Food Ideas for Startup Guys | Hacker News Reader

Food Ideas for Startup Guys

36 pointsmajimojo64 comments

Share your food hax.

Stay happier programming by eating good. When you're not in the mood for Cup Ramen and the Dollar Menu at MickyD's.

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).

When I only have 1 minute to microwave something, I make a 1337 Haxor Boca (my own concoqtion). Recipes below.

1) 1337 Haxor Boca

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.

Needs: Box of Spicy Chicken Boca Burger, Pita Bread, Hummus, Microwave

2) Basil Tomato Soup (is this a tuscan thing?):

(Best when you have stale hard bread laying around that you don't want to waste)

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.

Needs: Can of whole tomatoes, Basil, Garlic, Stale Bread, Olive Oil, a Stove.

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.

Interestingly enough, we actually live off something very similar for our startup. However, what we do requires less work than pg's setup for the lazy ones among you.

Buy a rice cooker and large quantities of white rice. Then buy 6-packs of various pre-made packages at TastyBite (http://www.tastybite.com). This sounds like an ad for TastyBite, but their product seriously is amazing for startup founders.

Once your rice is done, just open up your TastyBite and put it over the rice. The packages last a year unrefrigerated, taste good (and are reasonably good for you), and only cost two dollars a package. There's a pretty wide variety of things you can buy from TastyBite (all of them go well with rice), so you won't be eating the same thing again and again.

I consider it one of the smartest things we've ever done at our startup.

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 ?

Did I say something wrong/unacceptable?

Note that you can throw all sorts of things in a rice cooker with the rice and they'll turn out great. Spinach, pine nuts, ginger, cherry tomatoes, and some spices are all good.

Get a good one, and it will have a steam chamber for veggies.

You can assemble a whole meal, throw it in, and come back when it's done.

Consider a pressure cooker too, especially for the beans.

Steamed white rice takes 15 minutes to cook on the hob. Here is how I cook it, its simple and never fails.

You will need a pan (preferably heavy bottomed) with a lid (as we are going to steam the rice for the last 10 minutes).

Palm full of rice per person

Rinse it, then add water (it should be an inch above the rice).

Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes (7 if brown or whole grain) stirring it often.

Cover with lid (ensuring that steam doesn't escape, I tend to use a frying pan for this, as I seem to have lost all the lids)

Reduce heat and wait 10 minutes. (15 for brown)

Perfect steamed rice in less than 15 minutes. I've also used water from a kettle then I boil the rice for just 3 minutes.

PG, Aren't you a vegetarian ? Remember reading that somewhere.

Now I'd use vegetarian bouillon.

I am veggie all my life. Coming to the US was a huge culture shock not being able to find veggie food. Especially if you start your life on the East coast. But I thought people who grew up eating animals can never give up. Whats your story?

It wasn't a deliberate choice. I just got grossed out by factory farming.

Okay, you are now officially smart in my book. I'm going to apply.

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.

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...

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.

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/

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.

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.

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.

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

"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-...

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.

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/

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

this sounds pretty tasty! thanks for the recipe.

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.

You get either food or success. Forget about food.

gonna frame that and put it on our empty fridge.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. :)

I'd also add beans and some seeds which can be used as grains (assuming you are going veg).

Amaranth, Quinoa and spelt. Have more protein than most meats.

The sugar than you talk about is good for you. The problem is with refined sugar, which creates unusual changes in blood sugar which causes dips and highs.

So fruit and veg are good. I would wash them properly, as non organic stuff is full of pesticides and please look past the way the food looks, care about the way it tastes.

i just have my mom cook

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

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

Smart mom!!! :)

Yeah, had girlfriend cook before... but that will never be "for free".

Before that, mom. Now, pre-cooked chicken from the microwave. And beer. Too much beer.

lol! best recipe ever

Does she still dress you, too?

Tuna Ramen

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

+1 except use Mac & Cheese instead of Ramen

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

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.

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.

Ramen a la carbonara

Add an egg to hot noodles. Add fried bacon, if available.

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!

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.

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.

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...

Nile spice soup cups: http://www.nilespice.com/

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

PB & J is ultimate

Oh, how I wish someone would make real Bachelor Chow.

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.

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

boil, eat

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

Crock pot + tortellini + spaghetti sauce + meat

Do they make high calorie nutritious paste yet?

They do: http://www.amazon.com/TOMLYN-PRODUCTS-Nutri-4-25oz-tube/dp/B...

It's intended for dogs and cats. I don't think you'd enjoy the taste.

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&...

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

Yes, it's called a banana.

those recipes sounds great!

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

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