I enjoy eating. Outside of it being necessary to live, it’s an action that I find entertaining. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but there are few things I love more than taking a bite into something that tastes divine.

On the other hand, I hate prepping food. It can take anywhere from 15-45 minutes just for me to enjoy the fruits of my labor in 10. Measuring portions, preparing ingredients, doing a ton of dishes and all the rest is a hassle. 

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been trying to lose weight or because I’m just too broke to eat out or buy fancy food, but I’ve been finding my own little ways to circumvent the process. They aren’t perfect, as prep and cleanup are always necessary, but I’m satisfied with what I’ve made so far. 

Unlike all of those cookbooks and recipe sites that feel the need to spread out their life story across twenty volumes before getting into the meat and potatoes, I’ll start with my first homemade concoction: the lazy quesadilla. A lazydilla, if you would. 

The list of ingredients is rather short. All that’s needed is a tortilla, something to cook it in (butter/oil), whatever one would like in their quesadilla, I like ham or chicken and cheese, and seasonings.

Heat a skillet pan on medium or medium-high heat. While that’s warming up, apply your choice of cooking oil to one side of the tortilla, then season it. Flip it over and put the fillings on one side.

Oil the pan. Once it starts bubbling a bit, fold the tortilla and put it in the pan. I recommend pushing down on the tortilla with a spatula to make sure it melts together. Extra cheese helps in this step of the process.

From here, it’s as simple as occasionally flipping the tortilla to check how well each side is cooking. Once the entire thing is sufficiently golden-brown enough for the chef’s taste (or black – if you like burnt quesadillas, more power to you), it’s ready to eat. 

I recommend going light on the salt. I always add less than I did the previous time yet still end up making salty quesadillas. Maybe I’m just a salty person. 

But that’s not all I’m capable of accomplishing with the trusty tortilla. Making wraps at home is even easier than the lazy quesadilla. This recipe, if one can even call it that, has less preparation and cleanup. 

I just drop a piece of chicken in the air fryer or oven, put it in a tortilla and add whatever I like afterward. If one is nostalgic for the McDonald’s Snack Wrap, some lettuce, cheese and ranch can bring it right to their kitchen. It’s cheaper, too. 

Of course, a callback to a beloved fast food item isn’t the only thing the chicken in my freezer is good for. Chicken alfredo made with the bare minimum is another favorite of mine.

Cook or fry a few pieces of chicken. While they’re going, boil noodles of your preferred variety. I like fettuccine. When the noodles are cooked and drained, turn down the heat to medium-low and add alfredo sauce to the still-warm pan. 

Mix it for about 30 seconds, then mix in the noodles and chicken. Now’s a good time to add any seasonings, if so desired.

None of these are nutrition “hacks.” They aren’t the pinnacle of healthy eating and aren’t going to change someone’s life overnight. But they have made cooking and eating more accessible and enjoyable to me, and if nothing else, that felt like it was worth sharing. 

Tolbert can be reached at [email protected]. Send him your favorite low-effort recipes.