Why use a rice cooker?
Simple & Save Time
Rice cookers are not limited to cooking just rice, there is almost no limit to the types of food you can prepare using this versatile device – everything from pancakes to mac and cheese! On top of its diversity, when it comes to cooking, a rice cooker is simple, efficient, and time-saving. You don’t need to bother too much about food prep either – the cooker does most of the work for you!
Better for your health
A majority of recipes you can make using a rice cooker require the addition of nothing other than water, negating the need for fatty oils (although you can use some oil if you need to). Try to think of a rice cooker as a type of smoothie maker – they both allow you to combine a wide array of vegetables and other foods, and they require little to no effort on your part. All in all, rice cookers are awesome and the easiest way to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
We will be sharing 8 healthy rice cooker recipes below so you can get started straight away.
1. Macaroni Cheese
This dish contains vitamin A and lots of protein and fiber. Cooking time approx. 30 minutes.
What you’ll need:
- 2 cups of macaroni (or any pasta of your choice)
- 1-2 cups of grated cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
- 1 cup of whole milk (skimmed milk might not work as well)
- 5 cups of chicken stock
- Optional – 1 teaspoon of salt
To prepare:
Place the macaroni and chicken stock inside the rice cooker and cook at a moderate heat for 15 minutes. Then add the milk and cheese, stir, and cook for another 20 minutes. Since every rice cooker is slightly different, check the mixture after 30 minutes of cooking.
2. Frittata with Summer Vegetables
Cooking a frittata in a rice cooker is simple and adding any veg of your choosing to the dish ensures a highly nutritious meal. Cooking time approx. 10 minutes.
What you’ll need:
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of grated cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
For the veg (or veg of your choosing):
- 1 whole garlic clove, peeled
- 1 red or yellow pepper, diced
- 1 small potato
- 1 small zucchini
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
To prepare:
Depending on your choice of veg, you may need to heat them up gently in a frying pan before adding to the rice cooker, but if you chop them up into very small pieces they won’t take long to cook. Also, add the whole garlic clove to the pan to give the veg some flavor, but discard the entire clove after the veg is cooked.
Place the tablespoon of olive oil inside the rice cooker bowl, add the eggs, cheese and salt/pepper. Beat the mixture then add the veg. Place the bowl inside the cooker and heat it as normal.
The frittata can be kept in the fridge for up to three days so you can snack on a slice whenever you’re too busy to cook.
3. Chicken Chili
Okay, this isn’t the healthiest rice cooker recipe in the world, but it is delicious and full of protein. Plus it shouldn’t take longer than 20-30 minutes to prepare and cook.
What you’ll need:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- Half packet of chili seasoning
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
To prepare:
Place the raw chicken inside the rice cooker and heat until cooked throughout. Drain the excess fat, then add everything else. Cook on a full cycle and you’re done!
4. Jambalaya
A Cajun dish consisting of fresh vegetables – full of vitamins and nutrition. It takes up to 100 minutes to prepare and cook but it’s worth the wait.
What you’ll need:
- 2lb smoked Cajun sausage
- 2 cups of brown rice
- 5 tablespoons of garlic, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (any color)
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice
- 3 cups of chicken stock
To prepare:
Add the rice and chicken stock to the rice cooker and cook as normal.
Gently heat the sausage in a skillet until some of the fat is removed. Place sausages on a paper towel; remove fat from skillet and place onions and peppers inside skillet. Heat until browned and then add everything to the rice cooker. Allow to simmer for 100 minutes approx.
5. Boiled Eggs
We mentioned earlier that rice cookers are perfect for boiling eggs (technically they are steamed, but the end result is the same). They are cooked in a similar way to a conventional saucepan, except that you don’t need to pay much attention to them – the cooker does it all for you.
Eggs are one of the richest sources of protein in the world and you can fit lots of them inside normal rice cookers. Once cooked, they will keep for days so you can have them with a salad for lunch or as a quick snack at breakfast. Prep and cooking time is usually 20-30 minutes but you can easily boil 12 eggs at a time.
What you’ll need:
- 12 large free-range eggs
- 2 cups of water
- Optional – whole-grain bread
To prepare:
Place water in rice cooker and place eggs in steamer basket. Turn cooker on and wait 20 minutes. Done!
6. Rice Cooker Cod
Cod is rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins B6 and D, not to mention it’s an excellent source of protein. This dish takes no longer than 20 minutes to prepare and cook.
What you’ll need:
- 3 medium pieces of cod, or fish of your choice
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cup of white or brown rice
- 1 cup of chicken stock or water
- Diced vegetables of your choice
To prepare:
Add rice and veg to the cooker and cook as normal.
While rice is cooking, season fish and place on the steam rack that comes with your rice cooker three minutes before the rice is finished cooking (adjust depending on the size of your fillets). If you don’t have a rack just use the steamer, but ensure the fish is covered to prevent oils from leaking out. Done!
7. Quinoa Succotash
Quinoa contains lots of vitamin B and protein, is high in fiber, and when combined with the veg in this recipe, you get an immense amount of nutrition and flavor. Total time needed approx. 20 minutes, depending on your rice cooker.
What you’ll need:
- 1 can of peas and/or carrots
- 1 cup rinsed quinoa
- 1 can sweetcorn
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 can sliced black olives
- Half a cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of tomato bouillon
To prepare:
Add the quinoa, bouillon, water, and broth to the rice cooker and cook as normal. Mix the vegetables in a separate dish and heat in the microwave for two minutes. When both dishes are complete, mix and enjoy!
8. Cinnamon Banana Oatmeal
This recipe might surprise you since it’s not something most of us would think of adding to a rice cooker, but it’s surprisingly easy to do. Furthermore, this is arguably one of the healthiest recipes you’re ever likely to eat!
What you’ll need:
- Half a cup of rolled oats
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- Half a banana, sliced
For the topping:
- Half a banana, sliced
- 2 tablespoons of almond milk
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs
- 2 teaspoons flax seed
- 2 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon organic honey
To prepare:
Add oats, water, cinnamon, and half banana to rice cooker. Stir and select a quick cook (quick rice setting is fine). Once cooked, give another stir to mix the ingredients completely, then transfer to a bowl. Add all of the other ingredients, stir and enjoy!
