I’m all for the fancy meals that look great on Instagram and have multiple steps, sauces, and instructions… on the weekend.

During the week I need to get in and get out with minimal effort and dishes. I’m lying. I don’t care about the dishes because Jordan does them and it distracts him while I watch reality TV and romcom’s from the 90’s. Yes, I’m basic, and don’t argue with me because You’ve Got Mail is the best movie of all time.

If time is your most scarce resource, you’re going to love these quick but healthy meals.

Note: I’m talking 10 minutes of prep time but I don’t mind if something needs to be cooked in the crockpot or instant pot for 40 minutes or longer. I’m not in the kitchen for this so it doesn’t count!

Winners do this:

• Chop an entire garlic and onion on Sunday to use in dishes the entire week

• If you’re making a sauce, double it and put a serving in the freezer (use these dissolvable food labels so you don’t play “guess the marinade” 3 weeks later)

• If you’re making a freezable meal like a stew or soup, double the recipe and put half in the freezer. One less meal and mess to clean. This will require you to throw out those old frozen bags of cauliflower rice you are never going to use. Organize the freezer so you have room for leftovers. Consider this your second pantry!

• When buying sauces from the store as a shortcut, look at the ingredients closely. We want to avoid proinflammatory seed oils that have been making their way into everything: canola, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed oil. I buy mostly Primal Kitchen brand since they use avocado oil in all of their products.

• I’m going to list some meat meals and some veggie meals. I almost never stick to a recipe exactly as it is, so don’t be afraid to modify it. If it calls for meat and you are vegetarian, swap the meat for legumes or high protein grains like quinoa or amaranth. Add meat to any of these veggie meals. Leave out an ingredient, make an egg replacer, you get the gist. Don’t wait for a recipe to fit your needs completely. Make it work for you!

10 Meals in 10 Minutes (of prep)

1. Instant Pot Beef Stew

I add spinach and zucchini to “beef” up the veggie intake.

2. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

If I have time I add a side veggie such as roasted brussels or a side salad.

3. Fish Tacos

Buy the guacamole, salsa, bag of cabbage, Siete tortillas, and slaw dressing. You only have to pan cook the fish with a packet of taco seasoning.

4. Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Curry (Instant Pot)

You can cut corners here by buying a coconut milk-based curry from the store. Throw the rice or cauli rice in the instant pot or rice cooker before or after you make this.

5. Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce Marinara, Fresh Basil, and Kite Hill Ricotta

You can make this vegetarian by swapping the meat sauce with lentils or leaving it just sauce, veggies, and almond milk ricotta. Add a side salad if you have time.

6. Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

7. Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew

8. Veggie Stir Fry

9. Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Turkey Chili

10. Garlic basil Barramundi Skillet

I usually use cod or tilapia, add tomatoes, and put it over zucchini noodles

Lastly, I’ve been adding my weekly recipes with links to my Instagram highlight called “recipe links”. Creative title, I know. If you don’t follow me on Instagram you are missing out on my prim-o material!! Follow me here!