Starving College Students Perfect Dinner

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Recipe submitted by Laura

Starving College Students Perfect Dinner

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 cup rice
2 cups water
1-14oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
A dash of salt
2 dashes of ground black pepper
Liberal amounts of oregano, chili powder and garlic

Directions:

Put water and salt on stove to boil in a medium saucepan. When water is boiling add rice, spices, and tomatoes with the juice included. (Crush the tomatoes in your hand first, though.) Cook until rice is done. Serves 2. Incredibly cheap. No Fat.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: ~20 minutes

While this recipe has no fat, and is very cheap (I too am a starving college student) I am concerned that a bowl full or rice and tomatoes isn't really a meal. I might add a few more veggies, like some spinach, corn or peppers. I have eaten a version of the one-pot rice dish many times in my college career, but I usually try to include 3 or more different kinds of veggies with the rice.

Archived comment by: cressida

This meal needs some refinement, perhaps some beans and a little spicey salsa to kick it up a notch.

Archived comment by: matt

I agree with Cressida and Matt!!

Archived comment by: sandra

I too am a starving college student and I make a similar dish. Mine uses stewed tomatoes, brown rice and lentils. I braise onions in a little veg. stock or water with garlic, curry powder, hot sauce, and basil, add the stewed tomatoes and simmer for a bit, then add cooked brown rice and canned lentils and heat through (usually 1 large can tomatoes, 1 medium can of lentils and a 1 1/2 cups rice.) Its very yummy.

Archived comment by: kChmura@cavern.com

Geez people ... give Laura a break! Yes, in a perfect world we'd all eat more balanced meals ... but i for one don't live in a perfect world. I would try to balance a meal like this with a MORE balanced meal within the sam 24 hour period ... but i think at some point we ALL grab a quick and easy bowl of SOMETHING.

Archived comment by: elaine

Ok... after awhile, i realized this probably needed something else added to it.. so I added some kidney beans. thanks for the suggestions!

Archived comment by: laura

Youre right! Sounds cheap, but wheres the nutrition?

Archived comment by: paula

You want an easy recipe, I have one!! Take olive oil, chopped garlic, blanched broccoli, fresh spinach and heat the oil in a saute pan. Sizzle the garlic in the oil for about 30 seconds, then add the fresh spinach. Cook the spinach until it has wilted then add the broccoli. Continue cooking until broccoli has heated through. Remove from pan and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Place the mixture on a decent roll or bun (toasted preferred) and ENJOY!! from the FAMOUS HOTCHEF!!

Archived comment by: laura

Now that sounds good

Archived comment by: meanda

I do a similiar recipe but add some freshcorn kennels and sliced mushrooms with a little less water and serve the misture over crusty (old) vegan bread.

Archived comment by: s

Look. The original recipe was priced at around 50 cents. I'm a year out of school and I understand the need to economize on some meals here and there. I think its a great recipe!

Archived comment by: eric

I, too, am not only a starving and broke college student, but I also lack a car making trips to the supermarket quite sporadic. I make the same meal, but throw in a can of chick peas or black beans. If I happen to have some onions or garlic i add them in too - but then there's all the chopping...Actually I make this in the microwave, since I also lack a kitchen. 2-cup sized tubberware are the best because you can cook your food in them and eat right out of it - fewer dishes to put in that growing stack....

Archived comment by: aviva770

There is actually MUCH neccessary nutrition in tomatoes. While I would not suggest living on this recipe, I do believe it makes for a lovely meal a few times a week/month.

Archived comment by: rumour

After having my hours cut at the restaurant I wait tables at and finding a tuition hike notice in my mail box today, I can see the beauty in this recipe. It starts out with a few dirt cheap staples, and then you can add whatever else you have - be it nothing or five kinds of veggies. And the nutrition sure beats eating nothing at all. You can't eat what you don't have and can't buy.

Archived comment by: velma

thanks for the meal i will certianly use it

Archived comment by: weefifi

Adding lentils would add some much needed protein to this dish, the starving student meal much appreciated though!

Archived comment by: bstutzma

I look at this as a base recipe, since really anything else would work with it: frozen asperagus, some canned or soaked beans (soaked beans are much better for you - and more ecconomical, too!), or you could swap the rice for couscous... anything really. I think its a great starting point for a healthy, filling meal. And hey, I'm a starving student too, I can definitely respect something that only costs 75¢ to make. Well done!

Archived comment by: missAntithesis

i made this and thought is was great. the basic recipe is excellent, like a few other people said you can add to if you got the money. I think this recipie is great for us young people when we done have any cash flow.

Archived comment by: tiniveggie

Thanks for this awesome idea! I'm a suupperr poor starving college sudent, and this is just great. If I can, I like to add a can of mushrooms and some beans, or fry up some tofu and throw it in. Great recipe!

Archived comment by: annabellepunk

Nov 05...Remember, college students, beans can be just as cheap if you buy them dry. Just make one lb in a pot, freeze in individual portions in bags or used, washe'd jars (leave enough room at top or they will burst). This is my favorite way to make beans for our growing family. And the extra work that's involved is really not hard, it gives you gratification as well knowing you saved that extra money. As far as peeling garlic, I have to be honest, we love garlic in everything, we buy the huge jars of minced garlic at Costco and go throught about one a year. I have a felling it dosent even cost as much as buying that many whole cloves, and the ease of adding garlic to everything that fast is great.

Archived comment by: annamaye

Cooking beans up in a pot would be a great and cheap idea, if you were a student lucky enough to have a kitchen. If you're living in a dorm with a mini fridge and a microwave, no pots or pans or burners, this recipe is great, and instead of that extra beer on Friday night you could buy a can or two of beans to have on hand for it.

Archived comment by: circlewithin

maybe we should start a starving college students perfect dinner forum or something. sounds like we all have lots of cheap, semi-nutritious meal ideas. here's mine - one bag dried split green peas, one can crushed tomatoes, couple cups of water, and whatever else you have. fills you up, tastes great, and costs about $1.50. good luck...

Archived comment by: sarakimball

This recipe is great! It seems like an obvious thing but being the ill experienced student cook that I am I didn't think of cooking rice this way (without rinsing etc). Its so easy to make and you can add just about anyhting to make it more and more delicious! I particularly like adding mushrooms, extra garlic, carrots, peppers and kidney beans.

Archived comment by: clairey

While were talking cheap dinner ideas, here's mine: The basic idea is to cook some pasta, drain it, and toss it with oil or margarine, some garlic or garlic powder, and a few shakes each of parsley, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. This is filling but has almost no nutritional value, so you wouldn't want to live off this for any length of time. The ideal is to throw things in; while the noodles cook for the last few minutes, throw in some frozen broccoli if you have it. Or stir-fry some chopped tomato, onion, bell pepper, etc. Throw in a handful of chickpeas if you have them. Spinach is good, too. This dish is pretty versatile, so play around with it.

Archived comment by: katica