I’m culinarily challenged—I can admit that. I’ve burned couscous, chicken cutlets and until this year, didn’t know how to properly make al dente pasta (I know, I know—it’s shameful). Sometimes I watch "Chopped" while I'm eating my pathetically constructed lunch so that my food tastes better. If you’re like me, you have zero time and zero patience to learn the mastery that the Food Network stars exhibit (I won’t be the next Rachael Ray, I’ll tell you that). But these calorie-friendly recipes take little effort and are delicious! And I haven’t burned any of them (at least not yet).
Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
These pancakes require just eggs and bananas!
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 whole banana
Step 1: Mash up banana (this is the fun part)
Step 2: Whisk together egg and combine with mashed-up banana
Step 3: Cook evenly on skillet until golden brown
Step 4: Enjoy! (Makes 2 small pancakes. Add more eggs and bananas for greater number of cakes—naturally.)
Find recipe here.
Tip: Try with melted fruit (the microwave is your best friend) and peanut butter for extra flavory goodness!
Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Really, just three ingredients—dates, oats, and peanut butter! And you don't even need to pre-heat an oven!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dates
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
Step 1: Pulse dates in a food processor
Step 2: Add peanut butter and oats and pulse a few more times
Step 3: Transfer to a parchment-lined 8x8 dish and press down. Transfer to freezer to set (disclaimer: the recipe doesn't say how long to store bars in the freezer for, but note that 10 minutes is NOT enough. Suggested time is a minimum 30 minutes).
Step 4: Once set, slice into 8-10 bars and store in fridge or freezer to keep fresh.
Find recipe here.
Tip: Drizzle peanut butter over the top before cooling for even more peanut butter perfection!
Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies
Yet another recipe with single digit ingredients!
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
(Sugar for rolling cookies before baking)
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step 2: Mix ingredients together (this was my arm workout for the day)
Step 3: Roll 1 tbsp of dough into a ball and roll it in sugar. Repeat (makes 10 cookies).
Step 4: Place sugared dough balls on un-greased cookie sheet. Pat down with fork.
Step 5: Bake for 8 minutes
(Disclaimer: because of the peanut butter used, it took 10 minutes longer in the oven than expected.)
Find recipe here.
Tip: Definitely a good cookie to dunk in a tall glass of milk.
Low Carb Egg Muffins
Forget McDonald's—try these! They're perfect for an on-the-go breakfast (or any breakfast, really).
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/3 cup feta
3 baby bell peppers
handful cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper
(Disclaimer: you can add whatever veggies or cheese you want—that's the beauty of it!)
Step 1: Preheat oven to 390 degrees
Step 2: Wash and cut veggies
Step 3: Mix ingredients together in a bowl with salt and pepper
Step 4: Pour egg mixture into muffin tin (this recipe makes 6 muffins, so if you want to double the muffins, use double the eggs).
Step 5: Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Find recipe here.
Tip: Add extra feta to the top before baking for a nice cheesy layer.
Happy stress-free culinary fun!
