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Drew Barrymore is doing so much. She hosts a talk show, runs a gorgeous beauty line, and still has time to be
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My first year living on my own, I ordered a take-out burrito bowl basically twice a week. I would rather starve all day and eat one hefty, greasy meal I picked up somewhere than spend the energy and time to cook myself something. For one, I barely knew how to cook eggs, let alone a meal, but I also found myself struggling with all the time it’d take to cook. I relished my free time way too much to spend it cooped up in the kitchen. And I couldn’t dare picture how some people actually found cooking to be a self-care activity. Isn’t that what the eating part is for? Fast-forward and in 2020, I’ve done basically a 180. Do I get takeout sometimes? Absolutely. But for the sake of my finances and my health, I began teaching myself a little here and there about cooking at home. But even while I’m spending all my time at home, I don’t enjoy spending a ton of time in the kitchen, so I vowed that every meal I made would be under 30 minutes (a good motivator, if I do say so myself). Over time, I’ve gotten more comfortable in the kitchen, but one thing’s remained: I spend way more time doing my skincare routine than I do cooking dinner. Here are my secrets:
Source: Blue Apron
One of the hardest parts of cooking is meal planning and getting everything from the grocery store. Although your meal might only take you 30 minutes, it might take you three hours to figure out what to make, create a list, wait in line at the grocery store, and get everything—and I forget something almost every single time. A meal-delivery service like Blue Apron takes away all of that time and energy planning and buying groceries, so your meals actually can take under 30 minutes.
My favorite thing about Blue Apron is that you can easily see the recipes when you order, and they always tell you how long it takes to prep and cook. I’m able to order meals that exclusively take under 35 minutes to make, plus I can see how much prep work is involved. I’m making exciting new dishes I never would have made, but they feel easy and doable like everything else I cook. This has led me to keep all of my recipes handy to recreate them again, helping me to build an arsenal of quick and easy meals I know I already like.
New customers: click here to save over $60 on your first 3 boxes!
Source: rawpixel
2. Save everything you see on IG, Pinterest, and YouTube
One of my biggest sources of cooking inspiration as of late has been Instagram and Tik Tok. I’m constantly seeing new ways people are making delicious, easy meals that take seriously no time at all. However, it’s easy to forget them all. Lately, I’ve been saving all of my meal ideas in one place so that I can easily come back to them. I use Pinterest because you can Pin anything from the web right there, so pictures I see on Instagram, YouTube videos, and Tik Toks can be saved amongst all the other great recipe content on Pinterest. Every Sunday I look through this catalog of ideas and pick one or two to try for the week.
3. Eat breakfast for dinner!
Once I got out of the funk that breakfast foods need to be eaten for breakfast and dinner foods can only be eaten at dinner, my world changed. Although I absolutely love breakfast foods, sometimes I’m craving a heartier meal when I eat in the mornings and opting for something that would ordinarily be a lunch or dinner for me has been a lifesaver. But like I said, I love breakfast foods (I could eat exclusively sunny-side-up eggs and hash browns with hot sauce for the rest of my life and be the happiest person on Earth), so when I’m in a rut about what to cook for dinner, I go with my go-to breakfast. As long as it has some protein and maybe a side salad (hence the maybe), I’m good to go.
Source: Anthropologie
4. Keep a go-to grocery list and meal ideas list on your phone
This was one of the first pages I made when I started a Bullet Journal, but you can put it basically anywhere: a note on your phone, a page you keep in your purse, on your computer, or even in your car. I first created a list of all of my favorite easy, go-to meals. I started with things like chicken quesadilla, turkey tacos, chicken caesar wraps, pita pizzas, spicy noodles, and an egg scramble. Then, I broke each of those meals down into all of their ingredients and wrote that as a master grocery list. Then when I’m feeling uninspired in the kitchen, I already have a pre-made meal plan and grocery list to get me through the week. This has truly saved me on nights when I’d rather do anything but cook, but if I have these on hand, I know I can make a meal I absolutely love.
5. Don’t underestimate the power of a doctored-up frozen meal
Like most people, I live in the frozen section of a grocery store. It’s so much easier, and if you know what to look for, it’s not the worst thing for your body either. But sometimes you need a little something more, so I love taking frozen staples and doctoring them up just a little bit. I’ll take frozen cauliflower rice and cook it in a little bit of soy sauce and sriracha with grilled chicken and a scrambled egg. Add some veggies, and you have the most basic fried “rice” on the planet. Another favorite of mine is using frozen breaded chicken tenders for salads, sandwiches, and wraps for an adult meal instead of just dipping them in BBQ sauce and fries (which I definitely still do on occasion and have zero regrets).
I do the same with frozen vegetables, always serving them in a sauce or a ton of my favorite seasonings to make them taste a little fresher. Find whatever ways you can take the frozen items in your freezer to the next level.
Source: @allyson.trammell
6. Keep all of your go-to spices on-hand
Make sure you have a constant flow of all of your go-to spices, seasoning blends, and sauces. For me, that’s garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha, soy sauce, chili paste, cinnamon, and taco seasoning, but your list will be different based on what you like to cook! Having these in my cupboard and fridge at all times makes it easy to doctor up a plain meal or add a little extra flavor to something.
This post includes a sponsored mention of Blue Apron, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More
A month ago, I was sitting on my couch watching YouTube after dinner. This was a common situation in my life. Eat a gigantic dinner full of the stress of the day, anxieties of the next, and shame of the previous. My parents weren’t unhealthy growing up, but they never really forced me to learn how to cook, meaning I got through much of my life enjoying my dad’s amazing home-cooked meals (of which every single thing was cooked in bacon grease) without learning how to make myself anything nutritious once it came to living on my own. Not to mention, I’ve been in recovery for an eating disorder for five years, and while I’ve learned a few helpful hints throughout therapy and treatment, a pandemic will really flip that right on its head, won’t it? So when I came across a video all about the new Weight Watchers (now called WW), I watched it in its entirety, googled for about an hour, and signed right up. All this to say, I’ve been on a journey the last month to learn how to cook for myself, create proper portions for my meals, address my negative relationship with food, and this program has really helped me establish healthier habits (don’t worry, I’m still planning a major sushi feast featuring wine with my girlfriends tomorrow, and it shall be glorious) and find healthy meals I truly love (which I never thought was possible considering my previous pandemic diet consisting of very few whole foods and many, many bags of Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi).
Even on WW, I approach cooking with extreme levity; I rarely make anything that you’d find in a cookbook or a magazine because I truly just cannot be bothered. So, I’ve found a few staples that I add to my rotation when I’m just not feeling like “experimenting.” From classic breakfasts that keep me full all morning to easy work-from-home lunches to sweet treats (eep!), these five have been my go-to meals lately—and they all take under 20 minutes to recreate.
PS: if you thought you were coming here for pretty food pictures taken on a fancy camera that were perfectly styled, you might want to redirect yourself to our meal prep archives. But if you want some bomb ass recipes that are easy as hell but maybe don’t exactly look quite as appetizing as sriracha honey meatballs over cauliflower rice (you know the pic), keep scrolling.
1. Breakfast Burrito
I’ll give any excuse to put something inside a wrap if I’m being honest. This is a favorite breakfast of mine when I know I want something that will keep me full for a long time, whether it’s busy WFH days or post-wine nights when all I want in this world is a breakfast sandwich.
Ingredients:
Hash browns (use whatever kind you love—this day I used O’Brien style, but I honestly prefer shredded)
Cheese
Protein (I use Applegate Farms Chicken and Maple Sausage, but you could use tofu, bacon, chicken, etc.)
Scrambled eggs
Hot sauce
Tortilla
Cook your hash browns and protein according to package instructions. Scramble an egg (or two if you want a GIANT burrito, which, who doesn’t?). Add all ingredients to tortilla, add some hot sauce, salt, and pepper, and roll it up!
2. Savory Oatmeal
I just recently tried this, and it’s about to become my favorite lunch, I’m sure of it. I’m not the biggest sweets eater (except for bananas and peanut butter—see below), but I love how satiated I feel after a bowl of oatmeal. I found this recipe for savory oatmeal from Honeysuckle’s YouTube channel, and it’s a life-changer. The day I made this, I felt full for HOURS. No snacking, no cravings, and no midday coffee. I’ll take that. You could do this about a million ways, but I love Mexican food, so this is my take on a huevos rancheros.
Ingredients (again, no measurements:
Oatmeal (use your favorite–I used quick oats because they’re easy, but whatever works for you)
Cheddar cheese
Black beans
Red onion
Egg cooked how you like
Hot sauce (I stan Tapatio)
Cook your oatmeal according to package instructions, and then just add all the toppings together. I didn’t have any this day, but avocado would be great with this. YUM.
3. Banana Loaf
I know banana bread already had its day, but sometimes I just want a sweet breakfast that takes minimal effort, and this has become my go-to. I found this on Instagram and made it immediately.
Ingredients (OK, this one actually has measurements):
2 bananas, extra-ripe (makes it sweet)
½ cup oats
6 tbsp egg whites
1 tbsp peanut butter (I’ve also used PB2 powder—either works)
Dash of cinnamon
Splash of vanilla extract
Chocolate chips
Mix all the ingredients together except for the chocolate chips and pour in a loaf pan. Top the loaf with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes depending on your oven. Seriously, it’s so easy and so good. TBH, I eat half for breakfast with peanut butter and regular butter smeared on top and the other half for a 2pm snack. Don’t be fooled: it doesn’t have the exact texture of banana bread, but it’s super moist and gooey. I put it in a regular bread pan (even though it doesn’t come close to filling it), but these would be adorable in mini loaf pans.
4. Copycat KFC Bowls
I’ll be the first to admit I LOVE fast food. Like, LOVE. I’m not afraid or ashamed of it. But some days I’d rather save my money (delivery is expensive, y’all) on a great meal out with friends on a patio than pay a small order fee for McDonald’s hash browns. A hankering for fried chicken brought me to this seriously simple bowl.
Ingredients:
Mashed Potatoes (I have no patience, so I used the Idahoan instant mashed potatoes that you microwave in a little cup, and they’re actually so good)
Canned corn
Chicken (I used Tyson’s Air Fried Chicken Nuggets that I cooked in the oven and diced up—I am obsessed with these. I have now gone through two bags between wraps, bowls, quesadillas, and more).
Cheddar cheese
All you do is mix it all together in a bowl, and viola! I love making this for a quick lunch that keeps me full for hours.
5. Spicy Noodles and Zoodles
I will never be the person who can eat zoodles with marinara sauce and call it a meal. Girl’s gotta have some carbs. So, I like to do a 1:1 ratio of regular, whole-wheat noodles (you can do white, I just oddly love whole-wheat breads) with zoodles or my actual favorite (not pictured), coodles (AKA noodles made with carrots—a much less appetizing word if I’m being honest). I paired this with my favorite spicy Asian-inspired sauce, broccoli, and chicken.
Sauce (all ingredients to taste—who has time to measure):
Sriracha
Chili sauce
Sesame oil
Honey
Coconut Aminos (or soy sauce, whatever I have on hand)
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic powder
After I boil my noodles, I’ll remove them from the pot to drain and add all the ingredients for the sauce to the bottom of the pan. I’ll turn up the heat to medium for about four-ish minutes and then toss the noodles back in. Then, I’ll stir-fry the zoodles in a skillet and add them in too. Toss in steamed broccoli and pre-cooked chicken that I meal prepped or bought from Trader Joe’s (for really good chicken I’ll marinate it in the same sauce as the noodles, but not necessary TBH). More
As a self-titled health nut and nutrition nerd, this may come as a surprise, but I’m a big fan of cravings. In my humble opinion, suppressing cravings is total BS. Not only are cravings your body’s way of communicating to you, but feeling guilt about cravings can lead to bingeing or an unhealthy relationship with food. My trick for getting the nutrients my body needs while still indulging in whatever I want? Finding plant-based alternatives.If staying at home for months on end has left you ordering pizza most nights of the week or going through chocolate chip cookies quicker than you go through a new Netflix series, not to worry. Whether you’re craving sweet, salty, heavy carbs, or all three, honor your body and most importantly, enjoy your life. Get in the kitchen and get creative with these plant-based alternatives that will nourish the body and satisfy taste buds.
Source: Love and Lemons
Source: The Movement Menu
Source: Live Eat Learn
Source: Love & Lemons
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
Source: Pinch of Yum
Source: Cotter Crunch
Source: One Lovely Life
Source: Feasting at Home
Source: Cotter Crunch
Source: Love and Lemons
Source: Abra’s Kitchen
Source: The Movement Menu
Source: Well and Full
Source: Eating Bird Food
Source: Eating Bird Food
Source: Love and Lemons
Source: Isabel Eats
Source: Drizzle & Dip
Source: Jessica in the Kitchen
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
Source: Downshiftology
Source: Love and Lemons
Source: Eating Bird Food
Source: Cotter Crunch
Source: Live Eat Learn
Source: One Lovely Life
Source: Downshiftology
Source: Cookin Canuck
Source: The Movement Menu
Source: Eating Bird Food
Source: Love and Lemons
Source: Lively Table
Source: Top with Cinnamon More
