I love to cook, but I generally don't have the time or energy to make my normal meals. Like meatloaf, chili, or shepherd's pie. So my usual cooking goal is to make a simple, easy, but complete meal. Something that can include all the major portions without taking hours to peel, mash, or bake (this is also especially helpful since my oven doesn't exactly work).
I take after my dad in the fact that we both cook in a "throw everything together" kind of way. We'll grab all sorts of random items to toss into a recipe. Throw some cocoa in the chili or some green beans in the pasta. Whatever you have, it probably can be used.
For awhile, I got into making a quick pasta dish that had pasta, green beans, and kidney beans in it. I'd add some spice and olive oil and eat on it for days. It took all of twenty minutes, a few dollars, and tasted good to me. I really like kidney beans though.
The new dish that I've been making takes even less time and tastes even better. Brown rice, black beans, and a can of diced tomatoes. I use the individual cups of brown rice that take a minute in the microwave, which also allows for the dish to last a little longer. I mix the beans and tomatoes in a pot, add some spice, then spoon out a portion whenever I'm ready to eat. The great thing about this dish is that it's very high protein with the brown rice and beans.
I miss my more complex meals and every now and then I get in the mood to cook for Marvin and I. But for the every day eating that doesn't involve a frozen, high fat meal, simple three-ingredient dishes are perfect. I don't feel overwhelmed buying the ingredients or putting it together. I don't feel like I'm breaking the bank every time I cook it. And I don't feel guilty for indulging in a second helping.
I'm always looking for new ideas for simple meals though. When I shop, I always try to imagine what would go well together. I also take ideas from recipes over the years. For instance, I babysat many years for a family that loved a tuna/pasta dish. It had tuna, pasta, and peas of all things. It was delicious, simple, and had all the right nutrients.
I also love sausage which is easy to prepare and add to almost any dish. Whether I cook green beans and pasta on the side or mix in pasta and tomatoes with the sausage, it's always satisfying and fairly cheap.
Do you have any simple, complete recipes that you'd like to share?
I bake skinless boneless chicken breasts in the oven. When they are almost done I cover them in salsa. When that heats through I melt cheddar cheese on top. I serve with brown rice and a little sour cream. My family loves it. You could probably do it in a crockpot but it might get too watery.
Another option, if you have a working freezer, is to cook one-pot meals in larger amounts and freeze in single-serving portions. These become the equivalent of microwave dinners -- except that you know what's in them.