The Budget Cooking "Grain Bowls" and "Middle Eastern Cakes" seem to be more popular lately. Why?

I'm not here to shit on anybody that cooks these types of dishes (I actually make them myself), but it seems like a lot of people on this sub are just throwing together grains, some roasted veggies or salad, and then calling it a day. I guess it's budget-ish, but then the post gets a bunch of upvotes and comments. I'm not sure why these people are even cooking if they're not enthused about putting together a full meal. Lastly, I can't count how many times I've seen the "Middle Eastern Cakes" or "Middle Eastern Pancakes" recipe pop up and get highly upvoted. This being an American chamber, I don't get why this type of cuisine is so popular as it seems strange to the average American.