One of the most challenging part after having the new baby was when it comes to preparation of meals.
We usually eat out on weekends. On weekdays, apart from breakfast, I usually have to prepare dinner for the family and occasionally lunch for myself as Malcolm takes his lunch in school everyday.
Before the baby, I usually take about an hour to cook dinner. This includes preparation, cooking and washing up. With the baby, I realized that having an hour of uninterrupted cooking time is close to impossible. I now aim to finish cooking within 1/2 of the time.
Each meal is limit to one stir fry dish, usually a meat dish and vegetable is usually served in the soup to reduce the amount of time I have to spend in the kitchen.
I am now a sucker for hassle free recipes. Recipes that are easy to follow, little wash up and meet our needs for meat and vegetables.
Today, we had Vegetables in Chicken Broth and Stir Fry Beef with Mushrooms and Asparagus.
The soup was prepared earlier while the baby was napping. The beef was done after my husband returned from work, just before dinner was served. We served the dish directly from the utensils to reduce the washing
Life is certainly busier with the new baby but I like the fact that we are now finding new ways to make our lives easier.
New challenges thus spur us to become better and in our case, better managers for our lives.
You are so hardworking… to cook meals every weekday. And that is so true about serving dishes directly from the utensils to reduce the washing – I do that too, despite cooking only once in a blue moon
i thought im the only one: vege served in the soup; cook hassle free dishes; served the dish from the utensils; sometime share the bowl if hubby and i are not eating at the same time… cant imagine how my life will evolve next…
but with your sharing, i guess i will be good:).
its really not easy having to juggle it all. I cook veggie soup too..simple and good. try ABC soup next time..only one dish meal
potatoes + carrots + chicken meat/pork + celery + tomatoes. 
I too go for simple dishes since need to cook lunch for both dylan and myself. best even to hv minimum oil used in the cooking so least detergent and shorter washing time. hahaha
lately my baby got abit whiny and needs to be carry even when I’m busy preparing a meal. challenging ya, but this actually got us to work smarter and faster. =)
Aifang, coz I used to go to sch full time during my 1st trip here in AZ, but still need to cook, the experience has allowed me to learn how to ‘pre-prepare’ many things to cut down cooking time..(esp now with Samuel saving 5-10 mins is better than none right!!) I would buy loads of garlic, ginger and red onions(shallots are too time comsuming) for garlic n red onions, I would peel/wash then grind them real fine mixing in veg oil when I grind them.. For Ginger, after grinding, I would cook it too remove excess moisture then add sesame oil in..With these 3 in my fridge ready (they can last 3-4 mths..no prob)…cooking is really faster:)On a really busy day, thaw a piece of fish, rub salt, rinse off, a tbsp of ginger…steam it..DONE..:).never will u need to chop garlic fine too!!..heat ur pan, tbsp of garlic, veg in…DONE!! My onions are usually used for dishes like curry, fish soup..tbsp of onions, tbsp of ginger, add ikan bilis, sugar, dash of salt, water, boil, add in your fish cake, tofu..blar blar, lastly sliced fish..tadah..FISH SOUP..(I cook this like almost every alt day now that hub is at tdy and Samuel still milking me..I add evaporated milk too) I call them my ??
hope it helps 
Rachel : thanks Dawn! I ought to try out your fish soup recipe one of these days…and thanks for the tips!
Maybe can consider making stew or soup with LOTS of ingredients in it.
All you need is the slow cooker. Dump everything in and Ta-Daa, you are free to roam…. *giggle*
Then again, when the little one is cooperative, fry an additional dish or two as a form of celebration. *wink*
thanks all for sharing your helpful tips !
Will try out to see what works best for me.
it’s kind of good to know that I m not the only busy mum around