So there's the "I hate to Cook Book" by Peg Bracken. You may want to check it out of your library and take a look at it.
I hate to cook if I haven't planned. But here are some basic concepts that can improve the chore of cooking.
Cooking a large item, perhaps on the weekend, that you can eat from several days during the week - either exactly the same or in variation. Roast beef, pork roast, turkey, chicken(s), lasagne or another large casserole. These can show up with the same sides, different sides, on salads, in sandwiches, wraps, etc.
Find 3-4 things that you can bake at the same time and just have one mess. Reheat the rest of the week.
Grocery store assembly: bagged salads, rotisserie chicken, pre-prepped veggies salad bars, deli meats.
"Cracker barrel" sardines, smoked oysters, low-fat whole grain crackers, low fat cheese, sliced fruit, carrot sticks, celery - some combination of finger foods that includes protein & lots of veggies and very little "bad stuff" and very little prep.
Other simple ideas: sandwiches, baked potatoes with toppings (ok so you do bake the potatoes), baked sweet potatoes with toppings, sandwiches wrapped in foil and baked, quesadillas - you can do these in a no-stick fry pan, you don't need a special press.
George Foreman grill - grill boneless skinless chicken breasts (marinate briefly in balsamic vinegar or another marinade that won't burn on the grill) and microwave frozen vegetables while they're cooking. Cook extras to slice onto salads.
One pan dinners (on the stove or in the oven). Lots of good suggestions for this have already been made. You can do a stir fry that includes pre-sliced meat and pre-prepped veggies from the grocery store.
If you're planning meals ahead, you can bake
brown rice earlier in the week when something else is in the oven, then reheat it (microwave) the night you want to eat it. Think about this for anything that will take a long time to cook.
Crockpot is good for some things as well.
I know it's the wrong time of year for most folks to suggest this one, but don't forget your outside grill. It's not just for hamburgers and it keeps the heat and mess outside.
Overall, to minimize mess and cleanup - have a sink, dishpan or large bowl with hot soapy water already in it as you cook. This makes it easy to rinse out and wash items as you use them so food doesn't get dried on them and hard to clean off. Cleanup will be almost done when you're ready to eat.
Unless you're baking, eyeball quantities. If you're measuring things like a half cup of diced onions, a cup of mushrooms, don't. Eyeball it and add it. Be careful with strong spices, but practice measuring things in the palm of your hand. Learn what a tsp and Tbs look like. This will really speed up cooking and cut down on things that need to be washed.
When you're dealing with oil, butter, peanut butter or anything else dense with calories, then measure.
You probably still won't love cooking, but maybe some of these ideas will make it a little easier.
