Simple, “painless” home cooked meals for busy days

Hello, my friends! How’s everyone doing this April? I hope everything is going well (or maybe okay) with you. I have just realized we are almost halfway through April! I guess I have been cooking and baking too much over the last few months, and I am kinda experiencing some burnout the past few weeks. But… I still managed to make myself home-cooked meals! I will take it as a success! I have to say that cooking and baking are not necessarily my problems (I actually enjoy doing them), and I am not really fond of doing the dishes after that. LOL!  As far as I know, the reason that most people do not prepare home-cooked meals is because of the before and after tasks after cooking. I TOTALLY understand that pain. However, preparing a home-cooked meal does not have to be tedious if you know which recipes you are searching for. Easy recipes are not just simple to follow; it can also be delicious, healthier (with a better selection of ingredients), and budget-friendly!

I would like to share with you four simple yet tasty recipes that fit your busy schedule. 

Lemon Pasta: Are you looking for something light for lunch/dinner? I love the simplicity of the recipe and it has a lemony flavor (not overpowering) which is perfect for spring and summer. I served this lemon pasta with steamed broccoli and grilled chicken breast. The recipe is adapted from Feasting at Home.

Salmon Wellington: This salmon wellington is really a foolproof recipe and it can be prepared ahead of time and baked 35 minutes before serving. It is made with buttery puff pastry crust, salmon, and creamy spinach filling with dill and lemon zest. I took the recommendation from the blogger, I served this salmon wellington with some roasted asparagus. The recipe is adapted from Feasting at Home.

Caprese Sandwich: When the weather is warming up, sandwich is usually the go-to kinda meal to most of us. Caprese sandwich is now my new favorite sandwich, for so many reasons. I love homemade pesto; no cooking is required, and there fewer dishes to do afterward. I highly recommend this recipe to you! The recipe is adapted from Feasting at Home.

Grilled Eggplant Muffuletta Sandwich: Another great, delicious sandwich recipe which I fell in love with! I made my own focaccia bread for this sandwich but do feel free to use the store-bought bread. The sandwich is made with grilled eggplant (which I roasted in the oven), basil pesto, olive tapenade, roasted pepper, and fresh mozzarella. The recipe is adapted from Feasting at Home.