I'm tired of all the things I know how to cook 🍳

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THE DILEMMAS:

My wife and I need to save money so we’ve been cooking at home more, but I’ve grown so tired of all the things I know how to cook. To stay budget conscious, I try to peruse the “cheap and easy dinner recipes” on Pinterest but it’s just not cutting it lately (does everything have to be a casserole?). How do I find recipes that are exciting and easy to make after a long day at work? —Emily

BF and I just moved in together in our first apt! We both work full time, I go into the office everyday, and he has law school in the evening. I need quick, affordable lunch/dinner meal prep ideas. I’m talking versatile ingredients, healthy, and tasty. —Marjorie

Hi Emily and Marjorie,

You know that Dorothy Parker quote, "I hate writing; I love having written"? I (Mary Anne) consider myself someone who likes cooking, but lately all the staying home and eating in and not dining with others has made me consider whether what I actually love is having cooked...

I've been feeling uninspired, and I could use some ideas, too. Luckily, some very cool food writers, cookbook authors, and home cooks shared their advice with us this week. Rest assured: not everything has to be a casserole! Here's what the experts had to say:

the pantry staples you should stock up on

Keep a few tried-and-true ingredients stocked in your pantry. With these, you should be able to make a quick meal in a pinch.

"Canned chickpeas are your humble savior!" says Carey Polis, Senior Director of Content and Audience at GNI. "They cost about $1/can and are ridiculously versatile. Honestly, there's basically nothing savory they don't go with."

Carey's Recipe Recs: "For lunch, roast chickpeas in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes with olive oil, salt, and your favorite dry spices (think: za'atar, paprika, whatever you want!). Then mix with a can of tuna in olive oil and whatever roasted veg you have leftover in your fridge. Or, mix with Greek yogurt, tomatoes, cucumber, and a glug of good olive oil. For dinner: Use the canned chickpeas to make hummus, or use them for soup, or braise them with fennel."

"I always keep a couple briny things in my fridge for an emergency weeknight pantry pasta—capers, olives, Calabrian chilis, anchovies, etc. As long as you have a box of pasta, some canned tomatoes, garlic and/or onions, you’re good to go," says Charlene Luo, data scientist at Condé Nast, chef, and supper club host @thebaodega.

Charlene's Recipe Rec: "I make tomato egg noodles once a week, which is fast, easy, and budget-friendly. Every Chinese family makes it differently, but here's a simple weeknight version."

toppings, condiments, and spices to have on hand

The theme here is work smarter, not harder. If the pantry staples are there for you to make quick meals, then these ideas for toppings, condiments, and spices to have on hand are there to level-up those weeknight dinners.

"Cheap and easy doesn't have to be boring or predictable (or a casserole). But it's hard to motivate yourself to make something new and shop for ingredients you may not have after a long work day," says Dawn Perry, author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What’s on Hand and founder of Superkind Cookies. "Instead of making a whole new thing, you can make a few small things whenever you have like 30 minutes during the week. Then use those to zhuzh up the stuff you already know how to make by heart."

Dawn’s Recipe Recs: Three of Dawn’s favorite small things to zhuzh up your weeknight meals are pickled onions, garlic shallot crunch, and tahini sauce. Find the recipes here.

"I tend to rely on condiments and spices to make things more interesting," says Aaron Hutcherson, writer and recipe developer at The Washington Post's Voraciously and creator of blog The Hungry Hutch. Aaron regularly puts those condiments and spices to use in his pantry-friendly, budget-conscious recipes, and recommends his colleague Daniela Galarza's Eat Voraciously newsletter for what to cook for dinner four days a week.

Aaron’s Recipe Recs: Aaron’s recipes for Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles With Green Beans, Black Bean and Pumpkin Stew With Pasta, and Polenta With Chickpeas and Tomatoes.

I'd also add, since Emily asked about where to find recipes, that these pantry staples and ingredients could themselves be a great resource. Once you've narrowed down your favorites, check to see if the people behind the ingredients have written about how to use them. I'm thinking of recipes from Diaspora Co. (spices!), Rancho Gordo (beans!), or King Arthur (flour!). I've been eyeing Red Boat Fish Sauce's cookbook, too.

make the most of cooking time

Marjorie mentioned time (not having much of it, that is). You probably don't want to make a long, slow, braised meal when you're in a time crunch, but a one-pot dish or a grain bowl could be perfect. More thoughts from our experts:

"One-pot meals are a great way to incorporate fresh vegetables, protein, carbs, and they're pretty versatile," says Dzung Lewis, founder of the Honeysuckle YouTube channel and author of The Honeysuckle Cookbook. "I love making one-pot pasta or rice because they really stretch. They're budget-friendly, flavorful, and not to mention quick!"

Dzung's Recipe Rec: Easy Chicken Rice Soup. "This was something my parents made all the time when we wanted a cozy and warming but fresh, healthy meal."

"Next-overs are a tired cook’s best friend! We’re all about cooking once, eating twice," say Stacie Billis and Meghan Splawn, co-hosts of Didn’t I Just Feed You, a weekly podcast that helps busy home cooks have more fun and less stress in the kitchen. "Your freezer will get you through this busy season, Marjorie! Every time you cook beans, couscous, rice, or other versatile basics, make a double batch and save half for packed lunches and future dinners. It’s okay if you end up prepping more than you need for the week, because these basics also freeze well. With all of these ingredients ready to go in your fridge and freezer, you can prep grain bowls, salads, wraps, and more in minutes."

Stacie and Meghan's Recipe Recs: An example of cooking once, eating twice: "Next time you make a batch of meatballs (or cook store-bought ones), double the amount. Eat the meatballs over polenta one night and then turn the rest into a Tortellini en Brodo later in the week (by the way, that’s fancy for a soup made with store-bought broth, pre-washed spinach, and frozen tortellini)." Also, check out the Didn’t I Just Feed You's Easy Dinner Inspiration playlist on Spotify for more cook once, eat twice ideas.

Thanks to you for sending in your questions; I now have some renewed cooking inspo and a ton of bookmarked recipes. Happy cooking! —Mary Anne

To submit your own question, use our submission form here. And, if you know someone who might like this series, consider sending it their way. —GNI team

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I'm tired of all the things I know how to cook 🍳

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