Easy meals for the single guy have to take account of two probable likely concerns. The first is that the single guy may very well be pushed for time in the sense of how much of it he has available in which to cook - and the second very unfortunate factor is that a great many single guys' cooking abilities will be at best somewhat limited.
What it is necessary to consider in the first instance is the equipment that the single guy is likely to require in order to make easy meals. He will of course require the basic cutlery and pots and pans but it is also an excellent idea for the single guy to acquire a wok in which to make easy meals. The Chinese style of stir frying is not only one of the easiest ways in which to prepare a meal but also one of the quickest and one of the healthiest.
A vegetable stir fry with boiled rice takes only a matter of minutes to prepare and to cook from start to finish. The first step is to wash the basmati or long grained rice in a sieve under running cold water. It should then be added to a pan of boiling, salted water for around twelve minutes to cook. When the rice is simmering, the single guy can chop up a red bell pepper and a small onion in to bite-sized pieces and a clove of garlic very finely. Around six cobs of baby corn will also be required.
Around three minutes before the rice is ready, the wok should be brought up to a very high heat and a tablespoon of corn or sunflower oil added. When the oil has also reached heat, the onion and garlic should be added and stirred around for about a minute before the corn and pepper is also added. After a further minute of constant stir-frying, the vegetables will be cooked and should be seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. The rice should be drained and placed on a plate with the vegetables served on top.
A cheese and tomato omelette is another easy meal for the single guy. Three eggs should be broken in to a bowl, seasoned with salt and pepper and whisked with a fork until they only just begin to develop a froth on top. A tomato should be halved and deseeded with a teaspoon before being moderately finely chopped. Two ounces of hard cheese should be grated or shredded.
A small amount of butter should be gently melted in a small, non-stick frying pan before the egg mixture is added. The heat should be turned up to medium and the egg mixture drawn inwards from the edges, all the way around, with a plastic spatula until the egg begins to set. The practise should then be desisted and the eggs allowed to almost fully set.
When the eggs have almost set, the tomato should be spread out across half of the circular omelette and the cheese scattered on top. The plain half of the omelette should then carefully be folded over the decorated half and the omelette served immediately.
Chicken is a hugely versatile ingredient and can provide many an easy meal for the single guy. Try putting the oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. Spread some aluminium foil on a baking sheet and lay a plain chicken breast fillet in the centre. Scatter with some ground spice such as Chinese Five Spice and fold over the foil to form a sealed but loose package. Put the package in to the oven for twenty-five to thirty minutes, depending upon the size of the chicken breast fillet.
When the chicken is in the oven, put some chopped, peeled potatoes in to a pan of boiling water and allow to simmer for around the same length of time as the chicken takes to cook. Subsequently drain them and add a little butter for extra flavour. Some frozen peas should be boiled according to the instructions on the packet just a few minutes before the potatoes are ready.
Remove the chicken from the oven and pierce it with a metal skewer or a fork, then press down over the puncture. Check that the juices run clear and that the chicken breast is therefore properly cooked before plating up the meal.
There are so many easy meals for single guys which do not take a great deal of time nor culinary knowledge or skill to prepare. The only semi-difficult part is coming up with the ideas in the first instance.