Is it possible to do this in a rice cooker? Everyday at home my mom used to cook an egg and just pair it with rice, it was the easiest and cheapest breakfast ever because she was very frugal. She would do variations of an egg such as adding different ingredients into the egg such as scallions, garlic, and oil, where it is then beat up before frying it on a pan.

I’m wondering if you could do a similar variation to this with a rice cooker? Would anything happen to the eggs? I’ve heard mixed options of this. I use a $25 rice cooker from Aroma that just has a simple cook and warm function.

Trying to get my husband to eat more fiber as he’s a big carnivore but he’s becoming concerned about colon cancer risks with his diet and wants to be more aware.

I was thinking beans could be an easy way to increase fiber intake and I’m sure there are a lot of flavorful ways to make them so would love to hear your ideas! Meat can be included but bonus points if it isn’t!

What are your favorite super quick meals that are healthy-ish?

My favorite is a quick angel hair pasta with olive oil, garlics, parm, artichokes, spinach and white beans.

*(TLDR: I am regularly babysitting my friend’s 7 & 12 yo kids overnight and they do not eat ANY fruits or vegetables. Mom has given up buying them because the kids don’t eat them and they go to waste. She said she’d be excited if I could convince them to start trying. Any advice?)*

I am watching some kids one week a month (7 and 12) as a favor to their mom.

She’s a busy single mother on a tight budget living in a food desert (the only store selling food within an hour’s drive is a Dollar store).

Last time I went there I thought I’d wither away from malnutrition. With no hyperbole, I don’t know how the family survived to this point on just what they’re eating.

I didn’t see a single fruit or vegetable in the house and the mom left meals frozen for me to serve or prepped for easy cooking (which was very kind) but they were all just meat and cheese and bread.

I love those things as much as the next person but it goes without saying some variety is essential.

By the third day of eating meat and cheese and bread I told my friend I was happy to cook some of the kids’ favorite meals from scratch. She said the food she’d left was the same thing they’d be eating if she was home.

For context, day one was ham and cheese croissants for breakfast, sloppy Joe’s for lunch, and hamburger helper Mac and cheese for dinner with a Hawaiian roll on the side. The following day was a frozen sausage egg and cheese biscuit, baloney and mayonnaise for lunch with a side of Cheetos, and cheeseburger sliders for dinner.

There are no canned vegetables or frozen vegetables to be found in the house. (Not even peas!)

I asked my friend about this since she’s in phenomenal shape and has a physical job. She said the kids won’t eat fruits or vegetables and she can’t spare the money to waste all the food, but she’d be delighted if I could get a change of heart from them.

It’s tough because I am only there one week a month, and who knows how long that’ll be called for (mom is traveling for a work assignment that will eventually conclude.)

I would appreciate any advice on how to integrate fruits and vegetables in a way that is economically sustainable for the family and isn’t so drastic a change as to alienate the kids.

Thank you so much for your insight and guidance!

I’ve simplified this recipe from Nomnomaste.com - check the link for the original. Once you see how simple this Indian dish is, you’ll be ready to try your own tweaks. I’ve swapped a few things and you can easily add COOKED chicken, shrimp, or boiled potatoes near the end allowing them to warm through.

The original uses ingredients you’ll find at any Indian supermarket, which I highly recommend visiting. Ginger-garlic paste is a handy staple; you can buy jars that last a long time in the fridge and save you money over time. Alternatively you blend equal parts chopped garlic and peeled fresh, chopped ginger, but buying a jar is much easier.

I used curry powder instead of garam masala. Purists might shudder, but the Indian vibe is still there.

Makes 4 servings

24 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp curry powder or chana masala spice mix (from an ethnic store)

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (from an ethnic store) or homemade

1 large onion

2 tbsp oil

1/2 to 1tbsp salt and pepper

1/2 cup water

Lime juice (optional)

Method

Finely chop the onion and set it aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and continue cooking for a minute or two.

Once the onion and paste are golden brown, add 2 tbsp of your spices and cook for another minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes.

Drain the liquid from your can of chickpeas and give them a good rinse in a colander. Toss the chickpeas into the pan and stir well.

Add 1/2 cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Give it a stir every few minutes until the chickpeas are tender and have soaked up the sauce. Remove the lid and keep cooking until it’s how you like it. Check if it's salty enough and ajust. Whether it’s soupy or more like a stew, it’s totally up to you. No rules here!

Done! Serve. Best with flatbread or tortillas or rice. Finish with a squeeze of lime of you have it. I’ve even used corn chips treating it like a dip. You can also shop up some cilantro and sprinkle on to when serving.

On the side, a little bowl of yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber and/or apple is the finishing touch. Just stir it with a fork and sprinkle on some salt and ground cumin or cayenne pepper.

Cooking is about having fun and finding your favorite combos. Recipes are just guides.

I’m trying to get back into meal planning but my two and four year old can be inconsistent with how well they eat real food (you know, stuff with actual flavors and textures). My plan to expand their palates while also ensuring they have enough to eat is to make an entree my husband and I both want (and hope the kids will eventually eat) but also offer them a safe food on the side. I really want to ensure both options are nutritious, but also don’t want to be prepping two full meals.

Another thing worth noting is my husband and I are vegetarian but our kids aren’t. We used to avoid buying meat completely but have now accepted that we will need to purchase it every once in a while.

Things my kids consistently eat:
-Quesadillas
-Beans and rice
-Chicken
-Tuna
-Pizza

Any other ideas of what to give them on the side that could also serve as their main course if they won’t eat the real entree?

Hi there!

This is a bit of an odd question. So we live on a farm and butcher all of our own chicken. I have a *lot* of whole and half chickens in my freezer. I can cook chicken in a variety of ways, but I am trying to perfect an easy, low prep method to prepare a chicken or two every weekend for multiple uses through the week.

I have the basics. Oven, crock pot, Dutch oven, roasting pan, ect. I've also used oven bags at times.

My current roasting routine leads me to checking the temp multiple times and just always somehow becomes a bit of a headache at the end. My husband and I both work out of the house, and we have four kids, so our Sundays are already a lot of prepping (plus the farm/homestead 😅).

What's your go-to easy roast whole chicken recipe? Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you!!

As title, family member is getting surgery. I can prep foods tomorrow but I wont have time to cook full on meals for next 7 days after, nor can they really. (Someone will be there who is fine cooking, but takes too long to cook for the amount of watching on family member constantly.)

I got carrots, cabbage, onions, hard boiled eggs, chickpeas, quinoa, paata, and chicken. What else sustains well if I cut or cook it ahead of time, and let it sit in the fridge for next 7 days?

Anyone know where I can find food grade fully hydrogenated soybean oil?

I'm so damn hungry and there's barely anything to eat

Dried kidney beans and brown chickpeas are the cheapest protein I can get, so I want them to be my lunch five days a week. I cook one big batch and eat from it. Two things keep getting in the way.

1) They never come out properly soft. I soak them in water overnight. In the morning there is white froth sitting on top, so I throw that water away, add fresh water, and boil them with salt. They still end up firm with a chalky centre, the kidney beans especially. Is salting them during the boil the problem? Does baking soda actually help? Am I wrong to boil in an open pot instead of a pressure cooker, and if so how long should it take? Or am I just buying old stock?

2) It gets bland and I'm sick of it by day three. Right now it's basically boiled beans with some fruit and spice thrown over the top. I don't want to cook a full stew every single day. What do you add to keep a bowl like this genuinely tasty on repeat? Dressings, acid, pickle, spice blends, anything that works in bulk and still tastes fine cold or reheated.

Three or four rotating options would be ideal so I can actually keep this up long term.

Okay, so some backstory, I am an incredibly fortunate person. My father was a single father who put himself through college while raising me. My entire childhood, my father cooked fresh and affordable meals for me. I can count on two hands the amount of times my father took me out to restaurants between 0 and 18 years old. However, as an adult, I have had a TERRIBLE relationship with eating out. I go to restaurants every single day, sometimes even twice a day.

I just graduated from college this year, and am absolutely beyond broke! I live across the country from my dad. For work, I am a bar tender and hotel front desk. I take home about $3500 a month AFTER taxes. I have absolutely nothing to show for my income despite me paying $0 in rent (my company houses me), $35 in phone bill, $0 in health insurance because I am still on my dad's plan, and $0 in car insurance because I don't have a car. I spend almost all my money on eating out, getting drinks with friends, and stupid online subscriptions. I want to kick this bad habit, and I want to start with my eating out problem which easily costs me $40-$60 a day.

I created a meal plan. The plan starts on Friday, because I get paid on Friday. Would anyone be able to offer advice on what I could add or remove? What are some good seasonings or ingredients to go with it? Am I missing anything? In regards to breakfast, I typically am not hungry in the mornings and don't eat until lunch time anyways. That is why it just says eggs and toast. However, if anyone has breakfast recommendations I would highly appreciate it.

SNACKS: granola bars, greek yogurts, apples, carrots and humus, stove top popcorn 

Friday 

• Eggs and Toast 
• Black Bean avocado tacos 
• 2x chicken thighs, rice, sweet potato

Saturday 

• Eggs and toast 
• 2x chicken thighs, rice, sweet potato (leftovers)
• Toast and lentil soup with carrots

Sunday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Toast and lentil soup with carrots (leftovers)
• Zucchini, garlic, onion, cauliflower red sauce pasta 

Monday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Zucchini, garlic, onion, cauliflower red sauce pasta (leftovers)
• 4 Rotisserie Chicken tacos, cheese, onion, celery

Tuesday 

• Eggs and toast 
• 2 Rotisserie Chicken tacos, cheese, onion, celery (leftovers)
• Sweet potato stuffed with cauliflower and cheese and asparagus on the side

Wednesday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Kale and chickpea super stir fry with bell peppers, onion, and garlic
• Turkey red sauce pasta 

Thursday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Turkey red sauce pasta (leftovers)
• Turmeric rice with tomatoes, peas, onion, and chicken thighs 

I recently started a medication that has KILLED my appetite, so I’m trying to make everything I do eat really count nutritionally. Things that have been sounding good lately are very simple carb-y, so I’m trying to be conscious about getting more protein/vitamins. I also have a dairy allergy, so things like protein shakes and meat-and-cheese snackpacks won’t work. Maybe I haven’t found the right ones, but it seems that most non-dairy cheeses/yogurts/etc don’t come near the same amount of protein... Ideas?

Indian "Paneer cheese " is made exactly same way and sold for $8 to $10 per pound in Chicago grocery stores.

Hi y'all! I'm a new hire with my local school district. I'm going to be a 1:1 para educator in a middle school. Which means I will be getting my steps in! I'm 5'2" guy and currently around the 190lb. area.

As someone on a budget and also trying to loose weight. What are some small or on the go snacks I could have on hand? Or something I could put in my lunch box for when I'm on my break? I love chips, crunchy items, and I love anything chocolate or sweets.

Currently for my lunches I have raspberry and PB uncrustables and mini packets of sour patch kids for the sweet. I just need something for the crunchy cravings and something small to eat in-between classes in the afternoon to keep me going.

My only thing to avoid: dairy products, I'm lactose intolerant!

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated! 💛

Recently tried cooking chicken thighs in the airfryer and it's pretty simple. Season the thighs, season some potatoes, airfry at 400F for 14 minutes, slice up chicken, throw over potatoes, drizzle some bbq sauce on. Super easy and delicious, and it's made fresh so I don't have to deal with the microwaved chicken taste.

I'm looking for other ideas of ways to something equally simple. Whether it's sauces or seasonings or combos or sides or anything really. The core should just be "cooking chicken in airfryer"

Any recommendations? Anything from the major chains in general.

Hi hey folks. My brain is kinda fried lately and I'm struggling with ideas. I recently received from the food bank: 15# of frozen strawberries, (but no blender) I also have 2# turnip greens. A ton of canned green beans. And so much chicken breast. I'm grateful, but just stuck. Do y'all have any ideas ....?

Chicken i usually do: burritos, chicken nuggs, chicken parm.... what else?

I only have a microwave, stovetop and oven.

Thank you!

Hi, I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but here it seemed appropriate. Please let me know if I'm wrong and if possible kindly point me to where it better fits.

I've been having trouble eating lately. Not going to get into why because it's personal and complicated. I've tried vanilla and strawberry ensure and hated it, the chocolate one I could tolerate but still wasn't very keen on. I'm looking for something without excessive sweetness, no after taste, preferably very minimal taste in general to allow mixing it with something else. I understand these drinks usually have a high calorie count to ensure (pun unintended) sufficient meal replacement, however if there any options on the lower side of calories would also be appreciated as I'm additionally trying to lose weight. No allergies. Somewhat affordable options would be nice Please only list options available in the US. I'm also willing to be flexible and try something even if it doesn't meet every single preference I have as I know I am being awfully specific and that may not be easy to match something to.

Thank you in advance!

And I'll try to respond in the replies if anyone has additional questions, comments, or concerns. I may also make a follow up post saying what I tried from any recommendations and what worked best.

Again thank you so much!

Help: I’m searching for an amazing vegan waffle recipe because I want to impress someone. Do you have Tipps? I’m from Europe and I’m using a heart-shaped-waffle-device (?).

I got a 14.87lb pork roast at the store for $14.87!!! I’ve never seen anything like it lol what should I make? So far I’m thinking bbq pulled pork sliders, carne adovada burritos and tacos al pastor. Any other suggestion. Money is tight right now and I have 4 kids to feed so we are gonna be eating a lot of pork next week lol

I learned to cook by following recipes - somewhat complex ones. I come from a long line of literal thinkers who need to follow a recipe exactly 😂 But that lack of flexibility means high grocery bills and long cooking times.

How can I learn to:
- imagine meals I can throw together with ingredients I have on hand and need to use up
- think of substitutions I have on hand instead of immediately adding something to the grocery list
- generally be less measurement-y and more flexible

Any tips?

Bought a bag of quinoa and looking for recipes to make with it. I’ve made it in the past and need something better than just having it with chicken. Hopefully nothing tooooo complicated though, not that I’m a bad cook, I’m just looking for a quicker recipe

i work 8 hours a day and my breaks are 15 minutes long, theres a lot of people using the microwave. so i dont really use the it.

what are some foods/meals i can take with me without using anything in the kitchen?

foods that are light on the stomach please :)