You know those days when 5 o’clock rolls around and you realize you have no idea what you’re fixing for dinner? Or you’re planning the week’s dinners and you KNOW Wednesday and Thursday are going to be CRAZY but you want healthy, quick and easy meals?
I gravitate to these five easy meals over and over. Most of them are ready in 30 minutes or less and take a single pot or skillet. One takes a bit longer with cooking time, but the prep is easy. All five of these are cooked on the stove top. Two of the five need slight modifications, if you’re going gluten free.
Here’s my darling recipe box crammed full of my favorites. Long before Pinterest, this was a thing!
Stuffed Pepper Soup is a family favorite. I’m not sure where I found this recipe. It lives on a stained 3×5 card in the cute recipe box that was a wedding shower gift more than 30 years ago. I like the flavor of stuffed peppers, but this is much easier. And I’m all about the easy.
Sometimes I mix green and red bell pepper or I just go with the green. My hubby, who can’t tolerate super spicy food, likes the level of spicy flavor with the all-green-bell pepper version. Mixing green and red would make it milder.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 chopped green bell pepper or mix of green and red
- 1 1/2 cups of beef broth (or 14 oz. can)
- 14 oz. tomato sauce
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet or soup pot. Drain grease, if necessary. Mix in all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes
The second one skillet easy meal is my GF daughter’s favorite quick 
dinner. It’s Sausage, Peppers and Potato Hash. I typically use turkey sausage to make it a bit healthier. Sometimes I’ll microwave the potatoes to soften them up a bit to make the process go even faster.
I think one of the keys to the delicious flavor of this dish is the combo of olive oil and butter. Seriously, y’all. It’s soooo good! Here’s the recipe from Mom in Timeout, which she calls Kielbasa, Peppers and Potatoes Hash Skillet.
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Coming in at No. 3 is an easy meal recipe that requires one small 
modification, if you’re gluten free. This Easy Chicken and Dumplings from She Wears Many Hats calls for one cup of all-purpose flour. Substitute your favorite GF flour blend, and you’re good to go.
I use a rotisserie chicken to really speed things up. The roast chicken just adds to the silky comfort food appeal in this one pot meal. The cooking time makes it take just a little longer than 30 minutes, but it’s well worth the wait.
Garlic Shrimp with Quinoa
Garlic Shrimp With Quinoa is another one of my gluten-free girl’s favorite easy meals. Quinoa is simple to prepare and has a great flavor. You just need to place it in a fine mesh sieve and give it a
quick rinse before cooking it. That eliminates a bitter flavor, from what the recipe says.
I had a lunch of shrimp and quinoa leftovers yesterday, and it still tasted wonderful a few days later. Sometimes I add diced red bell pepper to the sauté step (especially if I don’t have parsley on hand), which gives it nice taste and color. True confession: I use minced garlic from a jar in my fridge when I’m in a hurry. It doesn’t cost much and lasts a long time.
Here’s the recipe for Garlic Shrimp With Quinoa from As Easy As Apple Pie.
Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
The last recipe, Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry from Budget Bytes, is the fastest and easiest but does require one modification for gluten free families. Substitute Tamari (GF soy sauce) for the soy sauce.
I found a way to make this one-skillet meal even easier by using a bag of coleslaw veggies that is primarily cabbage and carrots. You don’t need rice or noodles, just beef and veggies in this delicious Asian sauce. Yum!
Here’s the recipe for Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry from Budget Bytes.
I hope you enjoy these ideas for getting delicious, easy meals on the table in minutes! If you like this post, please consider sharing it on Facebook or Twitter or pinning the first image.