Easy 1-Pot Rice Cooker Meal (Grain Salad)

OK so here's the thing: rice cookers can prepare all kinds of whole grains.  It almost seemed too good to be true, when I first got the impulse to try this.  Just toss a bunch of ingredients, push a button, then it's ready in under an hour?  This is fast food meets slow food, plus if you have even a halfway decent rice cooker, it's impossible to burn!

Serves 2-3
Suggested Ingredients:

• dried grain, 1 cup
• rice
• quinoa
• wheat
• bulgur
• farrow
• etc, mix-and-match
• TVP, 1/2 cup (optional)
• a couple tablespoons of soy sauce, to taste
• water, 2 cups
• 1 additional cup water per 1/2 cup TVP
• can also substitute veggie broth
• frozen veggie mix, 1-2 cups (a typical small bag)
• extra salt, to taste
• seasonings
• entire seasoning packet from meal starter (if any)
• a few teaspoons additional mix-and-match

Note that your typical boxed grain salad or meal starter will include 1 measured cup of dried grains (such as my favorite grain salads from Aldi, shown below), but you should measure your selection, just to be sure.  You're looking for around double the water to dried ingredient ratio, without overwhelming your rice cooker.  (Click here for more info on ratios.)  If you think it's turned out too wet or too dry, jot down a quick note and adjust next time around.

Some poorly-calibrated rice cookers will burn somewhat on the bottom, but most will automatically switch to low heat when they're finished cooking.  (Click here for more info on rice cooker tech.)  Just to be safe, I typically unplug it as soon as it is finished cooking.

After it's done cooking (not before, to avoid a mess), drizzle with oil.

Mountain Soup

Gather up the nearest 8-year-old, who happens to be named Mountain.  Ask him what sorts of things should go into a vegetable soup.

3/4 pound baby carrots
1/2 pound frozen chopped broccoli
2 potatoes
1 cup TVP (optional)
6-8 cups vegetable broth
(or 6-8 cups water, and 6-8 cubes vegetable bouillon)
1 tablespoon dehydrated chopped onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon MSG
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Olive oil

Chop the baby carrots into 3rds.  Allow Mountain to chop a few; cringe while supervising.  Peel the potatoes; chop the potatoes in half the long way, then slice thin.  Put the vegetables into a crock pot; add enough water to cover.  Crush up bouillon cubes and stir into the soup.  Ask Mountain to sniff various herbs and spices, to see which should go into the soup.  Cook on "high" for 3 hours.  Serve, adding olive oil to taste.

Notes: the TVP was ultimately rejected by Mountain, who ate around it.

Spanish Rice

2+ Roma Tomatoes
1 Medium Onion, peeled and quartered
2 cups rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 cups vegtable broth
2 tsp chili powder
14 oz can black beans
1 cup frozen corn


-Preheat oven to 350F

-In a blender or food processor, blend the onion and tomato into a smooth puree. Transfer the puree into a measuring cup. You should have 2 cups of liquid. If not, make up the extra with water. If you have too much, spoon out extra.

-Heat oil in a large straight sided saute pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add rice and fry until translucent and golden.

-Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and jalapenos. Saute until jalapenos are softened and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

-Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, broth, beans, corn, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with the lid and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy. Serve warm.

Creamy Avocado Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

5 quartered Roma tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, sliced

1lb uncooked pasta

4 cloves garlic, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (or 2 tbsp dried basil)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and toss tomatoes and garlic in a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Place cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Then set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

3. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a food processor, combine the garlic and basil and pulse to mince.

4. Add the lemon juice, oil, avocado flesh, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the pasta and place it back in the pot. Add the avocado sauce and stir until combined. You can gently rewarm the pasta if it has cooled slightly, or simply serve it at room temperature.

6. Top with lemon zest, pepper, and fresh basil leaves, if desired.


based on: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/#ixzz3NUZB1C00

Heinz Style English Baked Beans (Veganized)

1 lb navy beans
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb of soda)
1 tablespoons veg oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 tsp dried thyme or sage (or both)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large can (approx 3 cups) crushed tomatoes
1 clove
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Salt to taste


-Soak the beans in cold water overnight.

-The next day wash and drain them, then cover with cold water, add the baking soda, and cook them for about 1 to 1 1/2 hour on a medium heat till they are tender, and just beginning to split. Drain and keep aside.

-In a big, heavy pot heat the oil and toss the onion in it. Sauté for about 5 - 10 minutes on a medium heat and then add the chopped herbs and the garlic. Stir and cook for another minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up a bit.

-Add Molassass, cloves, sugar and salt. Stir and simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

-When cool, puree well in a blender till it turns to a smooth sauce. Return to the pan, taste and readjust seasoning.

-Add the beans to the sauce mixture and cook on a low heat for at least 30 - 45 minutes, or more, until the beans are very soft. The beans taste better the next day when they have had a chance to absorb the flavours better, but they're not bad on the day either.

based on: http://www.thetiffinbox.ca/2010/05/english-baked-beans-heinz-style.html

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1 head cauliflower
3 cups water
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
4 Tbsp miso
3 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
4 tsp Dijon mustard

-Chop cauliflower into manageable florets.
-Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook cauliflower until tender. (5-7 minutes)
-Remove from the heat and drain in a colander.
-Place water, nutritional yeast, miso, tahini, soy sauce, vinegar, and mustard in the food processer and blend until smooth.
-Add cauliflower to food processor and blend to a cream.
-Heat and serve warm.

(Based on a soup by: http://www.veganuary.com/recipes/creamy-cauliflower-soup/)

Vegan Fried Rice

Rice
5 cups cooked long grain rice

Scrambled Tofu
½ block extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 20 minutes
½ tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, julienned

Vegetables
2 tsp olive oil
5 brussel sprouts, cut in 8ths
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
4 Green onions for garnish (optional)
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)

Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tbsp tahini
1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated
½ tsp onion powder
1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar


Scrambled Tofu
-Crumble the pressed tofu in a small bowl.
-Add nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
-Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until the garlic has browned lightly.
-Add tofu mixture and cook for about 5-7 minutes more, stirring often. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sauce
-Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Putting it all together
-In the same pan that you used to cook your tofu, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat, then add in the carrots, peas, and brussel sprouts.
-Cook for about 5 minutes
-Add rice and sauce, then tofu and chopped green onions.
-Cook for about 5 more minutes

Hummus!

4 cups chickpeas, cooked and peeled
1/2 cup chickpea water (retained from cooking)
2/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
4 cloves garlic (or 8 cloves roasted garlic)
2 teaspoons paprika
4 dried chilies (or 3 roasted chilies)

Blend it.  Blend it good.

Inspired by Hummus III Recipe on AllRecipes.com.

Roasted Chilies:
Place oven rack to top level.  Preheat broiler on high.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup (chilies will stick).  Arrange chilies on sheet, and place directly underneath broiler.  Flip after about 7 minutes (tongs are useful here), and broil for another 7 minutes.  Immediately place into a plastic container or bag, and leave to steam for 20 minutes.  Peel the filmy skin and discard.  Pop woody ends off and discard prior to use.

Inspired by How To Roast Green Chilies on The Pioneer Woman.

Basic Black Bean Burgers

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (or 2 cans drained) cooked black beans
1 cup frozen sweet onion and bell pepper mix
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices whole-wheat bread, torn into pieces

water (as needed)

DIRECTIONS:

Toss ingredients into a food processor and blend until even.  May also be mashed up in a bowl, adding one ingredient at a time.

May be pan-fried to order - works great as a substitute for falafel as well.  Best results come from baking. 

To bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking sheet. Shape into burgers approx. 3/4 inch (2 cm) each.  I fit 3x4 rows of rectangular bread-slice-sized burgers onto one sheet. Bake until cooked in the center and crisp in the outside, flipping every 10 minutes, for a total of 30-40 minutes.

Inspired by Vegan Black Bean Burgers on AllRecipes.com.

Miso Soup!

6 cups water
5 tbsp miso paste
3 tbsp mushroom dark soy sauce
2 leaves kale, chopped
1 1/2 sheets dried seaweed to taste, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
6 oz tofu, cubed

Simmer dat water with the kale and seaweed.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
Mash dat miso paste and soy sauce into a nother paste.  Den add everything else.  Simmer for mo 5 minutes.
Eat it.

Stir Fried Water Spinach with Fermented Tofu

1lb water spinach or chinese spinach
1/2 small onion
4 slices ginger
4 cloves garlic
2-4 dried chilis
3-4 cubes fermented tofu
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
2 tbsp tofu brine
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 tbs canola oil


1. Break water spinach into manageable pieces, removing the larger stems.

2. Slice onion, garlic, and chilis; julienne ginger.

3. Combine fermented tofu with shaoxing wine, tofu brine, dried chilis, sugar, and pepper. Mash into paste.

4. Heat oil on high and saute onion.

5. Add garlic and ginger; saute mixture.

6. Add water spinach and fermented tofu paste; stir fry until spinach is wilted, being sure to turn the spinach frequently to mix all ingredients.

A note on chinese water spinach choice: these are very similar varieties that are often sold under the same name and appear to be from the same species, but occasionally you can find water spinach sold alongside chinese spinach.  Water spinach tends to have a stronger flavor which works well with the strong flavors in the sauce.  Chinese spinach is more subtle but more leafy (and, at least at our local market, costs half as much).

Cheesy Potato and Broccoli Comfort Casserole

2 tbsp flour
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
5/6 cup nutritional yeast (because fuck you)
2 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp paprika

Whisk flour with coconut milk in small saucepan, then cook over medium heat until sauce thickens and bubbles.  Remove from heat, stir in other shit, cover.



1 cup pork-flavored dry TVP
1 cup water
½ bag of frozen chopped onions and celery
5 cloves garlic, big-ass ones
1 lb chopped broccoli
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with chilis
2lb potato fries/hash browns (precooking optional for more crispy texture)
1-2 tbsp hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray bottom of casserole dish with oil, cuz reasons.

Mix ham bits and water to soak.

Sautee onion.  Mince garlic and add to onions.

Realize you forgot to thaw broccoli.  Pour it into pan and warm it in oven for 10 minutes.

Pour fries out over broccoli.

Mix all remaining ingredients with cheesy sauce, and then pour over casserole.

Bake 45 minutes.

Inspired by Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce on Our Fresh Kitchen and Flavorful Tater Tot Casserole on AllRecipies.com.

Tofeta, Kale, Quinoa, and Chickpea Casserole

1 pound extra-firm tofu
2 tbsp water
4 tsp yellow miso paste
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Mix everything but the tofu, then mix in the tofu with your hands.  Completely forget to add nutritional yeast.


1 bunch kale
All that tofeta you made above
1 cup quinoa
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 plum tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 450.  Place aluminum foil on baking sheet, spray with oil, tear kale into large pieces on sheet.  Roast 6-8 minutes until slightly crispy. Try not to eat it all before adding it to the casserole dish.  Save foil.

Actually read through rest of directions.  Hollar at how wack they are.

Chop them maters.  Sprinkle that shit on your casserole.  Also sprinkle (drained) chickpeas and (rinsed) quinoa on top.  Stir.  Boil the water with the lemon juice.  Pour over the casserole, then add fetofu mixture.  Stir again if you feel like it, but probably not.

The oven is already at 450º, so I guess it should stay there.  Cover with saved foil and bake 25 minutes.  Realize you forgot to add nutritional yeast.   Rationalize to yourself that you'll just sprinkle it on when serving.

We have 19 minutes.  Let's do this.

Eat.  Realize it's too watery.

Spread it out and bake for 20 minutes more.  It's super effective!

Inspired by Vegan Feta Cheese on the Happy Herbivore and Baked Quinoa with Roasted Kale and Chickpeas on POPSUGAR.

Found Item Soup

5 1/2 cups water
3 cubes vegetable bouillon (or 3 cups broth replacing 3 cups water)
1.5 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp dehydrated onion
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp paprika
some tarragon
1 tbsp chives
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 cup pork flavor dry TVP
1/2 cup very finely chopped cilantro stems
4 dried chili peppers
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with chilis
1 (10 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup unflavored dry TVP
1/2 lb frozen sweet corn
1 lb can refried beans
1/2 lb frozen broccoli
3 cups frozen diced potatoes

Combine in slow cooker; cook on low till you get hungry, 4-8 hours.

Roasted Pepper Cilantro Salsa

2 bell peppers
4 jalapeño peppers
6 roma tomatoes
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 small bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper


Slice bell peppers in half and remove stems and seeds.

Place with jalapeño peppers on aluminum foil-lined pan, and broil on high as close to broiler as possible for 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

Refrigerate peppers for 20 minutes in sealed container, then peel and discard skins.

Chop tomatoes and onion into large chunks so that they won't float on the top of the food processor's chamber, mocking you while the remaining ingredients liquefy at the bottom.

Toss all ingredients into food processor and hit the "make salsa" button.

Invite friends to party, asking them to bring chips because you forgot to buy them at the store, and cry about not being able to eat your delicious salsa while waiting for them to arrive.

Inspired by How To…Roast Green Chilies by the Pioneer Woman and The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa on AllRecipes.com.

Depression-Era Pizza

Ingredients:
Tombstone Original Veggie Pizza
Sriracha sauce
4 Pack Steel Reserve High Gravity Lager

Step 1: Drive to local grocer.

Step 2: Buy Veggie Pizza.

Step 3: Follow instructions on back.

Step 4: Smother in Sriracha sauce.

Step 5: Get drunk and eat your sadness.

Cat and Girl - image text here

A Joe That Is Not Sloppy Is Scarcely A Joe At All

1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 med pepper
1 carrot
(or sub 1.5 cup frozen chopped onion mix)

4 cups water in small saucepan
2 cubes vegetable broth bouillon
12 ounces (1 large can) tomato paste
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5 cup dry TVP

Sauté the veggies until soft and flavorful.
Mix in with the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer until thickened.
Eat on toast or some shit.

Inspired by Rachael Ray's Super Sloppy Joes on Food Network.