Quick and Easy Recipes
Quick and easy recipes are a mom’s best friend. I love to cook and I could spend all day in the kitchen but a) I don’t have time to do that; and b) I hate doing dishes. This week I have decided to round up 10 of my favorite recipes in hopes that it takes some pressure off of you around meal time.
We love these muffins from Fed and Fit and I make them every time we have overripe bananas. I have tried these with all kinds of variations and they always work. I’ve subbed maple syrup for the brown sugar, almond milk for the milk, coconut oil instead of butter and AP and gluten-free flours. I do leave out the chocolate chips to keep the sugar down and I also don’t keep them stocked in the house.
We usually use these as a snack but they are also great for breakfast on the go. They freeze well and are just scrumptious.
If you haven’t had egg in a hole, you are missing out! This comes together in minutes and uses two ingredients pretty much everyone has in their home - eggs and bread. I recently learned you can freeze these which makes this “recipe” a no-brainer for easy, weekday breakfast.
Another winner from Fed and Fit! I like to prep this salad for easy weekday lunches. The base is cabbage, which is super sturdy and will hold up in the fridge for the better part of the week. I make a big batch of dressing, shred rotisserie chicken and prep veggies on Sunday and then just throw it in a bowl when lunch time comes around throughout the week.
The best part? Charlie loves it too. I think he could live off of the dressing alone. I just chop his cabbage a bit smaller and deconstruct it for him.
We started making these not long after Charlie started eating solids and they have remained a family favorite. The “burger” is made of sweet potato, black beans, oats and quinoa and spiced with cumin and cilantro. Loaded with nutrients, delicious and easy to eat with pretty much any side.
This recipe makes about 10-12 burgers so there are always leftovers. I put the burgers on a sheet pan, pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes and then move them into a ziplock for freezer storage.
If you are at all interested in baby led weaning, I cannot recommend Solid Starts enough. Jenny, the founder and mom of 3, was my mentor at an internship in NYC 10 years ago and she has been an invaluable resource as I’ve introduced solid food to Charlie. This ramen dish is an easy lunch or dinner that we make every week or two.
Another ramen dish! Ramen has become a staple in our home because it cooks in minutes (much faster than pasta) and I found a brand made with quinoa which adds some extra nutrition to the meal.
I’ve only made this twice but it is a crowd pleaser, keeps so well in the fridge and can easily be adjusted to use up protein or produce in your fridge.
Chili is a staple in our meal plan rotation. I love this version because it is packed with nutrients and even has a whole zucchini inside. I don’t love “hiding” veggies from Charlie but the shredded zucchini bulks it up and adds a great texture. I usually double this recipe and freeze it in individual servings for easy lunches or dinners.
I haven’t made this in a while and need to change that. Charlie loves lentils and they are so easy to make, packed with nutrients and freeze really well. If you crave Indian, Thai or any other Asian flavors, definitely check out out Riyana’s blog, Healthyish and Happy. She is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and certified Whole 30 coach. Her food packs lots of flavor without the junk and she makes it easy to eat clean.
I love any meal that only requires one pan and less than a half an hour to cook. Bailey’s Chipotle Chicken Skillet hits those marks and it is Whole 30 compliant! Charlie eats what we eat so I do cut down on the spice when I make this. A quick and easy dinner that usually leaves some leftovers for the lunch the next day.
We love this burnt broccoli recipe from Danielle Walker’s blog. The spice blend is so simple and so good - completely elevates normal roasted broccoli. I make massive sheet pans of this and we will eat it as a snack, on the side of a protein or thrown into a pasta dish. Charlie loves it too!
