You know what it's like after a hard day at the office: you're tired, frustrated and just want to relax when you get back home. The last thing on your mind is standing in front of a hot cooker.
It's scenarios like that which have made takeaways so popular, whether it's a greasy cheeseburger, kebab meat of unknown origin or the old staple fish and chips. They're all enticing after a long day, and so easy...
But for a quick, simple meal, the takeaway isn't the only choice. You can knock up sandwiches, wraps, salad or pasta in a matter of minutes, and they're all cheaper and healthier than a takeaway.
There are a number of quick and easy recipes that you can use to make paninis, bagels and other posh sandwiches.
A favourite of mine is a delicious hot ciabatta with roast vegetables and cream cheese. Here's how you make it:
Chop up a mixture of vegetables - what you use is down to personal preference. I like courgettes, orange pepper, red onion and some cherry tomatoes. Put the vegetables onto an oven tray, drizzle some olive oil over them and sprinkle a few herbs on top. Place this into a hot oven and roast for about 20 minutes.
While that's cooking, why not change out of your work clothes into something more comfy, and open a bottle of wine before starting the next simple phase. Just make sure you give the vegetables the occasional shake so that they cook evenly.
Slice the ciabatta bread and toast it on a hot griddle pan with a splash of olive oil. This should be on a low heat, and keep a close watch on it as it only takes a few seconds.
And lastly, spread cream cheese onto the bread, remove the vegetables from the oven and scatter them onto the bread. Served with a simple side salad, this is a delicious, satisfying meal that's so simple to put together.
All in all, it takes about 25 minutes to prepare and cook this quick and easy recipe, and once you've got the vegetables in the oven that's the hardest part out of the way. And there won't be much washing up afterwards, either.
Here's an extra tip: make more roast vegetables than you need, as they are perfect for an additional snack - for example, in hummus for a quick lunchtime snack.
Although it's simple, experimentation is what makes a chef great and cooking so much fun. Why not try making a panini, bagel or ciabatta with different fillings. Use a variety of your favourite fillings, such as ham, cheese, salad and vegetables and there's a very good chance it'll taste great.
And remember that there's a huge selection of chutneys, relishes and jams available that will spice up even the simplest of sandwiches. For example, chili jam is a great, spicy addition to a chicken and cheese bagel.
And for more easy recipe ideas, keep an eye on your local delicatessens' and cafes' menus, and try to replicate their more interesting-sounding choices at home.
Of course, you can also try the Internet. Because you have access to the whole world, you can find some amazing recipe ideas online. Because of their Italian heritage, paninis really benefit from a wide range of tasty ideas.
So it doesn't matter how tired or fed-up you are when you get home from a long day, there's always something simple and quick you can prepare in the same time it would take for your takeaway to arrive.
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