Bare Minimum Dinners: Recipes and Strategies for Doing Less in the Kitchen
Doing Kitchen: Bare Minimum Dinners is Jenna Helwig’s cookbook of weeknight recipes and strategies for spending less time cooking and cleaning. Its chapters cover meals in 30 minutes or less, recipes with seven ingredients or fewer, slow-cooker and Instant Pot cooking, one-pot and sheet-pan dishes, and simple sides.
At a glance
- The book organizes dinner ideas around limited cooking time, short ingredient lists, reduced hands-on work, and easier cleanup.
- The description specifies recipes with seven ingredients or fewer, including salt and olive oil, and a chapter for meals taking 30 minutes or less.
- Slow-cooker and Instant Pot dishes are included alongside one-pot, sheet-pan, and skillet meals.
- Simple vegetable, salad, and grain sides plus substitution and meal-dressing tips are also described.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The different chapter approaches make it easier to choose recipes based on available time, ingredients, or cleanup tolerance.
- Slow-cooker and Instant Pot options provide alternatives for lower hands-on cooking time.
- Suggested sides and substitutions can help round out meals or adapt them to available ingredients.
Technical specifications
11 specifications| Publisher | Harvest |
|---|---|
| Publication date | September 7, 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 224 pages |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0358435464 |
| File size | 87.6 MB |
|---|---|
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Page Flip | Enabled |
What to know before buying
- Recipe descriptions reflect the publisher’s presentation. The book includes varied formats, so a particular recipe may not meet every time, ingredient, or cleanup preference.
Who is it for?
A good fit for
- Home cooks seeking practical dinner ideas with shorter ingredient lists or less hands-on time.
- Readers who want a mix of quick, slow-cooker, Instant Pot, and one-pan meal approaches.
- Cooks interested in easy side dishes and recipe substitutions.
Less suited to
- Readers seeking a cookbook focused exclusively on one cuisine, dietary plan, or cooking method.
Customer reviews on Amazon
- 5 stars
64% 64% - 4 stars
18% 18% - 3 stars
12% 12% - 2 stars
4% 4% - 1 star
2% 2%
Customer feedback describes the recipes as simple, tasty, and easy to prepare, and appreciates the crockpot and Instant Pot selections. That aligns with the book’s stated mix of low-effort cooking formats, though the overall positive rating profile does not establish that every recipe suits every cook.
Positive themes
- Customers praise the simple, easy-to-prepare recipes.
- Feedback highlights the crockpot and Instant Pot selections and describes the meals as tasty.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of recipes and strategies are covered?
The description lists quick dinners, recipes with seven ingredients or fewer, slow-cooker and Instant Pot meals, one-pot, sheet-pan and skillet dishes, and simple sides.
Does the book include recipes for slow cookers and Instant Pots?
Yes. The description identifies a chapter focused on low hands-on-time meals using slow cookers and Instant Pots.
Are there tips beyond the recipes?
Yes. The description mentions ingredient substitutions, suggested supermarket brands, keeping salad greens ready, and ideas for dressing up or rounding out meals.
What is included in the Kindle edition details?
The listing states a file size of 87.6 MB and support for Screen Reader, Enhanced Typesetting, X-Ray, Word Wise, and Page Flip.
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