household tasks - especially deciding what to make the family for dinner - is no easy feat.

Dinner time can be a lovely chance for the family to come together at the end of a day and enjoy some delicious food with one another, but finding recipes that are both easy to make and something that everyone in the family will love can often be a difficult task.

Particularly for new mums and dads trying to navigate their way around all the new surprises, excitements and struggles of parenting, having quick yet delicious recipes up their sleeves will make any day feel just that little bit calmer and more manageable. Cooking can be viewed as enjoyable, fun and even stress-relieving, rather than arduous and something to worry about. That's why we've listed some brilliantly simple and easy recipes perfect for new parents to try - meals that can even be made one-handed while tending to your baby, showing off your skills as the ultimate multitasking parents! Forget hard prepping, long cooking times and long lists of complicated ingredients and welcome simple but equally as scrumptious meal ideas that will keep the whole family happy and healthy. Take a read below at which quick recipes we recommend for making the tastiest meals for your family to get stuck into.

Stir fry is hailed as one of the simplest, quickest and most nutritious meals to make when you're in a hurry, and they're so easy to pack loads of extra veggies in whilst still maintaining that all-important flavour. What's more, this dish takes under fifteen minutes to make from start to finish! With only a few simple ingredients needed, it's perfect for those busier nights and is bound to be a winner.

Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1 large handful of green beans

1 pound ground turkey

Steamed rice for serving

How To Make it

Stir the honey and sesame oil into the black bean sauce so that they're fully combined.

Heat a large pan or wok over high heat for 1 minute. Add the vegetable oil, red onion, red pepper, and green beans.

Fry the vegetables for 2 minutes whilst stirring, then add the turkey and keep stirring until cooked through and browned in places - 4 to 6 more minutes.

Add your sauce to the pan so that everything is nicely coated and the sauce has absorbed a little.

Serve over rice.

Curries are always family favourites. This veggie option is a perfect, healthy replacement to those Friday night takeaways and is so easy to make. If your family aren't as fond of heat and spice, you can easily adjust the amount of these you put into the recipe to suit all of your family's taste buds. It's one that everyone will be sure to love.

Prep time: 10 minutes / Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp red Thai curry paste

500ml vegetable stock

2 onions, chopped

1 aubergine

75g red lentils

200ml coconut milk

2 peppers, sliced

140g frozen peas

100g baby spinach, roughly chopped

Cooked basmati rice

Mango chutney (optional to serve)

How To Make it

In a large non-stick pan, heat the Thai curry paste with a splash of the veggie stock, then add the onions.

Once these have softened a little, add the aubergine and cook for 5 minutes.

Then pour in the rest of the stock, coconut milk and the lentils to your pan and simmer for 15 minutes, so that the lentils are soft.

Add your peppers, leave for another 5-10 minutes, then stir through the spinach and peas for the last few minutes until the spinach has just wilted.

Serve your delicious summer curry over rice with mango chutney on the side.

This easy recipe is perfect for new parents. Once the prep is done, all it requires is to be baked in the oven, so you can leave it whilst you get on with any other jobs you have left to do. It really will make cooking more enjoyable and seem less of a mountain to climb.

Prep time: 7 minutes / Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

6 boneless chicken breasts with skin on

10 ounces of goats cheese

6 basil leaves

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

How To Make It

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Carefully place the chicken breasts onto a sheet pan.

Cut the goat cheese and place 1 or 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of the chicken breast, loosening it away from the meat with your fingers if needs be.

Rub each chicken breast with olive oil and season generously.

Bake your stuffed chicken breasts in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the skin is lightly browned and they are fully cooked through.

Mac and cheese is definitely an all-time family favourite and a classic in any household, but it perhaps isn't as difficult to make as you'd expect. Check out the easy mac and cheese method below and have fun making this American staple. For an extra touch, serve with crunchy garlic bread or add bacon strips to the recipe for an added treat. The kids will love it.

Greek Salad With Pitta Crisps

This Greek dish is perfect for the increasingly hot weather and will definitely get you all in the summer mood. It's fresh, quick and delicious, and packs a punch with super healthy veggies for all the family. What's even better, it will only take you ten minutes to cook! All you need is fresh lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, black olives, dried oregano and some feta cheese. Add grilled chicken for extra protein. Head to thenest.com for the full recipe that includes a delicious Greek dressing.

Creamy Chicken Quinoa And Broccoli Casserole

This is where comfort food really comes into its own; deliciously creamy and packed with greens and fibre your little ones won't even notice. Casseroles are perfect for those cosy family Sundays, and this one from pinchofyum.com is no exception! It's a crowd-pleaser and something easy to add to the repertoire.

Crockpot Carnitas

Mexican food is something much loved by many of us, and with lockdown restricting us from visiting our favourite Mexican joints and taco takeaways, easy-to-make carnitas are a brilliant alternative. With flavourful and tender pork, spice and crunchy veg, they sure do pack a punch. We like Pinch Of Yum's recipe, but carnitas can easily be customised to your family's tastes! Why not add a bit of pizzazz with a Mexican themed night for a really special occasion?

Deliciously Simple Pitta Pizzas

Why not have a family pizza night with this super simple pizza base alternative? They'll be sure to bring a smile to everyone's faces and give your family a little taste of Italy but without the complexity of a hard recipe. No dough has to be made here and you can use anything you already have around the house. Simply top your pitta breads with some tomato sauce, cheese and whatever toppings you like best, then bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and everything is deliciously cooked through. As these are smaller pizzas, they're perfect for little appetites or for trying a few versions at once.