Discover 10 quick and easy recipes you can make for lunch and dinner with few ingredients, in less than 40 minutes. Vegetarian and vegan options included! Download the recipes in a handy printable PDF format.

It seems like the world’s been turned upside down, overnight. Just last week, my family and I were scrambling to get on the last flight Air Canada would operate out of Rome for months. Our spring break vacation was in Italy, you see. When we left, there were 500 cases of the virus in the north of the country—we were to stay in the heel of the country. When we came back a week ago, there were 13,000 cases. As of when I’m publishing this post, there are over 50,000 and counting. And more all around the world, including at home, in Canada.

As we were flying home, it was obvious we’d self-quarantine. Our family and friends felt sorry for us, but we were just so grateful to be home. Days later, my home province, Quebec, would shut down schools, require all returning travelers to self-quarantine, and take many more measures to “flatten the curve” before it gets worse.

So, we’re all more or less in the same boat. We must all make an effort to limit our social contacts and stay home, if at all possible. That means a lot of us now need to assemble three meals a day, every day. That’s a lot of work, even for those who love to cook.

Here are 4 tips to get easy lunches and dinners done, without losing your mind.

• Take stock of what you have on hand: List fresh ingredients that must be used quickly, frozen items you can thaw and use, and dry goods sitting in the pantry. This is a great time to prepare “kitchen sink” meals—that is, dishes that use up what you already have on hand. You likely already have way more food you can use than you think. Taking a tour of the kitchen will help you feel more confident, avoid panic buying, and prevent waste.

• Plan ahead: Make a list of what you’ll serve for every lunch and dinner for one week. Plug all your easy, family favorites into that list. No need to meal prep if you don’t feel like it. Listing all those meals will allow you to write a tight grocery list and avoid the “what’s for dinner” last-minute scramble. Download my free, super-simple meal planning worksheet to get started. Fill it up, stick it on the fridge, and strike out each meal as you go through the week. Repeat for weeks to come.

• Go back to basics: Don’t reinvent the wheel. Reach for quick and easy recipes. Don’t forget to make dessert once a week—the comforting power of a freshly baked choc chip cookie shouldn’t be underestimated.

• Burned out? Order take-out: As of now, delivery services are still available and many restaurants are getting creative by offering special take-out menus. Treat yourself once or twice a week if you can; it may give you just the break you needed. Don’t forget to be generous when tipping the delivery person: these people are working harder than ever right now and deserve your gratitude.

I myself am following these tips. I’m in charge of everything kitchen-related at home, so as soon as we got home from Italy, I drew up that weekly meal plan. Then I ordered groceries online. It’s incredible how knowing exactly what I’ll be making come next mealtime removes so much stress from my daily schedule. I’ve got enough anxiety to manage following the roller-coastering news, but knowing my family and I can sit down to something delicious at every meal is one thing I can hang on to. Right now, that’s all I need.

Today I’m sharing 10 of my family’s favorite weeknight recipes with you.

1. Kale, Sausage, and White Beans Soup
2. 20-Minute Lentil and Tomato Soup
3. Tuna, Tomato, and Arugula Salad
4. Weeknight Tacos
5. “Throw-It-Together” Superfast Vegetarian Curry
6. The Quickest Fish Stir-Fry
7. Citrus Couscous with Baby Spinach and Sausage
8. Veggie-Loaded Bread Frittata
9. Creamy Lemon Spaghetti
10. Super Chocolatey Choc Chip Cookies

DOWNLOAD “10 QUICK AND EASY RECIPES TO MAKE NOW” IN PDF FORMAT

No gimmicks, no sign up in exchange for the file. Just a plain old direct download link! Save the file on your phone, tablet, or computer for easy access, or print to keep on hand in the kitchen.

These 10 quick and easy recipes are super simple, family favorites I make several times a month. These recipes have short ingredients lists and come together in less than 40 minutes. Several of the recipes have vegan or vegetarian variations.

This is the most personal list of recipes I’ve ever shared—as such, they are not on the blog right now (which explains why they are not photographed) because up to today, I didn’t feel they were “special” enough to be shared with the world. Yet, right now, I’m reconsidering what’s worthy of the label “special.” Right now, I think ANY homecooked meal is special.

I hope these recipes will help you feel inspired and more secure in the kitchen. If you make any of these recipes, share photos with me on Instagram if you can spare a minute (use #foodnouveau)—I always love to see what you’re cooking. I will be sharing photos of my own dishes as days go by.

Got go-to, quick and easy recipes of your own to share? Send them my way (through Instagram, Facebook, or by sending me an email). I’ll gladly reshare them for the benefit of everyone looking for inspiration right now.

Just one last note: I’m perfectly conscious meal planning is a privilege. You may not be able to stock up groceries right now, be it for financial or practical reasons—or you may know people who are in that situation. In each recipe, I’m including substitution options to try to make them as versatile and useful as possible. If there was ever a time to be creative in the kitchen, it’s now!

If you’re lucky enough to be in a stable situation, please consider donating to a local food bank or to a shelter in your community. Such organizations need all the help they can get right now. You can find a local food bank near you in Canada right here, and in the US through this link.

My thoughts go out to all of you: I’m hoping you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. Let’s stand together (not in the same space, though! 😉) and take care of one another. We’ll get through this.

I’d love to hear from you! I’m mulling over what I should be working on over the next few months. If there’s something you’d like to see me tackle or you’d simply like to connect, all you have to do is to send me an email and say hello.

DOWNLOAD “10 QUICK AND EASY RECIPES TO MAKE NOW” IN PDF FORMAT