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.

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.

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.