Soup...In a Rice Cooker

That's right folks. Soup. In a rice cooker. 

In my psychology class, I learned about functional fixedness, which basically means that you can only see an object as performing its given function. 

Take, say, a rice cooker. If you think that all it can do is cook rice, that, my friends, is functional fixedness. 

To overcome this egregious condition, try making soup in your rice cooker! 

I technically have access to a kitchen. However, I do not have pots or pans and the kitchen is in an inconvenient area. This issue was my initial motivation for using my rice cooker, but it turned out so simple and delicious I can’t wait to make it again! 

I used frozen vegetables-fantastic storage and convenience wise- and fresh vegetables. How many vegetables you use depends on the size of your rice cooker and desired yield. For the broth, I used Better Than Bouillon, but I’m sure regular vegetable broth would work as well. You could also try V-8 vegetable juice. 

My first attempt consisted of only vegetables, no beans or lentils. Do as you please. Make vegetable soup. Use more than one type of beans and/or lentils. The point isn’t to make a culinary masterpiece. (Though you can if you like!) It’s to be able to make scrumptious soup anytime with any thing you have on hand. Use up the last of your vegetables that you don’t think you’ll eat before they go bad. 

Simply Soup

Ingredients: 

2 cups water 

AND

2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon low sodium vegetable broth  

OR

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth 

OR 

2 cups low sodium V-8 juice

1 can diced tomatoes 

1/2-1 cup each of 2-4 different types of frozen vegetables 

1/2-1 cup each of 2-3 fresh vegetables 

1 can no salt added beans 

OR 

1/4-1/2 cup uncooked lentils  

1-3 teaspoons herbs and spices (basil, thyme, and oregano are good options)

Chop vegetables. Rinse beans. Put everything in your rice cooker and set it to cook mode. Cook for about 60 min. (Time might vary with your rice cooker.) Do your homework while you wait. Set to warm if you want to keep it warm. Turn it off if you want it to cool down. 

I used frozen corn, peas, and green beans. I also added red potatoes, carrots, and celery.  

A different one had lentils, carrots, celery, and frozen green beans, corn, and peas. 

All rice cookers do-at least simple ones like mine- is boil the rice. This is perfect for nutritarian/plant-based cooking in college. Cooking in water doesn't kill all the nutrients the way some other cooking methods do.

I look forward to trying other unconventional uses for my rice cooker...  

One rice cooker. Infinite possibilities.

Soup it up and enjoy :)