As a mother of a three-year-old and a six-month-old, I would use one word to describe my current life: full. So when dinner time rolls around, I look for meals that meet four requirements:
1. Enough for me and my husband Max (he usually eats two portions) and myself
2. Takes less than 30 minutes (including prep and cooking time!)
3. Dirty five plates/cutting boards/knife tops
4. Tastes delicious
Finding a recipe that hits all four points is like trying to get a kid to eat salad—next to impossible. But these recipes are out there, life-changing once discovered, and worth sharing with everyone. When I’m “on the verge of” ordering delivery, here are some things I look for:
I’ve been making it at least once a week since discovering What’s Gabby Cooking’s Easy Shredded Mexican Chicken. very gentle. The flavor is very strong. It cooked on the stove for over 20 minutes, giving me enough time to give my baby Emiliano a bath or unload something from the dishwasher. My favorite part? It will only stain a pair of tongs and a Dutch oven.
On nights when I feel inspired, I pair it with a full tostada sauce that includes black beans, sour cream, avocado slices, pickled onions, and lime wedges. But most of the time, I just put it on a warm tortilla, sprinkle it with cotija cheese, and call it a day.
Smitten Kitchen’s Crispy Chickpeas with Herb and Garlic Yogurt saves my life when I’m low on energy or short on time. While cooking, I found myself sneaking a taste of the crunchy chickpeas. When everyone finished eating and went to bed, I was still standing at the kitchen sink, spooning the remaining garlic yogurt into my mouth. Basically, the meal was delicious.
The key to getting it done in under 30 minutes is to fry the chickpeas and zucchini in separate pans. This still brings the total number of dirty dishes to five!
Another vegetable recipe that has become a go-to for weeknight dinners? Caroline Chamber’s is basically salad pasta. The winner of the meal was the sauce, which was made with superfoods (kale, broccoli, pepitas) and tasted like a creamy, bright pesto. What’s the biggest benefit? Kids love it.
What simple dinners do you have on your weekly rotation? Where do you find your recipes? If you’d like, please share the link in the comments!
PS: More quick meals and the first rule of family dinners.
(Photo: What’s Gabby Cooking.)
