Quick and easy lockdown recipes, shared by you (2024)

Takeaways, cafes and restaurants have been closed for the past few weeks, forcing New Zealanders to get creative and cook delicious home-made meals during lockdown.

If you've run out of quick and easy recipes for you and your whānau, check out the following recipes the public shared on RNZ's Recipe Swap Facebook page.

Banana Pancakes, by Shaan Blair

Here is an easy one that only has two ingredients - 2 eggs and 1 banana!

Just roughly mash banana in a bowl, add eggs and mix, then that's it! I topped mine with yoghurt and berries.

Simple Smoothie Bowl, by Vandna Patel

This is a simple super easy breakfast I do when I'm super hungry!

Just blend some mixed berries, milk (I use oat milk) and a tablespoon of vanilla protein powder. I don't add too much milk as I like my smoothies thick and it makes it easier to eat with a spoon.

Once it's all blended, I top it off with granola/muesli, shredded coconut, nuts and sliced banana!

It is a super flexible recipe, but the idea is just making a smoothie that is thick enough and topping it off with fruit, nut, granola etc.

Enjoy a fun breakfast alternative and keep SAFE!!!!

With the chilly weather starting to settle in, how about a nice warm soup for lunch?

Quick & Yummy Potato and Leek Soup, by Celeste Warner

Chop one large onion and fry with butter (or oil).

Add two chopped leeks and continue to fry (I've also added 3 rashers of bacon in with the leeks in this pot - normally I just do vegetarian).

Add three diced potatoes and stir in. Then add 1 litre of chicken stock and pepper and salt for taste.

Cover and bring to the boil then simmer on low until everything is soft (I've simmered around 45 minutes for the flavours to blend.)

Use a stick blender to get soup smooth and voila!

And how about a classic Kiwi recipe to go with your soup?

Ye Olde Cheese Rolls or Southern Sushi, by Jeanette Robinson Tromop

If using processed cheddar cheese, add a trickle of hot water 'til it's a spreadable consistent.

Add some onion flavour or dried onions.

Slather with one swoop on slice of white bread and roll into three, press.

Make many more, then grill and turn, gently squashing any that spring open.

Dip into chunky soup.

We've been spoilt for choice with dinner options. Here's a range of yummy recipes for you to try!

Josie's Lazy Lasagne, by Josie Bull

Make a basic cheese sauce with tasty and parmesan cheeses; flour and milk. Add nutmeg and parsley too if you have them.

Whilst cheese sauce is cooking, cook the pasta; you can use whatever pasta takes your fancy. Warm the pasta sauce.

Lightly oil a lasagne dish or whatever you have available.

Layer the sauce then the pasta. Continue layering if you have enough of each.

Top with the cheese sauce and grate bread crumbs on the top of the dish. ENJOY!

Carbonara! Everyone's Fav! By Fiona Mckenzie

Crispy bacon, mushrooms, a chilli, splashed with Worcestershire sauce and heaps of pepper.

Toss in barely cooked spaghetti. Remove from heat, grate parmesan, then tong through two whole eggs beaten with two egg yolks.

Use tongs to combine. Upend on a platter and add more parmesan and pepper.

Watch it disappear.

Laksa Type Curry, by Serra Jane Kilduff

My favourite is a laksa type curry. I get yellow curry paste, fry up onions and garlic (now's the time to add chicken or tofu).

Add veggies like kumara, zucchini, carrot etc and a bit of water.

Let everything simmer until tender, then stir in a tablespoon of Pic's crunchy peanut butter.

Lastly add a good amount of coconut cream.

This is good with rice noodles, bean sprouts and a hard-boiled egg on top, but fine with other noodles, with rice or by itself.

Home-made Naan Bread, by Ruth Fulford

Add 2 teaspoons yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar to 1+1/2 cups warm water

In another bowl add 3 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix wet into dry ingredients.

Knead for a bit and leave to double in size (an hour or so).

Split into 10-12 portions, flatten out with fingers and cook in frying pan.

I like to use a higher temperature and cooking oil, but you can use lower temperature and less oil.

You can it roll out thinner and use as wraps or tacos too.

Helps to bulk out sauce-based dinners when feeding teenagers - if you can find the flour!

Wrap Pizza, by Katherine Parlane

Take a wrap, sprinkle with any grated cheese, put another wrap on top. Spread canned tomatoes and fresh diced garlic, tommy sauce, BBQ sauce or whatever you have on top.

Top with cheese, any veggies you have and any salami, ham, bacon you have/like. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat a tray for your pizza in the oven on hot, hot, hot. Remove tray and place pizza on it and back in the oven. Turn heat down to 180°C.

Bake 10 minutes (watch closely) till cheese is bubbling. Wait a bit and then share it with your lover.

This one's for the vegans and it looks so delish!

Pulled BBQ Jackfruit and bao buns (vegan), by Zac Haldane

Tinned jackfruit drained, pulled apart then mixed with your fave BBQ / jerk style sauce. Crisp it up on high in a pan. * add liquid smoke if you have for smoky flave.

Shred your cabbage and carrot and create a Korean inspired sauce with whatever you have in the fridge or pantry.

Find Bao buns in an Asian grocers' freezer section - defrost in microwave 30" or in oven. Alternatively use wraps.

Desired sauces: Egg free mayo, sriracha mayo, hoisin or faux oyster sauce (again, from Asian grocer) or just more BBQ sauce.

And finally, perhaps the most anticipated meal in the household, dessert.

Kiwi Classic - Choc Self-Saucing Pudding, by Talia Brown

1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 50g butter, 1/2 cup milk, 3tbsp cocoa

Melt the butter and milk together. Add in the dry ingredients and stir till well combined. Place in deep baking dish.

Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa and sprinkle on top of the pudding. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over top.

Bake 180C for 35-40 minutes.

For more recipes, check out the RNZ Recipe Swap group page on Facebook. Share your Masterchef meals with us and the nice home-made eats getting you through this lockdown period.