Recipe developer and content creator Veronica Wnuk describes herself as a “professional grocery shopper” because her job sees her roaming the supermarket aisles so frequently.
The Gold Coast-based food writer was trained as a chef, primarily working in casual dining venues. Her husband is also a chef, and when their two children came on the scene, Veronica felt the need to step back from the busy and “theatrical” hospitality industry to have more flexibility to care for their young family.
“Cooking doesn’t need to be complicated”
Veronica has seen how the daily grind of what to make for dinner and how to get it on the table quickly can become overwhelming for many home cooks, and was inspired to start sharing the knowledge and experience she gained from working in the hospitality industry.
“Working as a chef, and then later in head chef roles in casual dining venues meant that I developed a really good foundation for being thrifty, working towards budgets and meal prepping,” says Veronica. “I definitely incorporate that into the way I cook, and some of those things are handy for home cooks as well, having that prep mindset.”
“I try to channel my experience working in kitchens, but also my real-life experience as a mum, and someone who works and is busy, into the recipes and the content I share,” she continued.
“Cooking doesn’t need to be complicated. Lots of people meal plan for the week and line up their recipes that way. That can take quite a lot of effort. I try to encourage people to be more confident. If you’re picking seasonal vegetables and easy cuts of meat, and you’ve got your little flavour bombs – toppings you always go back to, you don’t always need to plan ahead.”
Veronica’s top grocery shopping tips
🥦 Use seasonal produce – you can get really fresh produce, and it’s usually cheaper to buy what’s in season. Look for fruit and veg that look beautiful and vibrant, and firm. Produce that’s in season will also be cheaper, more readily available, and look better than food that’s been imported or stored for long periods. Veronica’s advice is to shop at farmers’ markets if you can, as it is unlikely out-of-season produce will be sold at markets.
🥩 Pick “easy” protein – cheap cuts of meat that cook really quickly and require less prep, such as chicken wings or fillets of fish. These cook more quickly, so you don’t necessarily need to follow a recipe step-by-step.
🍛 Embrace the “tray dump” – food doesn’t have to be fancy! Veronica says: “Some of the recipes I share online, I call ‘tray dumps’, because you literally just dump the ingredients in your tray and put it in the oven, you don’t have to stand over the stove. My husband and I like to say your oven does the work for you! There’s no stirring or other steps.”
🔪 Cut up vegies based on your protein – cut up your vegetables to the right size so they cook at the same time as your protein. If you’re cooking fish, like in Veronica’s tray bake (below), cut your veggies up quite small because fish cooks quickly. If you’re cooking chicken thighs or drumsticks, it might take an hour, so you might use potatoes or pumpkin and cut them into larger pieces.
🥫 Use fridge and pantry staples – like soy sauce, honey, pastes such as miso or harissa, a spice mix, or a yoghurt-based sauce – something that you might already have or will keep for a long time, so you’re not always having to buy something quite niche that you might never use again. Buy things that you think you’ll actually cook with!
💰 Use online shopping lists or check unit pricing – even if you prefer to go to the shops in person rather than shop online, Veronica advises that using an online shopping list is a great tool to check specials and keep an eye on your spending before you hit the shops.
Tassal Fresh Tassie Barramundi Tray-Bake with Fennel and Leek
Serves 4
Introducing your new midweek dinner sidekick: Tassal Fresh Tassie Barramundi.
This is Veronica’s new favourite tray-dump. She says it’s quick to make, nutrient-packed, and tastes like you tried way harder than you did!
“All you need to do is slice up your veg, dress, nestle in a tray with your barramundi and bake for 12–15 minutes while you do literally anything else,” says Veronica.
“What comes out: golden, flaky fish, soft jammy veg, and a lemony buttery sauce that basically does all the work for you. Weeknight brain food, minus the stress.”
What you’ll need
- 2 x packets Tassal Fresh Tasmanian Barramundi fillets, skin on
- 1 large fennel bulb, washed and thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
- 1 lemon
- 50 g butter, cut into small cubes
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
How to make it
Step 1.
Heat oven to 200°C. Thinly slice your fennel and leeks. Add to a bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat.
Step 2.
Lay barramundi fillets skin side down in a baking tray, then nestle the veg around it. Squeeze over lemon juice and scatter the butter on top.
Step 3.
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the barramundi is just cooked through and flakes easily.
Step 4.
Serve straight from the tray, spooning the buttery juices over the fish. Delicious with crusty bread, potatoes, or perfect just as it is.
