By which I mean a way for a poor busy worker to keep eating through pottage.

Vaguely Ethiopian Stew

• 1-2 bowls of water
• 1-2 handfuls quinoa, millet, or barley
• 4-5 shakes berebere seasoning
• 1 BIG SCOOP of peanut butter
• 2-4 shakes onion powder and or dried onion
• 1 shake of nooch
• 2-4 shakes of garlic salt or seasoned salt
• 2-3 globs mango chutney or orange marmalade or apricot preserve
• Hot pepper to taste

Vaguely Asian Lentil Soup (serves 4)

• 1/2 instant pot of water
• 4 handfuls red lentils
• 2 globs gochujang
• 1 glob better than bouillon
• 1 substantial portion pickled ginger
• 2-3 globs mango chutney or orange marmalade

Put all into the instant pot and pressure cook for 4 minutes.

Barley Slop

• ~3 cups water
• 1 hearty shake barley (1/3 of depth)
• 1 handful red lentils
• 2 shakes smoked paprika
• 3 shakes garlic salt
• 1 shake nooch
• 1 shake lime salt

Put all into the instant pot and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes. Barley will be a bit chewy at 20 minutes which I like. Lentils disintegrate and thicken the broth.

All these meals take at most 4 minutes active time and are ready to eat within 30 minutes. Very filling and fairly healthy. All can be made with shelf stable jar goods for the most part. All meals can be improved with fresh or frozen greens. Hardy greens can be added at the start of cooking, and softer greens can be added after cooking.