When I need to eat but don’t want to put in any effort: half a cup of rice, half a cup of lentils, two cups stock (I use veggie stock, but you can use chicken, beef, etc.) Season with whatever you have in your spice drawer that looks good. Bring the water to a boil then lower the heat to low and let it simmer covered for 20-ish minutes. It’s bland but filling, lentils provide protein, it’s ready in less time than it would take to get delivery, and you don’t have to watch it. Rice and lentils will keep in your cabinet forever. You can get stock paste or boullion that keeps a long time too.
You can still have two beers, but now you’re not drinking on an empty stomach.
This is low effort and cheap and relatively healthy compared to those microwave dinners though, a big bag of rice and lentils doesn’t cost much and is shelf stable for a year easily
I do appreciate that the listed recipe is “relatively quick and simple”, but I’m not convinced by “literally the same effort”.
If it was, then why would anyone buy the millions of frozen/boxed/packeted “just put it in the oven for 30 minutes” or “just put it in the microwave for 2 minutes” meals? They’re not buying them for the high-quality taste, surely?
In my experience most of the time it’s because nobody ever taught them. They grew up with shitty parents that made them think rice and beans are only for yucky brown people.
You know, I keep wondering this, because it genuinely is a similar amount of work. It’s just putting two dry and one wet thing in a pot. It takes me maybe 3 minutes. You don’t even have to do the ‘bring to a boil, then turn the heat down’ bit the other person described. Just turn on medium heat and leave it be. I’d probably take longer reading the package instructions and following them correctly on something ready made.
That said, I’ve gotten ready made meals for lunch when my work only had a microwave and no real kitchen.
I put rice and lentils in a rice cooker, then eat with peanuts and aioli. Add microwaved frozen soy beans / corn if I’m feeling fancy. 5 minutes preparation, 20 minutes of wait.
When I need to eat but don’t want to put in any effort: half a cup of rice, half a cup of lentils, two cups stock (I use veggie stock, but you can use chicken, beef, etc.) Season with whatever you have in your spice drawer that looks good. Bring the water to a boil then lower the heat to low and let it simmer covered for 20-ish minutes. It’s bland but filling, lentils provide protein, it’s ready in less time than it would take to get delivery, and you don’t have to watch it. Rice and lentils will keep in your cabinet forever. You can get stock paste or boullion that keeps a long time too.
You can still have two beers, but now you’re not drinking on an empty stomach.
Your “no effort” meal, sounds like a lot of effort to me.
My low effort meal is “open packet, put ready meal in oven or microwave”
This is low effort and cheap and relatively healthy compared to those microwave dinners though, a big bag of rice and lentils doesn’t cost much and is shelf stable for a year easily
What you’re saying isn’t untrue, but if I’m drunk I shouldn’t be in control of fire.
Massively cheaper and almost certainly better for you, yes - but arguably not as low effort as “beep beep beep, ping”.
Put the rice and lentils in a packet. You could also make this in a microwave. A rice cooker would work too.
This is easier than mac and cheese from a box.
This is literally the same amount of effort.
I do appreciate that the listed recipe is “relatively quick and simple”, but I’m not convinced by “literally the same effort”.
If it was, then why would anyone buy the millions of frozen/boxed/packeted “just put it in the oven for 30 minutes” or “just put it in the microwave for 2 minutes” meals? They’re not buying them for the high-quality taste, surely?
In my experience most of the time it’s because nobody ever taught them. They grew up with shitty parents that made them think rice and beans are only for yucky brown people.
You know, I keep wondering this, because it genuinely is a similar amount of work. It’s just putting two dry and one wet thing in a pot. It takes me maybe 3 minutes. You don’t even have to do the ‘bring to a boil, then turn the heat down’ bit the other person described. Just turn on medium heat and leave it be. I’d probably take longer reading the package instructions and following them correctly on something ready made.
That said, I’ve gotten ready made meals for lunch when my work only had a microwave and no real kitchen.
I put rice and lentils in a rice cooker, then eat with peanuts and aioli. Add microwaved frozen soy beans / corn if I’m feeling fancy. 5 minutes preparation, 20 minutes of wait.
As a depressed person myself this a big part of my diet.