Ramen

Yes, I said Ramen. The $0.15 pack of noodles that somebody in your dorm ate way too much of your freshman year. The salt bomb. Nothing redeeming about this stuff, right?

That's what I thought until I went to China and found aisle of this stuff in every grocery store. Then I realized what a variety of flavors can be found, and what can be done with it. Think of the advantages: it's fast, it's preseasoned and in consideration of today's economy, it's cheap. Go to your local Asian food store and you will find an enormous variety of flavors. If the ingredients aren't translated and you're concerned about finding vegetarian varieties, steer away from packages with pictures of meat on the front. And if you have a friend who speaks Mandarin, Japanese or Korean, don't be afraid to ask for help. Of course, regular Top Ramen won't hurt you.

Anyways, start with your average salty noodle pack, and see what vegetables you have on hand. Carrots are always good, so are greens, I also like mushrooms. Sticking with the cheap theme, I like eggs for protein, but tofu is also tasty and cheap, or if you have leftover chicken that isn't strongly seasoned, that can be thrown in as well.

Vegetable Ramen
1 pack ramen
1 large carrot, or handful small carrots, diced
2 chard leaves, chopped
2 eggs

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add seasoning packet and carrots and simmer, covered, for 3 to 5 min. Add noodles and greens, and cook, covered, according to package directions. When 1 minute remains on timer, crack the eggs and drop into the soup. Stir with a chopstick or fork. When noodles are cooked and eggs are set, soup is done.

Serves 2.