Quick/fast/healthy starch/carb options for dinner?

[Anonymous]

I am a "one pan" cook. I generally only have the time/energy/skill to make one meat or main course dish per night... side dishes have to be super quick and easy or they don't get done.

This has often left us with pork chops and frozen peas. I try to do fresh veggies some nights, but the frozen ones are quick and painless, and only take 5 minutes so I can do them at the last minute.

What frequently gets missed in this equation are starches/carbs. I like potatos, noodles, rice, etc... but most involve boiling water or roasting for a long time (20-30 minutes) and I am frequently just not organized enough to do it 30 minutes ahead of time (which is usually where I'm preparing the main course). Forget brown rice... it takes 40 minutes to cook!

Does anyone have quick last-minute starch/carb ideas that are not total junk? Microwaved tater-tots is probably a bit below my standards... (although yummy).

[Anonymous]

Sweet potato fries. 16 minutes in the oven at 425.

[Anonymous]

You can make baked potatoes or sweet potatoes in the microwave. Wash, put on microwave safe plate, poke a bunch of holes in them with a fork and then microwave on high for about 4 minutes. Check at that point to see if they start feeling soft or not. If not, put back in for 2 minute increments after that--it will probably take around 8 minutes to get the right consistency, but just keep checking, so you don't burn them.

Also, you can buy sweet potatoe fries at Whole foods and make them in the toaster oven--they prob. don't take that long. Cous-cous takes about 5 minutes. You can buy those Near East ones in Parmesan or other yummy flavors.

Or sometimes, I make a rice after DC goes to sleep--then in lasts a few days and it is ready to put in the microwave as soon as we get home.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Some of our standbys:

- Microwave rice in a bag from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Trader Joe's has brown and jasmine. WF has white and brown. A lifesaver. Done in 3 minutes and delicious. I don't make regular rice anymore.
- Couscous. Boil water, add couscous and turn off. Ready in about 5 minutes.
- Prepared Polenta in a tube. Slice and saute a few minutes on each side.
- Alexia fries - probably not the healthiest option, but quick and yummy.
- Baked potatoes - take 45 minutes but you can pop them in the oven and forget about them. No harm in overcooking them really. Also, if they're ready before the rest of dinner, they'll stay warm for a remarkable amount of time. I think they only take 10-15 minutes in the microwave, but I don't usually make them that way.
- Garlic naan from TJ's or WF.

[Anonymous]

whole grain dinner roll? 5 minutes in a warm oven.

[Anonymous]

I like the already cooked frozen brown rice at Whole Foods that takes 2 minutes to cook in the microwave.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered getting a rice cooker? You can make brown rice really easily.

Also, I realize this is totally not healthy so I try not to do it often, but my kids LOVE Rice-a-Roni or those Lipton rice or noodle sides. They cook pretty quickly (there's a quick version of rice a roni, or the regular kind that takes longer) and they are pretty tasty (b/c they're loaded with sodium, I'm sure).

Finally, couscous cooks in about 5 minutes. You just boil the water, throw in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 5 min until the liquid is absorbed. You can flavor it in a variety of ways like using chicken broth instead of water, adding veggies, etc.

I also made quinoa for the first time a few weeks ago and it was really yummy. It takes about 15-20 min. to cook. Nutritionally, it's a "superfood" so it's worth trying.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I microwave a few sweet potatoes.

Another favorite of mine is the boil-in-the-bag or the quick-cooking brown rice. They both take about 10-15 minutes max to cook.

Couscous -- you can find whole grain couscous now also, and you don't even need a pot. You can just boil water in a tea kettle and pour over dry couscous in a bowl then cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Super easy. And what I sometimes do is add some frozen peas or fresh chopped peppers or other veggies to the couscous before I pour the water over it.

Also, you can sometimes find frozen rice meals. Safeway has some of their brand that are really delicious -- biryani, some peruvian rice, etc. -- and they are microwavable or you can cook in a pot. They all take about 5 minutes or less, and they have some veggies mixed in (although I prefer to have a lot more veg with my meals, so I sometimes add some broccoli florets or grean beans or something to the mix while cooking).

[Anonymous]

Ready Rice and Cous Cous. All the time.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for frozen brown rice and uncle ben's rice that's in a bag that can be microwaved is also yummy.

[Anonymous]

I adore couscous, but if I tried to give it to my "I do it MYSEWF!" toddler, I'd be cleaning it up off the floor and out of the cat's fur for a week.

Polenta in a tube is fantastic stuff.

OP, my microwave has a "potato" button. I don't know how it knows, but they're perfect every time.

[Anonymous]

boil in a bag (in the microwave) brown rice is our standard starch staple for the kiddies.

[Anonymous]

cous cous -- from scratch takes less than 10 mins

I throw sweet potatoes or regular baking potatoes in the over when I come in the door and they cook while I am doing the post work pre-dinner prep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I adore couscous, but if I tried to give it to my "I do it MYSEWF!" toddler, I'd be cleaning it up off the floor and out of the cat's fur for a week.

Polenta in a tube is fantastic stuff.

OP, my microwave has a "potato" button. I don't know how it knows, but they're perfect every time.

Doood! Not OP, but I just got up to look at
my microwave, and I have a 'potato' button, too! That's hilarious, I never would have noticed that!

[Anonymous]

We usually don't bother with a starch. For the most part, my kids don't like potatoes and DH and I don't need the extra calories. My kids do like rice, though. We have a microwave rice cooker. Best invention ever! it takes 15 minutes in the micro and the rice comes out perfect. We usually make Jasmine or Balsmati rice. Yum.