It seems that almost everyone I talk to these days is struggling with how to put good meals on the table that doesn’t eat away at your precious free time. I’m right there with you! With less time on my hands, I find myself searching for quick and easy recipes that I can pull together for Joe and the kids from what already exists in our fridge and cupboard. In keeping every time of day in mind, here are a few of my favorite recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner together that are meant to be moldable. I like that you can add in what you like and take out what you don’t! Please share your favorite easy recipes in the comments below! I am all ears and need all the help I can get!

Breakfast:

Image from Pinch of Yum

Overnight Chia and Oats:

Recipe: 1 part milk of your choice, to 1/2 part oats, to 1/4 parts chia. Add all of that to a jar at night and it will be ready to eat in the morning! You can find your preferences for toppings, but a basic guideline it to add a sweetener, a fruit, and a crunch! Maple syrup, blueberries, and almonds; honey, strawberries, and granola; or cinnamon, mango, and coconut flakes are some of my favorites!

Image from Little Things

Pre-made Smoothies:

Prepping smoothie ingredients to freeze and blend in the morning is a great way to save time and money. Here is the basic recipe: 1/2 cup fruit, 1/2 cup veggies (double if they are leafy vegetables), 1 cup liquid, and a little sweetener if you want! Just freeze the solid foods and then add the liquids to a blender in the morning. My favorites are: blueberry, shredded beet, honey, almond milk and a little basil; mango/banana, kale, carrot, and coconut flakes; strawberry/banana, spinach, and orange juice (beware: this one doesn’t look as pretty but it tastes amazing!) The best part is: you can just put the smoothie back into the frozen jar for a chilled on-the-go smoothie!

Lunch:

Image from Daily Burn

Spicy Tuna Lettuce Wraps:

I like to use albacore tuna in a bag with plain greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. To mimic the taste of mayo even more, add a pinch of salt! I mix that in a bowl with sriracha to taste. That’ll be the base of the wrap, and from there you can add whatever veggies you prefer! I like shredded carrot, avocado, and a little apple or grape! Put all of that into a big romaine leaf for a perfect lunch!

Image from Fraiche Nutrition

Blueberry-Broccoli Salad:

The core of this salad: spring greens and kale, chopped broccoli, blueberries, feta cheese, almonds, oil and balsamic vinegar. That’s it! Add more of what you love and less of what you don’t! Some other ideas if you love a super-loaded salad? Roasted sweet potatoes, finely chopping red onion or grilled chicken!

Dinner:

Image from The Londoner

Noodle-less Pad Thai

Zoodle. Heaven. I like to use a Veggie Bullet  to spiralize daikon, zucchini, and carrot as a base for this easy and healthy salad. From there, I like to chop up cucumber, green onion, snap peas, firm tofu, and cilantro to add to the mix. The sauce is pretty fluid and made to taste, but start with this base: sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, peanut butter (pro tip: use something like PB2 or another powdered peanut butter to make easily mixable, liquid peanut butter), ginger, lime juice, and honey. To make this, just throw it all in a jar and shake! Top with crushed peanuts or almonds and enjoy!

Pairs perfectly with a cold, citrusy beer!

Image from Keepin’ it Kind

Add-Anything Flatbread

Start with a store-bought flatbread (I like the ones from Trader Joe’s), And on top of that, the possibilities are endless. My favorite and easy way to dress it with a spread of avocado-hummus. Either store bought or blended with a can of chickpeas, 1 avocado, olive oil, mint, basil, and S&P. On top of that, I put a spread of cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, (more) chickpeas red pepper, red onion, and feta or goat cheese. Another simple way to dress it is with the same hummus, mozzarella, sliced roma tomato, full basil and spinach leaves, and this Fini Balsamic Reduction with Fig.

You could bake any of these for ~10 minutes at 375, but in the spirit of no-cook meals, you don’t have to!

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.