ahearn@convex.UUCP (08/02/84)
#N:convex:56000004:000:4507
convex!ahearn Aug 2 08:07:00 1984
I've recently seen notes requesting suggestions for both "easy"
vegetarian recipes and lunch ideas. Perhaps the following recommendations
will meet both sets of criteria. (Bear in mind, that while you wouldn't
want to live on what I've outlined here, we're talking SURVIVAL. {Honestly,
most of this stuff is pretty good.})
The simplest way to make sure you have something good to eat for lunch
is to cook enough that morning or the previous evening to bring leftovers.
However, since I frequently lack the will, enthusiasm, or time to do this,
I've taken to stocking a drawer of my desk with "emergency rations." These
rations have been eaten in various combinations for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, so I think they're sufficiently palatable to appeal to most tastes.
First of all I always keep on hand a supply of Chico-San rice cakes. They're
great! and inexpensive (about $1/pkg.) Another old stand-by is Westbrae NaturalHummus. Hummus is a mideastern dish composed of cooked chickpeas, tahini
(sesame butter), lemon, herbs, and spices. Hummus is high in protein, incred-
ibly cheap (about $2.50 for a box that lasts several weeks) and very easy to
make. All you have to do is pour the powder out of the box, mix it with some
water, and spread it on a rice cake. Yum! (Of course, I'm assuming rampant
"office hunger" in my ectstatic reviews.) If you have access to a refrigerator,keep some peanut butter on hand--it's also great on rice cakes. (A minimum set
of utensils: wooden bowl {for hummus, etc.}, plastic spoons, chopsticks, nap-
kins, and a cup are assumed. With these, you can live well in the wilds...)
To go with my rice cakes, hummus, and peanut butter, I always stock organic
dried apples and some nuts. (I don't care for many types of dried fruit, so
substitute your preference here.) These foods are a little expensive, but
they're worth it for the sake of variety. Remember, the goal here is to
really eat the stuff! I like cashews and I sometimes go wild and stock a
little granola or some dried figs.
When I can remember, I also usually buy some fresh fruit which I leave in
a bowl on my desk. I've had good luck keeping apples, plums, and slightly
unripe (?) peaches for longer than I had any right to expect.
I also always stock Miso-Cup soup. (Get the "rich, red with seaweed
variety"). A package containing eight servings worth of soup costs less
than $2. Miso soup is *very* nutritous, tastes great, and takes no more
preparation than hummus. (I'm assuming you've got access to hot water. If
not, you can always bring a thermos, right?) Miso soup is especially good
in the mornings (like this morning) when I get to work at 6:30 tired and
hungry. (Like our boss says, what else were you going to do with your life?)
A cup of hot soup (eating hot soup from a bowl in front of a CRT is
dangerous!), some rice cakes, and some nuts and I'm ready to go. (Let's
hear it with enthusiasm ... YUM!)
I've also experimented with several varieties of canned "vegetarian" chili.
They're all pretty good, and when I get desperate enough to microwave
something, I'll eat some. Right now, Chili-Man chili is my favorite. It
looks and tastes like "real" chili (right down to the grease and mock suet!).
A can containing a large serving costs about $1.50. I'm also a big fan of
Carafection candy bars, "Brown-rice treats" (a great pre-packaged
confection made of crisped rice, rice syrup, and raisins), and Yinnies
Rice taffy. All of this stuff is widely available at "health food stores."
(Don't forget a box of your favorite tea or some instant coffee!)
I go shopping for "office food" about once every two or three weeks. I usually
spend about $20 and I load up. I usually buy 3 packages of rice cakes, a box
of hummus, a baggie of dried fruit, some nuts, a bag of fruit, a couple of
cans of chili, chamomile tea, some taffy, and Cup-of-Miso soup. The haul just
about fills a desk drawer and along with stuff from home and an occasional
trip to the local juice bar, keeps me going for a couple of weeks.
I'm always interested in finding ways of sprucing out this rather Spartan
menu, so I hope to hear complementary sagas from other net folk. In the
meantime, bon appetit! (And to Prentiss Riddle--how can you *not* eat out
with access to all those great restaurants in Austin?)
Sure why not,
Joe Ahearn
{allegra, ihnp4, uiucds, ctvax}!convex!ahearn
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"Do you want to make tea at the BBC?"