Quick and Simple Meal Ideas
We know the drill. You’re running late to your kid’s hockey practice, you just got home from a long weekend at the cottage or perhaps it’s just one of those nights where cooking is the last thing you want to do. At times like these, prepackaged rice is a great base to create effortless meals without skimping on the flavour. We’ve rounded up 9 recipes from some of Canada’s top food trucks- perfect for any quick and simple meal.
Let Tuk Tuk’s Green Curry Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 heads broccoli
- 10 Thai basil leaves
- 600g chicken breast slices
- 1 cup /person Uncle Ben’s Rice & Grains 5 Grain Blend
- 1.2 L green curry sauce *
- 2 red peppers
Green Curry Sauce (For 2 L of sauce)
Reduction time: 10 min
- 1.6 L coco milk
- 200 mL canola oil
- 200g palm sugar
- 115g green curry paste
- 100 mL fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Cut the vegetables.
- Blanch red peppers, broccoli and chicken slices.
- Warm up some oil in a wok.
- Pour the sauce and add the red peppers, broccoli and chicken slices.
- Add the Thai basil, remove from wok and mix.
- Add the sauté on top of the rice.
Landry Et Fille’s Rice Pudding & Berries
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Makes 8-10 servings
Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 30 minutes. Make sure to check on it a couple of times, to avoid sticking. In another pan, put raspberries, boysenberries, one teaspoon of water and sugar. Once it boils, pour over the rice pudding, serve and enjoy.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (170g) of Uncle Ben’s® Brown Rice & Quinoa Roasted Red Pepper – half of the flavour package
- 4 1⁄2 cups 3.25% milk
- 1 3⁄4 cups water
- 130g sugar
For the Berry compote:
- 200g raspberries
- 200g boysenberries
- 10g sugar
Instructions:
- In a pot, put of milk, water, sugar, roasted red pepper flavour and Uncle Ben’s rice, bring it to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 30 minutes. Make sure to check on it a couple of times, to avoid sticking.
- Let it cool down – allow an hour for it to cool down.
- Add 250 mL of milk if you want a juicier texture. Pour into 10 little bowls.
- In another pan, put raspberries, boysenberries, one teaspoon of water and sugar. Once it boils, pour over the rice pudding, serve and enjoy.
Meet2Eat’s Basmati Medley with Vegetables and Shrimps
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Makes 3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 package Uncle Ben’s Basmati Medley
- 4 tbsp ow sodium teriyaki sauce
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (ex. cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini)
- 12 oz cooked shrimp, tails removed, plus 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil for cooking
Instructions:
1. Prepare Uncle Ben’s rice according to package instruction.
2. Steam mixed vegetables – pick a pot or pan that’s big enough to hold all your vegetables, preferably in a single layer. Then add half an inch of water at the bottom. Once the water is boiling, add the vegetables. Keep an eye on the water level – if it gets too low, you’ll need to add a bit more so that it keeps generating steam. Steam until vegetables are soft.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in shrimp, and toss to coat with teriyaki sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly then stir in steamed vegetables and mix until well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve over Uncle Ben’s Basmati Medley and enjoy.
Landry et Filles’ Wholegrain and Wild Rice with Garlic Herb Avocado Shrimp and Baby Clams
Prep Time: 6 minutes Cook Time: 10 minute Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 package (240g) Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain & Wild Garden Herb
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onions and carrots, plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil for cooking
- 12 baby shrimp (uncooked)
- 6 oz canned baby clams
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1 1⁄2 tsp sea salt and black pepper
Instructions:
- Heat up large pan and add in canola oil, onions and carrots. Stir for one minute
- Add in shrimp and sear for two minutes on each side
- Add in baby clams and one package of Uncle Ben’s whole grain and wild garden herb along w/ 2 tsp of water
- Heat for two mins, stirring ocassionally
- Reduce heat to low and stir in avocado
- Season w/ salt and pepper and serve hot
Food Dudes’ Chili & Chocolate Rice & Quinoa Pudding
Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Uncle Ben’s Spicy Whole Grain & Quinoa
- 1 large egg
- 1⁄4 cup honey
- Blend with Chili
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
- 1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Whisk together whole milk, buttermilk, egg, honey and cocoa until smooth.
3. Add Uncle Ben’s Spicy Whole Grain and Quinoa Blend with Chili and mix well.
4. Pour rice mixture into a butter greased 8-inch baking dish.
5. Set baking dish into larger baking dish.
6. Pour boiling water into larger baking dish until the water reaches half way up the side of the smaller baking dish.
7. Place on the middle oven rack and bake for 30 mins or until pudding is set
8. Remove from oven and water and place on rack to cool
9. When cooled, spoon into desired serving cups
Fidel Gastro’s Fried Rice with Crispy Chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 cups Uncle Ben’s Spicy Whole Grain & Quinoa Blend with Chili (precooked)
- 2 cloves garlic, zested
- 2 1⁄2 cups (mixed vegetables (ex. onions, roasted corn, carrot and peas combination)
- 3 eggs
- 4 tbsp your favourite southeast Asian dark flavoured sauce (ex. soy, oyster)
- 3-4 boneless chicken thighs, quartered, dredged and fried
Instructions:
1. Preheat 14 inch wok or 112-inch skillet over high heat for about 1 minute; add oil until it starts to sizzle.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, and stir until aromatic, about 15 to 30 seconds.
3. In the same pan, add onion, corn, carrots and peas and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the rice, thoroughly mix with veggies, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything swiftly around the wok or skillet until the rice is well-coated and heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
6. Place rice in the centre of dish, place chicken on top and garnish with chopped green onions.
If you don’t have a favourite fried chicken recipe:
- Whisk egg
- Toss chicken in egg
- Cover with flour
- Shake excess flour
- Drop in hot oil (325° F) and fry for 6-8 minutes
Le Tigre’s “Flew the Coop”
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time:10 minutes Makes 3-4 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups west coast Thai herb mix
- 4 cups (fresh shredded cabbage
- 1lb chicken karaage (chicken, flour mix)
- 1 package Uncle Ben’s Basmati Medley
Brine for chicken:
- 10 L water
- 4 cups salt
- 4 cups sugar
Instructions:
- Marinate the chicken in the brine for 12 hours.
- Thinly slice the cabbage, then mix with grainy mustard dressing.
- Roughly chop the Thai herbs of your choice.
- Coat the chicken in the potato starch and flour mix.
- Deep fry the chicken at 375° F for 8-10 minutes.
- Place Uncle Ben’s rice in a 4oz container.
- Sprinkle Thai herbs on top.
- Place mixed cabbage to one side of the container.
- Place 1 piece of chicken on top.
- Squeeze mayo in a zig zag motion just to dress the dish.
Pas D’Chochon Dans Mon Salon’s Chili “Pas d’cochon”
Cook Time: 10 minutes Prep Time: 15 minutes Makes 4-5 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained, plus 1 tbsp oil for cooking
- 2 packages (480g) Uncle Ben’s Spicy Whole Grain & Quinoa Blend with Chili
- 2 cups pulled pork (or substitute another easy to pull apart, cooked meat)
- 2 tbsp cajun spices or smoked paprika
Optional: minced cilantro for toppin
Pulled Pork Instructions (If not bought in store)
- Use pork shoulder and add any BBQ spices.
- Cook for 6 hours at 300° F.
- Add pulled-pork, lime juice, diced tomato and 3/4 cup of water.
- Unravel the pork and add BBQ 3. sauce.
- Warm up gently for 10 minutes.
Instructions:
- Add oil in frying pan and warm up beans with cajun spices or smoked paprika for 2 minutes.
- On a plate, put the Chili “Pas d’cochon” on top of cooked Uncle Ben’s Spicy Whole Grain & Quinoa Blend with Chili.
Super Thai’s Pad Ka Pow Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 package Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain & Quiona Blend Garlic Flavour
- 1LB cubed chicken breast, plus 1 tbsp of oil for cooking
- 2 cups chopped veggies (green beans, bell peppers, onions)
- 10g Thai Basil Leaves
- 2tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tsp chili to paste
Instructions:
- Cook rice per instructions
- Heat oil in skillet. Saute chicken over high heat.
- Add veggies and cook over med-high heat 2-5 minutes
- Add cooked rice, oyster sauce, Thai basil and continue to cook for 1 minute
- Reduce heat and add chili paste or your favourite spice to taste.
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