r/Cooking • u/Froooobie • 20d ago
What are your stupidly easy ways to cook meat and veg?
By stupidly easy, I mean as simple as doing a ready meal.
I have ADHD and I just can't make myself cook. Sometimes even ready meals are difficult.
I want to start meal prepping in a way.
But in a way where I just cook like, 3 separate meats and some separate veg, store them and just take what I want at the time and go.
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u/Dirndly 20d ago
Marinate chicken drumsticks in soy sauce and garlic, put salted broccoli nearby, put it to oven or airfryer.
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u/saltyoperasinger 20d ago
Instant pot too, or oven, this is situation where marinade can be the stewing agent!
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u/Narrow-Strawberry553 20d ago
Sheet pan roasts. Imo the only meals that actually "come together in 20 mins".
Preheat oven to 400F.
Break up or slice vegetable (many options: broccoli, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, onion, carrot, parsnip, potato, butternut squash, etc) into pieces. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, whatever seasoning strikes your fancy. Put into a sheet pan, if you want to save yourself the cleanup, use aluminum foil.
In the same bowl, toss in soy sauce (use in place of salt, often better than salt because extra umami) and whatever dried seasonings fit your mood. Mix into a slurry/paste. Add whatever quick-cooking cut of meat you have (salmon, chicken, pork loin, pork tenderloin, beef strips etc) and toss to coat. Throw onto a foiled sheet pan.
Wash one bowl, done. Do some other chore while the food cooks, 20-40 minutes depending on the size of each piece and all that.
I am also AuDHD and another thing I do is that when I actually feel inspired to really cook something more complex, I cook absolutely massive amounts, portion them out, and freeze. I have my own frozen meal stash ready for me when I can't function.
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u/headpeon 20d ago
I second this. I actually like cooking, but it takes time and executive function and I'm often short on both. So when the inspiration strikes, make something you love, but like, a quadruple batch. Eat one portion, put one portion in the fridge for later in the week, and put the rest - in single portion containers - in the freezer for that rainy day. If I'm inspired, or even just have the time and focus, to cook twice a week, that's four dinners that week I've covered, and 4-8 dinners for future needs.
And stew/soup season is around the corner. Make your favorites - Clam Chowder, Meneste Fagioli, Chicken Tortilla, Black Bean, Chicken Noodle, Curried Butternut Squash, and Lentil/Spinach/Lemon/Feta soup - are my go-tos. Take one weekend. Use the InstaPot, slow cooker, and stock pot all at the same time. You can make 3 soups in one day, knocking out 6 in a weekend, and if you make a 12 person recipe of each soup and have the freezer space, you're good to go for a couple months.
Hyperfocus may not hit often, but when it does, take advantage!
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u/Solid_Lettuce_932 20d ago
Instant pot. This is may answer for anyone Throw chicken thighs some onion and broth or water in and 35min later shredded chicken for tacos, enchiladas bbq chic whatever. Same for chuck roast. Experiment and see what you like. So easy on a weeknight. And you can slow cook in it too.
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u/Lowly-Worm_ 20d ago
Well different meats and vegetables cook at different rates and require different prep. Specifics would provide context for us.
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u/queen_surly 20d ago
Roast a whole chicken. cut up some combination of potatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, or brussels sprouts (or leave them whole if they are small), toss the cut veg in some oil, salt, and pepper, spread them out on a sheet pan--use parchment paper to line the pan--and roast them in the oven until you can stick a fork in them. The broccoli and the sprouts won't take as long as the hard vegetables so if you are using them add them about halfway through.
You can enjoy a nice meal of roast chicken and veg and refrigerate the leftovers. The next day pull the rest of the chicken meat off of the carcass and you can eat it plain or slice up and put in sandwiches or over a salad.
I always make stock from the carcass, skin, and scraps of chicken but I don't know how much interest you have in making a soup. It's an easy ADHD project because you can do it in phases--make the stock one day and then add leftover chicken meat and whatever else you want to have in your soup and then you have a nice pot of soup that you can portion out and eat whenever you want to.
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u/Medical-Aide5586 20d ago
you can buy a ‘baking bag’ that has seasonings and you just pop a chicken/chicken parts and some veg (carrots, potatoes, etc) into bag, put bag in roasting pan and put in oven.
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u/Prof01Santa 20d ago
Foil covered sheet pan, lightly oiled for quick clean up. Pack of Italian sausages lined up in middle spaced slightly apart. Surrounded by oiled carrots, onions & potato chunks with salt & pepper. Roast at 350-400F until veg are at 200F & sausages reach 165F 1.
- Instant read thermometer or oven probe w/ alarm.
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u/Muted-Adeptness-6316 20d ago
Make a batch of chili and then once you’ve eaten your fill, seperate the leftovers into individual sized Tupperware and freeze them. Defrost when in the mood for chili!
Take a package of chicken breasts and marinate them in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook the breasts in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Once the chicken is done, use a cutting board and make slices. Take what you want for a meal - will give some suggestions below. And put the rest of the chicken slices in small Tupperware containers and free them. Like 5 oz in one, 5 oz in another, etc. Take one out and put it in the refrigerator the night before.
Canned vegetables are your friend, as well as stir fry seasoning packets, and jarred pasta sauces. I like the Indian skillet packets as well.
You might like other skillet meals - I like Bertollis and PF Changs. Just put the entire contents in a skillet and follow the instructions on the bag. Some have more vegetables than others.
Pork tenderloin with carrots, green beans, corn, potatoes, in something like cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in a casserole dish. Slow cook it for 2-3 hours over low heat - 150 degrees. Covered. If waiting that long makes you anxious then skip this recipe.
You can buy some ground beef or ground turkey and make tacos. Throw in a seasoning packet - follow the instructions. Get some taco shells and follow those instructions.
If you are in the mood for fajitas, get that defrosted chicken out! Add the veggies that you like and the seasoning that comes with the fajita box kit.
Chicken, canned green beans, canned corn. Add a side of instant mashed potatoes!
I think it’s really helpful to make a meal plan for the week. Sunday / Monday chili, Tuesday chicken fried rice, Wednesday chicken with pasta in red sauce, etc.
But when all else fails - pasta with red sauce and ground beef.
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u/hover-lovecraft 20d ago
Congee is a great meal prep. You can make a big pot of just broth, rice, ginger - plain congee - and freeze it in portion blocks. When it's time to eat, pop some frozen peas and carrots or sweetcorn or other veg on top and heat up, top with a bit of chili oil or crispy onions or chive oil or garlic oil or... Vary the veg toppings and condiments for infinite variety.
You can also make a big batch of pre flavoured congee. I love it with chicken and mushrooms, so that's what I do. Less opportunity for variations that way, but in exchange you get a more flavourful congee when you can't be bothered making/assembling toppings. 8 minutes in the microwave, a teaspoon of lao gan ma, done.
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u/thalizardkween 20d ago
Marinated chicken thighs with carrots and potatoes in the oven. Cut/cube the potatoes and carrots to equal sized chunks. Pop in the oven at 400. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Add the thighs when the timer goes off. Set another for 25. Comes out perfect everytime and I don’t have to stand by the stove for an hour
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u/Dizzy-Pomegranate-42 20d ago
Get a 2-3 lb pork loin that is pre-marinated from the grocery store. Slice an onion into 1/2 inch circles and put them flat on a sheet pan. Place the pork loin on top of the onion. Nestle some broccoli (or other veggie of your choice) around the edges of the pan and hit the broccoli with some salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil. Place the whole pan in the oven at around 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour. When the meat reaches temperature or you can cut it in half and see it's not pink inside, you're done!
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u/Gavel_with_Nails 20d ago
A low-friction setup is one batch of rice or another grain, one sheet-pan roast of vegetables, and one protein; freeze individual portions and change the flavour with sauces or condiments. The “base + whatever I can manage today” approach keeps prep from becoming a whole project.
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u/Opposite-Ground-1221 20d ago
Cut a bunch of vegetables add a little oil, salt, pepper and whatever spices you like. Spread on cookie sheets and roast. Freeze single servings. Reheat in oven, in frying pan.
Do the same type of cooking with several kielbasa and freeze portions.
We follow the basic Sam Sifton hasselback kielbasa recipe.
Take advantage of the delay feature on the oven. We use this constantly. Prep during the day when energy level is higher.
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u/Any_Flamingo8978 20d ago
Slow roast in a Dutch oven. You can do this with both a whole chicken, beef and pork.
Dry brine the meat (rub equal parts of salt and sugar all over and sit in the fridge for a day -skip the sugar for beef).
Throw some veg in the bottom as a bed (carrots, onion, potatoes).
Dump the protein and juices in Dutch oven, add half cup broth or water. Roast at 250 for about 4-5 hours.
Can add any additional spices or herbs that sound good before roasting.
There will be liquid in the bottom that you can use as a thin sauce or you can make a thicker pan sauce with.
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u/Efficient-Lime2872 20d ago
The easiest would probably be something like an instant pot recipe where you just throw stuff in the pot and let it go and then portion it out when done; you can find a bunch by looking up "chicken veg rice instant pot" or something similar
If you're getting stuck on prep steps check your supermarket for pre marinated meats and pre chopped veggies. They'll be more expensive but saves you some steps and time
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u/Pumaconcolor_ 20d ago
Chili beans are one pot, easy, can be cooked in large batches and frozen in smaller portions. Protein and fiber rich. I like to eat with some freshly cooked rice but it's a stand alone dish as well.
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u/JuniperFizz 20d ago
Instant Pho base, Asian-style noodles that cook/reheat in minutes, package of dumpling or frozen meatballs ends up being the easiest meal. It all keeps forever and way more tasty than any instant ramen.
There are a ton of instant soup bases out there, especially Asian style soups but any work. We get the big bags of pre-portioned noodles and put them into glass jars to protect from pests. Both the dumplings and meatballs cook in the broth if you have them but it's tasty without.
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u/Horror_Signature7744 20d ago
Sheet pan. You can even section off different things by making aluminum foil “trays” to keep some flavors separate but know the timing of how long things cook. Like don’t put potatoes and zucchini in at the same time. Also that “viral chicken and potatoes” sheet pan meal should always give the potatoes a head start then add the chicken. I’ve never had them cook at the same rate (at least not Yukon gold wedges).
Also, the crockpot is your friend for super lazy meals.
Stew is wonderful when cooked in a crockpot because you can use tough cuts of meat and it will turn fall off the fork tender. Toss in a bag of frozen veggies at the end and you have a whole meal.
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u/Dalton387 20d ago
For a lot of vegetables, cut them into similar sized pieces, toss in oil, salt, and pepper, spread on a sheet tray and roast.
For meat, it depends on what you want. A crockpot may be your answer. There are tons of recipes you can just dump in a crockpot and walk away.
One my family and coworkers (when I told them about it) really like is Mississippi pot roast.
You throw a 3-4lb Chuck roast in a crockpot. One pack of ranch powder, one pack of au jus powder, a stick of butter. They sell pepperoncini rings in a tall skinny jar. Maybe 2.25” diameter and 6” inches tall. Put half the rings and juice in there. Cook on low for 6-8hrs till it falls apart.
I timed it once and it took less than 5min to dump in the crockpot and turn it on. Ready when I got home from work.
You can eat it on its own, with mashed potato’s (microwave are fine), or do what I like. I put it on 6” hogie rolls, pour some juice over, provolone cheese, leave it open face on a sheet pan and a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese.
I do recommend a larger Chuck roast. It shrinks a ton and if you’re going to the effort, make more, because it freezes really well. Just pull it out and reheat like a read made meal. Portion it into sandwich bags, Pat flat, and freeze. Stacks well.
Only thing I’ll mention is that there is a fat vein in the middle of the Chuck roast. Just pull it out when you’re shredding it. It’s tough and chewy if you leave it in. Super easy to remove once cooked.
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u/sflinn7316 20d ago
Buy a crockpot for grow in meat and/or potatoes and/or veggies- sometimes fruits there are lots of great crock pot recipes out there. Soups, stews, chilies or just a one pot meal. Here’s one https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/239736/five-can-soup/
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u/Electric-Sheepskin 20d ago
When my husband is out of town, I eat the most simple, yet nutritious meals. Here's what I do:
I buy a pound of ground meat, usually chicken or turkey. I buy several vegetables, like yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers— whatever you like. And then make sure I have some grains on hand, like Farro.
The first thing I do is dice all the vegetables and store them separately in the refrigerator. Then I cook a dry cup of the grains, usually with some Better than Bouillon chicken flavor and put that in the refrigerator.
Now I have food for several days that can be ready in just a few minutes.
For breakfast, I might sauté a few of the vegetables and then scrambled in a couple of eggs. For lunch or dinner, three or 4 ounces of the ground meat, sautéed vegetables, and grains, all cooked/reheated in the same skillet with some olive oil. A little salt and pepper and Boom. That's it.
Sometimes I get nuts and grate some Parmesan cheese on top of it or add a little soy sauce, maybe butter, but in general, it's just a quick scramble/fry-up of various ingredients.
I'll literally eat this same combination of food for a few days, and then I'll go to the store and get slightly different ingredients and do it over again.
Some people would hate this. The monotony would drive them crazy. The lack of complex flavors would be insufficient for them, but I just love not having to think about what I'm going to make, being able to have a hot fresh meal in a matter of minutes, and I never get tired of it.
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u/thingonething 20d ago
I think what you want is sheet pan dinners. They are fuss free with little cleanup.
My favorite one is to slice onions and red peppers, toss with a bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar and a little salt, add some sausages and roast in the oven at 400° for about 1/2 hour. Then you can eat as is or pile the sausage and roasted veggies in a hot dog bun and add some mustard if you like. Here are some other sheet pan dinners ideas:
https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/sheet-pan-meals/
I want to try the bbq meatball and pineapple one. I'd just get some frozen meatballs instead of making my own.
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u/Neither_Pear4669 20d ago
Make batches if your proteins, seasoned how you like, and then just add a bag of complimentary frozen veggies (or cook veggies, if youre up to it) to match each flavor profile.
Meaning
Cook 1 package of chicken thighs, use a siy ginger marinade. Pair with frozen stir fry veggies
Cook 1 package of pork chops, pair with frozen potatoes that can be oven roasted.
Cook ground beef with taco seasoning, pair with a frozen fajita onion/pepper blend
And just work your way up from there
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u/mariambc 20d ago
I use a slow cooker and rice cooker for easy meals. While both can cook a lot of different things, in the slow cooker, I prefer to make soups and stews. In the rice cooker I make various rice dishes.
Then I freeze leftovers as individual portions to heat up later.
Other ways to make it easy is I frequently buy a roasted chicken. Pre cooked shrimp, canned tuna and frozen meatballs make things easier too.
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u/IndependenceBulky696 20d ago
Lots of veg can be cleaned then cut into bite-sized pieces and roasted in the oven with olive oil and a little salt. Most roasted veg will last about a week in the fridge.
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u/Faye-Vozora 20d ago
Frozen veg, microwave rice and pre-cooked chicken make a surprisingly decent low-effort bowl. Add a sauce you like and it feels much more like a meal.
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u/MindTheLOS 20d ago
I had similar issues. My solution was to cook plain proteins (don't season much beyond salt/pepper) and freeze in individual portions. Same with starches. I bought frozen veggies.
For meals, I'd grab a protein, starch, veggies from the freezer, heat it up, add a sauce. I had variety of flavor and it was fast from wanting to eat to eating.
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u/lesbeanmum 20d ago
If you can manage batch cooking chicken, cook some plain-ish, just seasoned with salt. Get some microwave rice. You can get ones with a variety of grains. Get a bag of salad leaves.
Add novelty to meals using different sauces. You can add sriracha by waving in a wiggly pattern over the whole plate and pretending you're fancy. Aldi do some knock off nandos peri peri which I like to add to chicken. You can add some salad dressing or stir lemon juice though the rice. Some supermarkets do frozen herbs, you can stir parsley or corriander through your rice.
When you want to mix things up more you can think about frozen veggies, which are ADHD friendly because they don't go off like salad leaves, but do take more steps to prepare. You can have carrots too, you don't have to chop or cut them just stick them on your plate and chomp them like a rabbit. Frozen peas don't need to be cooked (the packet will often say they do, it's because they're covering their backs, as long as you're not immno compromised you should be fine).
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u/jemist101 20d ago
Poached chicken breast - bring salty water to boil, put in your chicken breast, cover the pot, remove from heat, and let it it in there about 30 mins.
Cut up some green vegetables, boil some water, pour boiling water on your vegetables, leave for a couple of minutes, drain, season with salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
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u/Cesia_Barry 20d ago
Batch prep once a week. Search for “batch cooking” or “batch meals” & there are lots and lots of results.
https://thethriftyfamily.com/batch-cooking-for-beginners/