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Sorry, Nadiya but I watched your new series in disbelief!

(79 Posts)
merlotgran Tue 16-Jul-19 09:50:30

The premise of Time to Eat is to convince busy mothers they can spend less time in the kitchen preparing meals. Surely this is wrong because that's been the problem at the root of obesity and poor nutrition thanks to a reliance on ready meals and take-aways.

Programmes like Eat Well for Less have been encouraging parents to spend more time in the kitchen with healthy recipes replacing expensive ready meals. Nadiya is turning this on its head by demonstrating some pretty unhealthy looking food while gushing about how unimportant it is to spend time and care cooking for your family.

That ghastly, sugar laden baked pancake thing filled with jam and peanut butter had me yelling 'Elvis Presley died eating this stuff!' at the telly - and this was for breakfast!! shock

I did like the look of the tortilla omelette thingy which was a little more nutritious but those home-made pot noodles where you only add boiling water were a puzzle. Why would you go to all that trouble when you could cook a proper meal in the same time?

DH asked me why I didn't turn it off given it was making me angry but I was mesmerised by its awfulness. grin

wildswan16 Tue 16-Jul-19 16:04:11

There is nothing wrong with tinned food. A lot of families living on large estates have barely any access to supermarkets and rely on tinned food from smaller shops much more than they might like to in an ideal world.

Certainly fresh might be preferable - but anything is better than takeaways and chips.

Unfortunately many young women (and men) just don't have the knowledge of cooking basic meals - if tins help them out a bit then that is no bad thing.

There are many "food" programmes on TV and it is good to have a variety of approaches.

Fennel Tue 16-Jul-19 16:25:22

I've just watched it on iplayer.
I thought her recipes were ok but she definitely underestimates the prep. times etc.
And what about the planning, shopping etc for all those ingredients? And all the equipment? Especially those individual storage jars. Then all the washing up as someone already mentioned.
She does have a pleasant style of presentation.

Jane10 Tue 16-Jul-19 16:39:35

She was probably told by the commissioners of the programme that they wanted one looking at quick and easy food for busy people and adapted recipes to fit. Fair enough.

MawBroonsback Tue 16-Jul-19 16:51:30

I really liked her recipes!
I remember Delia’s “How To Cheat At Cooking” which saved my life many a time in the Dark Age when we used to do Dinner Parties - the reprinted edition was not a patch on the original and the only downside was that all my friends “cheated “ as well, so we gave up any pretence of dishes being “original”.
There is too much cheffy food being shown on TV but so many people living off ready meals, pizza, Deliveroo and the like.
This was a refreshing twist on family cooking and I look forward to her baking programme.

Auntieflo Tue 16-Jul-19 17:13:59

I didn’t watch her programme, but from what has been said, I do wonder whether the programme makers are rather killing the golden goose.
Nadiya is very watchable and has a lovely manner, but I did see her when she took part in a programme about mental health issues. She suffers/ suffered, from an anxiety disorder, and may be being pushed beyond her comfort zone .
Others may think differently, but I do believe she likes to please, and may not be quite strong enough to say ‘no’.

MawBroonsback Tue 16-Jul-19 17:15:39

Why not watch it and judge for yourself AuntieFlo?
I was sceptical, based on the posts I had read, but the real thing convinced me otherwise

Bettysbugs Tue 16-Jul-19 17:55:02

Not a fan of tin veg as you see me running away .yuck

Jane10 Tue 16-Jul-19 19:46:53

Sweetcorn is nice.

MawBroonsback Tue 16-Jul-19 20:07:28

As are baked beans, artichoke hearts, haricot beans, kidney beans, borlotti beans and puy lentils.
No need to be snobbish about tins!

Lessismore Tue 16-Jul-19 20:29:27

It was a pleasant watch. I learned how to peel garlic! I wouldn't bother with the jars and the pancakey thing.

Callistemon Tue 16-Jul-19 21:19:32

I can remember when Delia did a similar type of show
HildaW I had a recipe book called 'How to Cheat at Cooking' by Delia Smith!

Callistemon Tue 16-Jul-19 21:20:17

Tinned tomatoes are great in recipes!

merlotgran Tue 16-Jul-19 21:28:12

I wouldn't want to send children off to school on a peanut butter and jam pancake.

No slow burn carbs there.

MawBroonsback Tue 16-Jul-19 21:43:47

Callistemon - this one?
60p it cost me in 1973

Charleygirl5 Tue 16-Jul-19 21:53:33

I had no idea one could buy tinned potatoes- it shows how much I know about cooking.

Washerwoman Tue 16-Jul-19 22:38:59

I will definitely make the tortilla wrap.But the baked pancake with all that sugar and jam.No way.Ordinary pancakes really don't take long and served with berries and yoghurt much healthier .I keep frozen ones in to defrost as needed.Much cheaper.
As for the tinned potatoes. Mm.Not too sure.Although my DD recently said she had used them for quick roasties .And I guess having them in the cupboard in case you have no fresh as a back up wouldn't hurt.But I just wash large salad potatoes and fling them unpeeled in a little rapeseed oil and they roast beautifully.Will try with the sun dried tomatoes though.
So willing to watch again for ideas and reserve judgement until later.

Fennel Wed 17-Jul-19 11:30:52

" I just wash large salad potatoes and fling them unpeeled in a little rapeseed oil "
I do that too, Washerwoman. As well as cut-up small turnips and carrots. Then later onions courgettes and red peppers.
Husband won't eat tomatoes.

Whingingmom Wed 17-Jul-19 11:49:08

I think she is a really likeable person, but agree promoted beyond her capabilities.
I saw her live at the Good Food Show, she came across as having a lovely warm and bubbly personality but proceeded to make a nut roast - an omitted the nuts by mistake! I am quite capable of making culinary errors without Nadiya to show me how! I think someone other than her is devising the recipes she presents - pancake with peanut butter and jam - yuk!

aggie Wed 17-Jul-19 11:53:57

Pancake with peanut butter and Marmalade , much nicer smile

merlotgran Tue 23-Jul-19 13:11:53

I made the tortilla omelette thingy for lunch today and added some grated cheese to the mushrooms.

It worked and was tasty but a bit on the greasy side. Won't add cheese if I do it again.

henetha Wed 24-Jul-19 10:39:13

I've now watched the two programmes which I recorded.
Well, she's lovely isn't she. I like her presentation very much.
Some of the recipies sound do-able and I will try them.
As for tinned food, what's wrong with it? I often use tinned fruit and tinned peas etc. No different from using baked beans. I must admit I don't fancy tinned potatoes though.

shysal Wed 24-Jul-19 10:55:46

This puts me in mind of my MIL's idea of preparing a special meal for us. It was tinned ham with tinned potatoes, tinned carrots and tinned peas. Put me of them all for life! However, working mothers these days have little spare time so we shouldn't be snobbish about short cuts. Quick meals don't have to be unhealthy.

crazyH Wed 24-Jul-19 10:59:06

Did anyone think that Nadiya's cake for the queen was lopsided ?

merlotgran Wed 24-Jul-19 11:49:14

Thinking back to the tortilla omelette, I'm sticking to my guns about the high calorific value.

As DH pointed out, one of his favourite quick snacks is a fried egg sandwich but I serve it in thin sliced bread with only a smear of low fat spread.

Nadiya's recipe doubles the eggs at least, they are cooked in oil, the sun dried tomato paste also contains oil and once you add the tortilla, you are effectively serving your fried egg(s) sandwich in fried bread!!

I know a lot of you think I'm being unnecessary picky and critical and yes, Nadiya is a cheerful presenter but I disapprove of any cooking programme which encourages mothers/fathers to spend less time in the kitchen by rustling up meals which are laden with fat and sugar.

As DS used to say when he was little, 'Mum's being a grumpy griswald.' grin

00mam00 Tue 30-Jul-19 08:18:48

After previous comments I watched Last nights programme in disbelief. The timings don’t seem to take into account finding all the ‘handy’ jars of this and that. Great dollops of cold food dumped on top of hot. The quick chocolate mouse was disgusting! Sickly creamy and with uncooked cornflour, how could you eat that?