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The "I Don't Want to Cook" Book: 100 Tasty, Healthy, Low-Prep Recipes for When You Just Don't Want to Cook
“The ultimate cookbook for beginners.” —Cosmopolitan
Get away with the bare minimum while still getting food on the table with these 100 quick and easy recipes that require minimal prep, little-to-no planning, and zero extra trips to the grocery store.
Don’t feel like cooking? Or maybe you don’t know what you want to eat. Deciding a meal can be a tough decision at the best of times…but on those days you simply don’t feel like cooking, making a nutritious and tasty meal can be a daunting task. Whether you’re feeling tired after a long day or are sick of meal planning and endless trips to the grocery store or just can’t bring yourself to turn on the oven The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book is here to help!
Featuring 100 delicious recipes, this cookbook is your guide to the quickest and easiest meals that don’t sacrifice flavor. Each recipe requires no more than fifteen minutes of meal prep to keep your time in the kitchen at an all-time low. You’ll learn tips and tricks to make speedy meals, like making sure you’re using your kitchen tools to the fullest and finding ways to incorporate ingredients you already have at home, as well as minimizing any clean-up after the meal. Recipes
-Fried Egg and Greens Breakfast Sandwich
-Dill Pickle Tuna Melts on Rye Bread
-Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Boil with Corn and Red Potatoes
-Maple Vanilla Microwave Mug Cake
For those times when you just don’t feel like cooking, The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book is your guide to quick, easy, and flavorful meals.
Get away with the bare minimum while still getting food on the table with these 100 quick and easy recipes that require minimal prep, little-to-no planning, and zero extra trips to the grocery store.
Don’t feel like cooking? Or maybe you don’t know what you want to eat. Deciding a meal can be a tough decision at the best of times…but on those days you simply don’t feel like cooking, making a nutritious and tasty meal can be a daunting task. Whether you’re feeling tired after a long day or are sick of meal planning and endless trips to the grocery store or just can’t bring yourself to turn on the oven The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book is here to help!
Featuring 100 delicious recipes, this cookbook is your guide to the quickest and easiest meals that don’t sacrifice flavor. Each recipe requires no more than fifteen minutes of meal prep to keep your time in the kitchen at an all-time low. You’ll learn tips and tricks to make speedy meals, like making sure you’re using your kitchen tools to the fullest and finding ways to incorporate ingredients you already have at home, as well as minimizing any clean-up after the meal. Recipes
-Fried Egg and Greens Breakfast Sandwich
-Dill Pickle Tuna Melts on Rye Bread
-Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Boil with Corn and Red Potatoes
-Maple Vanilla Microwave Mug Cake
For those times when you just don’t feel like cooking, The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book is your guide to quick, easy, and flavorful meals.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2022
1752 people are currently reading
579 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Brantley
2 books13 followersAlyssa Brantley’s cooking philosophy is whole food, half the time. Just because you’re busy, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat great! The creator of the popular food blog EverydayMaven.com, Alyssa focuses on seasonal, whole food recipes that are packed with flavor but made in minutes with easy shortcuts. Her work has been featured in People Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, Forbes, Today, Self Magazine, HuffPost, Gourmet Magazine, Prevention, NFL.com and many more. Alyssa lives with her husband and two children in the Seattle, WA area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 21, 2024
Cookbooks are always fun for me to browse through and find new recipes to try. The first part of this book talked about various cooking vessels and how to take care of them properly. This was a good refresher as I don't always take the best care of some of my kitchen cookware. When I got into the recipes, I saw they were divided in sections depending on the cookware you would use to make those dishes. I, of course had to try a few recipes, and I picked ones with ingredients I knew I would enjoy. The first one I made was was the Hungarian Chicken Paprikash over Egg Noodles. This was a good, savory dish that I will probably make again. The seond I tried was a Spicy Sausage with Cabbage Wedges and Butter Potatoes. It was okay and tasted good. Not sure I will make it again though.
There are several more recipes I would like to try. Unfortunately, there were a great many recipes I would never make because I don't like some of the ingredients. I really don't like frozen chicken tenders and can't imagine I would ever use them in a recipe. I see how they would be convenient, but if I don't like it I won't eat it so all those were out for me. Sometimes I find that shortcuts just aren't worth it. I do see how most of these recipes would be easy to make for a beginner cook. I found the "Tips, Substitutions, Time-Savers, and More" to be useful. I liked that some of the recipes included color photographs; that's always nice to see what something looks like. I think many people would enjoy having this book available, especially new cooks.
Thanks to Adams Media through Netgalley for an advance copy.
There are several more recipes I would like to try. Unfortunately, there were a great many recipes I would never make because I don't like some of the ingredients. I really don't like frozen chicken tenders and can't imagine I would ever use them in a recipe. I see how they would be convenient, but if I don't like it I won't eat it so all those were out for me. Sometimes I find that shortcuts just aren't worth it. I do see how most of these recipes would be easy to make for a beginner cook. I found the "Tips, Substitutions, Time-Savers, and More" to be useful. I liked that some of the recipes included color photographs; that's always nice to see what something looks like. I think many people would enjoy having this book available, especially new cooks.
Thanks to Adams Media through Netgalley for an advance copy.
November 2, 2024
This is an absolute "MUST HAVE" in your kitchen pantry.
Simplify your mealtimes with this excellent, well written and illustrated recipe book.
With chapter titles like SIZZLING SKILLET CREATIONS, DUTCH OVEN DINNERS, DINNERS IN A MIXING BOWL, CONVENIENT CASSEROLES, SHEET PAN DINNERS, INSTANT DINNERS, and many more, you can rest assured that you have the necessary kitchenware and ingredients for at least one, if not all, of these delicious, mouthwatering recipes.
You will find a range of flavours from mild to hot and spicy, so be prepared to wake up your taste buds with Frank's RedHot or Sriracha sauce and the odd jalapeno when the recipe calls for it. (The author also provides substitutions for the less daring eater, never fear!)
The title "Dump and Go Pasta Dinner" gave me a good chuckle. The author provides you with fast, budget-friendly ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. The cooking instructions are clear and easy to follow and alternate serving and pairing suggestions are included in an economic, time friendly manner. (You won't have to search through paragraph after paragraph of narrative: measure it, toss it in the pot, put the heat on or the plug in the outlet and voila: dinner is served!!!)
The Creamy Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Sandwiches (or lettuce wraps) sounded too easy: a slow cooker dream come true! Many of the titles for the recipes were intriguing and got my taste buds all revved up ! (Example: Pesto-Crusted Cod with Sugar Snap Peas and Delicata Squash or Adobo Swordfish with Pico de Gallo and Broccolini - both of these are on my To Do list!
I highly recommend Alyssa Brantley's latest cookbook: it is usually budget friendly as well as an excellent time saver. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this fabulous culinary feast for the eyes and the gastronomic imagination in exchange for an honest review. Loved it!
Simplify your mealtimes with this excellent, well written and illustrated recipe book.
With chapter titles like SIZZLING SKILLET CREATIONS, DUTCH OVEN DINNERS, DINNERS IN A MIXING BOWL, CONVENIENT CASSEROLES, SHEET PAN DINNERS, INSTANT DINNERS, and many more, you can rest assured that you have the necessary kitchenware and ingredients for at least one, if not all, of these delicious, mouthwatering recipes.
You will find a range of flavours from mild to hot and spicy, so be prepared to wake up your taste buds with Frank's RedHot or Sriracha sauce and the odd jalapeno when the recipe calls for it. (The author also provides substitutions for the less daring eater, never fear!)
The title "Dump and Go Pasta Dinner" gave me a good chuckle. The author provides you with fast, budget-friendly ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. The cooking instructions are clear and easy to follow and alternate serving and pairing suggestions are included in an economic, time friendly manner. (You won't have to search through paragraph after paragraph of narrative: measure it, toss it in the pot, put the heat on or the plug in the outlet and voila: dinner is served!!!)
The Creamy Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Sandwiches (or lettuce wraps) sounded too easy: a slow cooker dream come true! Many of the titles for the recipes were intriguing and got my taste buds all revved up ! (Example: Pesto-Crusted Cod with Sugar Snap Peas and Delicata Squash or Adobo Swordfish with Pico de Gallo and Broccolini - both of these are on my To Do list!
I highly recommend Alyssa Brantley's latest cookbook: it is usually budget friendly as well as an excellent time saver. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this fabulous culinary feast for the eyes and the gastronomic imagination in exchange for an honest review. Loved it!
October 25, 2022
The title of this book made me very curious to check it out. I couldn’t imagine what kind of recipes and tips were going to be helpful to people in the kitchen that DON'T want to cook. Seems a bit contradicting to me.
The beginning of the book starts with some basic things about making your kitchen time productive and some ways to do "shortcuts" that will be helpful toward preparing food making this useful to beginner cooks.
The recipes are pretty basic with not too many ingredients, or seasonings. I didn't see much in the way of new ideas for me, but I’m not a beginner cook and I look at a LOT of cookbooks. The recipes looked easy to make and the instructions followed the list of the ingredients in order ... which is a complete deal-breaker for me when looking at recipes. I found the "Tips, Substitutions, Time-Savers, and More" sections included with each recipe to provide good information. There are some lovely pictures included of several of the recipes, but I would say less than half have a picture. That doesn't really bother me, but I know it does some.
All in all, the book wasn't really a big hit for me, but I can see that it might be good for some people starting out with cooking. The fact that the recipes focus on more healthful whole foods (with many gluten-free options) is a plus. But, I will be honest that there is a fair amount of cooking involved with most of the recipes. So if you "really don't want to cook", this is not going to solve your eating-at-home dilemma.
The beginning of the book starts with some basic things about making your kitchen time productive and some ways to do "shortcuts" that will be helpful toward preparing food making this useful to beginner cooks.
The recipes are pretty basic with not too many ingredients, or seasonings. I didn't see much in the way of new ideas for me, but I’m not a beginner cook and I look at a LOT of cookbooks. The recipes looked easy to make and the instructions followed the list of the ingredients in order ... which is a complete deal-breaker for me when looking at recipes. I found the "Tips, Substitutions, Time-Savers, and More" sections included with each recipe to provide good information. There are some lovely pictures included of several of the recipes, but I would say less than half have a picture. That doesn't really bother me, but I know it does some.
All in all, the book wasn't really a big hit for me, but I can see that it might be good for some people starting out with cooking. The fact that the recipes focus on more healthful whole foods (with many gluten-free options) is a plus. But, I will be honest that there is a fair amount of cooking involved with most of the recipes. So if you "really don't want to cook", this is not going to solve your eating-at-home dilemma.
September 26, 2022
Really enjoyed this one. Impressed by the author's ability to create what are essentially simple recipes that cut corners but not taste. Some recipes were almost too simple but they helped us remember to add those back in our rotation and served as reminders that not everything good has to be complicated. Just ordered a copy for my niece who recently got married and has expressed being overwhelmed with the kitchen. Appreciate the affordable price point of this book but I do wish there were more photos of each recipe. Some are hard to visualize what the finished dish should look like.
August 17, 2022
I am a senior who has cooked and baked delicious dishes for many years. As I am getting older, I still want to cook but quickly and effortlessly. The "I Don't Want To Cook" book is like a dream come true. I can make wonderful and delicious meals in no time at all. The recipes are fabulous and represent various cuisines. I can only say that this book is a Home Run. Looking forward to your next book! Can't wait!!
March 2, 2023
I get burned out cooking all the time, so I was excited by the title. The book gives so basic ideas on what to do to save time prepping for dinner. If you are a new cook, these are great ideas! The recipes seem very basic with things my husband won’t touch (avocado) but if you have been cooking for a while, they are easy to tweak. If you haven’t been, then try them! I am anxious to try several myself and hopefully put them into rotation!
February 5, 2024
I think the title is misleading, this is a beginner cookbook, not one for people tired of cooking or cooking the same things.
No unique flavour profiles and using pulled pork three different ways doesn’t make three different recipes.
No unique flavour profiles and using pulled pork three different ways doesn’t make three different recipes.
September 18, 2022
I Don't Want to Cook... I've seen all the recipew before. Nothing original, limited pictures. I thought it would be a humorous take, with a focus on charcuterie style meals or quick salads, things that don't involve an oven... well, I was wrong to assume from the title that these meals don't involve cooking, because they do require cooking and lots of prep! Disppointing.
August 29, 2022
Meh. Not very inspired recipes. I was excited to see a couple pasta salad recipes included, but they looked rather bland and, again, uninspired. Also, the lack of pictures was disappointing. C’mon publishers, people eat with their eyes.
September 12, 2022
Really well organized and easy to understand. So many useful tips and tricks to simplify cooking and shopping. Most impressed with how much flavor the simple recipes have.
September 19, 2022
A very informative cookbook for people just starting to try cooking on their own. Very yummy and healthy recipes as well.
January 16, 2025
Only found a couple of recipes that I may try.
June 30, 2023
What it says on the tin
As 30 creeps steadily closer, my body can no longer suffice with clumsily clobbered together meals, snacks as dinner, or eating out. It craves substance and -gasp- regular balancing of protein and vegetables. This cookbook was nice one to have in my repertoire- I have a lot of things I’m excited to try and if you’re a more confident cook, it’s easy to see how recipes can be tweaked
As 30 creeps steadily closer, my body can no longer suffice with clumsily clobbered together meals, snacks as dinner, or eating out. It craves substance and -gasp- regular balancing of protein and vegetables. This cookbook was nice one to have in my repertoire- I have a lot of things I’m excited to try and if you’re a more confident cook, it’s easy to see how recipes can be tweaked
January 8, 2023
I think the idea of this book is great. However, I was turned off by the fad language of focusing on "real" foods. All food is fuel, end of statement.
As for the recipes themselves, there were only a few that felt new, or like a twist on something I know. I am by no means a cook, as all my recipes usually come from page 1 of Google searches.
As for the recipes themselves, there were only a few that felt new, or like a twist on something I know. I am by no means a cook, as all my recipes usually come from page 1 of Google searches.
April 13, 2024
I am pretty sure you can Google these recipes. This book has such a misleading title; I thought this was gonna be a parody or something but it really wasn't. And I expected easy things, like something that doesn't involve a stove or oven, but it does, in fact, include prep work and patience and cooking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2023
I am of a certain age and know all these recipes and still don't want to cook.
I read this on my kindle and photo placement is confusing.
I read this on my kindle and photo placement is confusing.
January 7, 2023
The title of this cookbook sounded perfect for me. Some nights I love to cook, but some nights I really, really don’t want to. But I also don’t want to order take-out.
The author’s vision for easy, whole (unprocessed) foods, ready in minutes, will appeal to many busy people. In the front of the book, the author provides some common sense tips for cooking even when you don’t have the motivation.
I found the recipes to be easy to follow and that they had accessible ingredients. In fact, many of the recipes could be made with pantry staples or with a quick pick up at the grocery store on the way home from work. Some recipes will be ready in under 10 minutes, some will take longer but the cooking time is largely hands-off. The author often makes use of smart convenience foods like rotisserie chicken to speed up the meal preparation.
I reviewed the e-book version from my local public library.
The author’s vision for easy, whole (unprocessed) foods, ready in minutes, will appeal to many busy people. In the front of the book, the author provides some common sense tips for cooking even when you don’t have the motivation.
I found the recipes to be easy to follow and that they had accessible ingredients. In fact, many of the recipes could be made with pantry staples or with a quick pick up at the grocery store on the way home from work. Some recipes will be ready in under 10 minutes, some will take longer but the cooking time is largely hands-off. The author often makes use of smart convenience foods like rotisserie chicken to speed up the meal preparation.
I reviewed the e-book version from my local public library.
October 17, 2024
This is a great book that will be a welcome addition to anyone's collection. Most of us want to have delicious meals, but either don’t have the time or the desire to spend hours in prep and clean up time. This is the book that will allow us to experience that. Well written, easy to follow, some nice photos all lead to delicious satisfying meals that won’t take forever and leave you with a mess. I’ve made a dew and have a few others to try next. Definitely start the chicken thighs with chickpeas and feta, the honey soy chicken with snow peas, the brown lentil and sausage stew because yum!!!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 19, 2025
The first time I read this cookbook, I wasn’t fully impressed. But I retained my kindle unlimited copy for a while and I came back to read it again in a few weeks. This time around, I enjoyed it a lot more.
I think a lot of the reasons behind why people are not enjoying this cookbook is because it has no complicated recipes. But the cookbook tells you exactly what it is: a repository of easy and simple recipes. A lot of the recipes in here also have a great meal prep quality so I really think that it’s a useful cookbook to have at home.
I’d recommend reading it from the specific lens of “easy and simple recipes” and I bet you that you would end up liking it a lot more.
I think a lot of the reasons behind why people are not enjoying this cookbook is because it has no complicated recipes. But the cookbook tells you exactly what it is: a repository of easy and simple recipes. A lot of the recipes in here also have a great meal prep quality so I really think that it’s a useful cookbook to have at home.
I’d recommend reading it from the specific lens of “easy and simple recipes” and I bet you that you would end up liking it a lot more.
February 10, 2024
Great book for people who don’t want to cook!
Lots of low prep, easy, but tasty meals for the “I don’t want to Cook” crowd. We all have days we just don’t want to, or don’t have the time, to cook. This book is filled with tips and tricks. From properly storing and reheating leftovers, to make ahead recipes, and how to ensure your pantry has essentials on had for quick easy meals. Great gift for when the kids move out, especially when first entering the work force, this will help save money too!
Lots of low prep, easy, but tasty meals for the “I don’t want to Cook” crowd. We all have days we just don’t want to, or don’t have the time, to cook. This book is filled with tips and tricks. From properly storing and reheating leftovers, to make ahead recipes, and how to ensure your pantry has essentials on had for quick easy meals. Great gift for when the kids move out, especially when first entering the work force, this will help save money too!
March 11, 2024
Fun & Easy Cookbook
This is a great cookbook for beginners. I would say you would probably need a food processor, air fryer, microwave, and slow cooker to do everything offered.
I really enjoyed the helpful kitchen tips, the conversion charts, and the list of pantry staples.
I would say most of the recipes are low prep and everything is presented in a straightforward manner.
Definitely going to be trying a few of these recipes especially the overnight breakfast oats, the peanut noodles and the pizza boats.
This is a great cookbook for beginners. I would say you would probably need a food processor, air fryer, microwave, and slow cooker to do everything offered.
I really enjoyed the helpful kitchen tips, the conversion charts, and the list of pantry staples.
I would say most of the recipes are low prep and everything is presented in a straightforward manner.
Definitely going to be trying a few of these recipes especially the overnight breakfast oats, the peanut noodles and the pizza boats.
October 15, 2024
The intro is full of handy information. Her suggestions for cast iron treatment are exactly what I do for my own. No scrubbing with chainmail!
Recipes are sorted by how they are cooked or prepped such as skillets, Dutch ovens, mixing bowls, casserole dishes, sheet pans, grills, pressure cookers, soup pots, woks, and slow cookers. I made the Honey Soy Chicken Thighs with Snow Peas from the Wok group. The list of ingredients matched the directions step by step which I really liked. Dinner was delicious!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Recipes are sorted by how they are cooked or prepped such as skillets, Dutch ovens, mixing bowls, casserole dishes, sheet pans, grills, pressure cookers, soup pots, woks, and slow cookers. I made the Honey Soy Chicken Thighs with Snow Peas from the Wok group. The list of ingredients matched the directions step by step which I really liked. Dinner was delicious!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
June 11, 2023
Giving this a higher rating than I normally would for a cookbook that didn't really help me. For someone who is VERY new to cooking and needs some help, this is great. Really easy, low effort recipes for someone who doesn't have a whole lot of ingredients and doesn't really know a whole lot about flavor profiles etc. These are easy no nonsense recipes that you can put together pretty easily in anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes depending on skill and comfort in the kitchen.
November 27, 2023
Messy bun mom's mealtime solutions
We all have to eat.
Eating out is expensive.
Cooking requires a lot of work.
This cookbook can help.
The introduction provides helpful tips to overcome some typical cooking road blocks.
The recipes cover main dishes, sides, soups, and sweets. They are simple, basic, and sometimes creative. Most require minimal effort. There are even shopping lists in the indexes. Detailed enough to follow, but no frills found in other books or blogs.
We all have to eat.
Eating out is expensive.
Cooking requires a lot of work.
This cookbook can help.
The introduction provides helpful tips to overcome some typical cooking road blocks.
The recipes cover main dishes, sides, soups, and sweets. They are simple, basic, and sometimes creative. Most require minimal effort. There are even shopping lists in the indexes. Detailed enough to follow, but no frills found in other books or blogs.
August 18, 2025
It's fine. I don't have strong opinions- nothing super groundbreaking, including the fact that once again I have read a cookbook straight like a book and didn't pause to actually try making anything. I do appreciate the time breakdown into not just prep but also wait time for things like baking etc. (an issue I find with pressure cooker recipes online often is not accounting for time it takes to pressurize, or to do natural release...)
December 30, 2022
Not quite as user-friendly as I had hoped. I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend stocking up my pantry in order to be able to make some of these recipes "easily". With that said, I did find a few easily prepared, healthy options. Not bad.
August 9, 2023
Absolutely love this book!
This book is amazing! I was very pleased with the number of recipes and the variety of recipes this book contains. The recipes were very simple for me. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.
This book is amazing! I was very pleased with the number of recipes and the variety of recipes this book contains. The recipes were very simple for me. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.
October 1, 2023
Well written and informative
I enjoyed reading and marking down many of the easy, quick recipes included in this cook book. Included in this book are many pre-preparations hints, and time saving tips.
I enjoyed reading and marking down many of the easy, quick recipes included in this cook book. Included in this book are many pre-preparations hints, and time saving tips.
October 8, 2023
A lot of good recipes
I'm a visual person, so I would love pictures for all of the recipes. A lot of these I'm definitely going to try. Love that there are vegetarian options as well as substitutions if needed. Very informative on how to make cooking easier.
I'm a visual person, so I would love pictures for all of the recipes. A lot of these I'm definitely going to try. Love that there are vegetarian options as well as substitutions if needed. Very informative on how to make cooking easier.
March 6, 2025
Recipes are indeed easy and quick. We tried salmon with toasted garlic and pearl couscous. Very good. But too many of the recipes have cream, half and half, etc. I will copy a few and return to library rather than purchasing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews