Sponsored by Princes
Here at Closer, we know that life as a mum can busy. And throw cooking your family's evening meal into the mix, and it becomes even busier. Luckily, we've teamed up with Princes - who are known for their simple, good food - to bring you four super quick and easy meals you can cook after work, that your whole family will love...
1. Baked potatoes with tuna, cottage cheese & crispy bacon
It goes without saying that jacket potatoes are one of the simplest dinners to whip up in a hurry. But, that doesn't mean that they have to be boring. Dress them with the Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water (which is high in protein and low in saturated fat), cottage cheese and delicious bacon to pack a punch in the taste department.
Ingredients to serve 4
-
4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
-
4 x 160g cans Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, drained
-
Mixed salad leaves, cucumber and cherry tomatoes, to serve
-
6 rashers streaky bacon
-
200g natural cottage cheese
-
4 spring onions, finely sliced
-
Freshly ground black pepper
-
Mixed salad leaves, to serve
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan oven 180°C, Gas Mark 6. Prick the potatoes, then bake them for approximately 1 hour, or until tender. You can also microwave the potatoes 2 by 2 on full power for 6-7 minutes, before turning them over and microwaving on for a further 6-7 minutes, until tender.
-
Tip the cans of tuna into a bowl and flake into chunks.
-
Snip the bacon rashers into small pieces and cook them in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes, until crisp. Then, drain the bacon on kitchen paper.
-
Split the baked potatoes and place them on serving plates. Fill them with the cottage cheese, spring onions, tuna and bacon. Season and serve with mixed salad leaves. Yum!
2. Tomato mackerel with rice
Official NHS guidelines state that a healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, as this could help keep your heart healthy. You can provide your family with one of those portions by adding some mackerel into a dinner meal. Cue our easy-peasy, tasty tomato mackerel with rice recipe...
Ingredients to serve 4
-
2 x 250g pack microwave long grain rice
-
4 x 125g cans Princes Mackerel Fillets in a Rich Tomato Sauce
-
100g chopped red pepper
-
100g chopped yellow pepper
-
6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
-
Snip open the pack of rice and microwave for 2 minutes on High, or follow pack instructions.
-
Tip the cans of Princes Mackerel Fillets in a Rich Tomato Sauce onto a microwaveable plate and break into large pieces with a fork. Microwave for 60 seconds on High.
-
Add the chopped peppers and spring onions to the rice and season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Share between 4 plates and top with the mackerel - then enjoy!
3. Sweet potato with tuna and sweetcorn
A simple twist on a classic tuna sweetcorn jacket potato recipe is to opt for sweet potato, instead of regular potato. Exciting, tasty and filling? Yep, yep and yep!
Ingredients to serve 4
-
4 pot Princes Tuna New York Deli Filler
-
4 medium sweet potato, approx 220-250g
-
2 tsp olive oil
-
A few handfuls of lettuce leaves
-
A few slices yellow pepper
-
A few slices cucumber
-
A few slices celery
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan oven 180°C, Gas Mark 6. Prick the sweet potatoes, then bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until tender. You can also microwave them 2 by 2 on full power for 4-5 minutes, before turning them over and microwaving for a further 4 minutes, until tender.
-
Remove the plate from the microwave and allow it to stand for a minute until cool enough to handle. Then, cut a criss-cross half way through the top of each potato and open up slightly. Use a fork to fluff up the middle of the potato.
-
Open up all the Princes New York Deli Fillers and spoon them onto the top of each potato.
-
Serve some mixed salad on the side of each jacket potato and watch as your family tuck in!
4. Mackerel pasta and tomato bake
What's there not to love about a pasta bake? It's cheap, filling, and easy to whip up! Plus, by working the Princes Mackerel in a Spicy Tomato Sauce into the mix, you'll be providing your kids with a good dose of Omega 3.
Ingredients to serve 4
-
2 x 125g cans Princes Mackerel in a Spicy Tomato Sauce
-
150g pasta shapes, such as fusilli, penne or farfalle
-
1 courgette, chopped into chunks
-
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
-
4 eggs
-
400ml milk
-
75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
-
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°Fan/Gas Mark 5. Put the cans of Princes Mackerel in a Spicy Tomato Sauce into a bowl, and it break up into chunks.
-
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions until tender, before adding the courgette for the final 5 minutes of cooking time.
-
Drain the pasta, and place it into a large baking dish, along with the cherry tomatoes. Then pour the tomato sauce over the pasta.
-
Beat the eggs and milk together and pour them over the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the cheese on top.
-
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until set. Then serve to a very hungry family.
Princes products are available in most leading supermarket stores.
READ MORE