Fast (real) Food
Simple Ingredients. That is the key. Sometimes, that means real simple. But honestly…. the simpler, the better. That means less ingredients. Real, whole food is what we’re after.
Now…I could teach you how to create a 100% scratch-made meal, complete with homemade pasta and all the things. And while it can be incredibly satisfying to create those meals, that’s not what this post is about. This is dedicated to helping you put a healthy meal on the table quickly, with little effort, even when it’s almost suppertime!
This happens to me most often in the summer, because it’s just so hard to drag myself indoors on those long, warm days. Before I know it, it’s 6:30, the sun is still high, and I’m rushing inside to whip up some good, wholesome sustenance for my family. And personally, I’m just not willing to trade our health for convenience. Good news: you don’t have to!
As a general rule, I really like to build my family’s meals from basic foods. Meat, vegetable, a whole wheat bread or organically grown starch. Not only are the whole foods exceedingly more nutritious than anything you can buy processed, but they’re generally more cost effective, too!
Today, I’m sharing with you a handful of meal ideas you can feel good about on those long days when you just don’t have a plan and you’re too tired to come up with one. I’m serious…these are real. simple. As in, you don’t even have to be a good cook to make them. (But just fake it ‘til you make it, I won’t tell.)
Breakfast
Who doesn’t love breakfast food? I promise you can whip this up in 15 minutes or less, and feed your family a protein-rich meal that will fill them up and nourish their bodies well!
Examples: Eggs, fried or scrambled (pasture-raised is best)
Sausage, bacon, or both!
Potatoes, diced and fried in butter until crispy (top with cheese, if you want!) Salt after cooking
2. Hamburger Steak & Veggies
It's super quick and easy to pat out some ground beef, season to taste and pan-fry (or grill!)
Cooked onions (and mushrooms if you like!) make it even better
While the hamburger steaks are sizzling, warm some veggies in a pot. It's okay if you don't have home-grown vegetables. Frozen store-bought work wonderfully
Toast some bread or sauté some diced potatoes & supper is served!
3. Frittata
So easy. So delicious. So filling.
Frittatas are essentially a crustless quiche, but if you aren’t familiar with how to prepare this simple one-pan meal, let me enlighten you
Beat 10-12 eggs in a bowl, add as much shredded cheese as you like, mix in browned sausage, diced ham, bell peppers, or any other add-in to your liking
Pour into a hot buttered skillet and let it bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes while you relax or tend to something else
That’s it! (I like serving mine with sour cream, because eggs + sour cream is next level) ;)
Toast & fruit pair wonderfully with frittata
4. Pork Chops, Rice & Gravy, and Creamed Peas
Pork chops are easy because they go with many different sides, and they can be prepared in many different ways
Baked, grilled, pan-fried, slow-cooked, you name it…
Rice & gravy comes together super fast, and goes great with pork chops. Top the chops with some of the gravy if you want!
Creamed English peas are a favorite in my house, and luckily, they couldn’t be easier to prepare…
Just boil some frozen peas, drain if needed, and add a pat of butter, about 1/4 cup of heavy cream or half & half, a dash of dill, mash peas a bit and stir while they thicken up
Done! The hardest part of this meal washing the dishes
5. Chicken/Steak & Fried Rice
Honestly, I could probably eat this every single day and never get tired of it. Luckily, (you guessed it!) it’s quick & easy to make
Simply cook strips of chicken breasts or steak in a light oil, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and get some rice on to boil
When rice is cooked, melt some butter in another pan, scramble a couple of eggs and then add your rice, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), ground ginger, black pepper, curry powder if you love curry, like me!
Add a bag of frozen veggies to the rice and stir until everything is done to your liking
It’s that simple!
Optional Bonus (Recommended): Make your own sauce by combining 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup spicy mustard, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons sweetener of choice, splash of lime juice, dash of black pepper. Taste and adjust if needed. Perform a Chef’s Kiss.
Those are my top 5 quick meals I depend on in a pinch. I hope you gained some ideas to work into your rotation, even on busy weeknights when you think take-out is the only option! These meal ideas are meant to simplify your life when you still want to feed your family nourishing food but the week has been overwhelming.
And when in doubt, always add more butter :)