Simple Meals That Taste Anything But Simple (My Latest Favorites)
Low effort, high reward meals I'm loving right now
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What a week! Finals are in full swing, school-related activities are winding down, and my firstborn is graduating from high school next week (where did the time go?!). It’s been a whirlwind of events, celebrations, and emotions. And soon, it will officially be summer.
When life is this busy, and especially with the temperatures starting to climb, my desire to cook anything complicated drops fast. All I want is to enjoy meals that match my mindset: ones that require minimal time to prepare, but still taste amazing.
That’s why it’s so helpful to have a few of these meals in your back pocket—for those moments when you’re hungry, but just don’t have the time or energy to cook.
Okay, let’s dish!
In Praise of Low Effort, High Reward Meals
My friend recently texted me saying she was picking up some raw oysters for dinner and asked where she could buy mignonette sauce to go with them. I told her she would be crazy to not make it herself—mignonette sauce is just chopped shallots and vinegar, maybe seasoned with a little salt and pepper.
I sent her a recipe, and she decided to give it a try. Later, she texted back to say her oysters mignonette was one of the most enjoyable meals she’d had in a while—and she was amazed by how easy it was to prepare. It was the epitome of what I like to call a “low effort, high reward” meal.
Low effort, high reward (LEHR) meals are great to have in your arsenal. They require minimal time and energy to prepare, but the payoff in flavor is huge. These are the dishes you turn to when you truly don’t feel like cooking but still want to eat something delicious and satisfying.
What are my criteria for a LEHR meal?
Six ingredients or fewer (excluding salt and seasonings)
No stove or oven required
Minimal kitchen tools or gadgets needed
Ready to eat in under 10 minutes (and often less than 5 minutes)
No recipe necessary
Big on flavor and satisfaction, with solid nutritional value
A perfect light meal for one—though others are always welcome to join the party!
The low effort, high reward recipes I’m currently loving
Here are a few effortlessly easy, super delicious (LEHR) dishes I’ve been loving lately:
Pesto Chicken Caprese Salad,
, Healthyish. This is the magic that happens when pesto chicken salad meets caprese salad. With rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto, you really can’t go wrong here. I like to serve it over a bed of arugula with some pickled onions for a supercharged salad (and even more gorgeous color).
Peach burrata salad. I always look forward to peach season so I can start making this luscious summertime staple salad. All you need are peaches, large pieces of torn burrata, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and flaky sea salt. To make it a bit more filling and for an extra hit of saltiness, top with a few slices of prosciutto. Or spice it up with a drizzle of hot honey.
If you want to take this dish one step further effort-wise, try grilling your peaches—like in this fabulous-looking version from Serious Eats that’s high on my list to try ASAP.
Avocado toast with smoked salmon. Technically, you’re using a toaster here—but since it’s pretty hands-off and generates minimal heat (compared to the stove or oven), this qualifies as a LEHR meal. My perfect version includes nova salmon, a squeeze of lemon, cilantro leaves, aleppo pepper, and flaky sea salt. Ideally served on a sturdy slice of sourdough or whole grain bread. Add some pickled onions if you’re feeling fancy.
PB&J yogurt. Yogurt bowls are a total win for breakfast or as a hearty snack. Recently, I’ve been making one on repeat using 2% Greek yogurt, crunchy natural peanut butter, Chia Smash strawberry jam, and sliced strawberries. Simply wonderful.
Roasted fruit-topped cottage cheese. Fruit-topped cottage cheese is a revelation (and also a great protein-packed alternative to yogurt). I’ve been alternating between roasted sumac strawberries inspired by a recipe in the Hot Sheet cookbook and this recipe from
for maple olive oil-roasted peaches with walnuts.
Hooray for fruity cottage cheese bowls!
Some meals that are still super easy—but a “step up” in time and/or effort:
Chili crisp feta egg on a tortilla. I talk about this one a lot, because it’s that good. This meal uses the stove, so it doesn’t fully qualify as LEHR—but it’s quick, easy, and comes pretty close.
Here’s how I make it: Lightly char a small (fajita size) corn or flour tortilla on the open flame of a gas stove, or heat in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, turning often, until some brown spots appear). Smear half of a small avocado onto the charred tortilla. In a medium-sized nonstick skillet over medium heat, take a handful (about a quarter cup or so) of crumbled feta and arrange it in a small donut shape (you will place the egg in the center of the feta hole). Drizzle with some chili crisp, and cook until the feta starts to melt and sizzle slightly. Crack the egg into the center of the feta and cook for about a minute or two until the cheese starts to get crispy around the edges, then cover the pan and cook for about a minute to cook the egg further (or more if you want your egg less runny). Uncover and cook for another minute as needed to get nicely crisped edges. Carefully lift feta egg on top of the tortilla; drizzle with more chili crisp to taste (if your chili crisp doesn’t contain salt, sprinkle with a little salt too). Fold and eat.
Chia Seed Pudding, Tiffani Thiessen, Pull Up A Chair. This Greek yogurt and coconut milk-based chia seed pudding takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, but it requires an overnight rest in the fridge for the chia seeds to soften and the mixture to thicken. I like to serve it with sliced fresh fruit and toasted coconut, though dried mango (as suggested in the recipe) would create a nice tropical vibe too. I usually make 1.5 times the recipe to use up a full can of coconut milk (about 1 ½ cups), which yields around four servings that I can enjoy throughout the week. Fun fact: I went through a phase where I ate this almost every morning for six months!
La Scala Famous Chopped Salad, version from Kat Ashmore. Stopping by La Scala for one of their famous chopped salads (made with finely chopped lettuce, salami, mozzarella cheese, and chickpeas tossed in a red wine vinaigrette) is always on my “must-do” list when I’m in Los Angeles, but it’s also incredibly easy to make at home (and for a fraction of the cost). No stove or oven required—just a bit of chopping, which is why it lands on the “one step up” list.
Lemon Ice, Jenn Segal, Once Upon A Chef. Yes, I know—this technically isn’t a meal and requires at least 4–5 hours of freezing time. But you should definitely try this refreshing frozen citrusy concoction. It’s made with only three ingredients and is perfect for summer!
What is your go-to LEHR meal? Let me know in the comments below! (And, if I get enough responses, maybe I’ll do a future issue compiling everyone’s favorites. 😊)
A few other great things…
Make this: Molly Yeh’s Sesame Cake with Tahini and Crumbly Spice Topping. Thanks
for the recommendation following my inclusion of tahini as one of my favorite flavor bombs in last week’s newsletter. A great cake recipe to have in your repertoire.Try this: Cava’s Crazy Feta. I enjoy adding Crazy Feta (a spicy mix of feta whipped with jalapeños, onions, and olive oil) to my salads when I eat out at Cava, so I was delighted to see that my local Whole Foods carries it. So far, I’ve used it as dip for crudité and as a spread on a turkey sandwich.
Read this: Stanley Tucci’s Taste: My Life Through Food. I previously read and enjoyed What I Ate in a Year, so I wanted to check out this earlier memoir—also centered on his life and food—next. I’ve been really engaged by his stories and recipes so far, and I’m trying not to read it when I’m hungry.
Watch this: The Better Sister on Amazon Prime. Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel star in this suspenseful thriller about two estranged sisters, Chloe and Nicky, who reunite to confront their family’s dark past after a murder.
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Have a delicious week!
P.S. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase from the link (at no extra cost to you). Not a bad deal, right? 😊
Yum! We are hitting 90 degree weather this week, so the timing is perfect! And I see you like cottage cheese as much as I do.
loooooove these reminders about no-oven meals that really work as the weather get hot!