This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.
Just a little break from my India series to bring you a few recipes and a giveaway.
I have another delicious giveaway for you petals, but first let us all talk about how busy we are. All of us. Sometimes we all like to sit around playing the ‘I’m more busy than you.’ game but generally speaking we’re all pretty much run off our feet. I sometimes find myself so busy that I will eat porridge for dinner for like, four nights in a row. Not good. This is why I like to have a few back ups at home for when I really couldn’t be arsed cooking anything fancy but my body is about to shrivel up from a severe lack of vegetables.
I always keep Birdseye SteamFresh Vegetables and fish fillets in my freezer for those kind of days. I like to get a little creative in the kitchen so I’ve put together three quick and easy dinners to make with SteamFresh steamer bags. Hopefully these little recipes will save you from too many takeaways!
Thai Coconut Curry Fish Burger
Serves 1
What You Need
1 Birdseye Thai Coconut Curry fish fillet
1 bag of Birdseye SteamFresh veggies
1 super grainy and delicious bread roll (this one is from Bakers Delight – it’s their 14 grains and fancy things roll)
Handful of baby spinach
A few slices of tomato
Oven chips (optional, but burgers are just begging to be served with chips don’t you think?)
What You Do
1. Heat the fish fillet in the microwave for 5 minutes. Drain off the sauce (it’s a tad too much for a burger!) and place fish fillet, tomato and lettuce on the grainy bun.
2. While you’re arranging your burger, pop a bag of veggies in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. Drain off the excess water and serve them up!
3. Add a handful of oven fries if you’re feeling a little cheeky.
ย Lemon and Parsley Fish and Vegetable Pasta
Serves 1
What You Need
1 Birdseye Lemon and Parsley fish fillet
1 cup of cooked pasta (wholemeal, white, gluten free – whatever tickles your fanny… I mean fancy.)
1 bag of Birdseye SteamFresh veggies
What You Do
1. Heat the fish fillet in the microwave for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the veggies in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. Drain off excess water.
3. Serve veggies and fish (with sauce!) over a cup of cooked pasta. Perfection.
Garlic and Spring Onion Fish with Brown Rice and Vegetables
Serves 1
What You Need
1 Birdseye SteamFresh Garlic and Spring Onion fish fillet
1 bag of Birdseye SteamFresh veggies
1 cup of cooked brown rice (I’m so lazy that I even use those heat up rice cups!)
6 halved mini Roma tomatoes
What You Do
1. Heat the fish fillet in the microwave for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the veggies in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. Drain off excess water.
3. Serve veggies and fish over rice. Add tomatoes.
Now for the giveaway! One of my lucky readers has the chance to win…
1x $250 Coles voucher
1x $100 Kikki K voucher
All you have to do is answer this question in the comments below…
If you had a whole hour to spare (and now dinner takes less than ten minutes you might be able to wrangle it!)… what would you do with it?
Seriously. No kids. No extra work. No deadlines. What happens in your own fantasy hour?
P.S After 10 days in India I am FANGING for some fish and vegetables.
72 Comments
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Oh an hour all to myself! With 3 kids it’s been a long time since I’ve had a spare hour, I don’t quite know where to start. One little thing I really miss since having kids is reading the Good Weekend magazine out of The Saturday Age cover to cover with a coffee. I have about 6 months worth of them stacking up waiting to be read. I would love to pop out to a cafe with the latest issue, and read it. The whole thing. Without interruptions. Hopefully the issue has a stories by Amanda Hooten and Mark Dapin.
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Author
JICYJAC! You naughty sausage. You won the Cardio Tennis comp! YOU HAVE TO SEND ME YOUR ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY!!!! I tried emailing, facebooking, commenting. You comment all the time! HOW IS THIS WIRE CROSSING POSSIBLE?????
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Read a book. Seriously. So simple, but so appealing. A few weeks ago my internet went down for an entire 7 days/nights, and I have no words for how it all felt. At first I was in a total panic, but after a couple of days I was really getting into it, and while I was relieved when it was all back up and running again … I was also a little sad, too. I waste way too much time online (all while feeling like it’s stuff that ‘has to be done’ – responding to emails, checking orders for my online business, ‘me time’ that involves hitting refresh on facebook and tumblr ..). I read ten books in that time, and it was awesome.
Although now the weather is warming up I’m also thinking it would be nice to just go for some evening walks and check out the Christmas lights …
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Author
It’s amazing how many people said read abook!
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kudos to you for making frozen food look appetizing! We had a lot of frozen veggies and fish when we were younger, and while it wasn’t very glamourous at least it was quick and healthy. If I had an hour free I would go for a walk in the sun, find a nice place to have a picnic and crack out some cheese and crackers and a book. That or watch 3 episodes of Community back to back ๐
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Author
I’ve always had these in freezer. Great for low-carb eaters.
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Fish is the best and its true that the frozen kinds are getting tastier. I’d leave every electronic device I own at home and wander through the domain and park myself somewhere with a bottle of wine and some tunes in the sun. Might even go past my fav gelato place on the way and pick up the biggest cup of gelato they have and not share it with anyone! Om nom nom!!
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Author
Do you have a Tasti Delite in Sydney? ROCKS MY WORLD.
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Brilliant, Ms S! I now have three new recipes to add to my culinary list of things I can cook without having to entertain a toddler by putting together pieces of Duplo with my left foot and keeping itty fingers away from the stove with my right knee while chopping an onion and performing amazing song and dance routines to keep said wee one from collapsing in a tiny toddler tantrum because dinner takes more than four seconds to make. With that spare hour I would finally teach myself the Thriller dance from the web tutorial I have been secretly watching over the last year after the baby is in bed.
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Author
BEST USE OF AN HOUR EVER!
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An hour? Since it’s Christmas time I cannot think of anything better than tucking into a bottle of champers with the man.
On a side note – how much are you going to love veggies when you get back? I am the same when traveling and I FELL on a salad when we returned from Thailand. x
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Author
It’s ALL I’VE EATEN!!!! I’ve told Mr Smaggle that we aren’t having Indian takeaway until June 2013. He’s heart broken.
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Man, what I couldn’t do in an hour to myself!!! I would go down to the beach and walk for half an hour and sit and read for half an hour while seeing, hearing and smelling the beach, heaven!!! Ps, I’m sure your family will be so glad to have you back they will be happy to cook you some fish and veg!!!
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Author
Thanks love! Been back a week and only just getting back into the swing. x
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Sleep. I would definitely sleep. Thanks.
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Author
Me too! Provided that I could actually sleep.
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I would have lunch with my best friend, she lives so far away that I find it hard to see her very often, and because we are both planning our weddings at the moment time is a rare commodity!
That Lemon and Parsley meal looks delish, and the cherry tomatoes from the last recipes are staring at me yumyum!-
Author
Oh lovely!
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Oh man…way too much to do. Take the dogs for a walk – get in some exercise!! SLEEP ๐ Sit on the deck in the evening light with some wine and a magazine. SO MANY THINGS.
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Author
Exercise I do anyway… go with the wine!
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being a procrastinator i often have stressy hours of doing random stuff, but if i could take away the stress, i would spend the hour watching bridesmaids (yes i know i would only fit in half of it) while making choc-chip cookies. or reading smaggle ๐
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Author
I freaking love that movie and you’re too sweet. x
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If I had a whole free hour, with no interruptions, I’d be slipping into my silky PJs and heading outside to lounge in my comfy chair and read a juicy book. It’s so rare that I get to read more than a few pages at a time, so it would be such a luxury to be able to tear out a whole chunk of a book at once.
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Author
Silky PJS!!!! Haven’t had those in years.
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As a mum of three aged 8 and under
“Me” time’s scarce, any wonder?!
Given an extra hour, I’d catch up with friends
And my sisters too – with them, fun never ends!
We’d go to Coles and shop up a storm
(It’s our favourite pastime whether it’s cool or warm!)
Or maybe a dance-off on the Wii
Then eat our Birds Eye and sing karaoke!-
Author
FAR OUT. THIS BLEW MY MIND!!!!!!
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Wow, one whole hour. I would read or just sit uninterrupted with a peppermint tea and just enjoy.
I love the fish recipes. Will definitely be trying these out.
<3 Dannii-
Author
Ah! Peppermint tea! I always need reminding about that.
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I’d take a bath, with candles, bubbles, scented oils – the works! Then I might invite my man in, because the only thing better than ‘me’ time is ‘us’ time ๐
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Author
Cute. x
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an hour all for myself would involve tea, one of the handful of books i’ve started &left in a pile next to my bed &most likely some serious facebook lurking.
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Author
I have too many bedside books to read. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for summer!
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An hour on the balcony with my book and a glass of wine and BAM – i feel like away I’m on holidays. Reading outside is one of my top 5 things to do ever. Even better on these steamy early Summer evenings.
PS Fish with brown rice and vegetables – yum. x
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Author
It’s awesome. I’ll make it for you one day.
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Probably spend it on Pinterest and Facebook. I aim high!
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Author
I just started using Pinterest on my phone. BIG MISTAKE,
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I’d get a lovely relaxing massage from my lovely man and follow it with a bubble bath complete with candles, a good book and a glass of chilled wine. Bliss!
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Author
I actually did that on the weekend!
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With an extra hour to spare, I’d pull out the Noisy Kids Remote Control. After setting it to ‘mute’ and lighting a decadent candle, I’d be off to lay on the couch, ready to dream about secret rose gardens and warbling streams.
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Author
You should sell those. You’d make a mint.
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I would sit in an air-conditioned room with my iPad and watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians! And for the 15 minutes left over I’ll be daydreaming what my life would be like if I was a Kardashian =)
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Author
Random. ๐
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Run a nice hot bath, soak in the tub with candles burning listening to my favourite relaxation tapes.
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Author
I’m such a candle bitch. Love it.
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EASY! A glass of wine or cup of coffee with my husband. With 3 kids (1 with Extreme Anxiety, 1 with Aspergers and one who just wants to be loved) a full time job, house renovations, 2 dogs, 4 chickens and part time study I seriously cannot remember the last time he and I sat down uninterrupted to talk.
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Author
I wish I could actually do this for everyone!
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I would run a hot bath, put in my favourite bathing album (I like Angus and Julia Stone), pour some Moscato and read Shop Til You Drop magazine in the bath for 15 minutes. then I’d put on my pyjamas and watch an episode of Offspring on DVD. With more wine. Perfect hour.
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SHOP is my favourite guilty pleasure mag! It thought I was the only one!
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Sunbathe on a hot beach with a cold beer
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Author
Oh yeah…
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Pop on a face mask, stick my feet in the foot spa, and write a letter to someone I love ๐
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Author
A letter? Beautiful idea!
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with an extra hour I would grab a mag, a strong, sweet cup of tea and head out to my little courtyard and take my sweet time!
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Author
Outside! Need to get there more!
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Read Smaggle and giggle while drinking tea that is still hot. BLISS.
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Oh how lovely! Cheeky flatterer. x
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one hour ? i would tear open a bag of chips, grab the remote, lay in bed and watch some trashy reality TV – nothing more nothing less – no interruptions, no mummy – just me
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Author
Lovely!
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Eyebrows. Oh my GOD, my eyebrows.
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Author
As in you’d get your eyebrows waxed?
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As much as can be done in an hour… OMG MY EYEBROWS! This is why I have a fringe…
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Spare hours are delicious (just like your recipes it seems!). I would spend it alone, not a soul to interrupt me, and I’d write stories. Nothing would make this introverted constantly interrupted mother happier at the moment. An accompanying cup of tea and a piece of chocolate would be the cherry on top.
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They are actually regular staples! Even before I got offered the post.
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Lame I know, but I would visit my mum with a bottle of wine and simply catch up! I seem to have less and less time to do that. Something I definitely want to change!
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OH I love this one! Me too!
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Watching an episode or two of offspring with a glass of wine, my best girlfriends (one featuring the lovely Dr Chris Havel of course) #winner
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Author
Always wine! x
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I’d run a bath, then take in a paperback, a cup of earl grey and a couple of nice choccies to enjoy while soaking ๐
or….. maybe just catch up on lots of music with naughty words in it (and some bad dancing!)-
Author
Just had a bath myself. ๐
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I would kidnap my neighbour’s kittens and hole up with a cup of tea for an hour of hardcore kitty lovin’.
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Author
Um… BEST EVER!
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I’d just work on being quiet. Not flicking through my phone, checking my email, putting on washing or saying yes to work I want to say no to. I’d just sit still, take some breaths and relax my clenched jaw. Oh and maybe some chocolate.