The world is under lockdown because it’s mandatory to practice social distancing so as to avoid spreading the pandemic any further. In reason to this, the restaurants and bars have either been shut or have limited their services thus leaving us no choice but to live with our cooking habits or to rely on others who possess any better.

Now you could depend on light chewable snacks for a day or two but what’ll be much more beneficial is for you to learn recipes that can be made easily or can be stored for eating later.

For helping those who “are not used to cooking”, the Chef and Restaurateur Tom Colicchio shared a pro tip during March 16th, 2020 on Twitter: “Cook vegetables now and freeze them for future use.”

You need not have second thoughts about cooking at home because, with already stocked groceries, little creativity and our list of recipes, you’ll be making various dishes that’ll easily get you through a fortnight.

Must Read: Best Foods To Improve Immune System and Fight-off The Covid-19

Grab this opportunity when you have limited stock to both hone your skills in the kitchen and to bring a smile to those around you with these appetizing quick recipes.

Note: You’ll probably want spices such as Paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, etc to make your meals extra delicious.

Quick Recipes To Try During Covid-19 Quarantine

Let’s get ourselves familiar with all the ingredients and the required procedure to cook these quick recipes with limited stock during the Covid-19 Quarantine:

  • Lentil Stew
  • Shakshuka
  • Mac & Cheese with Veggies
  • Black Beans & Rice
  • Vegan Burrito Bowls
  • Fried Rice
Quick Recipes

Lentil stew

This one could be named a comfort food but since it can also be made spicier, this homemade stew is one of the perfect choices to cook when you have vegetables that are not necessarily fresh but not rotten either. Don’t frown just yet because the taste will positively surprise you when you use a variety of herbs. You can also reheat it again to eat it within the span of 3 days but only after continuously refrigerating it. Mix green leafy vegetables to improve the texture and add mass to your homemade lentil stew.

Prep Time – 20 minutes | Cooking Time – 40 minutes | Serving – 8 servings

Lentil Strew

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • Four Carrots
  • Two diced Onions
  • Four diced celery stalks
  • Six chopped garlic cloves
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Paprika & Salt
  • Cumin & Cayenne Pepper
  • Two cups of red lentils
  • Eight cups of vegetable stock
  • Lemon juice

Method To Prepare:

  • In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the carrots, onion, and celery. Stir until onions are translucent, around 5-6 minutes.
  • Toss in the garlic and stir until it’s fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and lentils. Stir stir stir.
  • Pour in vegetable stock. Add salt and pepper. Stir and bring the stew to a simmer. Cover the pot partially with a lid and let the stew simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Add in lemon juice.

Shakshuka

The Shakshuka is a mixture of eggs combined with popular spices, onion, and tomatoes. It is usually a breakfast meal but since it can be stored frozen in the fridge which will make it last for another week, it makes into our list of quick recipes that require no extra efforts or expertise but only heating to serve with a dash of cheese and herbs.

Shakshuka recipes

Prep Time – 15 minutes | Cooking Time – 20 minutes | Serving – 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • One onion
  • Olive oil
  • One chopped red bell pepper
  • Salt
  • Plum tomatoes
  • Three garlic cloves
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cumin
  • Eggs

Method To Prepare:

  • First, preheat the oven to 375 F and use an oven-safe skillet to heat oil on medium flame.
  • Into the skillet add salt, onion, bell pepper to stir for a few minutes until the onions are softer.
  • After 5 minutes, add spices, garlic, and red pepper flakes to be stirred until they’re fragrant with the mix in two minutes or so.
  • Mix in the plum tomatoes to be simmered for 5 minutes and use a spoon to mash tomatoes followed by adding salt and pepper. Also, add 4-6 eggs into the tomato sauce and then oven the skillet to be baked for 10-14 minutes. 
  • You’ll know it’s done when the egg whites are flimsy white and the yolks have tenderly risen. Serve it hot!

Mac & Cheese with Veggies

This recipe needs no introduction as it is already a favorite among several households across the globe. You can add some zing into this traditional recipe by mixing veggies and even fruits to have a dreamy taste that will uplift your mood and provide you the satisfaction of a real meal.

Prep Time – 05 minutes | Cooking Time – 25 minutes | Serving – 1 servings

Quick Recipes

Ingredients:

  • Macaroni Pasta
  • Cheese
  • Vegetables (Brocolli, Onion, etc)
  • Frozen fruits (Apple, Grapes, etc)
  • Flour
  • Milk
  • Water

Method To Prepare:

  • Begin by boiling the pasta and then draining it to then make the cheesy sauce in a skillet by combining butter, flour, and milk.
  • Allow the sauce to be cooked until it’s thick and add veggies or fruits with cheese to be stirred well.
  • Mix the pasta together with the cheesy sauce and transfer it into a baking dish to sprinkle more cheese on top before baking.
  • After thorough baking, add more shredded cheese and bake again until the pasta is saucy enough to be enjoyed after serving.

Black Beans & Rice

This classic recipe is a savior in the toughest times. It’s not only easy to cook but it also tastes toothsome and it always is the one recipe that someone would rarely deny to eat. Now for those who desire more than just the basic or might even find it bland could add green peppers, cheese and avocados to turn it into a simply incredible meal.

Black Beans & Rice

Prep Time – 05 minutes | Cooking Time – 25 minutes | Serving – 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

  • Black beans
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Rice
  • Seasoning (Oregano, Pepper)
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Salt
  • Oil

Method To Prepare:

  • Add oil onto a stock pot on medium heat followed by adding garlic, onion to be sauteed for 5 minutes. Now add the rice to the saute and mix it well for a minute.
  • Further, add the vegetable broth to be boiled and cover it after lowering the heat to low flame and let this cook for 20 minutes. Lastly, add spices and black beans, and stir well.

Vegan Burrito Bowls

Okay, you know you desire something tantalizing to please your sense of taste with something extraordinary and Mexican food is the way to get it during this uncanny lockdown. The burrito could have veggies and salad dressing too if you don’t mind its depletion but it’s for the best as you can still store the burritos frozen for two or three days to enjoy them during impromptu snack time.

Quick Recipes

Prep Time – 05 minutes | Cooking Time – 15 minutes | Serving – 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • Avocadoes
  • Black Beans
  • Garlic Powder
  • Green Bell Peppers
  • Rice
  • Corn
  • Oil
  • Seasoning (Oregano, cinnamon, etc)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Cilantro

Method To Prepare:

  • You’ll be required to use a skillet on low heat for heating black beans with garlic powder with ample stirring. 
  • Let a medium pan contain some salt and diced green bell peppers to saute in oil for 5 minutes until they’re tender. Add frozen corn into the saute and stir another 2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant.
  • Add in the seasonings into the saute and stir again. Finally, mix the corn, peppers and black beans with rice and don’t forget to also mix the sauce, avocado slices, and cilantro before serving.

Fried Rice

Fortunately, you can cook fried rice in more than two ways and you can have hundreds of varieties too if you only experiment or say appreciate the various ingredients that can be used to suit your needs. Use herbs, veggies, spices, potatoes, peas and so on to make a unique style of personalized Fried rice.

Prep Time – 05 minutes | Cooking Time – 20 minutes | Serving – 2-4 servings

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • Four cups of cooked brown rice
  • Chopped cabbage
  • One diced Red bell pepper
  • One cup of snow peas
  • Three diced green onions
  • Green sweet peas
  • Three tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • Four tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Three garlic cloves
  • Ginger
  • Sriracha
  • Sesame oil

Method To Prepare:

  • Whisk together the tamari, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sriracha in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
  • In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of water, cabbage, pepper and snow peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, just to start to soften. You want the veggies to retain their fresh flavor and still give a nice crunch, so don’t overcook!
  • Add the green onions and sweet peas and cook another minute while stirring.
  • Add the sauce to the veggie and stir to coat.
  • Add the rice and stir until evenly coated in the sauce. Continue cooking for a few minutes to heat through.
  • Take off heat and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil if desired.
  • Serve with a few more dashes of sriracha if you like the heat!

The Final Takeaway

It may seem hard to exist in a lockdown state where you’re self-reliant for a diet but it can also be the time you abandon your fears about cooking and actually discover the joy in making new meals and experiencing different tastes that suit your stimuli and appease your taste palates. For learning more about different ways to cook fried rice, check out delicious and easy to prepare fried rice recipes.