
Food Ideas for Startup Guys - majimojo
Share your food hax.<p>Stay happier programming by eating good.  When you're not in the mood for Cup Ramen and the Dollar Menu at MickyD's.<p>My favorite relaxer when under stress is Basil Tomato Soup.  It really helps me clear my head for more programming.  Takes 5-10 minutes to prepare and put in pot.  Then forget about it for 40 minutes while it cooks (don't even have to stir).  <p>When I only have 1 minute to microwave something, I make a 1337 Haxor Boca (my own concoqtion).  Recipes below.<p>1) 1337 Haxor Boca<p>Buy Spicy Chicken Boca Burger at Safeway, some Spicy Hummus, and Pita Bread.  Microwave the spicey chicken boca burger for 1 minute.  Toast the pita bread if u want to.  Cut the pita in half.  Cut the boca in half. Put one half of the boca into each pita half.  Use a knife and wedge some Spicy Hummus in.  Done.  Tastes great.  Fills you up for 6 hrs.  Nothing to clean.<p>Needs:
Box of Spicy Chicken Boca Burger, Pita Bread, Hummus, Microwave<p>2) Basil Tomato Soup (is this a tuscan thing?):<p>(Best when you have stale hard bread laying around that you don't want to waste)<p>Chop 4 garlic cloves into chunks (like the size of rice or bigger).  In a saucepot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium.  Throw in the garlic.  Put a layer of the stale (hopefully not moldy) bread on the bottom.  Toast the bread a little in the pot. If you don't have stale bread, throw a handful of rice in instead (abt 2 tbsp). Then put 1 can of whole tomatoes in ($1 from safeway).  Canned tomatoes are better than produce section tomatoes because they are easier to use and canned when they're the freshest (food hack!).  Put half a can of water in.  When it boils.  Turn the heat to the low setting.  Chop a handful of basil.  Throw it in.  Come back in 40 minutes for something great.  Add salt to taste.<p>Needs:
Can of whole tomatoes, Basil, Garlic, Stale Bread, Olive Oil, a Stove.
======
pg
Rtm and I lived on this during Viaweb:

Rice and Beans

    
    
     olive oil or butter
     n yellow onions
     3n cloves garlic
     n 12-oz cans Goya white beans
     n cubes Knorr beef bouillon
     n teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
     3n teaspoons cumin
     n cups rice, preferably sushi rice
    

Put rice in rice cooker. Add water as specified on rice package. (Default: 2
cups water per cup of rice.) Turn on rice cooker and forget about it.

Chop onions and fry in oil, over fairly low heat, till glassy. Put in chopped
garlic, pepper, cumin, and a little more fat, and stir. Keep heat low. Cook
another 2 or 3 minutes, then add beans (don't drain the beans), and stir.
Throw in the bouillon cube(s), cover, and cook on lowish heat for at least 10
minutes more. Stir vigilantly to avoid sticking.

If I were making it now I'd probably add a little curry powder, include some
more vegetables (e.g. chopped peppers), and use brown rice. But that was the
original recipe.

The rice cooker is not optional. If you're going to eat a lot of rice and
beans, you need a rice cooker.

~~~
bluishgreen
Rice cooker IS optional if you have a microwave. Take a glass bowl - a largish
one. Make sure that it has 3n the volume of the rice and water that you put
in. Rice will expand 2n. Just to be safe have a 3n bowl. Add water like you
regularly add. Put it in the microwave for 25-30 minutes depending on your
rice. I live on rice and beans and this is how I make mine. This is a lot less
messier than a rice cooker. But I am not sure about the energy considerations.
How long on a rice cooker ?

~~~
bluishgreen
Did I say something wrong/unacceptable?

------
dpapathanasiou
Take a look at the Frugal Cuisine Blog: <http://frugalcuisine.blogspot.com/>

Here's a quote from its author:

 _Frugal Cuisine began when I was out of work briefly, earlier this year. The
basic background strategy is to buy just what I need of the best values in my
local grocery stores and markets. I often find creative ways to prepare them
on recipe websites and food blogs. Though no longer out of work, I continue to
cook frugally since the budget makes me focus on getting healthy things, using
what I have on hand, and minimizing waste._

------
bmaier
All you need to know is right here:

NY Times 101 Simple Meals ready in 10 minutes or Less

[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html?_r=1...](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html?_r=1&ei=5087%0A&em=&en=5516fa355dacec3d&ex=1185336000&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1190321630-+s8XNdon7nG1dKr4Fb4Fmw)

------
davidw
Spaghetti all'Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino:

1) Make spaghetti (don't overcook them like lots of americans do)

2) You can use the same pot you cooked them in, once you've dumped them out
(less stuff to wash): put some olive oil in it - not much, maybe enough to
cover the bottom, but just barely. Be sure to use extra vergine - life's too
short for anything else.

3) Crush a clove of garlic with a garlic crusher, or cut it up finely, add in
some red pepper (not too much though - it should be spicy, not hot).

4) Mix the spaghetti into the whole thing, until the garlic and peperonci and
oil are evenly distributed.

Serve hot, and grate some Parmesan cheese on top. If your startup is
successful, buy some real Reggiano Parmeggiano - otherwise, it's going to be
too expensive, most likely.

Very quick, simple, and filling, and it tastes pretty good. It's a real recipe
from Italy.

~~~
majimojo
Despite all the questionable spaghetti we've all whipped up in college, well
made spaghetti and meatballs is a true dish.

If any of you Silicon Valley guys have time, try a little joint called Emmy's
Spaghetti Shack in SF Mission. It's on Virginia Ave. Eat there all the time,
Spaghetti and Meatballs is killer.

<http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/11572574/>

~~~
far33d
Emmy's is awesome. If you have more time/money, you should check out their
other spot, The Front Porch, which is nearby.

The cornbread is awesome.

------
yubrew
Stir fry meat: Cut and Marinade meat (chicken, beef, pork) in soy sauce, corn
starch, pepper for about 10 minutes. Add meat into a hot (8-9) wok, and start
stirring. Add onions, pepper, mushrooms or any other supporting vegetable for
enhanced flavor. Continue stirring over a 8-9 flame for about 10 minutes. Turn
everything off, and dump your concoction over rice.

Grilled Chicken: Add spice to both sides of a chicken breast. Different spices
I've used are Old Bay, salt & pepper, soy sauce, Spike. Put the meat into a
Foreman grill, and cook for about 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the
chicken breast. Serve with noodles or rice.

Stir fry vegetables: Clean and Chop said vegetable. This works for napa,
spinach, celery, string beans, zucchini, snap peas, etc. Cook on 6-7 flame.
Add salt, oil, chopped garlic, dried shrimp to the wok. Add vegetables. Stir
occasionally, and add a bit of water in the beginning to make sure the
vegetables do not burn.

If you have two woks, or one wok and one grill, you can cook the meat and
vegetables at the same time, and be done and eating in about 20 minutes.

~~~
kingnothing
For those who are unfamiliar with cooking, you have to use oil when cooking in
a wok. Peanut or vegetable oil are best -- they have high smoke points and
won't burn in the temperatures required to properly cook in a wok. Start off
with a tablespoon or so, and add more as necessary to prevent food from
sticking.

Edit: And don't buy a nonstick wok, get one made from carbon steel. It's a bad
idea to cook at high temperatures with a nonstick coating, and it won't give
you the savory flavor that woks are known for.

~~~
yubrew
I use a cast iron wok, and for oils, i use peanut, corn, vegetable in that
order of preference.

------
Elfan
"How to Cook Everything" is the best resource for not only recipies but
literally how to cook. It starts off with how to make popcorn and each section
always includes information on how to buy and cook the ingredients in the
recipies. Think of it as learning a programming language you will use for the
next 100 years.

[http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/06/03/a-guide-to-
eating-...](http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/06/03/a-guide-to-eating-well-
without-spending-a-fortune/)

Since we are sharring recpies here is a simple staple I enjoy:

-pasta 

-olive oil

-onion

-garlic

-canned diced tomatores

-whatever spices you like

Fry the onion with garlic and some spices, then add the tomatoes and simmer
until you want to eat. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Simple, yummy and countless
variations with whatever you happen to have around.

------
jackdied
A good place to start is "The ArsTechnica Cookbook of Bachelor Chow" released
a few years ago. Recipes submitted by forum members.

<http://ars.flyingember.com/>

------
steveplace
Great Side Dish: Spicy asparagus

1 Pack Asparagus Crushed Cayenne Pepper Salt Pepper EVOO

1) Throw some olive oil on the asparagus 2) Add salt,pepper,and pepper 3)
Throw in a frying pan preheated on medium heat 4) Cook until the cayenne
starts burning your throat (you'll know what I mean)

I was working on a blog (graduatedTaste.com) for a while until I became swept
up in a project. I also found a site that does the same thing (cheapeats.com)

Along these lines, you also have cookingforengineers.com

~~~
majimojo
this sounds pretty tasty! thanks for the recipe.

------
rokhayakebe
o Man. I love this place. I really do. This is a one stop shop to Learn,
Teach, Laugh, Cry and more important a place to Fight. Now I am learning how
to cook on the budget. Did I say I love you guys? All of you.

------
mojuba
You get either food or success. Forget about food.

~~~
majimojo
gonna frame that and put it on our empty fridge.

------
gleb
Val's Chicken Legs:

This tastes great, takes little interactive time to prepare, and stores for at
least a week. A cheap and tasty way to cover much of your protein intake or a
week.

Ingredients: 4lb chicken thighs or legs, 1 14.5 oz can chicken stock, 4tsp
kosher salt, black pepper.

Preheat oven to 375F. Throw chicken in to the baking pan, skin side up. Rub
skin with salt and pepper. Pour chicken stock in (should half-cover chicken).
Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Back for 1 hour 25 minutes. Remove,
put chicken into tupperware, defat the stock and put it together with the
chicken. Refrigerate (but serve hot). The dish will remain at prime quality
for at least a week in refrigerator.

Total interactive cooking time: 15 mins, no cleanup if you line the pan with
foil.

Preferred ingredients: Whole Foods Rosie organic chicken thighs, Shelton's
Chicken Broth With Salt and Spices, Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, freshly
ground Penzeys Whole Special Extra Bold Indian Black Peppercorns.

------
derek
Visit your local farmer's market. Buy more fruits and vegetables than you
think you could ever eat. During the day, when hungry, ingest fruit and / or
vegetable as needed to extinguish hunger.

For dinner, reward yourself with whatever other garbage you would have had
instead.

~~~
kingnothing
Terrible advice.

You're not going to get enough fats or protein with a diet like that, and
you'll have way too much sugar from all of the fruit.

~~~
derek
Obviously, hence the "whatever crap" comment. Most of the things we eat in a
hurry have plenty of fat, protein and calories, but not nearly enough of the
things we ought to be getting from fruits and vegetables.

I'm not suggesting that somebody try to survive _only_ by eating fruits and
vegetables. I was suggesting eating them during the day when people would
otherwise be eating potato chips and soda.

Speaking of ... as far as sugar overload is concerned, you'd have to eat three
or four apples to match the sugar in a single can of cola, which has basically
no nutritional value whatsoever.

In the spirit of this thread, they have zero preparation time, are easily
accessible (keep them in a desk drawer, or on the desk), and have a lot of
nutrients our bodies need. If you get high quality produce, it's also quite
delicious.

~~~
kingnothing
Okay, fruit and veggies for snacking. That's good advice -- I thought you were
suggesting that someone should eat that instead of daytime meals. Clearly I
was mistaken. :)

------
alaskamiller
i just have my mom cook

~~~
ardit33
Awesome! There is nothing like mom's cooking. I just wish I had my mom around
:(

~~~
alaskamiller
she wanted 10% equity to stick around. i talked her down to 5 though.

~~~
nickb
Smart mom!!! :)

------
huherto
Tuna Ramen

Just make the ramen and add a can of tuna. You can also add a mix of frozen
vegetables. (peas, carrots, etc.)

~~~
euccastro
Go easy on the tuna; it's high on mercury.

~~~
kingnothing
Unless you have some sort of preexisting condition, are a newborn, or sickly,
there's no reason to concern yourself over the amount of mercury in fish.

~~~
derek
According to the online calculator, I was in the "acceptable" zone even when I
ate a can of tuna virtually every weekday. There are higher levels of mercury
in albacore tuna, but generally speaking most people are going to be just
fine.

------
ibsulon
I had a lot of hamburger vegetable soup for a while.

Start with hamburger, onions, potatoes, and two or three bay leaves in a crock
pot the night before. In the morning, add canned tomatoes, corn, green beans,
carrots, and peas. Eat at lunch. If you like, keep refilling with vegetables
each night (and hamburger every other night) and you can keep it going for a
week or so. (My father apparently would keep it going for months, but I don't
know if I'd trust that. :)

Crock Pots are a quick meal's best friend!

------
byrneseyeview
Cornell Bread:

<http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1538361>

"It was claimed at one time, that, with a multivitamin daily, you could live
on it. Try it and you'll seriously contemplate doing so."

Don't believe the hype, but this is delicious bread.

------
vikram
Another one would be beans on toast.

Not the hienz variety. Buy nice beans cannelloni, broad or borlotti in a can
(look for the one stored in water)

a clove of garlic chopped, some parsley

with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium heat

add the beans, just enough to warm.

Toast 1-2 slices of bread.

(if you want rub some raw garlic on the toast)

serve.

Less than 5 minutes.

Probably cost less than 2 dollar.

------
mynameishere
Celery and pepper sauce taste quite a bit like chicken wings. I'm guessing
that a good mix of meat stock and MSG would make them indistinguishable.
Marketed correctly to the weight-conscious...

------
Zak
Nile spice soup cups: <http://www.nilespice.com/>

These things cost $1 each, taste good and require no preparation - just add
hot water.

------
jamiequint
PB & J is ultimate

------
jsjenkins168
Oh, how I wish someone would make _real_ Bachelor Chow.

------
samb
rock & roll stew

(makes enough for 10-12, you scale it down)

10 packs ramen 2 cans peas 2 cans corn 1/2 small bottle hot sauce

heat, mix, eat. rock & roll.

------
mpc
Rockin Soup: 3 cups of water one chopped onion 1tblspn garlic powder 1 stick
of pepperoni 1 large rock

boil, eat

------
rkabir
Kurzweil Shakes. Not kidding. They taste like crap, and they're awesome.

------
yters
Crock pot + tortellini + spaghetti sauce + meat

------
rms
Do they make high calorie nutritious paste yet?

~~~
kingnothing
You could always buy some Compleat or other tube feeding formula. I can't
imagine it would taste good, but it is what you asked for.

[http://www.novartisnutrition.com/us/productDetail?id=91&...](http://www.novartisnutrition.com/us/productDetail?id=91&source=summary)

~~~
rms
Not bad, but I've learned that when they don't list the price you usually
can't afford it.

------
barbeta
those recipes sounds great!

and makes me remember some cooking recipes of World of Warcraft! lol

