Photo by Yusuf Timur Çelik from Pexels

Imagine that it’s Thursday night, you’re staring blankly into an open fridge, and you aren’t sure what to make for dinner.

You want something simple but healthy and luckily, you have this article saved with my favorite less-than-5 ingredient recipes for July. Every recipe uses less than five ingredients and you won’t need to attend culinary school before making them. From honey-sweetened-banana-oatmeal-bars to cheesy protein-packed pasta, this article has every idea you need for a full day of eats!

If you try and enjoy any recipes, comment your verdict and share a bite with a friend.

(Get ready to screenshot.)

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1. Almond Butter Banana Bars

2 bananas

1 cup oats

1 tbsp almond butter

1 squeeze honey

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C.
• Mash bananas in a large bowl. Mix with honey and almond butter until smooth.
• Add oatmeal and stir until batter is combined.
• Pour into a square pan lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden on top.

Optional Add-Ins: 1 scoop protein powder, 1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Chef's Note: Swap almond butter for peanut butter if preferable.

Photo by Happy Jars on Unsplash

2. Avo-Toast Tortitas

1/2 avocado

1 rice cake

1 egg

some salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Mash avocado on a cutting board or plate.
• Spread mashed avocado onto rice cake.
• Cook one egg (I prefer boiled) and place on top of avocado.
• Eat.

Photo by Jenna Hamra from Pexels

3. Easy-Peasy Pizza

1 protein tortilla / English muffin

1/4 cup tomato sauce of choice

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1 handful protein of choice (e.g. chopped chicken, pepperoni, turkey slices)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C.
• Spread sauce on tortilla or muffin.
• Layer cheese and protein of choice on top.
• Cook for 14–20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

4. Rookie Wrap

1 tortilla/ wrap of choice

1 serving of protein (e.g. chicken, turkey slices)

1 handful of spinach

a bit of shredded cheese (I use low-fat mozzarella.)

Instructions:

• Place your wrap flat on a surface.
• Layer first with spinach, then protein of choice, then a bit of shredded cheese.
• Fold the wrap up like a burrito. If you need a quick guide for wraps, watch this.

Optional: Toast in the oven for 5 minutes for a crunchy shell.

Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV from Pexels

5. Protein Pasta

1/2 box Protein Pasta (I prefer Banza Rotini with 20g of protein.)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 jar pasta sauce

1/2 cup shredded cheese (or to your heart's desire.)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C
• Cook pasta according to instructions. Set aside when done.
• In a large bowl combine cottage cheese and pasta sauce until smooth.
• Add half of the shredded cheese to the sauce and mix. Mix pasta into the sauce until combined.
• Pour mixed pasta and sauce into a medium sized square dish.
• Cover dish with foil before placing into the oven.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes before removing.
• Uncover pasta and add remaining 1/4 cup of cheese to the top.
• Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chef's Note: Any pasta works for this recipe.

Optional Add-Ins: Ground protein of choice.

Photo by Sarah Chai from Pexels