As the days grow shorter and daylight struggles to hold on, our lives seem to shift gears. The children are back in school, some parents are quietly navigating the pangs of empty-nest syndrome as young adults head off to university, and for many, work ramps up as autumn settles in. 

Amidst all of this, the temptation to step away from the kitchen grows stronger. The idea of slaving over a stove feels less appealing when time is short, energy is low, and hunger looms.

Eating is not negotiable

But here’s the truth: people are still hungry. You are still hungry. And you need to be fed. That’s not negotiable. What is negotiable is how you choose to meet that need. Resist the temptation to reach for the phone and order takeaway, to slide a pre-cooked tray into the microwave, or to scrape by with beans on toast. You deserve better than that.

For me, the antidote to these busy, weary days is my arsenal of quick dishes – meals that require minimal prep but still deliver maximum flavour. They’re the ones I can prep in five minutes, let cook for thirty, and clean up without fuss. They’re the meals that allow me to eat well without losing hours of my evening.

This week was one of those weeks. I was busy with work and looming deadlines, and the thought of chopping, stirring, and washing up was enough to make me groan. I knew I needed one of my reliable quick dishes; something that could go in the oven while I got back to work.

The pork chops

Opening the fridge, I took out a couple of pork chops from Fodder in Harrogate and some new British potatoes, a bag of carrots and a red bell pepper. I grabbed a large red onion from my wooden trolley and it was time to knit a dish together. Instantly, memories of Spanish holidays came flooding back – colourful dishes, smoky flavours, sunshine on a plate. I reached for the smoked paprika, and the idea for my colourful roasted potatoes was born.

The potatoes

To save time, I cut the potatoes into wedges and odd shapes, making sure they were roughly the same size so they’d cook evenly. The onion and pepper were diced into large chunks, and all of it went into a roasting pan. A small drizzle of oil, a generous sprinkle of smoked paprika and smoked sea salt, a good toss, and into the oven they went – thirty to thirty-five minutes at a high heat, with a quick turn every ten minutes.

Meanwhile, I turned my attention to the pork. A simple seasoning of black pepper and kosher salt, then a quick sear in a hot pan. To finish, I added a knob of butter, a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and a couple of cloves of garlic I had to hand. If I’d had cumin, I might have toasted and ground some to sprinkle in, as it works beautifully with pork but that was a luxury for another day. I cooked it to 63C and rested it for a decent amount to time to ensure it was juicy.

The carrots

The carrots were treated simply but thoughtfully. I cut them into large chunks and cooked them in the microwave for four minutes until nearly done. To finish, I reheated some leftover lamb fat from the night before and tossed the carrots in it for a deep, savoury flavour. If I didn’t have that little treasure jar in the fridge, I’d have reached for butter, honey, and some crushed whole cumin seeds – a quick way to create carrots that are both sweet and earthy, with a gloss that begs to be eaten.

In the end, what sat on my plate was a meal that looked as good as it tasted: colourful roasted vegetables, perfectly cooked pork, and carrots full of character. And the best part? It took barely more effort than reaching for the takeaway menu.

Take control

Even on days when we don’t feel like cooking, we can, with minimal effort, put a delicious meal on the table – one made from ingredients we chose, one that nourishes body and spirit, one rooted in love rather than the profit margins of the food industry. You really are what you eat, and no one will prioritise your health and happiness more than you.

So take control of what you eat. On the busiest days, when cooking feels like a chore, remind yourself: this is not about perfection, it’s about care. Feed yourself well – because not doing so is a disaster waiting to happen.