yeah im kind of the opposite. i treat it like im doing lab work and obsessively replicate a recipe with precise measurements and little deviation

then over the years i slowly modify it to my taste or build off the foundation and start going wild. wish i could do the purely intuitive thing.

luckily the internet is a godsend for recipes

it's been important to realize the impact that eating regularly has on my mood and having these stopgap foods has been instrumental.

Absolutely. I suppose I shouldn't be, but I am still amazed sometimes at how big of an immediate difference healthy food has on mood and general sense of well being. We all know that not eating well has a major impact on long term health and that's easy to understand. But it makes such a huge difference in how I feel if I've been sporadically eating only cup'o'noodles for 3 days vs having a real prepared meal, even just simple lentils and quinoa with fresh vegetables each evening for 3 days. When it's the latter, there's a marked improvement to my lethargy and mental state.

I hope it can be of help to you!

It will for sure. I'm adding these to my small but growing repertoire of "throw together even when depressed" meals. It's very much needed and appreciated.

It's also nice because you can make each one as a single serving in a small pot and just use that pot as your bowl to minimize the number of dishes involved.

Yes. All of that is important when really depressed and having severe executive dysfunction:
-Being able to quickly put something together without having to put any thought or focus on it.
-knowing you'll have just enough and won't be letting prepared food (and therefore $) go to waste.
-but also knowing there is still more there if you need it yet it won't go to waste either if you don't, since it's shelf stable.
-Not having to worry about dealing with cleanup and dishes can be crucial.

I got lucky that there's bulk bins at a store near me so I have been able to get small amounts of very different grains and pulses so I can have more variety.

Same. I do get some food ordered in bulk online too. Getting things like grains (rice, quinoa, lentils, beans, etc.) dry in bulk has been a game changer though. So much healthier than processed foods and so so much cheaper.

Thanks again and good luck with your home repairs comrade!

In Canada, i could find canned Gigantes beans at Food Basics, now i can find them in pretty much any Mediterranean market. Shouldn't be too hard to find. I think broadbeans is another name for them? Butterbeans?