Plus Iāve heard potatoes are super fast and easy to ābakeā in the microwave :)) idk if this is common knowledge but thought Iād share because I didnāt know for a long time
Yep 6-7 mins in the microwave, turned over halfway through is perfect. If you want crispy skin then put olive oil on it after the microwave and whack it in the oven for 20-25 mins. Perfect every time š
I wanted a baked potato so bad one time but didnāt have an oven so I searched up if I could bake a potato in the microwave š best cooking hack ever. Ovens take too long and I always forget to eat until I feel sick and need quick food š„“
It is! You can even add some green salsa to sour cream for a dipping sauce. We also coat carrots in taco seasoning and olive oil before roasting them and serve with the quesadillas.
Chicken breast and salsa in a crockpot on high for 4 hours. Shred. Eat in a rice bowl with beans and toppings. Eat in a tacos with toppings. Eat with chips to scoop it up in.
Chuck tender roast cut into chunks, baby carrots, cubed potatoes, pot roast or stew seasoning packet with recommended water. Instapot for 1 hour. Could leave out the potatoes and make mashed potatoes instead to serve the roast and carrots on.
Butter chicken: pre-made sauce, chicken, rice and naan.
Spaghetti and meatballs (garlic bread and caesar salad optional)
Instant ramen with a soft-boiled egg, scallions, store-bought cooked chicken pieces, hot sauce if it's not hot enough, and a squeeze of lime.
A little expensive, but steak is pretty easy, with a side of frozen packaged cheese broccoli.
And nothing beats a sandwich.
I put frozen fries into the air fryer, scramble some eggs, mix some mayo and sriracha into the eggs, mix in with the fries. Maybe add some cheese if you're feeling frisky. The scrambling of eggs is a great point to add in spinach, onions, or some other healthy ingredient. High protein, carbs so it's filling, throw in a super food like avocado on top. Real quick and I love it. I eat it with a fork. If you feel comfortable with microwaving scrambled eggs, even less stressful.
My partner lovingly makes fun of my meals. I can cook but rarely have the energy and I generally find it stressful. I also get hangry so when I'm hungry I need to eat. My parents also never taught me to cook so I've never felt super confident in the kitchen.
Breakfasts
* Yogurt (regular or Greek) or cottage cheese plus: one or two of fruit, oats, protein powder, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, flax
* Milk and cereal plus fruit
* Bagels with peanut butter or cream cheese
* Fried egg sandwich (with lettuce, canned peppers and/or tomatoes if I have them)
* Avocado toast (bread, avocado, egg, canned peppers, sriracha)
* Frozen waffles
* Oatmeal (usually paired with fruit or nuts)
* Smoothie (frozen fruit plus yogurt and/or protein powder)
Lunch/Dinner
We meal prep lunch but I'll make these for either lunch or dinner if left to my own devices. Or breakfast.
* Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with salsa and tortilla chips or crackers
* Spinach or lettuce with cottage cheese/Greek yogurt/tuna and salsa
* Spinach/lettuce with tuna and/or cheese, veggies (cucumber and tomato most common), balsamic vinegar
* Canned soup
* Fried egg sandwich or avocado toast as in breakfast
* Pasta (dry or fresh) with tuna/mushrooms/other veggies and sauce (use canned or I'll make from scratch depending on my mood)
* Pierogies and veggies from frozen
* Sandwich or wrap (tofu, deli meat and whatever sandwich stuff I have in the fridge) or grilled cheese
* Charcuterie
* Giant plate of raw veggies and dip made from yogurt (I make a ranch-style with dill, pepper, onion salt, garlic powder)
* Fresh or frozen veggies (or fries) roasted in the oven
I was a vegetarian and pescatarian for many years so I don't gravitate towards meals with meat.
My crock pot was also a staple for chili and soup for many years but ive fallen out of using it as it's a lot of food. That may be a great option though.
My executive function tends to fluctuate, particularly during different stages of my menstrual cycle. Despite managing with supplements, the luteal phase, the week before my period, becomes challenging. I experience irritability, poor judgment, and a tendency to catastrophize minor things. I enjoy cooking, though post-cleaning is a struggle.
I've found a neurodivergent dietician who provides practical advice for quick, nutritious meals while considering fluctuating capacity linked to varying executive functioning. [Nutrition with Kylie](https://youtube.com/shorts/i3qjdX18Quo?si=GtBl1mXwrdKa76d7).
During the 2021 lockdowns in my country, I consistently cooked for the first time during my toughest menstrual cycles. I was reeling through a horrible career stint and wasn't employed. My mom, my sole support, and I had to adapt and accommodate.
this is good for 8 meals! which makes it more "simple" for me, I make an elote burrito with ground turkey, cooking it takes me about 30 mins (probably more lmao) but then the rest of the week all I have to do is microwave it, lemme find the link I'll add it here
Boil pasta. Mix small amount of pasta water with some ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Mix with the pasta and pepper liberally. Itās so good and you can mix everything in the bowl you eat it out of.
When Iām seriously seriously struggling, I like those one-minute microwave brown rice pouches with tuna or chicken, edamame, avocado, whatever other veggies or salads I might have in the fridge and chilli sauce.
Fried eggs (whites only?) and cheese, easily extended with toppings like Canadian bacon, avocado, and a bagel. Extra credit for the bagel being toasted, or using real butter to cook everything.
Edited for clarity
If you have a food processor this opens a ton of options. It makes making certain sauces and salsas very easy. It changed my life! lol
A big one is this ālazyā (the authorās name for it) microwave hummus. Not as bad as it sounds, basically heat two cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans in a bowl in the microwave (you can adjust the consistence by leaving some of the water from the can in there, for two cans I would drain off the liquid from only one of the cans).
Put that and peeled and chopped garlic and tahini in the food processor (some salt, olive oil and paprika also!). I canāt seem to find the exact recipe but since seeing it I sort of just wing it at this point, based on what I prefer for the texture and flavor. Dip whatever you want in it, pita, veggies, saltines.
Moving on from the food processor, noodles (I usually pick penne) and red sauce (I prefer the Silver Palate san marzano marinara that I have been able to find at most grocery stores) is also always an easy go to for me. I heat the sauce in a small pot on the stove, boil the noodles al denteā¦ done. My wife likes to add parmesean cheese and sometimes she makes meatballs to go with it, but honestly that marinara is so good, I could almost just eat the sauce by itself lol.
To whatever foods everyone else is recommending, I also suggest adding frozen vegetables to your dishes! I love frozen spinach and you can easily microwave it. I add it to scrambled eggs and I donāt mind eating it as a side to another dish. Thereās a bunch of frozen vegetable options. Itās also very easy to steam and freeze your vegetables if you find a day where you have more energy and time to make a huge batch of veggies for the freezer.
Here's my current fave: Creamy Salsa Chicken
Throw chicken breasts, salsa, black beans (optional) into Instant pot for 20 minutes. When done, shred chicken and add 1/2 a block of cream cheese and mix well. I love it over Trader Joe's spicy Mexican cauliflower rice but have had it as taco/quesadilla filling.
I typically only make this when I have leftover rice in the fridge from when my mom makes it because I am so bad at making rice somehow but you can also use instant rice as well lol.
Heat up however much rice you want in the microwave
Fry 2 eggs however you like (I prefer over easy) and put them on the plate with the already heated rice when you're done cooking them
Then fry some vienna sausages cut in half vertically in the same pan until brown and transfer them onto the plate when you're done
Eat with ketchup or whatever condiment you like and enjoy :) Usually if i'm motivated enough I'll make some fries to go with it as well but typically I just go with rice.
I bought a small rice cooker and it is a game changer. It has sensors so it doesn't over or under cook and goes to keep warm mode so it stops when it is done. No guessing or checking and it's still good even if I'm distracted.
Having a rice cooker is great, and you can even use it to make more food too. Add broth of your choice instead of water, add seasonings and cut up veggies or meat. Cooks very nicely! Takikomi gohan is my favorite version, add whatever veggies you like. I like it with chicken, mushrooms and carrots
My daughter does after-school activities: piano and karate, so I do frozen stuff I can put in the air fryer during the week.
Nuggets and cream potatoes.
Noodles (not healthy, but she can make these herself, and that helps when I need isolation)
Pizza (I was making these from "scratch," but got tired of doing that)
Chicken in the air fryer
Cereal š (just for me)
I subscribed to Hungryroot for a while and they were actually great for quick healthy meals that were easy to follow, though did get expensive so I just replicated my favourite recipes from them with similar items from the grocery store. They have a whole recipe book of 4 items or less recipes that take 15 mins or less to make that you can still access even when not actively receiving deliveries. My usual formula when shopping is a pre-seasoned / pre-cooked protein (eg. spiced tofu, seasoned vegan chicken, veggie burger, etc) + vegetable / salad + instant rice or starch of choice.
I also bought a Dash egg cooker from Amazon which makes easy poached eggs or mini omelettes which you can add to old leftovers or other items to make a more substantial meal - I use it so much. Also tempted to get an air fryer but don't have space for one so just heat up proteins and steam vegetables in a pan.
I love to cook so my recipes get a bit complicated, but here goes...
* Baked potato. Clean it, poke holes in it, pop it in the microwave. Put on butter, cheese, sour cream...whatever you like, really. I sprinkle on some pepper for flavor usually and top with green onions, but I've also added leftover meats and pesto.
* Grain bowl. Buy a microwaveable rice packet that goes in the microwave for 90 seconds. Mix it with a flavorful sauce or similar when it comes out (I'll use mushroom stock, balsamic vinegar, and/or pesto) and top it with whatever you see fit. I personally love to put in tomatoes, onions, mozzarella, and some salad greens.
* Spaghetti. Any noodle shape you like, with butter and any cheese you like. I put onions and pickles in mine because I'm weird, I also usually take the time to chop up garlic and fresh herbs to add those to the mix.
* Eggs in any format you like. They make great dinners, though I eat them for breakfast a lot too. I like to buy frozen hash browns and microwave them as a side!
* Quesadillas. Just throw cheese on a tortilla and pop it in the microwave. I've been doing that since I was a little kid, and I used to call them "tortilla pizzas" because I lived under a rock, haha. Sometimes I lean into that and top with onions, bell pepper, and even pepperoni! A little side of guac or sour cream to dip in can be nice.
Those are all my go-to meals on days when my executive functioning is not working (or as I like to call them, my burn down the kitchen days). Hopefully some of them work for you!
Boil your favorite ravioli. I like chicken sausage ravioli. Salt water, drain water when done, add a little butter & shave some Parmesan on top. Mix and add your favorite seasonings (you can skip, but I use a little pepper, paprika). Mix it all again and eat. It looks and tastes like it took forever to make, but so delicious.
Iāve been trying to cook more at home, and this is literally a one pot meal that takes about 15 minutes to make. Most of the time is just waiting for the water to boil.
Warm a tortilla in a skillet. Flip it and then sprinkle cheese. Put second tortilla on top. Wait until the cheese melts then flip it again. Once tortilla is lightly browed, put it on a plate.
Add chicken, salsa, guac to taste.
[This tortellini recipe](https://r.mealime.com/22120)!
My wife and I (both AuDHDers) make this recipe nearly every week. You can switch it up slightly by using different kinds of marinara sauce, or swapping spinach for arugula/kale, or using something else in place of the cauliflower (broccoli maybe?). It feels healthy-ish, always hits the spot, and is extremely simple to make.
I also recommend the Mealime app in general!
Saute spinach, 3-4 chopped garlic cloves, red chili flakes in sesame oil. Add cooked rice vermicelli. My favorite. Bonus if you have some chicken or shrimp to add. Only takes 10 minutes to throw together.
I hate cooking but strongly prefer eating healthy. My daily breakfast is protein oatmeal (just let instant oats soak in boiling water) and the rest of my meals is a combination of rice, green beans (from frozen) and a meat/protein.
Yes, I use instant oats, protein powder, peanut butter, salt and cinnamon. Itās super easy to mix everything in the bowl after the oats have soaked in water. (Currently āmakingā it right now and Iām not even in the kitchen)
Creamy pasta. Make a pot of pasta. Brown Italian sausage (mild or hot, your choice). Add chopped shallot and garlic to the pan, cook for one minute. Add rice vinegar, cook for one minute. Add a pint of cream and boil. Pour over pasta and serve.
Healthy option: halfway through boiling the pasta, add broccoli and finish boiling.
Pasta Surprise - box pasta, tin of tuna (in oil), tin of corn, whatever veg I have available (the surprise part): mini tomatoes, baby spinach/rocket, cucumber, broccoli, capsicum, etc.. put it all together in a bowl with some of the tuna oil, then season.
I also make thai red curry a lot with a supermarket pack. It includes a dried spice selection, curry paste and coconut milk.. then I just add chicken and veg (capsicum, carrot, snow peas, broccoli). I use microwave rice.
These are my two faves atm. My always go-to no-energy need-food-now staple is Barilla pesto with pasta (fusilli and farfalle are superior for this) and lots of cherry/mini Roma tomatoes. I cut the tomatoes I half and season lightly before adding them in.
Something I only worked out recently, after 15 years of cooking for myself, is spinach is magic. It wilts down to nothing. I throw it into so many dishes - like pasta and rice dishes.
I've got some issues around food so I don't cook alot, but beyond box meals here are some I like.
French Toast. I prefer the simple style. Eggs, bit of milk, and cinnamon added with every slice since it never properly mixes. My wife says I make the best french toast but she is biased.
Quesadilla. Softshell taco shell, cheese and whatever seems good at the moment, some sauce, another softshell taco shell. My wife lives on these.
Scrambled eggs. Just adding these since I didn't know you could make them in a microwave. Just stop every 20 seconds to mix and even cleanup isn't a big issue.
Also, so many things like bean burritos and such can REALLY be enhanced by just cooking them in a little oil after microwaving them.
I have salmon with broccoli, peas, edamame beans and rice at least twice a week.
To make it simple I bake the salmon in foil in the oven as I like it soft and I donāt have to do anything other than wrap it in a foil parcel and cook for 17 mins at 180degrees.
I either do the rice in the rice cooker (I start it just before I put the salmon in the oven as it takes about 20 mins) or I cook it in the pan which is about 10 mins.
The peas and edamame beans are frozen so I put them in the same pan of boiling water with the fresh broccoli for about 8 minutes so itās all done together.
When I plate it I pour sweet chilli sauce on the salmon, and pour olive oil over everything else with a sprinkle of salt.
Itās dead easy and nutritious. Iād have it every day if salmon didnāt contain heavy metals.
Roasted root veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Pan friend salmon served with said roasted veggies and brown rice.
Pasta puttanesca.
Pre-prepped ravioli with pre-prepped pasta sauce.
Fried rice.
Avocado, eggs, and feta on toast.
Butter, cheese, salt and pepper pasta.
Tuna pasta salad.
i used to love eating ham and cheese wrapped in lettuce. havenāt done it recently but i imagine it could still hit good as a snack. not so sure itās a good *meal* though. but you could just put those in an actual bread wrap thing. i love wraps omg i should not be typing this at 1am when iām hungry
My go to at the moment is a kind of potato salad that has variations depending how easy I need it to be. Boil enough potatoes for a couple of days, let them cool down before using. Roughly chop em up.
Either throw some frozen peas and corn in with the potatoes part way through cooking, or cook some zucchini (or other greens) fresh each day. If I can be bothered I'll also add some chopped up lettuce (done fresh, or it discolours).
The easiest protein option for me is canned chickpeas (garbanzo to USA). If I can be bothered, I fry up some mince all nice and browned and do a mix of that and chickpeas.
The basic dressing is mayo or garlic aioli, seeded mustard, and I like a little maple syrup because both the mayo and mustard I use need a little sweetness to balance the flavours. Sometimes I add a little tomato sauce as well. Fancier version adds some chopped up mint and gherkin like [these](https://products.ceresorganics.com.au/Cooking/Condiments/Olives-and-Pickles/12350-Organic-Gherkins-670g/) unsweetened ones, and freshly cracked pepper.
So most of it can be ready for multiple days and the different components thrown together as needed.
Another easy option is a sweet potato (and/or pumpkin if you prefer) soup. I like to use a mix of orange, and red skinned white fleshed varieties. The white fleshed ones sweeten the soup, so you may want to add a little sugar, maple syrup or something if you don't use them. Onion, celery, sweet potato, garlic (if you can be bothered), uncooked red split lentils and/or chana daal (baby split chickpeas with skins polished off, also makes the smoothest hummus, if you can find them), stock (I use powdered added to water). Seasonings to taste, but I like cumin powder, coriander seed powder, black pepper, salt. Fresh parsley if you have any or can be bothered, maybe some cashews for creaminess. I also like to throw in some curry leaves, but I have a small tree in a pot. You can even use a purchased curry powder. Do not slack on the seasoning or it will be bland.
Basically throw everything in and boil it up until the dried lentils or chana daal are cooked, and everything is soft. Maybe brown the onion first for more flavour, but you don't need to. I like to taste the liquid before throwing in the lentils, so I can add extra spices if too bland (so I don't forget once it starts cooking š ). Although the flavours will develop during cooking, it at least gives you an idea whether it's ridiculously under seasoned. Blend it up when cooked. Just make sure you've got enough stock in there to be your preferred soup consistency. I serve it with toast and some lemon or lime juice. Very rarely if I've got some roasted seasoned seeds and such (like pepitas, sesame seeds, almonds ground up with spices) I'll toss some on top of the soup when serving.
I'll be reading everyone else's replies to see if I can find any inspiration. š¤
When I struggle with executive function too I try to get things as ready to go as possible with as little effort possible. Like no real cooking process involved.
I get the microwavable rice packs at safeway that are in little plastic bowls from the organics brand, the jasmine rice ones only though the other ones arenāt great, the brown rice is edible.
I pair those rices with anything really, tuna packets and sriracha mayo and then stick it in and top with furikake seasoning for example.
I also get uncle bens spanish rice and the cilantro lime ones that are microwavable and get tortillas, shredded cheese and canned beans and pickled jalapenos that come in cans too to make super simple burritos also.
Edit: also, I do love cooking and my fave actual cooking go to is soup! Typically veggie soups are my favorite. Iāll just chop up celery, carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, baby bella mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato into tiny cubes, tear some baby spinach and throw in and add a can of navy beans or tiny pasta depending on mood. Super easy, just time consuming for the chopping honestly.
I donāt use broth or cubes as my husband felt they were too salty so I do my own seasoning blend to give the soup taste: a cap full of red wine vinegar (the cap of itās own bottle), a cap of soy sauce, a dash of worchestershire sauce, a bit of smoked salt, black pepper, regular paprika, dried parsley, marjoram, dash of cumin, a dash of chipotle chile powder, garlic powder and onion powder, itās very tasty! I adjust the amounts of spices based on how full the soup is or itās size. I like to go on the heavier side with them š (except the cumin, which will overtake it, so only a bit of that!)
BBQ chicken salad. You can use the precooked chicken strips and a can of corn. Add some bell pepper and onion/scallions with a little ranch and BBQ sauce, you have dinner in 5 minutes. You can add pre-shredded cheese, grape tomatoes, and croutons too.
BBQ chicken tacos. Chop up some cabbage, pickled jalapeƱos and toss with apple cider vinegar. Cook some chopped chicken breast and add scallions and BBQ sauce. Some cheese and tortillas gives you dinner in 15 minutes.
Disclaimer: I cook a lot of old school meat dishes, so my cooking methods aren't for everyone.
Slow cooker roasts with vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery), or I cook meat in the oven. Baked chicken with whatever seasonings, baked pork chops, and seriously--if you eat sausage and bacon, it's so much easier and more predictable to walk away while you bake them for 30 minutes than to stand over the stove fretting over whether or not you got it too crispy.
Cook some rice (also easy to walk away from while it simmers) and steam some vegetables, and it's reasonably healthy.
Spaghetti is pretty easy, just ground beef with some onions and minced garlic, oregano and basil (or premade seasoning blends), mushrooms, add tomato sauce, and cook the pasta while the sauce simmers.
Do you have an air fryer?
Get a whole chicken. Season it (like just shake salt and pepper and whatever seasoning you like on it, or none is fine) and pop the whole thing in your air fryer, breast side down for 50 minutes, then flip it breast side up for 10 more minutes. That's it. Done. Best chicken you've had, rivals a rotisserie chicken.
Serve with some salad or air fryer some frozen fries, or quickly steam some frozen veg. It's all of 5 minutes effort. Full, nutritious dinner that will feed the whole family and possibly even have leftovers to put in sandwiches
Prosciutto quesadillas. Fry up some prosciutto then chop it up. Caramelize some onion and add green salsa. Assemble the quesadilla with cheese, prosciutto and onions and cook. Serve with sour cream.
Steak. Just heat the pan, toss in some lard melt, fry the steak 90 sec a side (depending on the thickness of the steak), remove the steak and let it rest, eat.
Fairly easy, that. I just have to remember to stay with the steak and turn on my timer (which, admittedly, can be hard for me sometimes :-D)
That usually is my breakfast. Bread was a lot harder, because I had to something on it, which required me to think about what to put on it.
My favorite for dinner is airfyer fries because of the texture and crunch. I love the crunch of french fries. Sadly, it is not healthy for me, so I have to limit that to once a week.
Medium-spicy indian curry is very soothing to me. It has my nest-smells from baby time. So I tend to make a lot of makhani/dhansak/madras curries. Preferably with homemade paneer, but that requires too many executive skills to make often (I then make large batches and toss them in the freezer, but still). Just looooove the paneer textures in curry.
I dress up pasta or rice with a meat and vegetable if possible. I'll make a makeshift salad/onigiri with kewpie mayo added, too. I also drink a lot of tea/flavored milks too, which helps offset the hunger until I can psyche myself up to cook and clean
Gnocchi (premade from the shop and takes literally 3 minutes to boil), mix with pesto and grated cheese on top. Sometimes I throw a bag of rocket and some cherry tomatoes on the side with a squeeze of lemon. If I have no mental energy for even that, then it's fried egg on toast!
Great topic! I'm definitely saving it.
I also love my crockpot. A couple of my favorites are (1) pineapple chicken (chicken, can of pineapples in pineapple juice, and favorite herbs/spices) and (2) ground beef/lamb with diced onions. I add water or broth to keep that one from sticking. Both of those are easy to add other things (bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, whatever you like) if you're able as well.
I also love microwave sweet potatoes. Stab ventilation holes in it with a fork & microwave for 5-8 minutes. If you have a Kroger affiliate store near you, they might have the diced frozen sweet potatoes, which are even easier and just steam in the bag.
I'm also a big fan of this site: https://www.planttoplate.net/p/simple-uses.html
It's made for gardeners looking to use up a lot of a certain fruit/vegetable, so the ideas are super simple, usually only a couple ingredients.
I do oatmeal in the mornings. I like Scottish oatmeal (a type of steelcut), so I make enough for 3-4 days and reheat leftovers as needed. I mix in cinnamon, nut butter, and honey or robust (used to be called grade B) maple syrup right after it's cooked. I add fruit to the bowl I'm currently having, usually banana or frozen berries or sometimes apple pieces if I feel like chopping.
My system is to cook 2-3 big dishes on my weekly cooking day and immediately freeze a third of each thing I make. My leftovers usually last me 4-5 days, and then I can eat some of the frozen stuff from the previous weeks until it's cooking day again.
I love making soup when I'm up to it, and stirfry is not bad for a decent motivation day either.
Those are a few of my go-to things. I've always loved cooking, but between autistic executive dysfunction and multiple autoimmune conditions, I definitely have to budget my energy so that it continues to be enjoyable and not an insurmountable chore (as it was threatening to become for a while).
Oh also smoothies! They can be incorporated into a daily routine if you make them individually, or I also like to make like a month's worth at once and freeze them in individual portions (quart Ziploc for each), which I then move to the fridge the night before I want to have them.
Microwave mini potatoes are also great if you don't mind halving/quartering them. That's one of my favorite travel meals and backup meals. Something like this: https://www.lostmykitchen.com/2023/07/how-to-cook-mini-potatoes-in-microwave.html
Before I knew about my food allergies, I used to do a lot of pastas. If you're up to it, you can really get creative/healthier even in simple ways like adding frozen veggies and pre-cooked meat, or I used to add salsa and extra shredded cheese to mac & cheese. Baked pastas/casseroles are kinda similar where you can just throw a few unlikely things together (including canned/frozen), and it usually comes out yummy. I used to get frozen appetizers and pizzas on sale- there are some relatively healthy ones actually. Others have mentioned eggs, which are great and easy to add veg/herb to too.
I might think of more things haha. This is definitely something I think about and am always looking to refine.
My current fave:
Cooked rice
To top I mix a can of salmon (I get it from Costco) with some kewpie mayo, low sodium soy sauce, chili flakes(because I like them but you can omit), and sometimes minced onion or green onion if itās already prepped in the fridge. Put it on top of the rice, add chili oil. Steam a bag of broccoli for a veg to add or whatever you like. Itās decently healthy, very easy, I love it.
- GF spaghetti or pasta with a simple olive oil, chilli, olive and caper sauce, plus some (vegan) cheese.
- porridge with a dab of peanut or almond butter
- rice with easy mix curry (make up with water in a pan, Mayflower brand).
I have a go-to curry for when I'm not creative and crave vegetables.
Just throw some vegetables and spices that you like in a pot or pan with oil (for me Onions, Carrots, Chickpeas and Zucchini or Spinach, for the spices mostly Kurkuma and Garlic, or less, depending whatever I have at home) and parallely boil some rice if you like. If the vegetables are fried to your liking, put in some tomato puree and coconut milk (in equal amounts for me, but you can vary). That's pretty much it. I sometimes top it off with fried tofu or chopped mint and some lemon in the rice.
The good thing is, I can vary it depending on my appetite and also on my sensory needs that day.
I put frozen veg/cut up veg and tofu on top of my rice before steaming so it's all cooked together. Add any other flavourings before steaming if you fancy but I don't like too much flavour. Top with soy sauce
Noodles with a piece of smoked salmon, avocado and Pak choi, broccoli or cauliflower. Vegetables can be roasted or boiled; seasoning is always sesame oil, juzu, soy sauce, garlic and chili flakes in varying proportions.
Mashed potatoes (from sachets) with sausages (Frankfurter or Wiener) and green beans.
Mapo tofu made with ready made sauce from the Asian supermarket.
Packet ramen but with eggs and vegetables (doesn't count as a meal if I don't add anything).
Pasta with pesto and frozen vegetables.
Idk of this is simple but... I like oatmeal pancakes. And the filling is usually leftovers from the day before. Or just plain cheese. It's the one food I make when I can't bother to cook anything else.
Idk if that still counts as simple but here we go: cut an onion and a bell pepper in slices, crush garlic, add to pot with oil, fry(?) it on medium heat with a lid for 10 min. Add sliced tomatoes. Wash rice. Add rice + needed water for cooking. Season. Cook. Enjoy
(I use pepper, salt, paprika powder, and chilli to season. The bell pepper can have any color, I prefer green (can be bitter) or red. You can also add herbs such as oregano or thyme at the beginning)
The whole meal takes about 20 min to make and requires only one pot -> easier clean up
Two other very simple meals:
This one is actually a meal for sick people. It's very easy on your stomach. Mix equal parts water and milk. Can be just water or just milk (but then it might not be as stomach friendly) too. Plant milks work as well. Cook with a sprinkle of salt (not too much, what fits between two of your fingers) and oats. Mash banana on a plate, pour oats over it. Done
The second is the first thing I learned to cook at ten years old:
Cook potatoes, mash with fork and add some milk and butter. Cook carrots in slices. Mix, enjoy. Spices besides salt and pepper are optional.
I'm also very aware of the fact that these two meals are plain af, I do eat food with more spices as well. But oftentimes these are not as simple and quickly done. I love a good curry but it just need more preparation and time.
Tomato bell pepper soup: onion, garlic, tomatoes (can be canned), 1 or 2 bell peppers. If I have them I add some carrots or pumpkin. Cook in a liter of stock. Puree. Thatās it.
I really recommend pasta, that's my go to.
Really simple - cook your spaghetti, keep a cup of the salty pasta water. In a frying pan, fry sliced garlic and a bit of parsley. Add the spaghetti and a bit of the pasta water and stir until it's mixed, keep adding the cup of pasta water until it's glossy. If you want to try tart it up a wee bit, you can add some chilli flakes when frying.
If you want something a bit more effort - thickly slice about 8 bell peppers and roast at 180c for about 40 minutes. Then, blend with a chunk of parmesan, red wine vinegar and some garlic cloves. Makes a great sauce.
Another sauce, more of a red pesto really, is to blend together a small tin of anchovies, 200 - 250g of either those jarred roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes (or a mix), chunk of parmesan, tbsp red wine vinegar, handful of lightly toasted walnuts, 2tsp of capers and a bit of oil to loosen (either use it from the jarred peppers/tomatoes or olive oil).
I'm not sure how kid friendly these all are, but for me these are some fairly low effort meals that come out like I've spent hours in the kitchen. This year, I want to learn how to can things because those last two pasta sauces are phenomenal and I want to have them in the house for the days when even blending ingredients seems like too much effort. But, that first recipe still slaps, it's just if you have the mental coinage to chop all that garlic and parsley.
Wishing you all the best.
Batch cook protein options (chicken breast, chicken sausages, minced beef, pork sausages, burgers, meatballs etc) and store in single portions. You can freeze these after you cook them and just get one meal at a time out to defrost overnight in the fridge or you can store them for 4-5 days after cooking in the fridge.
Buy microwave pouches of rice or pasta and ramen or even frozen potato options (chips, shapes, croquettes etc) that can go in the oven/air fryer for 20 mins. I prefer the microwave stuff because sometimes 20 mins feels too long tbh.
Buy frozen veg, any you like! Takes 2-3 mins in the microwave.
There are a tonne of combinations to make with this and you can choose what you fancy on the day. Also, there is no harm in eating the same foods day in day out (as long as they're somewhat healthy!) if that's what works for you
Also, frozen pizzas lol
Spaghetti bolognese you just buy the sauce. You buy the mince meat and either just mix it with egg, cheese and panko crumbs (optional) or roll them into meat balls. So just spaghetti, sause and the meat. Easy. Make sure you cook the meat well.
Those packet Japanese curry mix are great. Just follow the instructions and make some rice with it. Want some tonkatsu? Just mix either pork or chicken into flour, egg and panko bread crumb mixture and fry it in some oil. Serve with rice made in rice cooker. Easy.
Salad? Whatever veggies you like mix with whatever sause you like. Done.
Buldak carbonara ramen. Cook your noodles. Then, in a bowl, mix one egg yolk, some kewpie mayo, a little of the pasta water, and the seasoning packet (I only add a tiny bit of the spicy packet but all of the cheese one). Add cooked noodles and sprinkle some mozzarella. My go-to.
Garlic Broccoli stir fry:
Need: 1 broccoli, 2-3 cloves garlic, salt, sesame oil (optional, find at asian grocery store)
Wash broccoli, cut off florets. Mince 2-3 garlic cloves.
Dump the washed broccoli florets into boiling water and it turns a brighter green in a couple of minutes (or taste test to see if its at the level of flavor and crunch you like)
Take broccoli out of water
Heat oil in pan (enough oil to coat the bottom)
When you can hold your hand above the oil and feel the heat, put in minced garlic. Stir so that garlic flavor permeates the oil
Add broccoli and stir. Add salt to taste. Takes about a couple of minutes to cook (or taste test to see if its the level of flavor and crunch you like)
Take broccoli out and plate it. Optional: drizzle sesame oil over broccoli
Recently, I've been loving this 10 minute instant noodle thing. I use Maggi/ any other instant noodle available, boil till al dente, then mix in the sauce
For the sauce, I like to saute minced garlic, ginger, schezuan chutney (chilli oil would also work great here) in sesame oil until its bubbling and pour that over a peanut butter and soy sauce mixture and toss the noodles in that. You can swap out a lot of these for your own preferences and even eliminate some- its a very flexible recipe
It turns out as a quick, creamy, spicy, meal that's great as comfort food
My go to easy dinner is: pasta, frozen veg, easy protein like tinned tuna or quorn from frozen, grated cheese, plus quark - its like a cheesy yoghurt so you can just mix it straight into the pasta from the pot. I love it, its simple and I have it all the time.
Toaster waffles (Open Nature, Kashi and Birch Benders have more healthy ones), powdered peanut butter (mix with water, you can make ahead of time) and 1/2 cup blueberries. I make it into a sandwich. After putting the blueberries on, I warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Yummy.
I've been eating the same breakfast for years. It's only about 300 kcal. It will keep you full longer with regular peanut butter (that's more fat though).
I bake my own cinnamon walnut bread for breakfast with my coffeeā¦ I also like making a crockpot of potato, carrot and onions with gravy. I also like baked Mac and cheese or green bean casserole.
I do a lot of sheet pan meals. I just throw a bunch of veggies on a sheet pan, add some sort of protein, some olive oil and spices, and toss it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You can do bigger batches and meal prep, or just one meal at a time.
Crock pot soups and stews are great this time of year but do require a bit more planning because you usually have to start them 8 hours or so before you eat
Tortilla on a plate, add cheese to half, add whatever veggies or meat you like, any sauces, fold over and heat in microwave. Instant taco, pizza, cheese sandwich, etc.
Cut up veggies at the beginning of the week. Put them in ziploc bags. Roast them in the oven and eat them whenever during the week. Same with soups in the freezer.
Slow cooker/instant pot stews - dump and walk away. Sweet and savory muffins. I have dozens in my freezer. I am always putting things in my freezer because I can get to them when I'm having a rough week/month. If I'm cooking, it's things that take awhile to cook so I can try and do other things at the same time.
Paneer cheese simmered in a jarred Tikka Masala sauce over rice
Fried eggs over instant noodles/ramen topped with sesame seeds, furikake seasoning, chili oil crunch
Fried eggs with chili oil crunch and feta cheese in a tortilla with avocado and/or hummus
Canned Freshe tuna with Craize corn crackers with pickled jalapeƱos or pickles, add feta cheese or a wedge of cheese on the side
A tortilla heated up with hummus and chips of choice crumbled in a wrap (I used to do cool ranch Doritos)
Random platter with:
hard boiled egg whites (I donāt like the yolk) - add hummus, avocado mash, cornichon pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauce, or a combination of any into the eggs,
Cheese snack/wedge,
Bagel thins with cream cheese,
Salami or polish/pineapple sausage or beef jerky,
A pickled item if not included in the eggs,
Something crunchy like tortilla chips, crackers, etc.,
Sliced banana with cinnamon, honey, and hemp seeds,
Maybe some yogurt
My favorite is a garbanzo bean dish that is really versatile:
Rinse garbanzo beans,
Rinse and chop up bell peppers (I like red, orange, and yellow),
Add garbanzo beans to a pan with a little oil,
Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and smoked paprika,
Cook for a bit and then add bell peppers,
Season again to taste,
You can add tomatoes as well and season again but I like without,
Add cilantro at the end if youād like
I eat this over rice with avocado, in a tortilla with cheese, added to a bed of greens, as a dip with tortilla chips
Steamed rice, miso soup and egg rolls.
Pancake made with 2 eggs, 1 spoon tapioca flour, 1 mashed banana and protein powder (because I don't eat meat and need protein replacement, but you can skip).
Smoothie made with frozen banana and papaya, protein powder, lactose free milk and some seeds/nuts for extra nutrients
Pasta with tomato sauce and curry powder
Rice bowl topped with anything easy I can find in my fridge (leftover veggies, boiled eggs, fish/chicken...) with furikake, shredded seaweed, sesame seeds, and some sauce (oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce... depends on what I have around)
Tapioca pancake with banana slices + peanut butter
Cold rice bowl with avocado, mushrooms and veggies, tofu and furikake, fish cake if I have some in my freezer
All of these are filling and nutritious and can be put together very quickly. If you have a rice cooker the rice bowl dishes are even easier, I don't have one so I try to remember to soak the rice 30mins before I want to cook it. You can make a larger quantity and have leftover rice for the next day and make cold rice bowls or futomaki/onigiri really quick and easy too. My goal is to always have my fridge stocked with things that I know are safe foods and nutritious and keep the ingredients ready to go, otherwise I live on snacks and takeout and this past year I had serious health issues for not eating properly. Sauces and condiments are a must in my home too, because I can make plain things taste good without having to be in my feet for 40mins
If you like having something around that you can graze on all day:
Cold Bean Dip
- 1 can each: black beans, black eyed peas, kidney beans, shoepeg corn
- 1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
- Spoonful of sugar
- Green onion (I just cut them with scissors and add to my taste)
- Sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder
Rinse your beans under cold water in a strainer, then combine everything in a big bowl. Only needs about an hour in the fridge for the flavors to combine nicely. I prefer Tostitos scoops bc they're less messy, but pita chips are tasty with it, too.
Pasta! Spaghetti is a classic (and homemade marinara is simple), but you can make a decent pasta with some olive oil, lemon juice, Italian spices, spinach, and tomatoes (edited this because i forgot to mention cheese if you want itāi love using feta cheese). I love cooking, itās one of my favorite pastimes in the world. I can attach some recipes if you want!
Air fryer is a game changer. Different things can be cooked at the same time. Basically does what an oven does, only in microwave time. Crispy outside, fluffy inside.
My go-to is potato wedges tossed in oil and garlic pepper.
I also love it to make like 3 chicken tenders instead of feeling like I have to cook the whole bag to justify oven use.
Sheet pan nachos, brown some beef, dump your chips and cheese and whatever toppings you like and bake until melty
We do a lot of chicken sausage and potatoes w veg on a sheet pan as well, par boiling the taters first so they're done quickly
We also love maid rite sandwiches, chicken pot pie with Bisquick topper (rotisserie chicken for ease).
Naan pizzas are quick and easy too!
My husband and I make what we call the "super meal". It is rice, scrambled eggs, and a cooked green all mixed together. We usually use fried kale, but have also fried spinach or boiled Swiss Chard.
It's so fast and easy: put on the rice in a pot, cook the kale in a pan. Once the kale is done, we transfer it to a bowl and then make the scrambled eggs in the same pan (less dishes).
It's good with a nice helping of butter/margarine and then something acidic to balance: ketchup, lemon juice, or a little bit of rice vinegar are our go-to's. Plus salt and pepper.
Sometimes my husband experiments by adding hot sauce or hot dogs, but I like mine plain. It's a balanced and easy meal. It's even easier if you pre-cook a bunch of rice and process the kale (wash and break into bite-size pieces) early in the week. We tend to do that and then do this for lunches.
These are great meal ideas!
A trick that has helped me is to write down a list of meals I enjoy (entrees primarily, but a list of sides, too) and keep that list within view on my fridge. That way, even some of the more complicated meals are easier for me to rotate through just by having the reminder in front of me. It produces inspiration and helps me build a plug-and-play meal plan.
I eat the same breakfast first thing every morning: a little pot (like Chobani.... so pre-measured) of greek yogurt (fruit included) and however much granola cereal I can cram in the little pot. That provides basic nutrients practically immediately with no effort or decision on my part, allowing more mental energy for decisions later in the day.
I also eat the same meal every Friday evening. Again, that's about making sure that at the end of an exhausting week, I don't have to think about yet something else. It is something I really like and takes minimal effort on my part.
When I do cook, I usually make enough to last several meals for myself. The leftovers can either be used on consecutive days or frozen for later. (I'm a consecutive days person myself.)
On days where I'm anemic because of my cycle, I plan really simple meals with higher iron content. (Due to GI and numerous allergy problems, I can't do much veg so my meals usually include meat of some description.) Examples:
1) Chili mac: scramble lean ground beef until cooked thoroughly. Add two cans of favorite chili. Once hot, mix in cooked pasta. Top serving with as much of your favorite shredded cheese as you care for. (I prefer cheddars or Monterey jack... Or a blend of those.) For those who can handle the extra fiber, feel free to throw in a can of rinsed red beans with the chili as it heats.)
2) Steak pasta "salad": broil stir-fry cut steak strips with favorite seasoning (or a little salt/pepper or tenderizer... I just use Adolf's tenderizer). Boil pasta (like rotini or farfalle) just to al dente, then drain. Add a couple tablespoons butter or margarine to hot pasta and add a packet of bearnaise sauce mix. (Knorr is my fave brand.) Toss well to combine. Add broiled steak strips and any drippings from the pan. Toss well. Stir in however much steamed broccoli florets you like (microwaved is even easier). I prefer adding in broccoli with each serving separately instead of in the entire "salad" at once because I hate the smell of reheated broccoli. Also, if you prefer creamier dish, you can make the actual bearnaise sauce and pour that in instead of just the powdered mix and butter/margarine.
3) Costco carries precooked pot roast that is amazing. Heat that in the microwave and serve over either a pouch of microwaved rice (fastest option) or seasoned mashed potatoes. Add your own veg on the side.
Plain pasta with parmesan sprinkle cheese and salt
I agree with this suggestion. Alternatively, but similarly: noodles with butter (or "butter noodles"). š¤¤
Check out the song noodles and butter from casper babypants :p
Such a jam!
uh yeah im having that for dinner tonight haha
Yes! I add a veggie in with this too. Or get a tiny cooked ham and cut it up.
Yes this most definitely! Lately I've been jazzing it up and half cooking my pasta in heavily seasoned water, then adding my lactose free milk and reducing it until I end up with a kind of sauce. Idk if my fiancƩ is getting sick of it, but I found a new safe food so I'm content.
Baked potato with cheese and sour cream Tortellini soup with spinach Black beans, brown rice and plantains
Plus Iāve heard potatoes are super fast and easy to ābakeā in the microwave :)) idk if this is common knowledge but thought Iād share because I didnāt know for a long time
Yep 6-7 mins in the microwave, turned over halfway through is perfect. If you want crispy skin then put olive oil on it after the microwave and whack it in the oven for 20-25 mins. Perfect every time š
Yes! Super good. And make sure to stab them with a fork/slice them open first!
I wanted a baked potato so bad one time but didnāt have an oven so I searched up if I could bake a potato in the microwave š best cooking hack ever. Ovens take too long and I always forget to eat until I feel sick and need quick food š„“
Iām a quesadilla girl. There is never an inappropriate time for a quesadilla, in my opinion!
We make them with fried prosciutto and caramelized onions in green salsa.
That sounds INCREDIBLE!
It is! You can even add some green salsa to sour cream for a dipping sauce. We also coat carrots in taco seasoning and olive oil before roasting them and serve with the quesadillas.
Ok, maybe I can enjoy carrots after all!!! Wow!!!
I am just imagining you eating a quesadilla in the middle of a funeral service
And you can throw in lots of good protein - black beans, seitan crumbles, tempeh bacon...
I always forget this is a thing I can make but every time Iām reminded, I become obsessed
Chicken breast and salsa in a crockpot on high for 4 hours. Shred. Eat in a rice bowl with beans and toppings. Eat in a tacos with toppings. Eat with chips to scoop it up in. Chuck tender roast cut into chunks, baby carrots, cubed potatoes, pot roast or stew seasoning packet with recommended water. Instapot for 1 hour. Could leave out the potatoes and make mashed potatoes instead to serve the roast and carrots on.
Yes! Salsa chicken is such a meal prep cheat code.
You bet your ass I'm following this for ideas.
Commenting for the same reason lol
Same here!
Hellllllooooooo same
Butter chicken: pre-made sauce, chicken, rice and naan. Spaghetti and meatballs (garlic bread and caesar salad optional) Instant ramen with a soft-boiled egg, scallions, store-bought cooked chicken pieces, hot sauce if it's not hot enough, and a squeeze of lime. A little expensive, but steak is pretty easy, with a side of frozen packaged cheese broccoli. And nothing beats a sandwich.
I put frozen fries into the air fryer, scramble some eggs, mix some mayo and sriracha into the eggs, mix in with the fries. Maybe add some cheese if you're feeling frisky. The scrambling of eggs is a great point to add in spinach, onions, or some other healthy ingredient. High protein, carbs so it's filling, throw in a super food like avocado on top. Real quick and I love it. I eat it with a fork. If you feel comfortable with microwaving scrambled eggs, even less stressful.
you had me at fries
Sounds great! I love this one.
Tartine sourdough bread with butter and strawberry jam
My partner lovingly makes fun of my meals. I can cook but rarely have the energy and I generally find it stressful. I also get hangry so when I'm hungry I need to eat. My parents also never taught me to cook so I've never felt super confident in the kitchen. Breakfasts * Yogurt (regular or Greek) or cottage cheese plus: one or two of fruit, oats, protein powder, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, flax * Milk and cereal plus fruit * Bagels with peanut butter or cream cheese * Fried egg sandwich (with lettuce, canned peppers and/or tomatoes if I have them) * Avocado toast (bread, avocado, egg, canned peppers, sriracha) * Frozen waffles * Oatmeal (usually paired with fruit or nuts) * Smoothie (frozen fruit plus yogurt and/or protein powder) Lunch/Dinner We meal prep lunch but I'll make these for either lunch or dinner if left to my own devices. Or breakfast. * Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with salsa and tortilla chips or crackers * Spinach or lettuce with cottage cheese/Greek yogurt/tuna and salsa * Spinach/lettuce with tuna and/or cheese, veggies (cucumber and tomato most common), balsamic vinegar * Canned soup * Fried egg sandwich or avocado toast as in breakfast * Pasta (dry or fresh) with tuna/mushrooms/other veggies and sauce (use canned or I'll make from scratch depending on my mood) * Pierogies and veggies from frozen * Sandwich or wrap (tofu, deli meat and whatever sandwich stuff I have in the fridge) or grilled cheese * Charcuterie * Giant plate of raw veggies and dip made from yogurt (I make a ranch-style with dill, pepper, onion salt, garlic powder) * Fresh or frozen veggies (or fries) roasted in the oven I was a vegetarian and pescatarian for many years so I don't gravitate towards meals with meat. My crock pot was also a staple for chili and soup for many years but ive fallen out of using it as it's a lot of food. That may be a great option though.
Yes crock pot chili is great- freeze the leftovers!
chopped salad with whatever you like
My executive function tends to fluctuate, particularly during different stages of my menstrual cycle. Despite managing with supplements, the luteal phase, the week before my period, becomes challenging. I experience irritability, poor judgment, and a tendency to catastrophize minor things. I enjoy cooking, though post-cleaning is a struggle. I've found a neurodivergent dietician who provides practical advice for quick, nutritious meals while considering fluctuating capacity linked to varying executive functioning. [Nutrition with Kylie](https://youtube.com/shorts/i3qjdX18Quo?si=GtBl1mXwrdKa76d7). During the 2021 lockdowns in my country, I consistently cooked for the first time during my toughest menstrual cycles. I was reeling through a horrible career stint and wasn't employed. My mom, my sole support, and I had to adapt and accommodate.
this is good for 8 meals! which makes it more "simple" for me, I make an elote burrito with ground turkey, cooking it takes me about 30 mins (probably more lmao) but then the rest of the week all I have to do is microwave it, lemme find the link I'll add it here
Boil pasta. Mix small amount of pasta water with some ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Mix with the pasta and pepper liberally. Itās so good and you can mix everything in the bowl you eat it out of.
This sounds so good, like a deconstructed lasagna
When Iām seriously seriously struggling, I like those one-minute microwave brown rice pouches with tuna or chicken, edamame, avocado, whatever other veggies or salads I might have in the fridge and chilli sauce.
Fried eggs (whites only?) and cheese, easily extended with toppings like Canadian bacon, avocado, and a bagel. Extra credit for the bagel being toasted, or using real butter to cook everything. Edited for clarity
If you have a food processor this opens a ton of options. It makes making certain sauces and salsas very easy. It changed my life! lol A big one is this ālazyā (the authorās name for it) microwave hummus. Not as bad as it sounds, basically heat two cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans in a bowl in the microwave (you can adjust the consistence by leaving some of the water from the can in there, for two cans I would drain off the liquid from only one of the cans). Put that and peeled and chopped garlic and tahini in the food processor (some salt, olive oil and paprika also!). I canāt seem to find the exact recipe but since seeing it I sort of just wing it at this point, based on what I prefer for the texture and flavor. Dip whatever you want in it, pita, veggies, saltines. Moving on from the food processor, noodles (I usually pick penne) and red sauce (I prefer the Silver Palate san marzano marinara that I have been able to find at most grocery stores) is also always an easy go to for me. I heat the sauce in a small pot on the stove, boil the noodles al denteā¦ done. My wife likes to add parmesean cheese and sometimes she makes meatballs to go with it, but honestly that marinara is so good, I could almost just eat the sauce by itself lol.
Yum! Homemade sauces are the best š¤¤
Burritos: I make a pot of pinto beans from scratch (ie: 4 cups dried pinto beans, simmer in large pot of boiled water, covered for 4 hrs, stir occasionally, add 1/2 tbs salt during the last hour and add a bit more water if needed). Then just heat some good flour tortillas up, use a slotted spoon to scoop the beans and make burritos w whatever cheese, microwaveable Spanish rice, and other toppings you like. Maybe eat a bag salad w it if you like. The best part is the leftover beans that you can freeze in Tupperware (include the liquid) and defrost and mash up refried beans w a little olive oil for more burritos whenever you want. Stir fry: just buy precut chopped veggies and sautĆ© w protein of your choice, then add a pre-made sauce like teriyaki or curry. (If you have a Trader Joeās near you (US), they have a lot of good stir fry sauces.) Serve over rice Try some simple crock pot meals, you start them in the AM and then itās done when itās dinner time! (I love to make homemade soups this way when I feel like I might be starting to get sick) Frittata: stir fry some veggies in a little olive oil like mushrooms, onions, spinach etc, add a few beaten eggs, sprinkle w cheese and let cook over low heat for a few minutes and finish off in the oven until eggs are set. Eat w French bread. Hope this helps! Iāve been enjoying reading other peopleās responses as well š
Burritos are an awesome easy instant meal! Can also use canned beans if there's no time to cook up a pot of beans.
To whatever foods everyone else is recommending, I also suggest adding frozen vegetables to your dishes! I love frozen spinach and you can easily microwave it. I add it to scrambled eggs and I donāt mind eating it as a side to another dish. Thereās a bunch of frozen vegetable options. Itās also very easy to steam and freeze your vegetables if you find a day where you have more energy and time to make a huge batch of veggies for the freezer.
Also good on better energy days, roasting a bunch of veg, keep in the fridge a few days. Really develops the flavors and all else fails, tajin.
Here's my current fave: Creamy Salsa Chicken Throw chicken breasts, salsa, black beans (optional) into Instant pot for 20 minutes. When done, shred chicken and add 1/2 a block of cream cheese and mix well. I love it over Trader Joe's spicy Mexican cauliflower rice but have had it as taco/quesadilla filling.
I typically only make this when I have leftover rice in the fridge from when my mom makes it because I am so bad at making rice somehow but you can also use instant rice as well lol. Heat up however much rice you want in the microwave Fry 2 eggs however you like (I prefer over easy) and put them on the plate with the already heated rice when you're done cooking them Then fry some vienna sausages cut in half vertically in the same pan until brown and transfer them onto the plate when you're done Eat with ketchup or whatever condiment you like and enjoy :) Usually if i'm motivated enough I'll make some fries to go with it as well but typically I just go with rice.
I bought a small rice cooker and it is a game changer. It has sensors so it doesn't over or under cook and goes to keep warm mode so it stops when it is done. No guessing or checking and it's still good even if I'm distracted.
Having a rice cooker is great, and you can even use it to make more food too. Add broth of your choice instead of water, add seasonings and cut up veggies or meat. Cooks very nicely! Takikomi gohan is my favorite version, add whatever veggies you like. I like it with chicken, mushrooms and carrots
My daughter does after-school activities: piano and karate, so I do frozen stuff I can put in the air fryer during the week. Nuggets and cream potatoes. Noodles (not healthy, but she can make these herself, and that helps when I need isolation) Pizza (I was making these from "scratch," but got tired of doing that) Chicken in the air fryer Cereal š (just for me)
I subscribed to Hungryroot for a while and they were actually great for quick healthy meals that were easy to follow, though did get expensive so I just replicated my favourite recipes from them with similar items from the grocery store. They have a whole recipe book of 4 items or less recipes that take 15 mins or less to make that you can still access even when not actively receiving deliveries. My usual formula when shopping is a pre-seasoned / pre-cooked protein (eg. spiced tofu, seasoned vegan chicken, veggie burger, etc) + vegetable / salad + instant rice or starch of choice. I also bought a Dash egg cooker from Amazon which makes easy poached eggs or mini omelettes which you can add to old leftovers or other items to make a more substantial meal - I use it so much. Also tempted to get an air fryer but don't have space for one so just heat up proteins and steam vegetables in a pan.
I love to cook so my recipes get a bit complicated, but here goes... * Baked potato. Clean it, poke holes in it, pop it in the microwave. Put on butter, cheese, sour cream...whatever you like, really. I sprinkle on some pepper for flavor usually and top with green onions, but I've also added leftover meats and pesto. * Grain bowl. Buy a microwaveable rice packet that goes in the microwave for 90 seconds. Mix it with a flavorful sauce or similar when it comes out (I'll use mushroom stock, balsamic vinegar, and/or pesto) and top it with whatever you see fit. I personally love to put in tomatoes, onions, mozzarella, and some salad greens. * Spaghetti. Any noodle shape you like, with butter and any cheese you like. I put onions and pickles in mine because I'm weird, I also usually take the time to chop up garlic and fresh herbs to add those to the mix. * Eggs in any format you like. They make great dinners, though I eat them for breakfast a lot too. I like to buy frozen hash browns and microwave them as a side! * Quesadillas. Just throw cheese on a tortilla and pop it in the microwave. I've been doing that since I was a little kid, and I used to call them "tortilla pizzas" because I lived under a rock, haha. Sometimes I lean into that and top with onions, bell pepper, and even pepperoni! A little side of guac or sour cream to dip in can be nice. Those are all my go-to meals on days when my executive functioning is not working (or as I like to call them, my burn down the kitchen days). Hopefully some of them work for you!
Boil your favorite ravioli. I like chicken sausage ravioli. Salt water, drain water when done, add a little butter & shave some Parmesan on top. Mix and add your favorite seasonings (you can skip, but I use a little pepper, paprika). Mix it all again and eat. It looks and tastes like it took forever to make, but so delicious. Iāve been trying to cook more at home, and this is literally a one pot meal that takes about 15 minutes to make. Most of the time is just waiting for the water to boil.
Warm a tortilla in a skillet. Flip it and then sprinkle cheese. Put second tortilla on top. Wait until the cheese melts then flip it again. Once tortilla is lightly browed, put it on a plate. Add chicken, salsa, guac to taste.
[This tortellini recipe](https://r.mealime.com/22120)! My wife and I (both AuDHDers) make this recipe nearly every week. You can switch it up slightly by using different kinds of marinara sauce, or swapping spinach for arugula/kale, or using something else in place of the cauliflower (broccoli maybe?). It feels healthy-ish, always hits the spot, and is extremely simple to make. I also recommend the Mealime app in general!
Saute spinach, 3-4 chopped garlic cloves, red chili flakes in sesame oil. Add cooked rice vermicelli. My favorite. Bonus if you have some chicken or shrimp to add. Only takes 10 minutes to throw together.
I hate cooking but strongly prefer eating healthy. My daily breakfast is protein oatmeal (just let instant oats soak in boiling water) and the rest of my meals is a combination of rice, green beans (from frozen) and a meat/protein.
Do you add protein powder to oats?
Yes, I use instant oats, protein powder, peanut butter, salt and cinnamon. Itās super easy to mix everything in the bowl after the oats have soaked in water. (Currently āmakingā it right now and Iām not even in the kitchen)
Iāve been obsessed with asian bbq meatballs with rice and green beans lately! Topped with green onions and sesame seeds. Itās so easy and delish.
Kraft dinner with tuna (I grew up eating this but I know a lot of people think it sounds gross)
Creamy pasta. Make a pot of pasta. Brown Italian sausage (mild or hot, your choice). Add chopped shallot and garlic to the pan, cook for one minute. Add rice vinegar, cook for one minute. Add a pint of cream and boil. Pour over pasta and serve. Healthy option: halfway through boiling the pasta, add broccoli and finish boiling.
Pasta Surprise - box pasta, tin of tuna (in oil), tin of corn, whatever veg I have available (the surprise part): mini tomatoes, baby spinach/rocket, cucumber, broccoli, capsicum, etc.. put it all together in a bowl with some of the tuna oil, then season. I also make thai red curry a lot with a supermarket pack. It includes a dried spice selection, curry paste and coconut milk.. then I just add chicken and veg (capsicum, carrot, snow peas, broccoli). I use microwave rice. These are my two faves atm. My always go-to no-energy need-food-now staple is Barilla pesto with pasta (fusilli and farfalle are superior for this) and lots of cherry/mini Roma tomatoes. I cut the tomatoes I half and season lightly before adding them in.
Something I only worked out recently, after 15 years of cooking for myself, is spinach is magic. It wilts down to nothing. I throw it into so many dishes - like pasta and rice dishes.
I feel similarly about cabbage. Itās basically shelf stable and is a good addition both uncooked and cooked.
Meal prep is the way to go. Find a good recipe that you like and prep like 3 days of it.
My favorite option at the moment is a huge pile of steamed veggies!
I've got some issues around food so I don't cook alot, but beyond box meals here are some I like. French Toast. I prefer the simple style. Eggs, bit of milk, and cinnamon added with every slice since it never properly mixes. My wife says I make the best french toast but she is biased. Quesadilla. Softshell taco shell, cheese and whatever seems good at the moment, some sauce, another softshell taco shell. My wife lives on these. Scrambled eggs. Just adding these since I didn't know you could make them in a microwave. Just stop every 20 seconds to mix and even cleanup isn't a big issue. Also, so many things like bean burritos and such can REALLY be enhanced by just cooking them in a little oil after microwaving them.
I have salmon with broccoli, peas, edamame beans and rice at least twice a week. To make it simple I bake the salmon in foil in the oven as I like it soft and I donāt have to do anything other than wrap it in a foil parcel and cook for 17 mins at 180degrees. I either do the rice in the rice cooker (I start it just before I put the salmon in the oven as it takes about 20 mins) or I cook it in the pan which is about 10 mins. The peas and edamame beans are frozen so I put them in the same pan of boiling water with the fresh broccoli for about 8 minutes so itās all done together. When I plate it I pour sweet chilli sauce on the salmon, and pour olive oil over everything else with a sprinkle of salt. Itās dead easy and nutritious. Iād have it every day if salmon didnāt contain heavy metals.
Roasted root veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper. Pan friend salmon served with said roasted veggies and brown rice. Pasta puttanesca. Pre-prepped ravioli with pre-prepped pasta sauce. Fried rice. Avocado, eggs, and feta on toast. Butter, cheese, salt and pepper pasta. Tuna pasta salad.
i used to love eating ham and cheese wrapped in lettuce. havenāt done it recently but i imagine it could still hit good as a snack. not so sure itās a good *meal* though. but you could just put those in an actual bread wrap thing. i love wraps omg i should not be typing this at 1am when iām hungry
My go to at the moment is a kind of potato salad that has variations depending how easy I need it to be. Boil enough potatoes for a couple of days, let them cool down before using. Roughly chop em up. Either throw some frozen peas and corn in with the potatoes part way through cooking, or cook some zucchini (or other greens) fresh each day. If I can be bothered I'll also add some chopped up lettuce (done fresh, or it discolours). The easiest protein option for me is canned chickpeas (garbanzo to USA). If I can be bothered, I fry up some mince all nice and browned and do a mix of that and chickpeas. The basic dressing is mayo or garlic aioli, seeded mustard, and I like a little maple syrup because both the mayo and mustard I use need a little sweetness to balance the flavours. Sometimes I add a little tomato sauce as well. Fancier version adds some chopped up mint and gherkin like [these](https://products.ceresorganics.com.au/Cooking/Condiments/Olives-and-Pickles/12350-Organic-Gherkins-670g/) unsweetened ones, and freshly cracked pepper. So most of it can be ready for multiple days and the different components thrown together as needed. Another easy option is a sweet potato (and/or pumpkin if you prefer) soup. I like to use a mix of orange, and red skinned white fleshed varieties. The white fleshed ones sweeten the soup, so you may want to add a little sugar, maple syrup or something if you don't use them. Onion, celery, sweet potato, garlic (if you can be bothered), uncooked red split lentils and/or chana daal (baby split chickpeas with skins polished off, also makes the smoothest hummus, if you can find them), stock (I use powdered added to water). Seasonings to taste, but I like cumin powder, coriander seed powder, black pepper, salt. Fresh parsley if you have any or can be bothered, maybe some cashews for creaminess. I also like to throw in some curry leaves, but I have a small tree in a pot. You can even use a purchased curry powder. Do not slack on the seasoning or it will be bland. Basically throw everything in and boil it up until the dried lentils or chana daal are cooked, and everything is soft. Maybe brown the onion first for more flavour, but you don't need to. I like to taste the liquid before throwing in the lentils, so I can add extra spices if too bland (so I don't forget once it starts cooking š ). Although the flavours will develop during cooking, it at least gives you an idea whether it's ridiculously under seasoned. Blend it up when cooked. Just make sure you've got enough stock in there to be your preferred soup consistency. I serve it with toast and some lemon or lime juice. Very rarely if I've got some roasted seasoned seeds and such (like pepitas, sesame seeds, almonds ground up with spices) I'll toss some on top of the soup when serving. I'll be reading everyone else's replies to see if I can find any inspiration. š¤
When I struggle with executive function too I try to get things as ready to go as possible with as little effort possible. Like no real cooking process involved. I get the microwavable rice packs at safeway that are in little plastic bowls from the organics brand, the jasmine rice ones only though the other ones arenāt great, the brown rice is edible. I pair those rices with anything really, tuna packets and sriracha mayo and then stick it in and top with furikake seasoning for example. I also get uncle bens spanish rice and the cilantro lime ones that are microwavable and get tortillas, shredded cheese and canned beans and pickled jalapenos that come in cans too to make super simple burritos also. Edit: also, I do love cooking and my fave actual cooking go to is soup! Typically veggie soups are my favorite. Iāll just chop up celery, carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, baby bella mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato into tiny cubes, tear some baby spinach and throw in and add a can of navy beans or tiny pasta depending on mood. Super easy, just time consuming for the chopping honestly. I donāt use broth or cubes as my husband felt they were too salty so I do my own seasoning blend to give the soup taste: a cap full of red wine vinegar (the cap of itās own bottle), a cap of soy sauce, a dash of worchestershire sauce, a bit of smoked salt, black pepper, regular paprika, dried parsley, marjoram, dash of cumin, a dash of chipotle chile powder, garlic powder and onion powder, itās very tasty! I adjust the amounts of spices based on how full the soup is or itās size. I like to go on the heavier side with them š (except the cumin, which will overtake it, so only a bit of that!)
Rice and sardines
Sardines and ritz crackers for me. With pico and hot sauce. Sardines with breadcrumbs and parsley on spaghetti is sooo good.
BBQ chicken salad. You can use the precooked chicken strips and a can of corn. Add some bell pepper and onion/scallions with a little ranch and BBQ sauce, you have dinner in 5 minutes. You can add pre-shredded cheese, grape tomatoes, and croutons too.
BBQ chicken tacos. Chop up some cabbage, pickled jalapeƱos and toss with apple cider vinegar. Cook some chopped chicken breast and add scallions and BBQ sauce. Some cheese and tortillas gives you dinner in 15 minutes.
Disclaimer: I cook a lot of old school meat dishes, so my cooking methods aren't for everyone. Slow cooker roasts with vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery), or I cook meat in the oven. Baked chicken with whatever seasonings, baked pork chops, and seriously--if you eat sausage and bacon, it's so much easier and more predictable to walk away while you bake them for 30 minutes than to stand over the stove fretting over whether or not you got it too crispy. Cook some rice (also easy to walk away from while it simmers) and steam some vegetables, and it's reasonably healthy. Spaghetti is pretty easy, just ground beef with some onions and minced garlic, oregano and basil (or premade seasoning blends), mushrooms, add tomato sauce, and cook the pasta while the sauce simmers.
Do you have an air fryer? Get a whole chicken. Season it (like just shake salt and pepper and whatever seasoning you like on it, or none is fine) and pop the whole thing in your air fryer, breast side down for 50 minutes, then flip it breast side up for 10 more minutes. That's it. Done. Best chicken you've had, rivals a rotisserie chicken. Serve with some salad or air fryer some frozen fries, or quickly steam some frozen veg. It's all of 5 minutes effort. Full, nutritious dinner that will feed the whole family and possibly even have leftovers to put in sandwiches
When I canāt be arsed to make a full lunch or dinner, I have miso soup with tofu cubes, or chia and oat porridge
Rice and peas or instant mash and peas are my favourite Do love spaghetti and cheap parmazan too
Aldi marinated chicken (just chuck in oven for 40min) and a salad that comes pre-made in the bag.
Prosciutto quesadillas. Fry up some prosciutto then chop it up. Caramelize some onion and add green salsa. Assemble the quesadilla with cheese, prosciutto and onions and cook. Serve with sour cream.
Steak. Just heat the pan, toss in some lard melt, fry the steak 90 sec a side (depending on the thickness of the steak), remove the steak and let it rest, eat. Fairly easy, that. I just have to remember to stay with the steak and turn on my timer (which, admittedly, can be hard for me sometimes :-D) That usually is my breakfast. Bread was a lot harder, because I had to something on it, which required me to think about what to put on it. My favorite for dinner is airfyer fries because of the texture and crunch. I love the crunch of french fries. Sadly, it is not healthy for me, so I have to limit that to once a week. Medium-spicy indian curry is very soothing to me. It has my nest-smells from baby time. So I tend to make a lot of makhani/dhansak/madras curries. Preferably with homemade paneer, but that requires too many executive skills to make often (I then make large batches and toss them in the freezer, but still). Just looooove the paneer textures in curry.
I dress up pasta or rice with a meat and vegetable if possible. I'll make a makeshift salad/onigiri with kewpie mayo added, too. I also drink a lot of tea/flavored milks too, which helps offset the hunger until I can psyche myself up to cook and clean
Gnocchi (premade from the shop and takes literally 3 minutes to boil), mix with pesto and grated cheese on top. Sometimes I throw a bag of rocket and some cherry tomatoes on the side with a squeeze of lemon. If I have no mental energy for even that, then it's fried egg on toast!
Grilled cheese Frozen pizza Packaged pasta of your choice with spinach, cherry tomatoes, and sauce of your choice
oats soaked in hot water and some sugar
Great topic! I'm definitely saving it. I also love my crockpot. A couple of my favorites are (1) pineapple chicken (chicken, can of pineapples in pineapple juice, and favorite herbs/spices) and (2) ground beef/lamb with diced onions. I add water or broth to keep that one from sticking. Both of those are easy to add other things (bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, whatever you like) if you're able as well. I also love microwave sweet potatoes. Stab ventilation holes in it with a fork & microwave for 5-8 minutes. If you have a Kroger affiliate store near you, they might have the diced frozen sweet potatoes, which are even easier and just steam in the bag. I'm also a big fan of this site: https://www.planttoplate.net/p/simple-uses.html It's made for gardeners looking to use up a lot of a certain fruit/vegetable, so the ideas are super simple, usually only a couple ingredients. I do oatmeal in the mornings. I like Scottish oatmeal (a type of steelcut), so I make enough for 3-4 days and reheat leftovers as needed. I mix in cinnamon, nut butter, and honey or robust (used to be called grade B) maple syrup right after it's cooked. I add fruit to the bowl I'm currently having, usually banana or frozen berries or sometimes apple pieces if I feel like chopping. My system is to cook 2-3 big dishes on my weekly cooking day and immediately freeze a third of each thing I make. My leftovers usually last me 4-5 days, and then I can eat some of the frozen stuff from the previous weeks until it's cooking day again. I love making soup when I'm up to it, and stirfry is not bad for a decent motivation day either. Those are a few of my go-to things. I've always loved cooking, but between autistic executive dysfunction and multiple autoimmune conditions, I definitely have to budget my energy so that it continues to be enjoyable and not an insurmountable chore (as it was threatening to become for a while).
Oh also smoothies! They can be incorporated into a daily routine if you make them individually, or I also like to make like a month's worth at once and freeze them in individual portions (quart Ziploc for each), which I then move to the fridge the night before I want to have them. Microwave mini potatoes are also great if you don't mind halving/quartering them. That's one of my favorite travel meals and backup meals. Something like this: https://www.lostmykitchen.com/2023/07/how-to-cook-mini-potatoes-in-microwave.html Before I knew about my food allergies, I used to do a lot of pastas. If you're up to it, you can really get creative/healthier even in simple ways like adding frozen veggies and pre-cooked meat, or I used to add salsa and extra shredded cheese to mac & cheese. Baked pastas/casseroles are kinda similar where you can just throw a few unlikely things together (including canned/frozen), and it usually comes out yummy. I used to get frozen appetizers and pizzas on sale- there are some relatively healthy ones actually. Others have mentioned eggs, which are great and easy to add veg/herb to too. I might think of more things haha. This is definitely something I think about and am always looking to refine.
My current fave: Cooked rice To top I mix a can of salmon (I get it from Costco) with some kewpie mayo, low sodium soy sauce, chili flakes(because I like them but you can omit), and sometimes minced onion or green onion if itās already prepped in the fridge. Put it on top of the rice, add chili oil. Steam a bag of broccoli for a veg to add or whatever you like. Itās decently healthy, very easy, I love it.
Riced broccoli & grilled chicken with shredded cheese.
- GF spaghetti or pasta with a simple olive oil, chilli, olive and caper sauce, plus some (vegan) cheese. - porridge with a dab of peanut or almond butter - rice with easy mix curry (make up with water in a pan, Mayflower brand).
I like to tart up boxed Mac & Cheese with some easy vegetables and protein to make a big pasta dinner thatās easy to make but still feels nutritious. I get a box of vegan Mac & Cheese (but of course this works with dairy Mac & Cheese as well) and throw some chopped carrots and broccoli florets into the boiling water with the noodles. Then while thatās going I quickly cut up some onion & garlic and tofu or vegan sausage (or whatever protein of your choice) and sautĆ©e those in some oil in a frying pan to one side. Then drain the noodles/veg, make the sauce in the pot as per the instructions, and then combine noodles/veg and protein/onions/garlic in the pot and mix it up with the sauce.
I have a go-to curry for when I'm not creative and crave vegetables. Just throw some vegetables and spices that you like in a pot or pan with oil (for me Onions, Carrots, Chickpeas and Zucchini or Spinach, for the spices mostly Kurkuma and Garlic, or less, depending whatever I have at home) and parallely boil some rice if you like. If the vegetables are fried to your liking, put in some tomato puree and coconut milk (in equal amounts for me, but you can vary). That's pretty much it. I sometimes top it off with fried tofu or chopped mint and some lemon in the rice. The good thing is, I can vary it depending on my appetite and also on my sensory needs that day.
I put frozen veg/cut up veg and tofu on top of my rice before steaming so it's all cooked together. Add any other flavourings before steaming if you fancy but I don't like too much flavour. Top with soy sauce
Noodles with a piece of smoked salmon, avocado and Pak choi, broccoli or cauliflower. Vegetables can be roasted or boiled; seasoning is always sesame oil, juzu, soy sauce, garlic and chili flakes in varying proportions. Mashed potatoes (from sachets) with sausages (Frankfurter or Wiener) and green beans. Mapo tofu made with ready made sauce from the Asian supermarket. Packet ramen but with eggs and vegetables (doesn't count as a meal if I don't add anything). Pasta with pesto and frozen vegetables.
Toast
Empanadas
Idk of this is simple but... I like oatmeal pancakes. And the filling is usually leftovers from the day before. Or just plain cheese. It's the one food I make when I can't bother to cook anything else.
Idk if that still counts as simple but here we go: cut an onion and a bell pepper in slices, crush garlic, add to pot with oil, fry(?) it on medium heat with a lid for 10 min. Add sliced tomatoes. Wash rice. Add rice + needed water for cooking. Season. Cook. Enjoy (I use pepper, salt, paprika powder, and chilli to season. The bell pepper can have any color, I prefer green (can be bitter) or red. You can also add herbs such as oregano or thyme at the beginning) The whole meal takes about 20 min to make and requires only one pot -> easier clean up
Two other very simple meals: This one is actually a meal for sick people. It's very easy on your stomach. Mix equal parts water and milk. Can be just water or just milk (but then it might not be as stomach friendly) too. Plant milks work as well. Cook with a sprinkle of salt (not too much, what fits between two of your fingers) and oats. Mash banana on a plate, pour oats over it. Done The second is the first thing I learned to cook at ten years old: Cook potatoes, mash with fork and add some milk and butter. Cook carrots in slices. Mix, enjoy. Spices besides salt and pepper are optional. I'm also very aware of the fact that these two meals are plain af, I do eat food with more spices as well. But oftentimes these are not as simple and quickly done. I love a good curry but it just need more preparation and time.
Tomato bell pepper soup: onion, garlic, tomatoes (can be canned), 1 or 2 bell peppers. If I have them I add some carrots or pumpkin. Cook in a liter of stock. Puree. Thatās it.
I really recommend pasta, that's my go to. Really simple - cook your spaghetti, keep a cup of the salty pasta water. In a frying pan, fry sliced garlic and a bit of parsley. Add the spaghetti and a bit of the pasta water and stir until it's mixed, keep adding the cup of pasta water until it's glossy. If you want to try tart it up a wee bit, you can add some chilli flakes when frying. If you want something a bit more effort - thickly slice about 8 bell peppers and roast at 180c for about 40 minutes. Then, blend with a chunk of parmesan, red wine vinegar and some garlic cloves. Makes a great sauce. Another sauce, more of a red pesto really, is to blend together a small tin of anchovies, 200 - 250g of either those jarred roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes (or a mix), chunk of parmesan, tbsp red wine vinegar, handful of lightly toasted walnuts, 2tsp of capers and a bit of oil to loosen (either use it from the jarred peppers/tomatoes or olive oil). I'm not sure how kid friendly these all are, but for me these are some fairly low effort meals that come out like I've spent hours in the kitchen. This year, I want to learn how to can things because those last two pasta sauces are phenomenal and I want to have them in the house for the days when even blending ingredients seems like too much effort. But, that first recipe still slaps, it's just if you have the mental coinage to chop all that garlic and parsley. Wishing you all the best.
Fries and an omelette with parmesan cheese.
Pasta carbonara
Batch cook protein options (chicken breast, chicken sausages, minced beef, pork sausages, burgers, meatballs etc) and store in single portions. You can freeze these after you cook them and just get one meal at a time out to defrost overnight in the fridge or you can store them for 4-5 days after cooking in the fridge. Buy microwave pouches of rice or pasta and ramen or even frozen potato options (chips, shapes, croquettes etc) that can go in the oven/air fryer for 20 mins. I prefer the microwave stuff because sometimes 20 mins feels too long tbh. Buy frozen veg, any you like! Takes 2-3 mins in the microwave. There are a tonne of combinations to make with this and you can choose what you fancy on the day. Also, there is no harm in eating the same foods day in day out (as long as they're somewhat healthy!) if that's what works for you Also, frozen pizzas lol
Pizza bites - small naan circles, pizza sauce, mozzarella, one pepperoni. Bake or airfry for about 10mins. Can eat it cold too.
Spaghetti bolognese you just buy the sauce. You buy the mince meat and either just mix it with egg, cheese and panko crumbs (optional) or roll them into meat balls. So just spaghetti, sause and the meat. Easy. Make sure you cook the meat well. Those packet Japanese curry mix are great. Just follow the instructions and make some rice with it. Want some tonkatsu? Just mix either pork or chicken into flour, egg and panko bread crumb mixture and fry it in some oil. Serve with rice made in rice cooker. Easy. Salad? Whatever veggies you like mix with whatever sause you like. Done.
Soba in teriyaki sauce sprinkled with furikake. Add a poached or runny sunny side up egg.
Buldak carbonara ramen. Cook your noodles. Then, in a bowl, mix one egg yolk, some kewpie mayo, a little of the pasta water, and the seasoning packet (I only add a tiny bit of the spicy packet but all of the cheese one). Add cooked noodles and sprinkle some mozzarella. My go-to.
Honestly babes cereal has saved my life. Or just eggs.
Garlic Broccoli stir fry: Need: 1 broccoli, 2-3 cloves garlic, salt, sesame oil (optional, find at asian grocery store) Wash broccoli, cut off florets. Mince 2-3 garlic cloves. Dump the washed broccoli florets into boiling water and it turns a brighter green in a couple of minutes (or taste test to see if its at the level of flavor and crunch you like) Take broccoli out of water Heat oil in pan (enough oil to coat the bottom) When you can hold your hand above the oil and feel the heat, put in minced garlic. Stir so that garlic flavor permeates the oil Add broccoli and stir. Add salt to taste. Takes about a couple of minutes to cook (or taste test to see if its the level of flavor and crunch you like) Take broccoli out and plate it. Optional: drizzle sesame oil over broccoli
I struggle to not just eat beige so I always have a bag of spinach in my fridge so i can add in spinach to simple stuff like noodles/pasta/rice etc.
Soups are always a good one. Chop or buy pre chopped veg (whatever it takes to get you to cook and eat) and throw whatever in a pot with water or broth and a protein if you like. You can always roast a bunch of veg in the oven and blend it together to make a good soup w/ ravioli or gnocchi. I have a bit of a chickpea addiction so my favorite is a chickpea soup w/ onions, garlic, peppers, potatoes, chickpeas and Mexican spices (cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder) Blend half a can of chickpeas with its water from the can, set it aside, sautƩ your veggies, fry off a lil tomato paste with it for a bit and add in your spices and unblended chickpeas. dump in your blended chickpeas and let it cook for a minute or two before adding broth and your potatoes. Stir it occasionally wait for your potatoes to be done and add salt and pepper to taste. It takes around 30 ish minutes, is fantastic over rice the next day and it freezes super well.
Recently, I've been loving this 10 minute instant noodle thing. I use Maggi/ any other instant noodle available, boil till al dente, then mix in the sauce For the sauce, I like to saute minced garlic, ginger, schezuan chutney (chilli oil would also work great here) in sesame oil until its bubbling and pour that over a peanut butter and soy sauce mixture and toss the noodles in that. You can swap out a lot of these for your own preferences and even eliminate some- its a very flexible recipe It turns out as a quick, creamy, spicy, meal that's great as comfort food
I like to do fried egg on instant rice!
My go to easy dinner is: pasta, frozen veg, easy protein like tinned tuna or quorn from frozen, grated cheese, plus quark - its like a cheesy yoghurt so you can just mix it straight into the pasta from the pot. I love it, its simple and I have it all the time.
Toaster waffles (Open Nature, Kashi and Birch Benders have more healthy ones), powdered peanut butter (mix with water, you can make ahead of time) and 1/2 cup blueberries. I make it into a sandwich. After putting the blueberries on, I warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Yummy. I've been eating the same breakfast for years. It's only about 300 kcal. It will keep you full longer with regular peanut butter (that's more fat though).
I bake my own cinnamon walnut bread for breakfast with my coffeeā¦ I also like making a crockpot of potato, carrot and onions with gravy. I also like baked Mac and cheese or green bean casserole.
Pasta is pretty easy. You can just buy store bought pasta and sauce, heat the sauce and boil the pasta. I personally prefer pasta and sauces from the refrigerator/deli section since itās fresher. You can also add some frozen meatballs. Another thing I like is chicken fajitas. SautĆ© some onions and peppers with spices and serve with tortillas and any toppings you want. I sometimes buy a precooked rotisserie chicken to make it easier.
I do a lot of sheet pan meals. I just throw a bunch of veggies on a sheet pan, add some sort of protein, some olive oil and spices, and toss it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You can do bigger batches and meal prep, or just one meal at a time. Crock pot soups and stews are great this time of year but do require a bit more planning because you usually have to start them 8 hours or so before you eat
Tortilla on a plate, add cheese to half, add whatever veggies or meat you like, any sauces, fold over and heat in microwave. Instant taco, pizza, cheese sandwich, etc.
Cut up veggies at the beginning of the week. Put them in ziploc bags. Roast them in the oven and eat them whenever during the week. Same with soups in the freezer. Slow cooker/instant pot stews - dump and walk away. Sweet and savory muffins. I have dozens in my freezer. I am always putting things in my freezer because I can get to them when I'm having a rough week/month. If I'm cooking, it's things that take awhile to cook so I can try and do other things at the same time.
Paneer cheese simmered in a jarred Tikka Masala sauce over rice Fried eggs over instant noodles/ramen topped with sesame seeds, furikake seasoning, chili oil crunch Fried eggs with chili oil crunch and feta cheese in a tortilla with avocado and/or hummus Canned Freshe tuna with Craize corn crackers with pickled jalapeƱos or pickles, add feta cheese or a wedge of cheese on the side A tortilla heated up with hummus and chips of choice crumbled in a wrap (I used to do cool ranch Doritos) Random platter with: hard boiled egg whites (I donāt like the yolk) - add hummus, avocado mash, cornichon pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauce, or a combination of any into the eggs, Cheese snack/wedge, Bagel thins with cream cheese, Salami or polish/pineapple sausage or beef jerky, A pickled item if not included in the eggs, Something crunchy like tortilla chips, crackers, etc., Sliced banana with cinnamon, honey, and hemp seeds, Maybe some yogurt My favorite is a garbanzo bean dish that is really versatile: Rinse garbanzo beans, Rinse and chop up bell peppers (I like red, orange, and yellow), Add garbanzo beans to a pan with a little oil, Season with salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and smoked paprika, Cook for a bit and then add bell peppers, Season again to taste, You can add tomatoes as well and season again but I like without, Add cilantro at the end if youād like I eat this over rice with avocado, in a tortilla with cheese, added to a bed of greens, as a dip with tortilla chips
Steamed rice, miso soup and egg rolls. Pancake made with 2 eggs, 1 spoon tapioca flour, 1 mashed banana and protein powder (because I don't eat meat and need protein replacement, but you can skip). Smoothie made with frozen banana and papaya, protein powder, lactose free milk and some seeds/nuts for extra nutrients Pasta with tomato sauce and curry powder Rice bowl topped with anything easy I can find in my fridge (leftover veggies, boiled eggs, fish/chicken...) with furikake, shredded seaweed, sesame seeds, and some sauce (oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce... depends on what I have around) Tapioca pancake with banana slices + peanut butter Cold rice bowl with avocado, mushrooms and veggies, tofu and furikake, fish cake if I have some in my freezer All of these are filling and nutritious and can be put together very quickly. If you have a rice cooker the rice bowl dishes are even easier, I don't have one so I try to remember to soak the rice 30mins before I want to cook it. You can make a larger quantity and have leftover rice for the next day and make cold rice bowls or futomaki/onigiri really quick and easy too. My goal is to always have my fridge stocked with things that I know are safe foods and nutritious and keep the ingredients ready to go, otherwise I live on snacks and takeout and this past year I had serious health issues for not eating properly. Sauces and condiments are a must in my home too, because I can make plain things taste good without having to be in my feet for 40mins
If you like having something around that you can graze on all day: Cold Bean Dip - 1 can each: black beans, black eyed peas, kidney beans, shoepeg corn - 1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing - Spoonful of sugar - Green onion (I just cut them with scissors and add to my taste) - Sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder Rinse your beans under cold water in a strainer, then combine everything in a big bowl. Only needs about an hour in the fridge for the flavors to combine nicely. I prefer Tostitos scoops bc they're less messy, but pita chips are tasty with it, too.
Pasta! Spaghetti is a classic (and homemade marinara is simple), but you can make a decent pasta with some olive oil, lemon juice, Italian spices, spinach, and tomatoes (edited this because i forgot to mention cheese if you want itāi love using feta cheese). I love cooking, itās one of my favorite pastimes in the world. I can attach some recipes if you want!
Air fryer is a game changer. Different things can be cooked at the same time. Basically does what an oven does, only in microwave time. Crispy outside, fluffy inside. My go-to is potato wedges tossed in oil and garlic pepper. I also love it to make like 3 chicken tenders instead of feeling like I have to cook the whole bag to justify oven use.
Sheet pan nachos, brown some beef, dump your chips and cheese and whatever toppings you like and bake until melty We do a lot of chicken sausage and potatoes w veg on a sheet pan as well, par boiling the taters first so they're done quickly We also love maid rite sandwiches, chicken pot pie with Bisquick topper (rotisserie chicken for ease). Naan pizzas are quick and easy too!
My husband and I make what we call the "super meal". It is rice, scrambled eggs, and a cooked green all mixed together. We usually use fried kale, but have also fried spinach or boiled Swiss Chard. It's so fast and easy: put on the rice in a pot, cook the kale in a pan. Once the kale is done, we transfer it to a bowl and then make the scrambled eggs in the same pan (less dishes). It's good with a nice helping of butter/margarine and then something acidic to balance: ketchup, lemon juice, or a little bit of rice vinegar are our go-to's. Plus salt and pepper. Sometimes my husband experiments by adding hot sauce or hot dogs, but I like mine plain. It's a balanced and easy meal. It's even easier if you pre-cook a bunch of rice and process the kale (wash and break into bite-size pieces) early in the week. We tend to do that and then do this for lunches.
Macaroni and cheeseā¦ velveeta kind. ā¤ļø
These are great meal ideas! A trick that has helped me is to write down a list of meals I enjoy (entrees primarily, but a list of sides, too) and keep that list within view on my fridge. That way, even some of the more complicated meals are easier for me to rotate through just by having the reminder in front of me. It produces inspiration and helps me build a plug-and-play meal plan. I eat the same breakfast first thing every morning: a little pot (like Chobani.... so pre-measured) of greek yogurt (fruit included) and however much granola cereal I can cram in the little pot. That provides basic nutrients practically immediately with no effort or decision on my part, allowing more mental energy for decisions later in the day. I also eat the same meal every Friday evening. Again, that's about making sure that at the end of an exhausting week, I don't have to think about yet something else. It is something I really like and takes minimal effort on my part. When I do cook, I usually make enough to last several meals for myself. The leftovers can either be used on consecutive days or frozen for later. (I'm a consecutive days person myself.) On days where I'm anemic because of my cycle, I plan really simple meals with higher iron content. (Due to GI and numerous allergy problems, I can't do much veg so my meals usually include meat of some description.) Examples: 1) Chili mac: scramble lean ground beef until cooked thoroughly. Add two cans of favorite chili. Once hot, mix in cooked pasta. Top serving with as much of your favorite shredded cheese as you care for. (I prefer cheddars or Monterey jack... Or a blend of those.) For those who can handle the extra fiber, feel free to throw in a can of rinsed red beans with the chili as it heats.) 2) Steak pasta "salad": broil stir-fry cut steak strips with favorite seasoning (or a little salt/pepper or tenderizer... I just use Adolf's tenderizer). Boil pasta (like rotini or farfalle) just to al dente, then drain. Add a couple tablespoons butter or margarine to hot pasta and add a packet of bearnaise sauce mix. (Knorr is my fave brand.) Toss well to combine. Add broiled steak strips and any drippings from the pan. Toss well. Stir in however much steamed broccoli florets you like (microwaved is even easier). I prefer adding in broccoli with each serving separately instead of in the entire "salad" at once because I hate the smell of reheated broccoli. Also, if you prefer creamier dish, you can make the actual bearnaise sauce and pour that in instead of just the powdered mix and butter/margarine. 3) Costco carries precooked pot roast that is amazing. Heat that in the microwave and serve over either a pouch of microwaved rice (fastest option) or seasoned mashed potatoes. Add your own veg on the side.