As a college student, there are times when your budget is really restricted. In order to make smarter decisions that are wallet-friendly, here are a few recipes, and the only hardware is this $13 rice cooker by Black + Decker. I’ve certainly lived through such a time and finessed some amazing dishes with minimal effort, using just my rice cooker — contrary to popular belief, rice cookers can cook a lot more than rice. They’re versatile and handy kitchen (or dorm!) gadgets that can be used to cook stews, ramen, starch, vegetables or even just used to heat stuff up. With just two settings to bounce between, anybody can be a Masterchef. Check out these simple recipes below:
1. Pasta Aglio E Olio
This traditional pasta dish derives its name from Italian, which essentially translates to “pasta with garlic and oil,” the flavors that comprise this dish. In order to make this dish rice cooker friendly, I usually take a few detours from the traditional recipe, like breaking the pasta up and draining it directly from the rice cooker and then stirring it all up in a bowl. With time and practice I’ve learned that this dish is really helpful as a quick and simple meal, using minimal effort. Here’s the recipe for it.
2. Pesto Rice
This recipe was something I stumbled upon while trying to find a dish that was both healthy and convenient. After cooking the rice in the rice cooker, it takes at tops an extra minute to mix up with pesto sauce. I recommend this recipe if you’ve run out of ideas for a meal. This easy to prepare dish — which takes all of 25 minutes to make — is delicious, cheap and convenient. Find the recipe here.
3. Steamed Vegetables
A simple scrumptious dish that consists of a variety of textures and nutrients can easily make a fulfilling meal. The best part about it is that you can add any vegetable or flavor profile to it. It is a simple yet adaptable dish. I personally choose to steam the vegetables just enough so that they’re chewable but not raw, and pour some sweet-spicy chili sauce to make the flavors pop and make it a little more interesting. This shows you how to steam vegetables in a rice cooker.
4. Shakshuka
This traditional middle-eastern breakfast might be an easy way to spice up your mornings. Traditionally made with simmered diced tomatoes and bell peppers, the lazy (but tasteful) chef I am, substituted it for salsa. Yes, the stuff you would dip tortilla chips in — but maybe not salsa verde. Living on a budget with not much time or resources at hand, this little hack does make things much easier to process.
This dish is perfect for days when you’ve got a bit of extra time on hand so that you can play around with the flavors and savor your scrumptious breakfast. This shows the real recipe, but I assure you, it works in a rice cooker.
5. Chili
This is an all American dish that is essential to a chilly day! With basic ingredients and a spice mix you can buy at the store, the only time you spend is waiting for is the chilli to reduce down. As a vegetarian, I skip out on the beef but I’m never disappointed by the flavors this meal contains. This can be enjoyed with tortillas, bread or just by itself, and I love to top it off with shredded cheese. I make a lot more than what I can consume, which makes this dish a simple meal that can be saved for later. Check it out here.
