Crazy-busy with hungry people in your house? Learn how to simplify mealtimes without losing your cool. Plan, cook, and assemble satisfying meals with guidance from award-winning Simplified founder Emily Ley.
Whether you love cooking, hate it, or it depends on the moment, it’s likely the people in your house need to eat. Every. Day. Emily, entrepreneur and mom of three, has written the book that she always needed: an easy guide to getting food on the table without sacrificing your to-do list, your relationships, or your sanity.
The ideas and recipes in The Simplified Cookbook will help your life and your kitchen run more smoothly while satisfying even the heartiest—and pickiest—of appetites. A tasty guide for novice and experienced cooks alike, The Simplified Cookbook includes:
Easy-to-use sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, along with a few bonus recipes for those times you’re feeling fancy60 delicious and easy recipes with limited ingredients60 more ideas for assembly meals: meals you can throw together in a cinch (or a pinch) and be on your way without a lot of chopping, sauteing, or, you know, cookingFour weeks of meal plans, so you have a roadmap for successA detailed resource section all about gadgets, staples, substitutions, and moreInspiration and insight from Emily on why dinners together matter, how to avoid decision fatigue, and other tips and tricks for an efficient and welcoming kitchen
With recipes like Baked Apple Oatmeal, Ramen Chicken Salad, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, and Pound Cake that can be served plain or fancy, there is something for every need.
Take the stress and frustration out of your meal planning and preparation with The Simplified Cookbook. It’s time to simplify your cooking so you have time for the good stuff—time around the table with the people you love the most.
From the brand

Lifestyle Books & Devotionals
Scroll right for more from Emily Ley


The Simplified Cookbook
Super simple recipes for assembly meals, grab-and-go breakfasts, family favorites, and more.
Morning & Evening Meditations
For Adults & Kids
Grace, Not Perfection
ASIN : B0D8VR4D1F
Publisher : Thomas Nelson
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : March 4, 2025
Language : English
File size : 59.4 MB
Simultaneous device usage : Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 240 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1400231362
Page Flip : Enabled
8 reviews for The Simplified Cookbook: Delicious Meals with Effortless Prep (60 Recipes + 60 Assembly Meals) – The Perfect Gifts for Busy Moms and Dads
Add a review
$14.99

Jennifer Ahmad –
Evening life saver!
Love this cookbook so much! Perfect cookbook for my season of life. All the current cookbooks I have are nice but the ingredients and pages of instructions was alot at the end of the day! I started getting anxiety when it came to dinner time because I was so exhausted at the end of the day and the last thing I wanted to do was cook a main dish and sides with tons of steps. I am a good cook but I needed things to be simplified in this area for times sake. This cookbook has taken away my anxiety and evening stress, all the meals have been SO yummy and easy!!! My family has loved everything I have made from this book.
Kels Nicole –
A practical and easy cookbook!
As a huge fan of Emily Leyâs books, I couldnât wait to get her new cookbook!There are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts. Each recipe is very practical and easy. Majority of the ingredients required for the recipes are ingredients that are normally in my pantry!The pictures are beautiful and a plus if you like visuals when trying a new recipe.I appreciate the little tips and suggestions, like alternatives to some ingredients or what temperature to cook certain foods.I love this cookbook and canât wait to try more recipes!
Cindy E –
Beautiful with lots of easy recipes
Firstly, this cookbook is BEAUTIFUL! As a photographer and graphic designer myself, I can appreciate both the photos and the overall design and organization of the book. Itâs so satisfying to flip through the pages.Next, while the recipes themselves are not necessarily what I would personally select for myself in this stage of life (low carb/keto/vegetarian/whole foods) I do recognize that they are ideal for young families, single adults, or really anyone who is busy and doesnât have time to curate recipes and gather complicated ingredient lists. I purchased this cookbook as a gift for my college student. He knows how to cook and heâs good at it, but in his environment, he doesnât have time or the inclination to get creative and messy in the kitchen. He tends to make the same tried-and-true recipes over and over. I am certain that this cookbook will be a wonderful jumping off point for him to cook more at home, and hopefully consume less fast food.
Kim Shanks –
Not for me – unfortunately
I wanted to love this cookbook but it doesnât suit my familyâs needs. We donât eat a lot of meat and donât eat any processed meat like ham, bacon and sausage. Most of the recipes include processed meats so Iâm sadly sending it back.Itâs recipes are simple and have few ingredients so if you eat a lot of meat and processed meat then I highly recommend it.
Amber –
Hate to cook? This book is for you!
I wasnât sure what to expect, but like Emily Leyâs Substack and figured what the heck, Iâll support her book. Wow, am I happy I got this! Iâve had the book for less than a week and have made 2 things (pasta salad, Hashbrown bake, both yummy crowd pleasers!) and plan to have several others in the meal plan for the remainder of March. Coming from me, thatâs high praise!Iâm the picky eater of the family and flipping through the book, I kept thinking, âyeah, that looks good, we should try that, etc.â Iâm not a big fan of cooking (another story for baking), and the recipes in this are easy and fast with normal people ingredients.I highly encourage anyone who hates to cook and/or has picky eaters to check this out! Emily, thanks so much for breathing life into my meal planning!!
RTodd –
Beautiful and simple
This cookbook is beautiful and thoughtfully laid out. The photography is lovely and I appreciate Emilyâs approach to the organization of it. It includes very simple recipes, which would be great for many people, including those starting out in the kitchen. A great place to search for ideas when in a dinner rut and needing ideas that are family-friendly. My tween enjoyed going through and picking out recipes and helping make them.But, for me personally, it seems a bit too simple. I have been cooking for myself and my family for over 20 years and have become decently proficient in the kitchen. Many of the recipes seem too simple and not really necessary to put in a cookbook. But I can appreciate Emilyâs goal and how this would be helpful for many busy families or newbie cooks.
M.L. –
Simple and fine
I really like this cookbook. I preordered it and was excited when it arrived. All the recipes seem to be less than 6 ingredients. The only thing is that some recipes are so simple that Iâm surprised anyone would need a recipe to make them. Iâve made like 4 recipes in the 5 days Iâve had it. Most have been fine – nothing amazing so far, but itâs fed my family in an easy way and made meal planning easy, so thatâs a win.
Stephanie –
Great buy for busy moms
Love this cookbook. Easy recipes that the kids and whole family like. Not many ingredients needed for each recipe and short cooking times- which is great for busy moms trying to get dinner on the table quickly and easily! We are trying to make 1-2 recipes a week from the cookbook, many which will be on our weekly rotation.