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6 Meals You Can Make Without a Recipe

Instructions are overrated

Scrambled eggs. Grilled cheese. A just-OK cheeseburger. These are all things you can probably whip up without a recipe. But they’re also kind of boring after a few dozen rehashings. Next time you’re faced with dual feelings of hunger and laziness, try one of these six meals that can be made with relative ease and without a recipe.

Fried Rice

Cook vegetables (we like peas, carrots and onions) in a large sauté pan with a bit of oil. In a separate pot, cook any kind of rice or quinoa. When the vegetables are done, crack an egg or two into the pan and mix it all together like a scramble. When fully incorporated, add the cooked rice, season to taste with your sauce of choice (soy sauce, oyster sauce and rice vinegar are all solid options) and mix again before serving.

Veggie Burrito

Fill a whole-wheat tortilla with black beans, sweet potato, salsa, avocado or really anything vaguely Mexican. Wrap it up and enjoy. If you’re feeling super adventurous, we endorse a quick zap in the microwave to get the cheese nice and melty. Serve with salsa, plain greek yogurt or guacamole. 

Pancakes

Mix equal parts milk, flour and egg. Cook in a pan with butter. That’s it. Might we suggest breakfast for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Pesto

In a food processor or blender, blend a clove of garlic, toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese. Add basil and blend again until you have a thick green paste. Next, add olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and finish blending. Season with salt to taste and pour over pasta, spread on a sandwich or scoop on top of a salad.


Tomato Soup

In a large pot, cook chopped onions, fresh garlic and shallots in olive oil until soft. Add a can of tomatoes and a cup of water or broth. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, then let cool slightly. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend to your desired smoothness. Reheat on the stove and serve.

Frittata

In a bowl, whisk together as many eggs as will fit in your sauté pan. Melt butter in the pan and add stuff like mushrooms, spinach or roasted potatoes. Cook for a few minutes. Next, pour the whisked eggs on top, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Let the eggs cook for four to five minutes (the bottom should be firm and the top just starting to firm). Place the pan in the oven on broil for another four minutes. It should be fluffy and have a lightly golden color. Slice and serve.


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Freelance Editor

From 2015-2020 Lindsay Champion held the role of Food and Wellness Director. She continues to write for PureWow as a Freelance Editor.