Brown Rice, Beans and veggies.
Brown rice is healthier than white, since it is not missing its bran. Yeah it cooks longer (40 min) but make up like 5cups on the weekend and your set all week.
Beans! mmmmm Buy cans or dried of all various types. Add them to rice with sauted veggies of choice, perhaps garlic, onion, bell pepper. Or diced tomatos.
Healthy, cheap and good for you! Be sure to add yummy green veggie sides.
Need Ideas!
The situation: I'm 20, in college, all that fun stuff. I recently lost a bajillion pounds (35 over the course of 5 weeks) and am working to maintain current - this means I can't deep fry my dinner every night anymore. I suck at cooking and know nothing. I'm somewhere between "strapped for time" and "not wanting to waste time cooking" at this point. I have 3-4 hours a night for myself and don't feel like cooking. I'm poor.
What is some stuff I can make that:
a) won't make me teh fatty
b) is relatively quick
c) is easy
d) is cost effective (I'm not rich, but I don't intend to eat Ramen every night, I can manage food money)
Ideas? I know I'm not the only one in this situation - hopefully the rest of you guys like me know how to cook!
Calimaryn
19 years ago
carpex
19 years ago
Does all of that come with microwave directions? :P
I'm cooking challenged. My dad was a cook of sorts when he was (much) younger and did the culinary school and all that. As such, the extent of my cooking was the occasional omelette, bowl of cereal, and hot pockets.
I'm cooking challenged. My dad was a cook of sorts when he was (much) younger and did the culinary school and all that. As such, the extent of my cooking was the occasional omelette, bowl of cereal, and hot pockets.
Den
19 years ago
Salads!
You can make a salad in no time and can put any veggies, or meats, or cheeses, etc. in. Great dinners for warm summer nights too. You can also put fruit in them for a fresh, sweet change. Or pasta can be added too.
And you don't really need directions...some lettuce and whatever you like just chopped up and thrown into a bowl with your favorite dressing! There are so many kinds of dressings you can choose too, that will change the flavor of the salad!
You can make a salad in no time and can put any veggies, or meats, or cheeses, etc. in. Great dinners for warm summer nights too. You can also put fruit in them for a fresh, sweet change. Or pasta can be added too.
And you don't really need directions...some lettuce and whatever you like just chopped up and thrown into a bowl with your favorite dressing! There are so many kinds of dressings you can choose too, that will change the flavor of the salad!
Mylec
19 years ago
I heard my boy Carp knows how to toss the salad! :p
carpex
19 years ago
Only if by "heard" you mean "know from experience" lover boy.
Mylec
19 years ago
shhhhh! :shh
ROzbeans
19 years ago
If you want to snack on stuff, snack on nuts.
I couldn't resist that. :teehee
Seriously, I've been snacking on Diamond Smokehouse Almonds for the past month. They have like 2g carbs and that's it. Lots of salt but I say FUCK YOU to high cholesterol. Anyway, snacking on nuts is pretty filling and not too bad for you.
I'd go with salads. You can buy the head of lettuce for practically nothing, chop it up and then you can get the pre-mix/cut chicken and stuff to throw in. Easy peasy.
I couldn't resist that. :teehee
Seriously, I've been snacking on Diamond Smokehouse Almonds for the past month. They have like 2g carbs and that's it. Lots of salt but I say FUCK YOU to high cholesterol. Anyway, snacking on nuts is pretty filling and not too bad for you.
I'd go with salads. You can buy the head of lettuce for practically nothing, chop it up and then you can get the pre-mix/cut chicken and stuff to throw in. Easy peasy.
Calimaryn
19 years ago
Directions:
Rice purchased in bags will have directions. Generally it is 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low without lifting the lid for the cooking time. White rice generally cooks in 20 minutes and brown in 40 minutes.
To make up a big batch on the weekend use a large pot (think soup pot). Add in 10cups of water and 5 cups of brown rice. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes or so, toss into a tupperware container or three and eat all week.
Beans:
Canned - Open can, rinse, toss with rice, microwave for 1min
Dry - In a collander rinse the dry beans, put into the large pot with twice as much water. Allow to soak for 4 to 12 hours. Drain, rinse and refill with again twice as much water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low for 20 to 60 minutes. Beans are cooked when they smoosh easy with a fork. Small beans cook faster, larger harder beans cook slower. DO NOT ADD SALT!
Veggies:
Dice things to uniform sizes (thats the key!). In a pan pour 1teaspoon oil (olive, veg, canola) and bring temp up to medium high. Add in veggies, move around with a spoon occasionally to make sure nothing burns. Take it off the heat when it looks good to you. I like my veggies crips but my onions translucent, so its trial and error.
Healthy, cheap and can be the same main ingredients but taste totally different each night based on what spices you use. Some combinations I like are canellini beans w/ diced tomato from a can and italian seasoning, garbanzo beans and fat free italian dressing, pinto beans and chilis, kidney beans with bay. All served on the same rice.
Salads are perfect to add to it as well.
Rice purchased in bags will have directions. Generally it is 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low without lifting the lid for the cooking time. White rice generally cooks in 20 minutes and brown in 40 minutes.
To make up a big batch on the weekend use a large pot (think soup pot). Add in 10cups of water and 5 cups of brown rice. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes or so, toss into a tupperware container or three and eat all week.
Beans:
Canned - Open can, rinse, toss with rice, microwave for 1min
Dry - In a collander rinse the dry beans, put into the large pot with twice as much water. Allow to soak for 4 to 12 hours. Drain, rinse and refill with again twice as much water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low for 20 to 60 minutes. Beans are cooked when they smoosh easy with a fork. Small beans cook faster, larger harder beans cook slower. DO NOT ADD SALT!
Veggies:
Dice things to uniform sizes (thats the key!). In a pan pour 1teaspoon oil (olive, veg, canola) and bring temp up to medium high. Add in veggies, move around with a spoon occasionally to make sure nothing burns. Take it off the heat when it looks good to you. I like my veggies crips but my onions translucent, so its trial and error.
Healthy, cheap and can be the same main ingredients but taste totally different each night based on what spices you use. Some combinations I like are canellini beans w/ diced tomato from a can and italian seasoning, garbanzo beans and fat free italian dressing, pinto beans and chilis, kidney beans with bay. All served on the same rice.
Salads are perfect to add to it as well.
carpex
19 years ago
TY much! :)
Sergon
19 years ago
Pre bagged Salads and Pre cooked chicken breast. Tuna, Brown Rice, Frozen Veggies. I eat that stuff when im working out alot. Cheap and very good for you. I would suggest Ramen and tuna but your on the Atkinesque diet. While I dont agree with this one it works for some people.
Stay away from anything potatoe. Almost a useless food.
Portion control is the most important thing. Im tall and thin and have been since my teens. The trick is exercise. That means lifting weights, and cardio. A minimum of 4 times a week for an hour.
S
Stay away from anything potatoe. Almost a useless food.
Portion control is the most important thing. Im tall and thin and have been since my teens. The trick is exercise. That means lifting weights, and cardio. A minimum of 4 times a week for an hour.
S
Wasidun
19 years ago
PB&J.
It doesn't get any better than that.
It doesn't get any better than that.