Easy Food for People Who Hate Cooking - Super Ramen
It's not that I CAN'T cook, it's just that I don't like to. My mom didn't enjoy it, either, so I come by that naturally, I suppose. However, I have developed a skill for "assembling" things that are ridiculously easy to prepare, and this is one of them.
Everybody knows how to make ramen instant noodles. It's the staple of college students because it is ridiculously cheap and simple to make. But ramen is not at all healthy. It's packed full of sodium, and it has pretty much no protein or fiber. It's actually pretty crappy food, although it's tasty. I figured out how to make it not only more nutritious, but more like a meal.
~~Prepare ramen noodles as usual, which normally means bringing two cups of water to a boil and then boiling the noodles for three minutes. Usually while I am waiting for the water to boil, I smash the crap out of the block of ramen noodles while it is still inside the package (don't worry, this rarely harms the flavor packet). That breaks it up and makes it MUCH easier to eat without slurping like a maniac.
~~While the ramen is cooking, I get out a bag of frozen veggies (broccoli, peas, or whatever else you like) and put about half a cup of those in a bowl, and then add a few ounces of pre-cooked meat--chicken, shrimp, Spam, cut-up hot dog, whatever's handy and won't clash too badly with the ramen flavoring. I like to buy the bags of pre-cooked chicken breast that is cut up and seasoned.
~~If you want, you can pop this bowl of meat and veggies in the microwave for a minute or so, but I find that unless I use a LOT of frozen veggies, that it is actually already just perfect to cool down the noodles enough to eat right away--after all--they were BOILING for three minutes! This way you don't burn your mouth, and you don't have to wait.
~~So, when the noodles have cooked for three minutes, turn off the heat, plop the meat and veggies into the saucepan, add the flavor packet and stir the whole thing, then pour it back into the bowl. Since the bowl had cold stuff in it, it will be a bit chilled, which will allow you to carry it easily without burning your hands. See? I thought of everything!
Image Credit » http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kasaoka_ramen_20130323.JPG
Comments
bestwriter wrote on February 14, 2015, 7:52 PM
I do that too with the instant noodles that we get here. Although they are meant to be just the way they are I too add some vegetables and scrambled egg.
Oceanblue wrote on February 14, 2015, 7:58 PM
Love your photo and I love all sorts of noodles and pasta they are my favourite food, happy writing.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 10:15 PM
Well daggone. You just made my lunch routine much healthier. (I'm a sucker for ramen, in spite of its negligible nutritional value.)
midastouch wrote on February 15, 2015, 12:09 AM
I used to cook, but that was until I got married
and since I got married, I have forgotten how to cook
hahaahahhaahaha
donrothra wrote on February 15, 2015, 8:49 AM
My son lived on Ramen soup while he was in college. He started with just the package and I read the ingredients. I told him that he had to add nutrition to it and he started expanding and wound up the same way that you described.
Ellis wrote on February 15, 2015, 11:46 AM
Fortunately, I am banned from the kitchen...something to do with the smoke alarm apparently....
SuperCyclone wrote on February 15, 2015, 3:31 PM
Great idea for an easy meal. I don't like to cook either and like you, I am able, but don't enjoy anything about it. Ramen noodles are great and easy!
ViperGirl85 wrote on February 15, 2015, 10:23 PM
My five year old niece LOVES Ramen noodles, like you wouldn't believe lol.
cheri wrote on February 15, 2015, 11:16 PM
Food like this is my saving grace especially in the morning when I have to hurry preparing my kids'breakfast before going to school.
DarkSinistar wrote on February 17, 2015, 12:42 AM
But slurping like a maniac is by far the most fun part of the ramen experience!
Mommyjen wrote on February 17, 2015, 12:49 AM
Oh ramen! My husband and I like ramen with hard boiled egg. You're right , it is not good for kidneys because of its sodium content but when the food is tasty , the heck lol!
UK_Writer wrote on February 17, 2015, 11:06 AM
I eat tons of these. I break them up while still in the packet too, minimises mess and makes them easier to cook. I make a different meal with them almost every time.
GemOfAGirl wrote on February 17, 2015, 12:42 PM
If you're concerned about the sodium, you can just not use the entire flavor packet. When you have all the goodies in there (the meat & veggies), the flavor packet isn't as necessary.
By the way, I like the "oriental" flavor - it seems to go with everything. (And yes, I do know that many Asians consider "oriental" to be a derogatory term, but that's the word they have on the packaging, so I don't know of any way of getting around that.)
scheng1 wrote on February 20, 2015, 1:49 AM
I do not use the seasoning in the ramen. I use miso paste which is much healthier when I cook instant ramen.
FreyaYuki wrote on February 20, 2015, 10:05 AM
Sounds good. This post is making me hungry especially with the pic of those noodles. Now, to find some ramen
Coffee wrote on February 26, 2015, 5:23 AM
Ah this brings back memories.
I lived on these things for weeks at a time.
allen0187 wrote on July 12, 2015, 11:30 PM
You are a ramen genius AliCanary ! I'm a big fan of ramen before but because it is unhealthy, I've stopped eating it too often.
Ruby3881 wrote on July 13, 2015, 7:38 PM
Ramen has become a popular thing to take for a school lunch now. The kids actually eat them raw, with the flavouring sprinkled onto the dry brick of noodles! Not my thing, I'll tell you!
But we do enjoy ramen as a snack or a light meal here. I had a package earlier with some leftover pork from last night.
AliCanary wrote on July 14, 2015, 7:41 AM
I've heard of people doing that, and it just blows my mind, how much they are missing. Ramen can be SO much more! It's a great way of getting rid of odds and ends, lol
Ruby3881 wrote on July 15, 2015, 9:19 PM
Ali, have you seen the TV series about the chef who specializes in ramen? I binge-watched an entire season on Netflix, and it was just awesome!
AliCanary wrote on July 15, 2015, 9:58 PM
I haven't, although my husband might have--he likes cooking shows.