A Meal From Cans

Gather your cans together. "What cans?", you say. Here's what I use

• 1 can beans (small red, black beans, pinto beans or any bean of your choice)*
• 1 can vegetables (mixed vegetables, corn, green beans - you can use frozen if you want)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Some raw or canned spinach
• Cooked rice or barley or dices potatoes
• I try to eat vegan most days, so if you want to add some cooked meat to this you can.

All the cans are 15 oz cans

Spices -

• Chili powder and cinnamon, maybe some coriander and cumin
• Italian seasoning or basil, oregano and thyme
• Curry powder
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Salt (the beans and the canned vegetables have plenty of salt, so be careful)
• Pepper
• Other spices.

A way to cook everything:

• I use a Hot Logic Mini (https://hotlogic.com/) as I can plug it in and leave it. You can cook it on the stove, if you want, but you may need to add extra water.
• A glass container with lid for the hot logic like one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/Snapware-Solution-Rectang... .
• if you are using the stove then you'll need a pan to cook in.
• I might not use the microwave as I'm not sure if it would give the spices enough time to meld together.

*I find I like canned beans as they don't cause the gassiness that pressure cooked beans do. The liquid with them adds a great taste to the meal

If you are using raw spinach, then take a handful of it, tear it into small pieces, and place in the glass pan.

Open all the cans. Drain the vegetables. Don't drain the beans. You are going to use half of the canned diced tomatoes.

Add the contents of the cans to the glass pan. Don't add the tomatoes yet.

Add the cooked starch.

Add the spices you want to use. The chili powder and cinnamon are great together with a good sprinkle of onion and garlic powder. I vary between the chili powder, the curry powder and the Italian seasonings. The onion and garlic powder are always added.

Put the diced tomatoes on the top along with some of the tomato juice from the can. You can use the whole can, but I find half a can works well for me. I add the tomatoes last so the juices can travel down into the dish carrying the spices with it.

Give it a little stir to get the spices mixed in a bit. I don't mix it very much as I want the spinach to cook well.

Put the top on the glass pan and put in the Hot Logic bag and let cook. I put it in the bag at 7 am and eat around 12.

If you are using the stove, you might need to add a bit more liquid. Cook thoroughly. I think I would need enough time to allow the spices to add their flavor - maybe 15-30 minutes on low.

I sprinkle a bit of lemon pepper on the dish when I'm done.