Some like it with a drizzle …

… some don't. I'm a drizzle kinda gal. There's definitely moisture in the Kedgeree but, as a hat tipping to its Indian roots, I thought I'd add a sauce which is admittedly Malaysian - hey it's near enough next door - what's 2,000 miles or so these days.

It's all about balance and personal taste. You'll notice that there's no salt and black pepper included in the Kedgeree recipe – for a reason – there's salt in the fish and the curry and coriander provide the spice hit, add black pepper to your own taste. The rice and the egg balance the saltiness of the fish – now for the sweet hit.

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve.

It's up to you what you do

You can make the sauce ahead and re-heat.

This is my solution for those who like a sauce and another for your “really useful” quick and easy sauce recipe repertoire – blimey try saying that when you've had a cup of gin!

It's Tuesday evening …

… and Kedgeree as promised :

Kedgeree – the fastest ever

Serves 4

500g rice

400g smoked haddock

50g unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half

half a lemon, cut into 4 wedges

small bunch of coriander, chopped for garnish

I'm using frozen mixed vegetable rice, microwaved – it took 8 minutes – whenever you've time – set aside cool, cover and fridge ready for use later.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the onion, curry powder and coriander. Fry gently until soft. Add the rice and mix thoroughly.

Cook your smoked haddock – use fresh if you can get it – or frozen - whichever you find most convenient. Bake in the oven straight from the freezer at 170fan/190c/Gas 5 for 30 minutes or poach for 15 minutes in a medium saucepan, covered with equal amounts of milk and water. Set aside to cool and then box and fridge until ready to use. Break the fish into small chunks and fold into the rice.

Place the eggs on top, then add the coriander and lemon wedges.

Serve with freshly baked French bread.

It's up to you what you do

I cooked the rice and fridged

I cooked the fish and fridged

I chopped and bagged the onion

I hard-boiled the eggs

as additional Sunday “I'm in the kitchen anyway” tasks

If there's one thing that drives me mad it's fantasy timings given in recipes. To back up my mouth I set my timer. The bread took 10 minutes to bake - whilst it did its thing, using a large frying pan, I melted the butter, added the onion, curry powder and coriander and cooked for 2 minutes until the onion was softened and the spices “cooked” to release their deliciousness. I added the cooked rice, fish and finished with the eggs.

Faff free food in 10 minutes - hold that thought ...

The aim of this game …

… is to give you fast, home-cooked suppers after a hard day at work. You'll know exactly what's for supper, no stress or panic shopping on your way home – more time for you. The added bonus is that at the end of the week you'll have little or no food waste – no scary bits lingering in the bottom of your fridge – just think of the dosh you'll save!

You have control here – the more stuff you prep and cook ahead the less likely you are to inhale a packet of biscuits. After the holidays you are addicted to sugar, fat or salt or all three. You need to wean yourself off the overload – by being organised and planning ahead you'll look forward to your supper and not have any room left for snacking!

At the end of each of the following recipes there's a list of elements that can be made ahead – it's up to you what you do in addition to the four tasks given for Sunday.

Kedgeree – the fastest ever, coming next and the best example I can give you of saving time, dosh and little or no waste!

It's Monday evening …Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

… and time to use some of that chicken breast you slow cooked yesterday. A warm, welcoming salad.

Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

1 pear, sliced, cored and divided

into 10

1 knob of unsalted butter (20/25g)

100g diced chorizo, or smoked bacon bits

if you prefer

150g sliced chicken breast – smoked if you like

35g chestnuts or walnuts – chopped

chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Use a type of pear that's suitable for cooking – Bosc and Anjou are perfect – they hold their form, don't use Comice – they'll disintegrate. Using a large frying pan melt the butter and add the slices of pear sauté for 2 minutes, turn and repeat so that the slices have colour. Set aside on a baking tray and place in a warm oven.

Add the diced chorizo to the frying pan and sauté until coloured. Add the sliced chicken breast, the nuts and the pears and turn gently so that all the ingredients are properly warmed and coated with the chorizo juices and the butter.

Here's a photo-guide :

Supper in ten minutes!

When your alarm sounds …

… and your chicken is ready if you do nothing else remove it – carefully – it will fall apart and set aside in a dish or foil tray and most importantly strain the stock, cool, cover and fridge. You don't have to strip the chicken if you don't have the energy – cool, cover and fridge until tomorrow.

This is what you've achieved by doing virtually nothing :

2 x 200g bags of chicken breast

500g of stock – I'd suggest you split it into 2 x 250g bags

150g approximately of chicken suitable for adding to soup

or sandwiches

Fridge the bags of chicken for the moment – you may decide to use some before committing the remainder to your treasure chest (the freezer).

Watch this space!

Mood food and no faffing …

… in other words you have to be in the mood for good food and not all the junk you've inhaled over the holidays - which is why we have to be smart and prep and cook ingredients ahead so that you're more likely to fancy your evening meal - “mood food” and less likely to hit the speed dial button for your favourite takeaway!

There are no rules here, just a menu for the working week – 5 evenings. You can swap and change to suit yourself or change it altogether for that matter. These are suggestions to motivate you to do one thing – get organised, two if you include plan! There'll be options along the way.

Your Menu

Chicken, pear and chestnut salad with chorizo

Kedgeree – the fastest ever - with or without rendang sauce

Miso roasted mushroom orzotto with optional bacon bits

Carrot, coriander and chickpea soup – optional chicken

with vegetarian dumplings

Home-made burgers with wedges and a tomato, onion

and sweet pepper salad with a Balsamic glaze

What you're cooking for your Sunday lunch is up to you. I would just like to ask you to complete four small tasks whilst you're at it!

Wrap six large baking potatoes in foil and bake. (180fan/200c/Gas 6).

I would bake for an hour and a half and then test – you want your paring

knife to move firmly through the potatoes. Remove them and

set aside to cool – bear in mind they will continue cooking

because they are insulated by the foil

Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with bacon of

your choice – I prefer smoked. Bake for 15 minutes (180fan/200c/Gas 6)

turn and repeat - it will be crisp! Let the bacon cool and break into

small pieces, box and fridge

Grate a large box/bag of mature cheddar cheese

and fridge

Slow cook a whole chicken – it takes 5 minutes -

check out the Chicken label on the blog “Slow, strip,

strain and stock” for the recipe

all you need to do is leave a trail of post-it-notes or

perhaps a more modern technique is to set your phone

alarm for 8 hours time!

Are you with me so far?

Post holiday blues …

… whether it's an over indulgence of your guilty pleasure(s) or that overwhelming feeling that you never want to see another shopping list ever again!

Sadly we don't have much of a choice since we have to eat. Added to which there'll be pressure now for that gym membership or, worse still, an invitation to join a weight loss plan.

How depressing.

We're so fed up with feeding people and all that goes with, it's time to take a moment, take stock and breathe.

If you'd like some help, try this on for size, pardon the pun, get organised.

If Santa gave you dosh for Christmas, why not invest a small amount on Splitting Atoms and Grating Cheese, or, life's too short to faff around. Please don't panic, it's not about diets, weight loss or the gym. It's ideas and help to get organised, the knock-on effect of which is to save you precious time not to mention save you dosh and reduce your stress levels into the bargain!

Life's too short ...