Brought to you in partnership with Woolworths.
You know the problem with summer?
It’s too good. Most nights we’re out in the pool, or somewhere outside, and the sun is still shining and it gets to 6pm… our tummies start growling and I realise we’ve hit dinnertime, and almost bedtime and I’m NOT READY.
Not even close.
Personally, sometimes I’d be very happy to pour a bowl of cereal and call it a night, but it’s not dinner {however hard I wish it was, it isn’t. Gah!}. Summer meals for me, are about getting dinner on the table, as fast as possible, without me cracking anymore of a sweat than I already have. Plus, I want them to feel good when I eat them {not stodgy and heavy}. So, today I’m bringing you four meals that are so easy to pull together, that it almost feels like a crime to call it cooking.
THAI BEEF SALAD
I love a Thai salad – because it’s jam-packed with flavour and texture. I’ve shared how I use the Woolies Thai Salad Kit with Jamie Oliver’s salmon regularly – but this is another spin on it. It’s just a simple matter of grabbing a Flat Iron Steak {one steak feeds all of us, because it’s generous – you’ll know your family best}. Cook the steak on the BBQ or in a hot pan for four minutes each side. While the steak is cooking, toss the salad together… and put together to serve. If you want to get fancy you can add in a little extra mint and coriander, and even some bean sprouts add a welcomed crunch.
MINI BUNLESS BURGERS
These make a great dinner, but I also make these ahead in bulk – and Hubby eats them as snacks, and I eat them for quick, healthy lunches while I working from home. Woolies has just released Entertaining Sliders which come in a pack of eight, with four pork and four beef. These are so good. If you wanted them to be more filling, you could grab some mini brioche buns from the bakery aisle. If you want to go lighter, you can do as I’ve done and make them on lettuce {a cos lettuce is the perfect size leaf}. Cook the sliders in a hot pan for two minutes each side, and then top with a quarter of a cheese slice {double it if you like extra cheesy!} and then pop in the oven at 180ºC for 5 minutes to melt the cheese and finish cooking the slider. Top with the Secret Burger Sauce {a family fave at our place!} and enjoy.
FALAFEL PITA POCKETS
If you’ve got an air-fryer, I think you’ll love this one most! Falafels are so good in the airfryer. I just pop them in for five minutes, and then whip these up. I use the Yumi’s Falafels, cos those are my faves. You can also shallow fry them if you don’t have an air-fryer. The Greek Salad Kit is so easy to get all the veggies you need for the pockets. I add in a layer of hummus inside the pocket and then drizzle with tzatziki to serve.
PORK RIBS AND KALE-SLAW
Ah, kale. It gets a bad wrap and a good wrap at the same time. Yes, it’s one of those superfoods that people want to put into anything, but if you actually give it a chance… it’s bloody delicious. This Kale Slaw Kit is so good. I just add a generous squeeze of lemon to up the freshness flavour, but it doesn’t really need it {just me trying to be gourmet}. The pork ribs can cook on the BBQ while you’re swimming in the pool, or running under the sprinkler. To get the best ribs {the kind that fall off the bone}, you want to wrap them for most of their cook so they get all cosy, and then you want to get a bit of caramelisation at the end… so you unwrap them for that last 15 minutes.
And then dessert. I love mint ice cream, it’s my ice cream of choice… so these Peppermint and Chocolate Flake Ice Cream Sandwiches are my idea of heaven. I also chop a Peppermint Crisp, and then coat the outside for ultimate minty-ness. If mint isn’t your thing, the Drumstick and Messina collab ice creams will fill the spot. We love the caramel ones.
What do you throw together for a light and easy summer dinner? I’d love to know and I might have to borrow some of your yummy ideas!
