9 easy minimal effort recipes for when you just can't

Your kids are into it, why not you? Simple, satisfying and great dragged through ketchup or dunked in a cup of tomato soup, grilled cheese always delivers. If you’ve only got ends of a few different cheeses, grate them together to create your own “quatro fromaggio” blend. Yeah, that’s what it’s called. Get the recipe: Grilled Cheese Soldiers

Quickly sautée ground pork with grated carrot, onion, garlic and ginger and then spoon the tasty mixture into crisp lettuce leaves. Or into tortillas. Or onto rice. Really, just do whichever is less painful for you. Get the recipe: Pork Lettuce Wraps

If you’ve got time to boil water, you’ve got time for this simple dish. While the bowtie pasta (our fave!) cooks, you sautée grated zucchini and garlic in a pan with butter. Toss it all together with fresh Parm and a grind of pepper. And done! Get the recipe: Zucchini Cacio e Pepe

Serve these quick-fried turkey cutlets alongside a simple salad or create a sandwich situation. Get the recipe: Turkey Scallopini with Brown Butter, Lemon and Parsley

Fish isn’t fussy. It yeilds tasty results with very little effort—14 minutes to be exact. Oh, and it’s a lot healthier than some other fast foods we know. Get the recipe: Roasted Trout with Fennel and Herb Salsa

Bet you didn’t think those bags of veggies on the verge of freezer burn could come away looking this good, did you? Edamame gives this dish plenty of protein, but leftover meat (grilled sausage or that leftover rotisserie chicken) is a welcome addition, too. We recommend eating with crusty bread. Get the recipe: Corn and Squash Succotash

A sandwich for supper is a very fine idea. This one is meaty and massive enough for the whole family to sink their teeth into. The most labour-intensive part is slicing the apples and trimming the green beans. It’s brimming with all the good stuff, so don’t skimp. Get the recipe: Ham and Cheese Muffaletta

Naan bread makes nearly instant pizza. Top yours with whatever veg you’ve got on hand—just make sure you have plenty of cheese. Get the recipe: Grilled Veggie Pizza

Here’s what you do: hollow out some cucumber slices and stuff them with a mix of goat and cream cheese. Garnish with dill if you have the energy. Oh, and a boiled egg on the side goes great. Finger food for the win. Get the recipe: Stuffed Cucumber Bites

Read more:
5 delicious quiche recipes 11 recipes that your kid can eat with ketchup 8 forgot-about-dinner dinner recipes