HOW TO PREPARE HEALTHY, DELICIOUS AND SUPER EASY MEALS THAT WILL IMPRESS!
- mya625
- Apr 28
- 6 min read
I feel like I’ve been cooking my entire life. And I’m tired. I cooked as a teen; when I was in college; out on my own; as a wife of two husbands; as a mother; and now as a retiree. And though I love to make those occasional, gourmet 2-day prep meals (and I sometimes still do for special occasions), my mantra now is: “Keep It Easy”.
Does this sound familiar?: You walk into the kitchen, fully prepared to whip up a “simple” meal, only to be confronted by a recipe that reads more like an advanced chemistry equation. “Add a dash of Himalayan pink salt harvested at midnight under a full moon” or “infuse your sauce with hand-ground spices from a remote island.” At this point, you’re thinking, “I just want something tasty and healthy, why does this feel like a NASA launch?”
Well, fear not, my fellow kitchen warriors. The truth is you don’t need to be the next Julia Child or own half the spice aisle to make a nutritious, delicious meal. In fact, you can cook like a rock star without even cracking open a complicated cookbook. Let’s dive into some tips, tricks, and a hearty helping of humor to keep your culinary adventures both stress-free and satisfying.
Keep Your Pantry Simple But Mighty
When you’re trying to cook healthy meals without complicated recipes, it all starts with your pantry. Think of it as your personal toolkit. If your toolkit contains 47 different hammers but no nails, you’re in trouble. The same goes for a pantry filled with exotic sauces you used once (in 1998) and forgot about. You may even want to go through specialty items from time to time, to make sure they aren't expired. I learned not too long ago, that spices don't actually last forever.
The basics that form the backbone of many easy dishes include whole grains (rice, quinoa, oats), beans, lentils, canned tomatoes, and a few go-to spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe some Italian seasoning).
You’ll also need to keep a stash of frozen vegetables, like broccoli, peas, or mixed stir-fry veggies, for quick no-fuss nutrition. Best part is that you’ll never have to worry about them going bad before you use them.
One-Pan (or One-Pot) Wonders
Let me introduce you to my best friend: the one-pan (or one-pot) meal. The concept is beautifully simple: toss a bunch of ingredients into a single cooking vessel, let them mingle, and voilà, dinner is served.
Here's a recipe I want to share with you because it’s a crowd pleaser and you’ll scrape the pan for the delicious shreds of chicken that fall off those ever-so-tender thighs. I learned it from a friend while studying Spanish and it’s been a staple in my kitchen ever since. The friend never gave me a name for it, so I call it....
HAVANA CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS (you can determine the quantities)
Chicken thighs
Onions
Garlic
Salt & Pepper
Mojo Criollo sauce (below)
You first have to pick up a bottle of this exact sauce at your local market or order from Amazon.
And here’s the 3-step cooking process:
Rinse chicken thighs and lay evenly in a 9” x 13” cooking pan.
Lay sliced onions and fresh garlic on top of chicken (lots or to taste).
Pour Mojo Criollo sauce over the chicken until it’s covered.
Cover dish with aluminum foil.
Cook in 350 oven until tender.
Remove aluminum foil and continue to cook until browned on both sides (turn only once as it will become very tender)
Serve with white rice and vegetable of your choice
This is a crowd-favorite but it can work similarly for any sheet pan dish: Spread your protein (chicken, fish, tofu) and veggies (carrots, bell peppers, zucchini) on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle some seasoning, and roast until everything is golden. Cleanup is a breeze with the nonstick carbon steel pan below. You can also line the pan with parchment paper to cut down on scrubbing time.
Stovetop Stews: Throw lentils or beans, diced veggies, some broth and seasonings into a single pot (or slow cooker). Let it simmer, and before you know it, you’ve got a hearty meal that warms you from the inside out.
Embrace “Freestyle” Cooking
Now let’s talk about the real secret to avoiding complicated recipes: winging it, also known as “freestyle” cooking. It’s when you open your fridge, see what’s there, and just go with the flow. No measuring cups? No problem. If it tastes good, you’re winning.
Start with a base: grains, pasta, or even just a bed of lettuce.
Add protein: This could be beans, lentils, leftover chicken, or a can of tuna.
Mix in veggies: Fresh, frozen, canned, whatever you have on hand.
Flavor it up: Add a little olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper, and maybe a pinch of dried herbs. Taste and adjust. That’s it!
If you’re worried about messing up, remember that most kitchen “fails” are still edible. And if all else fails, call it “rustic.” Nobody will question you.
If you’re a techie, type the ingredients you have in your refrigerator into ChatGPT and it will spit out a recipe that will surely please.
Cook Once, Eat Twice (or more)
I’m a lazy cook, but I do like to prepare meals that are more than just the basic protein and vegetables. That being said, the last thing I want is to spend hours in the kitchen every single day. Enter the batch cooking strategy. It’s like meal prep’s laid-back cousin.
Double the Recipe: If you’re making a simple soup or stew, cook a double batch. Freeze half for later.
Mix & Match Leftovers: Turn leftover roasted veggies into a wrap or sandwich filling. Use leftover chicken or tofu in a quick stir-fry the next night.
Think Big: Cooking in larger quantities means you’ll always have a healthy fallback option, so you’re less tempted to order takeout for the third time this week. You can also freeze some of it for an impromptu meal in a future week.
Salads, Salads, Salads
There’s nothing quite like a salad to save the day. It’s the perfect evening meal and is great for consuming just a few hours before bed.
Of course there are just too many salads to think about sharing, but I did want to give you the recipe for my absolute favorite.
The "It Doesn’t Have a Name" Salad
Mix the following into a salad bowl and enjoy! Chopped romaine lettuce, farro, chopped jicama, chopped medjool dates, sliced almonds, crispy fried onions, blueberries, organic green apple chopped, aged white cheddar. Delicious! Below is my favorite dressing for this salad, but of course use the dressing of your choice, it will be amazing!
Healthy Doesn’t Mean “Bland”
There’s a myth that healthy eating just means boiled chicken and steamed broccoli. Let’s squash that misconception once and for all. Our family is pescatarian (we only eat a minimal amount of fish and seafood) and have been for nearly 15 years, and we always manage to enjoy flavor explosions without burying our meals in complicated sauces.
Spice It Up: Experiment with simple seasoning blends, like taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder) or a Mediterranean mix (oregano, thyme, rosemary).
Citrus Power: A squeeze of lemon or lime can brighten up any dish. It’s a quick way to add zing without the extra calories.
Herbs Are Your Friends: Fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley can take an average meal from “meh” to “chef’s kiss.”
If you cook primarily with salt, pepper and garlic powder, this spice starter kit may be a good way for you to take your meals to the next level with very little effort.
Enjoy the Process (and Laugh at the Mishaps)
Let’s be honest: not every meal will be a five-star masterpiece. Sometimes, your rice might turn out a little crunchy, or your veggies might char a bit too much on the edges. But guess what? It’s all part of the journey. Cooking is meant to be fun, experimental, and occasionally messy. Embrace it.
Celebrate Small Wins: If you managed not to burn the onions this time, that’s a victory!
Learn from Mistakes: So, your soup was a bit salty? Add a potato next time to absorb the excess salt. Or, you know, just call it a “hearty chowder” and pretend it was intentional.
Cooking healthy, delicious meals without complicated recipes isn’t about mastering the latest food trend or impressing a gourmet critic. It’s about nourishing yourself (and your loved ones) with minimal stress and maximum flavor. Whether you’re whipping up a one-pot wonder, embracing the freestyle method, or simply roasting whatever veggies you have on hand, remember this: you’re in control. You decide what goes on your plate, how much effort you put in, and, most importantly, how much you enjoy the process.
Ladies, this is “AGING OUT LOUD — NO Limits, No Apologies, No Regrets.” If you want to keep it simple in the kitchen, do it unapologetically. Because the only limit you should worry about is how many roasted potatoes you can fit on your baking sheet. (Spoiler alert: you can always squeeze in one more.)
~~~ What’s your favorite quick, no-fuss meal that you can whip up with just a few basic ingredients? ~~~
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Until next time, keep living boldly, aging confidently, and AGING OUT LOUD —
No Limits, No Apologies, No Regrets!
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