[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;”] W[/dropcap]hen was the last time you got caught up at work and ended up getting home later than you’d like? If you’re like most people I was probably yesterday or at least within the last week or so.
One of the most common answers I hear when I ask people about their cooking problems is… you guessed it… ‘I don’t have enough time’.
But the thing I’ve discovered is that dinner can easily be made in 10 minutes or even in as little as 5 minutes. You just need to start with a super quick recipe.
To prove the point, I decided to video myself cooking the recipe for this week’s blog post in one take. To see if I could make a healthy warm meal in 5 minutes.
So how did I go?
Well, I had the camera rolling for 6 minutes 21 seconds. A little outside my goal of 5 minutes.
But still a great result. I’m sure if I had talked less and cooked more I could have easily cracked the 5 minute mark, but it would have made for a much less interesting video :)
Not sure you could make dinner in 5 minutes? Here are 3 steps to get you started…
3 steps for making dinner in 5 minutes or there-abouts…
1. Choose a simple recipe.
The easiest way to do this is have a look at the ingredients list. Long list? Keep looking… Of course the even easier way is to do a search on Stonesoup or just browse the Stonesoup Recipe Index because you’ll be guaranteed each recipe will be simple with 5 ingredients or less.
2. Make sure your recipe is quick.
For a speed evaluation, scan the method. If there aren’t many steps and you can’t see any instructions like ‘simmer for 30 minutes’ then you have a potential. A closer inspection will tell you whether it’s going to be quick or not.
Of course there’s an even easier way (shameless plug alert!)… You could make the most of the launch special discount and pick up a copy of The Tired & Hungry Cook’s Companion 2nd Edition and turn straight to the 5-Minute Suppers chapter which has 19 different dinners you can make in just 5 minutes (or there-abouts).
3. Plan one night in the next week to give it a try.
Insight without action is useless. So try the 5 minute dinner challenge yourself one night in the next week. Either use the recipe below or another one.
Report back in the comments and let me know how you get on!
6 minutes and 21 seconds isn’t bad. Not sure if I could make a dinner in 5 but I think I will try. Might be good entertainment for my wife to watch if nothing else. Thanks for the post.
I’d love to hear how you get on if you do try it Fork and Whisk
And what your wife thinks ;)
I couldn’t slice beef that thin that quickly!
But if we’re allowed to not count oil and seasonings last night’s dinner was only five ingredients, and only took a little longer to prepare – perhaps around 15-20 minutes but only because I didn’t do everything in parallel.
Chop an onion, yellow pepper, generous handful of cherry tomatoes, and fry (in oil of choice, or none). Make up couscous with boiling water and season to taste. Put trout fillets on the grill (and season). When trout is cooked stir veg into couscous, divide between two plates, serve with trout on top.
I’m sure you could with some practice Eleanor!
And thanks for sharing your dinner.. sounds lovely :)
I could totally make dinner in 5 minutes! I mean, it might be a sandwich and a salad–or maybe a piece of seared fish and a salad–but it would be delicious dinner nonetheless. This steak salad looks like a great fast plan. :)
Yay Eileen!
You’re right… fish is great for quick cooking
Whipped this up last night for dinner for the wife and two grandkids. Substituted red lettuce for rocket because I couldn’t find anyone here in south Texas who knew what “rocket” is. :-) Added fresh tomato and hard-boiled egg slices to garnish. Together with a whole wheat kaiser roll, the meal was complete and delicious. You took 5 minutes for 1 serving, I took 20 for 4 so I guess it worked out. Thanks for the idea!!
I think you call it either arugola or rucola. Australians call it rocket (not sure why…)
I think Arugula is the Italian and Roquette is the French – which of course becomes ‘Rocket’ with an Australian accent
Thanks Alex!
Ken!
Red lettuce sounds like a great substitute for rocket.
Like the sound of your math :)
Looks good – I am impressed at how fast you made it even while talking! Even something that simple takes at least 15 minutes in our house.
I think we will have this for breakfast tomorrow with bacon in stead of steak!
Alex!
Love the idea of bacon and turning it into a breakfast salad.. brilliant :)
after reading this post a few days ago, i bought the tired and hungry cook’s companion.
what a great book!
we live remotely and rurally…there aren’t a lot of options for dining out.
we prefer real food, whole food, made-from-scratch food (in fact, we are a bit fanatical).
i spend a lot of time making nut butters, yoghurt, mayonnaise; growing sprouts; culturing vegetables and condiments, and so on.
this book is a terrific little resource to have right in my iphone for the inevitable times in the supermarket, 25km from home, running around in tiny circles going WAAHHH! WHAT AM I DOING FOR DINNER? and trying to remember what is in the fridge.
i was a chef in a former life, but over the last decade my cooking style has become very stripped-down.
with enough parsley, lemon juice, butter/olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, i know that one can actually rule the world.
jules, thanks a million for such a beautifully-put-together book. i like everything about it.
lovely photographs and layout, nifty features (click the links, hello…not to mention the complete portability….i have saved it to kindle and evernote so i have a copy wherever i am), and of course delicious ideas in abundance.
Patti!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
I’m so glad you’re finding my book helpful!
Jx
that looks delicious, BUT I would still be hungry after that and would eat something sweet to compensate, so I’m happy to cook 20-30 minutes but have a warm and filling dinner. It could work as a lunch for me though…
Hi Mara
Interesting you think this wouldn’t fill you up… any reason you couldn’t choose a larger piece of steak?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
well, cost for one thing :) But I thought about it, as it sounds yummy and I will try to put an egg on it, maybe a fried one. that added protein would likely fill me up.
Great idea Mara!
Eggs are such a great inexpensive protein source!
LOVED this – although I changed parmasen for feta! So good I’m making it again tonight!
6 minutes and 21 seconds isn’t bad. Not sure if I could make a dinner in 5 but I think I will try. Might be good entertainment for my wife to watch if nothing else. Thanks for the post.
I’d love to hear how you get on if you do try it Fork and Whisk
And what your wife thinks ;)
I couldn’t slice beef that thin that quickly!
But if we’re allowed to not count oil and seasonings last night’s dinner was only five ingredients, and only took a little longer to prepare – perhaps around 15-20 minutes but only because I didn’t do everything in parallel.
Chop an onion, yellow pepper, generous handful of cherry tomatoes, and fry (in oil of choice, or none). Make up couscous with boiling water and season to taste. Put trout fillets on the grill (and season). When trout is cooked stir veg into couscous, divide between two plates, serve with trout on top.
I’m sure you could with some practice Eleanor!
And thanks for sharing your dinner.. sounds lovely :)
I could totally make dinner in 5 minutes! I mean, it might be a sandwich and a salad–or maybe a piece of seared fish and a salad–but it would be delicious dinner nonetheless. This steak salad looks like a great fast plan. :)
Yay Eileen!
You’re right… fish is great for quick cooking
Whipped this up last night for dinner for the wife and two grandkids. Substituted red lettuce for rocket because I couldn’t find anyone here in south Texas who knew what “rocket” is. :-) Added fresh tomato and hard-boiled egg slices to garnish. Together with a whole wheat kaiser roll, the meal was complete and delicious. You took 5 minutes for 1 serving, I took 20 for 4 so I guess it worked out. Thanks for the idea!!
I think you call it either arugola or rucola. Australians call it rocket (not sure why…)
I think Arugula is the Italian and Roquette is the French – which of course becomes ‘Rocket’ with an Australian accent
Thanks Alex!
Ken!
Red lettuce sounds like a great substitute for rocket.
Like the sound of your math :)
Looks good – I am impressed at how fast you made it even while talking! Even something that simple takes at least 15 minutes in our house.
I think we will have this for breakfast tomorrow with bacon in stead of steak!
Alex!
Love the idea of bacon and turning it into a breakfast salad.. brilliant :)
after reading this post a few days ago, i bought the tired and hungry cook’s companion.
what a great book!
we live remotely and rurally…there aren’t a lot of options for dining out.
we prefer real food, whole food, made-from-scratch food (in fact, we are a bit fanatical).
i spend a lot of time making nut butters, yoghurt, mayonnaise; growing sprouts; culturing vegetables and condiments, and so on.
this book is a terrific little resource to have right in my iphone for the inevitable times in the supermarket, 25km from home, running around in tiny circles going WAAHHH! WHAT AM I DOING FOR DINNER? and trying to remember what is in the fridge.
i was a chef in a former life, but over the last decade my cooking style has become very stripped-down.
with enough parsley, lemon juice, butter/olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, i know that one can actually rule the world.
jules, thanks a million for such a beautifully-put-together book. i like everything about it.
lovely photographs and layout, nifty features (click the links, hello…not to mention the complete portability….i have saved it to kindle and evernote so i have a copy wherever i am), and of course delicious ideas in abundance.
Patti!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
I’m so glad you’re finding my book helpful!
Jx
that looks delicious, BUT I would still be hungry after that and would eat something sweet to compensate, so I’m happy to cook 20-30 minutes but have a warm and filling dinner. It could work as a lunch for me though…
Hi Mara
Interesting you think this wouldn’t fill you up… any reason you couldn’t choose a larger piece of steak?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
well, cost for one thing :) But I thought about it, as it sounds yummy and I will try to put an egg on it, maybe a fried one. that added protein would likely fill me up.
Great idea Mara!
Eggs are such a great inexpensive protein source!
LOVED this – although I changed parmasen for feta! So good I’m making it again tonight!
Yay Sam!
And great idea with the feta…