This bowl started as one of those easy Trader Joe's dinners that I threw together with ingredients I already had on hand. The frozen Middle Eastern-style kebabs do most of the heavy lifting, and with some rice, cucumber salad, warm naan, and tzatziki, it turns into a filling meal that feels like it took much more effort than it did.

I started making these on mornings when I wanted something filling but wasn't in the mood for eggs. They take less than 10 minutes, use ingredients I almost always have on hand, and still feel like a real breakfast instead of grabbing something out of a package.

I made this for lunch one day when I wanted pasta but wasn't in the mood for a heavy cream sauce. The combination of butter, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan creates a light coating that clings to the noodles rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

I've been on a bit of a yum yum sauce kick lately, and this bowl has become one of my favorite ways to use it. It combines buttery garlic shrimp, fluffy quinoa cooked in chicken broth, crisp vegetables, and creamy avocado for a lunch or dinner that feels fresh but still filling.

I have been trying to think of creative ways to use up the ingredients I already have on hand. These flatbreads consist of staples I pretty much always keep stocked: sun-dried tomatoes, feta, chicken, lettuce, hummus, onion, and naan. It's a different way to combine these ingredients outside of a typical salad or bowl. It comes together quickly and is both filling and healthy.

This is the kind of dinner I make when I want something that feels a little elevated, but still cooks like a weeknight meal. The orzo turns creamy and savory with mushroom, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, the steak gets a hard sear and a proper rest, and a bright chimichurri cuts through everything with herbs and vinegar.

Mexican street corn pasta salad is the perfect creamy, tangy side dish made with sweet corn, shell pasta, lime, and cotija cheese. It comes together quickly with simple ingredients and is perfect for Cinco de Mayo, summer cookouts, or easy meal prep. This elote-inspired pasta salad holds up well in the fridge and is a crowd-pleasing twist on a classic.