Are you tired of cooking the same dishes week after week? Are you looking for some new meals to add to your menu rotation? Don’t worry! We got you! Today we’re sharing fast, delicious, easy meals for even a beginner chef. We’re sharing mouthwatering meals that transform your cooking experience into something extraordinary. So get ready to tease your tastebuds and for your stress levels to dive because we’re solving the number one question all Mum’s hate… “What’s for dinner?”

Super simple meal ideas:

Some meals are so simple that they don’t need an explanation. These meal ideas are great when you’re in a pinch, needing to cook a meal with no idea of what to make. They use simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand. 

• Grilled cheese and tomato soup.
• Ham and cheese sandwiches with a garden salad.
• Cheese quesadillas.
• BLT sandwich.
• Rice bowl with vegetables.
• Boiled eggs with rice and vegetables.

Exquisite but easy meal ideas.

Below you’ll find meals that are a bit more “extra” than the ideas above but not too involved. They come together in under 30 minutes and require minimal preparation and clean-up. They can also easily be dressed up by adding a piece of protein or experimenting with a different garnish. Ready to tease your tastebuds? Let’s go!

1. Sesame Peanut Noodles

Have a craving for Asian takeout? We got the perfect meal for that! Sesame peanut noodles are ready in only 10 minutes. We bet you can’t get your takeout order that fast! To make it, start by cooking your favourite Asian pasta (if you don’t have one on hand, you can use any pasta).  While the pasta is cooking, whip up the sesame peanut sauce. Simply combine sesame oil, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and minced garlic until it has a thin, creamy texture. Then pour the sauce over the cooked and drained noodles and toss to coat. Finish by garnishing with sliced green onion, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts. It’s divine!

2. Maple-Glazed Salmon

Maple-glazed salmon sounds like an elegant dinner, doesn’t it? And it is! But it’s ready in just 20 minutes instead of the hours and hours of preparations that typically go into cooking fancy stuff. You begin by making the glaze. Mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Then lay the salmon on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Spoon some glaze on each salmon fillet, and add more halfway through and again upon taking them out of the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375F.

3. Italian Chopped Salad

Craving a refreshing salad? This Italian chopped salad is just that. To start making it, whisk together <0xC8> cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sea salt, and 3/4 tsp ground black pepper. This will be your dressing. Then, add garbanzo beans, olives, diced tomatoes, salami, and grated Parmesan cheese. Toss together with the dressing and enjoy!

4. Pasta Pesto

Pasta pesto is savoury and refreshing wrapped up in one. It has a gentle, nutty taste mixed with herbaceous basil. It is packed with good taste, and it’s simple to make. If you’re really in a time crunch, you can opt for store-bought pesto, but if you have 5 minutes, you can mix up your own. Using a food processor, pulse together pine nuts, lemon juice, and garlic. Then add basil and pulse more. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue to pulse. Finally, add the grated parmesan cheese and continue to pulse. Then, on low heat, add the pesto, and using the pasta cooking water, decide how thick you’d like the pesto to be. (More pasta water = thinner pesto.) Finally, toss in the pasta and continue tossing until coated. Add arugula and a dash of lemon juice, and presto! You have yourself a simple but decadent pasta pesto dish.

5. Tuna Pasta Salad

Tuna pasta salad is a fast and exquisite meal that’s nutrient-packed and filling. To make it, cook and drain 12 ounces of pasta shells or macaroni noodles. Then, combine the pasta with drained tuna, chopped celery, peas, and enough mayo to make the salad creamy. Then chill for 1-2 hours before serving. If you want to dress it up a little, you can add chopped onion, scallions, chives, or hard-boiled eggs.

6. Greek Yoghurt Parfait

Breakfast for supper, anyone? We love breakfast and think it can be enjoyed any time! And a Greek yogurt parfait is a magnificent way to ensure you get the nutrients your body craves and not spend a boatload of time making a meal. Simply spoon some of your favourite Greek yogurt into a bowl and add your favourite frozen fruit and granola. If you want to be really fancy, you can use a glass dish and layer them, and you’ll see how pretty it looks!

7. Lentil Soup

This soup is probably the easiest you’ll find. All you have to do is boil and simmer chicken broth, dry lentils, medium diced onion, tomato paste, minced garlic, and ground cumin. The soup is ready to eat when the lentils are soft and tender (approximately 35-40 minutes).  Lentils are rich in protein, fiber, and iron, all of which help you to feel full and satisfied.

8. Garlic Bread Pizza

Making garlic bread pizza is easy and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. You can buy your garlic bread at the store or make it yourself by whipping up garlic butter spreading it on bread and then baking it. For the “pizza” part, after the garlic bread is made, or using the store-bought loaf, spread pizza sauce, pepperoni, cheese, and whatever other toppings you like on top and then put it back in the oven until melted. 

The Takeaway

Cooking supper doesn’t have to be a source of stress. On top of everything else you need to worry about, let meals be something simple, exciting, and maybe even fun. Garlic bread pizza, tuna pasta salad, maple-glazed salmon, and lentil soup are all enjoyable to make, not overwhelming with the number of steps involved, and taste amazing. So the next time you’re stumped or are feeling irritated by the question “What’s for dinner”, just try one of our ideas and see how easy and tasty they are!