Cooking while not in the kitchen: the rice cooker to the rescue! (Garlic Lentils & Kale Recipe) (2024)

Standard / by JL Fields / March 13, 2013 / 8 Comments

I don’t know about you but this week is super-busy – in an absolutely fabulous way! Lots of work for myconsulting clients, editing recipes forthe book, and I held sessions one and two of my vegan lifestyle class on Monday and Tuesday. Busy, busy!

The good news is that during jam-packed days such as these I turn to nutritious, hearty food to keep me going – not convenience foods. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want convenient ways to prepare those foods. While I adore the pressure cooker to no end, when I have a lot going on, and not a great deal of focus or time to pay attention, I turn to my rice cooker. Why? I can put anything in it, cover it, set it to cook, and walk away.

Monday morning I had a 9:00 am conference call scheduled. Five minutes before I got on the phone I placed one cup old-fashioned rolled oats, one cup water, one cup almond milk, a pinch of salt, and two tablespoons almond slivers in the rice cooker. I set itto the porridge setting and went into my office. Thirty minutes later I was eating this a hot bowl of home-cooked oats, topped with banana.

Serves 2.

Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Tuesday morning I had a Skype coaching session with a client so I did something very similar, only this time I made steel-cut oats:one and one-quarter cup steel-cut oats, one and one-quarter cup water, one cup almond milk, and one medjool date (pitted and diced) on the porridge setting.

Yep, a half hour later I was eating another piping hot bowl of oats, topped with a half a diced honey crisp apple. (Serves 3 – 4).

As I was washing the rice cooker pot I was thinking aboutthe class I taught the previous night. We spent a lot of time talking about quick and easy ways to cook and enjoy the fabulous five vegan food groups (vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes, grains, and nuts/seeds). Yes, I thought, it really is easy to pull something quick and delicious together and I’m going to do it right now. I made a delicious, quick, one-pot meal, and of course took a photo, wrote down the recipe, and then decided to incorporate it into session-two of my class to show my students how quickly the meal came together.

My class runs from 6pm – 8pm so I had a bowl of this at 4 pm, before heading over to the office to set up, and it was so incredibly satisfying!

Rice Cooker Garlic Lentils & Kale

Cooking while not in the kitchen: the rice cooker to the rescue! (Garlic Lentils & Kale Recipe) (5)

by JL Fields @ JL goes Vegan

Keywords: ricecooker entree side vegan lentils kale

Ingredients (Makes 2 entrees or 4 sides)

  • 2 cups “not beef” broth
  • 1/2 cup water (if making in the rice cooker)
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • 4 cups lacinato kale, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced chunky or finely (cooks choice!)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

For the Rice Cooker

Add all ingredients to the rice cooker.

Cook on brown rice setting for 40 – 50 minutes.

For a Sauce Pan

Add all ingredients to the sauce pan (start with 2 cups of water).

Bring the water to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.

Cook, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. Add water as needed to make sure the lentils are just barely covered.

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When I described the process to my students last night I reminded them that the rice cooker isn’t necessarily quicker but it is easier. Close the lid and walk away – take a shower, make a phone call, go out for a run – and come back to a hot meal. No stirring or tending to required!

As you can see, I make much more than rice in my rice cooker. How about you? What have you been making in your rice cooker?

Tags: one pot mealsrice cooker

  • Next Vegan-Friendly Tabor Mountain Bakehouse Relocates to Colorado Avenue
  • Previous Vegan Lifestyle Class Begins + Peanut Butter Advocacy (Curry Peanut Butter recipe!)
  1. Simple and flavorful! Love the kale in there too.

    Sweet site! 🙂

    1. Thanks, @google-63d91e7f0560fe53c386bf40145f64f6:disqus!

  2. I think you’ve sold me on getting a rice cooker. I can imagine it must be a nice option in the summer when it’s too hot to fire up a stove!

    1. Definitely, @ea9b9ca6be57694d49c8321ace3ae47d:disqus! It’s great in the summer!

  3. I’ve made lentils and rice in my rice cooker before — it’s really easy. But your post inspired me to throw some greens in there, too!

    1. Yay, @lorenanr:disqus! I think you’ll love it!

  4. Emm…. And how long r
    u going to use rice cookers? I tried it ones and through away in the same day.
    Don’t be so silly and buy on of the multicooker, Redmond for example. I use
    4502 as model, it cooks better than rice cooker and my model can remeber
    recepes – it’s big plus!

  5. Very good experience!
    I wanna say it is so flavorful and lovely recipe, all of us know it. It was
    very surprising when I first time was doing that meal – I thought nothing good
    will happen, but now I know it is simple!

Comments are closed.

Cooking while not in the kitchen: the rice cooker to the rescue! (Garlic Lentils & Kale Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Can you cook lentils in a rice cooker? ›

As such, you can use your rice cooker to cook any type of dried bean or legume. To do it, rinse and drain your lentils, then add them to your rice cooker with water. They don't need to be soaked beforehand. As a general rule, a 2:1 water-to-lentil ratio is ideal.

How to cook rice and dal together in rice cooker? ›

Step 2: Add 2.5 cups water to rice and 3/4 cup water. to dal , cover and place it inside a rice cooker and. switch on the cook mode. Note: I added 2 glasses of water and placed a cooker.

What all can you cook in a rice and grain cooker? ›

Despite the same, a rice cooker can be used to make almost anything, from chili, pasta, and yes, even pizza. The slow-cooking method of a rice cooker is great for making cheaper cuts of meat tender and delicious. A rice cooker is also good for soups, stews, and curries, and can also cook puddings and sauces.

How do you flavor rice in a rice cooker? ›

Common seasonings to add to rice in a rice cooker include salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, or parsley. You can also add a splash of soy sauce, coconut milk, or broth for extra flavor.

How much water do you put in a rice cooker for lentils? ›

The water-to-lentil ratio for cooking lentils in a rice cooker is typically 2:1. For example, if you are cooking 1 cup of lentils, you should use 2 cups of water. This applies to any time of lentils.

How should lentils be when cooked? ›

Honestly, the best way to tell if lentils are done are to taste them. They should be tender to the bite, with some varieties of lentils being a bit more firm and others more soft. That said, if you would like your lentils to be softer, just simmer them a few minutes longer until they reaches your desired consistency.

Is lentils and rice a good combination? ›

Here are some good food combinations with lentils: Lentils and Rice: Lentils and rice make a classic and satisfying combination. Cook lentils and rice separately, and then combine them for a wholesome and protein-packed meal. You can season them with spices, herbs, and vegetables for added flavor.

Can you cook potatoes and rice together in a rice cooker? ›

Add rice, Fill with water to correct level, Add peeled and diced potatoes, Let it cook for a normal cycle.

Do you double water to rice in rice cooker? ›

Our general rec for long-grain white rice is a ratio of 1:1 so for 2 cups of rice, add 2 cups of water. Following our ratio for brown rice (1:2 1/4), you would start with 2 cups of brown rice then add 4 ½ cups of water.

Can you cook things besides rice in a rice cooker? ›

Soups and stews: You can make hearty soups and stews in a rice cooker by adding ingredients like vegetables, beans, and meat to the rice and water. Quinoa and other grains: You can cook quinoa, bulgur, couscous, and other grains in a rice cooker by adding water or broth and setting the timer.

Can you cook meat in a rice cooker? ›

Meats such asspare ribs,pulled pork, orchicken thighs can be braised in a rice cooker just like a crockpot. But why not eliminate extra dishes and cook your whole meal in the rice cooker? One such type of meal is calledtakikomi gohan or Japanese mixed rice—where meat and vegetables are cooked right on top of the rice.

Can we cook anything in rice cooker? ›

You can use a rice cooker to make a cake, cook soups, stews and curries, steam vegetables, fish or meat or even cook a whole chicken.

What can I add to my rice cooker to make it better? ›

And last but not least, flavor your rice with chicken or vegetable broth and a mix of your favorite veggies. Add rice, broth and about 1-2 cups of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, celery, onions, and carrots, and stir. Close the lid, choose the Mixed setting on your Tiger rice cooker menu and press start.

What can I add to my rice cooker for flavor? ›

You can season your rice with a variety of herbs, spices, broths, milks or sauces. If you prefer a Mediterranean flavor profile, cook your rice using chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic and onion.

What spices to add to rice cooker? ›

The Best Spices To Add To Your Rice Cooker

Pepper. Onion Powder. Garlic Powder. Chili Powder.

Do lentils have to be soaked before cooking? ›

Lentils to do not require soaking like other pulses. Rinse your lentils with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris. Cook on a stovetop, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size.

Do you need to soak red lentils before cooking with rice? ›

Lentils definitely don't need any soaking before they're cooked. Save time and skip the soaking! You do want to rinse them briefly and check them for stones or debris, though.

Why do lentils need to be soaked before cooking? ›

Soaking naturally deactivates the harmful compounds and activates all the goodness of the seed and increases its nutritional value manifold. The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas.

Should lentils be soaked before cooking? ›

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

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