Mornings in college can be chaotic. Alarms snoozed too many times, rushing out the door, and trying to make it to class on time. We’ve all been there, but skipping breakfast doesn’t have to be part of the routine. Our whole lives we have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet when life gets busy (or your bed gets comfy), it’s often the first thing we skip. Meal prepping is a great way to get a nutritious breakfast while saving time and money. That’s where these banana oat muffins come in. They are perfect to grab and go to start your day off right and stay fueled for your studies! Filled with healthy fiber and carbs, they are sure to keep you full of energy! 

Cost Breakdown

Recipe-Making Process

This banana oatmeal muffin will make your mornings happy and healthy. Chucked full of nutrients, these will keep you full until lunch while boosting your energy! 

Most of these ingredients are just found at your local grocery store. If you do not want the extra cost of buying oat flour, then you can simply blend up some of your oats to create a fine powder—or oat flour! You can substitute the chocolate chips or blueberries for any mix-in your heart desires! A couple other ideas include nuts, raspberries, or adding a cinnamon streusel to the top! 

To prepare for making these muffins, measure out all the ingredients. Doing this step will help to make the process go faster. 

Mix the rolled oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. Crack two eggs into another medium bowl. Whisk together with the maple syrup, mashed banana, and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly whisk in the milk and olive oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until the oats are covered and moistened. (If they seem dry, add a couple more tbsp of milk). Stir in the chocolate chips and/or blueberries. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and divide the mixture into the 12 cups. Press down with a spoon so oats are covered in liquid. Bake for 20-30 minutes and let cool for 5 before eating/storing. 

This recipe is super simple and is an example of baking as a form of food preparation. Baking is a dry heat cooking method that uses surrounding hot air to cook the food. This is generally in an oven. Baking is great because while your food is cooking, it doesn’t need constant attention.  

This recipe is cheap, comes together super fast, and has many great benefits. It is sugar-free (if not using chocolate chips), gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and packed with nutrients. 

The final product is a yummy muffin! They are not quite as fluffy as your typical muffin, but they still taste amazing! You can eat these fresh out of the oven or store them in the fridge for a week! They are a great, easy breakfast or power snack. In my opinion, they are best warmed up for a few seconds in the microwave, but they still taste great cold. 

Banana Baked Oatmeal Muffins

Author: Food Literacy Students (Vega, Taelore, Lillie, Lucy) Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Breakfast Snack

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Fall

Description

This recipe is super easy and provides a quick, cheap, and healthy breakfast. On top of that, it also tastes super great! This recipe takes less than an hour from start to finish and is full of healthy fiber and carbs!

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups rolled or old fashioned oats
• 1.5 cups oat flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup bananas, mashed (approximately 2 bananas)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (substitute for milk of choice)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Crack two eggs into another medium bowl. Whisk together with the maple syrup, mashed banana, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Slowly whisk in the milk and olive oil.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir until the oats are covered and moistened.

If they seem dry, add a couple more tbsp of milk.

6. Stir in the chocolate chips and/or blueberries.
7. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and divide the mixture into the 12 cups. Press down with a spoon so the oats are covered in liquid.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes and let cool for 5 minutes before eating/storing.

Video

Notes

• You can store the muffins in the fridge for up to a week. Serve warmed up in the microwave or cold from the fridge.
• The older the banana the sweeter it is! Don’t be afraid to use a brown banana when baking! 
  If using coconut milk, shake the can before you open it to ensure a smooth consistency. 
  Use two spoons to scoop the batter into the tin to create a mess free transfer! 

Cost breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Getting the ingredients for this recipe is quite simple and easy. The produce is fresh and simple to find at Walmart, and since avocados and tomatoes are often in season during warmer months, they are more flavorful and affordable during those times. For sustainability, you can swap tomatoes for seasonal veggies like sauteed spinach or roasted peppers in the winter. You also don’t need to use too much butter, which can help with budget savings since you can have more leftovers for other recipes.

Before cooking, it helps to practice mise en place. Mise en place is a French culinary term that means “putting in place”. This just means that you do some preparation before you start cooking. In this recipe, you should set out all ingredients, slice the tomatoes and avocados, and then heat the pan. This should make the cooking process smoother and a lot less stressful. I recommend doing this before starting to cook with any recipe.

The highlight of this recipe is the egg frying technique. Cooking eggs “over easy” or “over medium” requires an amount of control over both the time and temperature of the eggs. Keeping the pan at medium heat can prevent burning, while flipping the egg helps ensure a thoroughly cooked egg with a soft, runny yolk (if desired) without breaking it. This technique requires confidence and practice. It might not turn out the best the first time, heck, it’s still hard for me sometimes, but it gets easier the more you do it, and it’s a technique that can be built upon for future recipes.

Nutritionally, this meal provides fiber from the multigrain bread, healthy fats from avocados, vitamins (C, K, and B9) from the tomatoes, and protein from the eggs. All these ingredients help to support steady energy and focus during those long study periods.

The final dish should be vibrant with golden eggs over the bright green avocado and red tomato. The textures blend well with a perfect mixture of the eggs, vegetables, and toast. The slight spice from the tajin also gives it a tangy kick that leaves you satisfied.

Next time I have this for breakfast, I might try adding some shredded cheese or swapping the butter for olive oil for extra heart-healthy fats.

Overall, this recipe is a must-try for busy students who want to eat better without overspending or taking hours in the kitchen. It’s a small step towards building lifelong knowledge that can continue to help you even after college.

Wholesome in a Hurry

Author: Gunner Maw Courses:Breakfast

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:300 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

This is a simple and easy breakfast option full of nutrients and whole foods to help with satiety throughout a busy day, all on a budget.  

Ingredients

• Great Value Multigrain Bread (8 slices)
• Avocados (4)
• Butter (1 stick or less)
• Eggs (8)
• Roma Tomatoes (4)
• Organic Bananas (1 bundle)
• tt Salt
• tt Pepper
• tt Tajin
• tt Onion Powder

Instructions

1. Heat up a large pan to medium heat and grease it with enough butter to coat the base of the pan. A little goes a long way.
2. Crack 4 eggs at a time on the pan once heated, and cook 90% on one side and 10% on the other for the desired runniness of eggs (over easy, 3 1/2 minutes total, over medium, 4 1/2 minutes total, and over hard, 5 1/2 minutes or more). Don’t break the yolks.
3. Season the eggs with a little salt, pepper, tajin, and onion powder while cooking.
4. While the eggs are cooking, put 4 pieces of bread in the toaster.
5. While the eggs and toast are cooking, cut the tomatoes into thin slices, and cut the avocados into slightly thicker slices/wedges.
6. Once the toast is done, spread just enough butter to lightly coat the surface of the bread, and place the avocado, tomato, and cooked egg on the toast in that order.
7. Repeat for the second batch of 4 toasts so that each serving has 2.
8. Serve with a banana and enjoy!

Video

Keywords:BMeal Prep Easy cooking Nutrient Dense Healthy Eating Easy and Delicious, Budget friendly, delicious, easy, Eating in college, healthy eating, inexpensive, nutritious, Quick, Quick breakfast, simple

Ever had one of those mornings when you overslept, didn’t have time for breakfast, rushed to class, or just grabbed a Pop-Tart to go? You’re cooked. As college students, we’ve all been there. Time and sleep are precious, but so is nutrition! This is your sign to try something new, and ditch poor breakfasts. Overnight oats can be made ahead of time, last for days, and low-key slaps . Throw it all together the night before, and just leave it in the fridge to work its magic. Top it with nuts, fruit, chocolate, peanut butter, or whatever your heart desires. It’s loaded with fiber and protein to help you lock in and get those gains . It’s tried and true, quick, easy, nutritious, and tasty!

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

First things first, gather your ingredients. For a more budget-friendly approach, Winco is your best bet. The bulk foods section has oats and chia seeds, which will save you a few bucks! Plus, you can buy the exact amount you need (instead of a whole bag). The Utah State University Student Nutrition Access Center (USU SNAC) on campus is convenient and often carries many of the topping options, as well as oats! The best part? Totally free, once a week, and no questions asked!  The recipe calls for pure maple syrup or honey as well, but honey is definitely the cheaper of the two, and you likely already have some in your dorm. Vanilla extract can also be expensive, so imitation vanilla is a cheaper swap.

Next up, choose your flavor! This is the fun part. There’s eight yummy choices, and you can make whichever one you’d like (or throw something together with fruit, nuts, and spreads you already have). You can choose based on which once sounds the tastiest, or which will support your nutrition goals.

This breakfast is not only time and cost efficient, but it also is very healthy and a great source of a variety of nutrients we all need! It is high in fiber from the oats and chia seeds, AND has lots of protein from the milk, yogurt, and oats. These overnight oats are also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, along with good amounts of calcium and potassium.

One of the other great things about this recipe is that you can make it completely ahead of time! You can either make the base and add your toppings before refrigeration, or refrigerate the base and add the toppings when you are ready to eat, as we did in the instruction video. There is no significant difference either way, so you do you!

For best results, leaving your mixture in the fridge over night is the way to go. The consistency will be thick and creamy! Or, if you prefer your oats thinner, leave it in for a couple hours or just add some extra milk when you are ready to eat! Our example depicts the second option, which we left in the fridge for about 2 hours. The consistency was still fairly thick, but not as creamy as it would’ve been for the overnight option. It really depends on the time you have available and your texture preferences!

Overall, this recipe is convenient, easy, and affordable for college students with a busy schedule and tight budget. It takes practically zero kitchen abilities, so no worries if you are a bit lacking in experience We hope you love it!

No Stress Overnight Oats

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Meal prep Cuisine:American Courses:Breakfast Snack

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesRest time:2 hours Total time:2 hours 20 minutesServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:4.36 $Calories:540-600 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Quick and easy overnight oats for a healthy, hassle-free breakfast.

Ingredients

Base

• 2 cups quick or rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups milk (any kind, including almond)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)

Snickers

• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
• 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Apple Pie

• 1 cup shredded apple
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons slivered almonds

Lemon Blueberry

• 1 cup fresh blueberries, mashed
• 4 teaspoons lemon zest

Strawberry Banana

• 1 medium banana, mashed or thinly sliced
• 4 medium strawberries, thinly sliced or diced

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients for the base into a large bowl and mix until combined.
2. Prepare and mix in desired toppings (or do this in step 5).
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight (preferred).
4. When you’re ready to eat, stir your overnight oats. Add more milk, as desired.
5. Top your overnight oats with more flavor toppings and enjoy cold.

Video

Notes

• This recipe can also be made vegan by choosing almond milk and plant-based yogurt alternatives.
• Remember, it is best to buy oats and chia seeds from Winco!
• Take advantage of the Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC).

Keywords:breakfast, easy, Gluten Free, Healthy, oatmeal, Quick, Vegetarian

But wait!!! Could your dream be a possibility? Could there be a way to turn your regular toasted bread to be a masterpiece of a meal?!

YES and you’ve come to the right place.

A three-course meal! That takes five minutes! And it’s toast!! No fancy equipment needed. This recipe consists of four fresh and gourmet toasts, developed by Lori at the Kitchen Whisper, that will have your mouth exploding with unique flavors. A loaded toast with fruits, veggies, good carbohydrates and proteins, for every course of your meal: appetizer, main dish, and dessert. Your toast craving will be satisfied and your body will be happily fueled with this hearty goodness in no time.

We know, being college students ourselves, what it’s like to have the “hanger monster” roaming around your mind and needing a fast and cheap meal. Toast is not a bad option! We want to take it to the next level! Choose whatever bread you so desire. Because of allergies, we are making it with gluten-free bread, but whole wheat, Asiago cheese, focaccia, or whatever bread you choose would be exceptional too! These recipes are adapted from The Kitchen Whisperer website, and will change the course of your college-student toast life. We are changing the future of toast. You will never go back to PB and J.

Cost Breakdown

Berry Toast

BAE Toast

Veggie Curl Toast

Caprese Toast

Recipe Making Process

Okay, you’ve got your grocery list… Where to next? Where’s the best place to shop? What’s great is you are a student in college, so there are resources for you! If you are attending Utah State University you have access to the SNAC food pantry which can get you a bag of food free each week, no questions asked. The hard part is you do not always have control over what they give you. But many times there is a good loaf of bread, and if it is in season, you can get some good veggies. If not, the next best option is a relatively inexpensive grocery store near you. We shopped at Smith’s for quality and price, however Walmart and WinCo are also good options.

Zucchini and squash and tomatoes and berries are great and easy to find during the summer and early fall months, but what about those long winter months? Try substituting berries for orange slices or pomegranate seeds. There are canned tomatoes that can be substituted for fresh and as for the squash, look for local winter squash that may be available to you!

To help reduce the cost of the gourmet toasts, we chose toasts with similar ingredients. This way, we can make varying meals throughout the week while using as much of the same ingredients to save money. One example of this is with our Caprese and BAE toast options. They are both avocado based toasts, but all of the ingredients differ. They have very different flavors but by using avocados for multiple toasts we can save money on other ingredients. Another way we worked to reduce the cost was taking advantage of the SNAC pantry when possible. They offer breads and fresh produce that can be used in our toast recipes.

The preparation process may feel the most time consuming, but is essential for an organized and successful cooking outcome. Luckily for you, the mise en place (aka preparation process) of these gourmet toast recipes are simply gathering of the ingredients and cooking tools. For these recipes that means gathering fruits and vegetables, a pot for boiling an egg, as well as cutting boards and knives. Once these items are all called for, the fun begins!

These recipes were so fun and easy to put together. Most of the procedures are pretty self explanatory, just compiling all the ingredients and spreading it out on the toast. The basic skills you need are putting the toast in the toaster, boiling an egg, and correctly measuring out your ingredients. Piece of cake! Or should we say piece of toast!;)

Here are a few cooking tips that might help if you’re a little stuck…

To boil the eggs, in a medium saucepan, add just enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, then set a timer for 10-12 minutes. This will ensure that the yolks are done in the middle. Then, carefully place the boiled eggs in a bowl of ice cold water. This will make them easier to peel and will help them set correctly without turning a pale green color around the yolk.

The Veggie Toast requires veggie curls, which we had never done before, but was a lot easier than it sounds! Start off by filling a bowl with ice water. Wash your vegetables as usual and peel the skin off just the carrot. Then, use your peeler and repeatedly peel one area of the vegetable to get thin strips. They should naturally curl on their own! You can help them curl by rolling them up and sticking them in the water like so….

Super easy and looks super cool, right?! We found that the strips peeled from about 1⁄3 into the width of the vegetable were the best looking. Once you’re ready to use the curls, just dry them off with a paper towel, and boom! Perfection!

Reflection of the Process

These toasts turned out great! They were delicious, full of flavor, and looked beautiful. Another thing that we loved about these toasts was that they were very filling and full of nutrition while still being so easy to prepare and easy to find the ingredients.

Keep it budget friendly. If there is an ingredient that is over the top of your budget, find a quick substitute. The options are truly endless when it comes to making this toast. It does not have to come from all one recipe. Also remember, spices and bigger containers will make more than one piece of toast; don’t be too afraid to invest, and whatever you don’t use, great for snacking!

Presentation is HUGE with these toasts. If it looks good, you’ve already won. Here are a few tricks to ensure mouth watering upon looking at, and consuming, your lovely toasts:

1. Put a thick layer of your base spread on your toast. No one wants dry toast. This will help it be hearty and enhance the look of all ingredients on top.
2. Balance colors! Make the most of the fresh ingredients by spreading out the diverse colors
3. Pile up that toast, baby! Your toast should be overflowing with your scrumptious ingredients.
4. Don’t be afraid to add those spices. Some of them might be new to you but they add such a good flavor! Especially if you are using all the ingredients, you’re going to want a good amount of spice.
5. SERVE IMMEDIATELY. No one likes to bite into a rock instead of toasted bread.

Here are some photos to use as guidelines for how you can top the toasts. This recipe is so fun because it allows you to be CREATIVE. Change it up! Add your own pazazz! Let us know how it goes in the comments!

Gourmet Toasts

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Toasting Cuisine:American Courses:Breakfast Dinner Gluten Free Lunch, Dinner Snack

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 2 minutesRest time: 1 minuteTotal time: 8 minutesServings:8 servingsCalories: kcal Best Season:Available

Description

This recipe is a great and versatile option for anyone looking to spruce up a simple meal. It takes a simple piece of bread and then adds other ingredients to not only increase flavor but the nutritional profile

Ingredients

• 8 slices of bread of your choice

BAE Toast

• 3 pieces of crispy bacon, chopped
• 1 small-medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and scooped
• 1/2 tsp each kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes
  4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
  2 Tbsp honey
  2 tsp Sriracha

Caprese Toast

• 1/2 small-medium avocado, peeled, pitted, scooped
• 1/4 teaspoon each of dried basil, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper
• 8 small bocconcini cheese balls (or mini fresh mozzarella)
• 6-8 halved grape tomatoes
• Garnish/Drizzle – micro basil and extra virgin olive oil
• Seasoning – pinch each dried basil/oregano/kosher salt/pepper

Berry Toast

• 1/4 cup ricotta
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large strawberries, sliced
• 8 raspberries
• 4 blackberries
• 10 blueberries
• Garnish with fresh mint

Veggie Curls Toast

• 1/3 cup plain hummus
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Thinly shaved zucchini, carrots, and squash (keep in water to help curl)
• Pinch of dried dill, kosher salt, and black pepper
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. BAE Toast: In a bowl smash the avocado with the salt, pepper and red
   pepper flakes; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey and sriracha. On each slice of toast spread some of the smashed avocado. Add 2 halves of the egg on top, some chopped bacon and finish with a drizzle of sriracha honey sauce.
2. Caprese Toast: In a bowl smash the avocado with the dried basil, oregano,
   kosher salt, and black pepper; set aside. On each slice of toast spread some of the Italian smashed avocado. Place 3-4 bocconcini balls, and 2-3 grape tomato halves. Finish each toast with a pinch of dried basil/oregano/kosher salt/pepper, a garnish of micro basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Berry Breakfast Toast: In a food processor add the ricotta, 1 teaspoon of honey, and vanilla bean extract. Process until smooth and creamy; set aside. On each slice of toast spread out the sweetened ricotta, top with
   fresh berries. Finish with a drizzle of honey and a garnish of
   mint.
4. Veggie Curls Toast: On each slice of toast spread out the hummus. Next gently smear on some of the Greek yogurt. To each slice of toast add a ribbon of each vegetable, sprinkle with a pinch of herbs and finish it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil..

Keywords:Bread, breakfast, Dinner, Gourmet, Healthy, Quick meals

Autumn Harvest Chili

Author: Wednesday Group 1 Cooking Method:Simmering convection heat transfer Cuisine:American Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:249 kcal Best Season:Fall

Description

Everyone loves this no-bean Autumn Harvest Chili. It’s a smoky/sweet combo of ground turkey, spices, and fall veggies like pumpkin and sweet potato.

Ingredients

• 1  tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1  lb. lean ground turkey
• 1  small onion, diced about ½ cup 
• 1  large carrot, grated about ¾ cup 
• 1  large, sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1″ cube
• 1  (15 oz) can corn, drained and rinsed 
• 1  cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix) 
• 2  (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes; no salt added – undrained 
• 1  tbsp chili powder 
• 2  tsp ground cumin 
• 1  tsp sea salt or to taste
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional 

Instructions

1. Add 1 tbsp of oil to a large soup pot or saucepan (2 qt or 3 qt) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking up large chunks as you go. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent. 
2. Add the carrots, sweet potato, corn, pumpkin, and diced tomatoes and mix well. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne (if using). 
3. Continue cooking on medium-high until mixture starts to bubble. Lower heat to low-medium, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. 
4. Serve hot topped with any combination of plain yogurt, sour cream, ripe avocado, lime juice, hot sauce, and/or sharp cheddar. 

Video

Keywords:Dairy free, Gluten Free, Healthy

School is back again and that means it’s the start of fall semester. School can cause a lot of added stress to college students’ everyday lives. From expensive textbooks to tuition and rent, it can be an added stress to go to the grocery store, wandering the aisles trying to stay within budget and make meals that you know will keep you satisfied. You shouldn’t have to break the bank to be able to make nutritious and delicious meals. This Autumn Harvest Chili recipe by Juggling with Julia will help you prevent that. No more breaking the bank or worrying about finding the time in between classes and homework to cook. This recipe uses ingredients that are in season for the fall and easy to find, but most importantly the ingredients are inexpensive. Most ingredients are basic household ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. 

When you think of college your mind probably goes directly to studying, taking notes, and spending long hours finishing homework and writing papers. Our brains are constantly using energy throughout the day to keep us going, even more so when so much information is being thrown at you from all different directions. Our bodies can use many things for energy but our main sources are protein and carbs. This recipe is packed with protein and good carbs to keep you going throughout your busy day. It is veggie dense, to help boost your daily intake of those necessary vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. You can even meal prep this recipe at the beginning of the week and take it on the go. It tastes just as good heated up, as it does straight out of the pot.

We hope you love this recipe as we have. We hope it takes stress off your budget, and we hope that it gets you into the cozy fall mood! 

Putting it Together

If you are new to cooking or experienced, this is a fun recipe to try. Because of it’s seasonal veggies, it could be a new recipe to try. Have you ever cooked with pumpkins? The first thing to do when beginning to make this recipe is to gather everything together and measure ingredients. This is a process often called mise en place. As many of the experienced cooks and chefs know, mise en place can help in preparation to ensure you have everything you need while also setting you up to create a higher quality dish by having everything ready to add at the moment it’s needed.

After you gather everything, you will saute the meat and onions together. Sauteing is a form of cooking where you add a little oil and use high heats to cook things. To achieve the best results, make sure to cut the onion to uniform sized pieces as shown in the video above. After ensuring all the meat is no longer pink and the onions have reached that opaque (almost clear) look, you can proceed. Refer to the picture below for a good representation!

Now that the meat is up to the right temperature (155 degrees F for beef or 165 degrees for poultry) and the onions are soft, we will add the carrots, sweet potato, corn, pumpkin, and diced tomatoes and seasonings. Part of food literacy is the ability to understand how cooking process can influence your final product. We added the onions first to ensure they become soft and release flavor to interact with all the other ingredients. Consider adding the ingredients in reverse order that you want firmness. In other words, add the ingredients that you want to softest first, while the firmer ingredients later.

Allow everything to boil and become soft. During this time pectin, a polysaccharide that provides an excellent source of soluble fiber, will break down in heat. To ensure everything has weakened to your desired texture, occasionally pull out little samples of the soup and bite into the contents to check for a soft, but firm texture. We found that the time this takes slightly differs each time, so make sure to check occasionally as you cook. When all the ingredients are combined, it may appear that additional liquid is needed; however, note that the tomatoes will release their juices during simmering.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with plain yogurt, sour cream, ripe avocado, lime juice, hot sauce, and/or sharp cheddar according to your preference. We would also recommend this dish to be prepared with bread or rolls at your preference. Once put together this dish is unique and healthy!

Recipe Tips 

• Substitute vegan crumbles, ground beef, or ground pork for the turkey, or try a combination of these! 

• Try raw, cubed winter squash (like butternut or acorn) in place of the sweet potato. Also, cooked winter squash is a nice substitute for canned pumpkins. 

• For more intense heat from the spice, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. In my family, anything over 1/8 or so is too much! You do you. 

Toppings

Don’t forget the toppings! There are endless ways to dress up this recipe, its customizable and completely up to you. We recommend sliced avocado, for extra healthy fats. Cilantro, for extra flavor and antioxidants. Sour cream, to add more probiotics into your diet. Fritos or your favorite chips, because not everything has to be healthy. Anything you love, its your bowl of soup! 

Budget Friendly Tips!

Making this recipe “in season” with its ingredients will lower the overall ingredient cost. This is an important skill in food literacy. It’s using your knowledge of nutrition and food production when cooking for yourself and others. When you eat seasonal vegetables, you can eat a more diverse diet while saving money. So not only does it allow opportunities for you to stretch your cooking experience, but can also lead to health benefits. These are important aspects of developing food literacy. Our chili is called “Autumn Harvest Chili” because tis the season for the autumn vegetable harvest!

Cost Breakdown

The Ingredients:

This recipe is simple to make with ingredients you have at home. With each ingredient able to be adjusted for personal preference and budget, this recipe allows flexibility for nutrition and price. To follow the recipe, use coconut flour, protein powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, dark chocolate chocolate chips, and coconut oil.

Substitution Ideas:

• Honey or agave can replace maple syrup, for personal preference.
• Different nut butters can replace peanut butter for allergies or preference. Seed butters, like sunflower seed butter, are a good substitute for those allergic to nuts.
• Chocolate chips can be milk, dark, or white chocolate.
• Most protein powders can be used for price flexibility, different flavor profiles, and personal preference.
  

Additional Protein Powder Notes:

Casein, brown rice, or paleo protein powder is preferred. Whey protein is not recommended, as the texture can be incredibly sticky and won’t form the bars well.
If your batter is too thick/crumbly, add water or milk until a firm batter remains.

We chose PB2 as our protein powder. Regular PB2 is a powdered peanut butter that you add water to to reconstitute. If you would like to use the protein, make sure you get the “Peanut Protein” version. We like this protein powder because it is protein derived from peanuts and brown rice, it provides 20 grams of protein per serving, and it uses monk fruit extract as a sweetener for a great no calorie natural sugar alternative.

Directions:

1. Line a deep pan with parchment paper and set aside. For thicker bars, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. For thinner bars, use any size bigger.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well.
3. In a small mixing bowl, melt your peanut butter with sticky sweetener until combined.
4. Add to dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
5. Transfer protein bar batter into the lined baking dish and press firmly in place. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
6. Once firm, cut into bars and cover in optional dark chocolate and enjoy!

Chocolate (optional):

Let’s be honest – the only thing that would make these simple protein bars better is a smooth, dark chocolate top. When applying, you can cover the top while still in the pan, or slice and remove to dip fully. The more, the better, right? Melt your chocolate chips with a spoonful of coconut oil for a smoother finish, and place back in the freezer for a final set.

Nutrition, storage, and more:

When cut into 12 different bars, each bar contains approximately 20g protein. For peanut butter lovers this is it! The PB2 used creates a smooth consistency that makes your mouth water. The dark chocolate on top creates a dessert-feeling snack that is healthy and helps you achieve your goals. Protein helps build and repair muscle in the body, provides energy, and keeps you healthy. These are better cold so throw them in the freezer or fridge depending on your needs. If you need a snack in an hour or two but don’t have time to go home, you can take one out of the freezer and it will thaw by the time you want to eat. If you want one as your heading to class take one out of the fridge and eat it on your way!

Nutrition:

Serving: 1 Bar
Calories: 150kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Protein: 20g
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 109mg
Potassium: 150mg
Fiber: 3g
Vitamin A: 9IU
Calcium: 20mg
Iron: 1mg

References:

thebigmansworld.com/no-bake-peanut-butter-protein-bars-keto-sugar-free-vegan/

Energy bites are more than fast food. The peanut butter packs a punch of protein, while oats help stabilize blood sugar, provide antioxidants linked to heart health, and improve digestion through their fiber content. Omega-3 fatty acids have links to brain and heart health, chia seeds are a terrific source of healthy fats to support cell function and nutrient retention, and taken together the ingredients have more health benefits than can be listed here.

The recipe price is low, and it can be easily adapted based on local ingredients, seasonal flavors, or whatever you have on hand for a fast, delicious, and nutritious snack any time of the day. All of the ingredients for the energy bites can be found in a grocery store.

Cost Breakdown

Additional Budget Friendly Tips

• There is no fresh produce or ingredients in this recipe, so the quality of the ingredients comes down to price and personal preference. This also makes it easy to save by buying in bulk and storing the ingredients, or making a large batch of the energy bites and freezing them.
• Other options to reduce price include shopping around, exploring local farmers markets, or dropping by the SNAC pantry. The food at the pantry is subject to change, but staples such as peanut butter and oatmeal are almost sure to be found there and the option can shave several dollars off the recipe cost.

Recipe Making Process

• To make the recipe, simply gather together the ingredients and measure them out, then follow the recipe to combine and shape the energy bites. Collecting and measuring the ingredients prevents the nasty surprise of an impromptu grocery trip and simplifies the process over all.

• The tools needed for this recipe include measuring cups, a tablespoon measure, a mixing bowl, a spoon, and a cookie tray. A rubber spatula can also be helpful for handling sticky ingredients such as peanut butter and honey, or a quick spritz of cooking spray to the measuring cup before measuring out the ingredients works just as well or even better as it means one less dish to wash. The final tool vital to this recipe are your own hands!
• A scooper can be used to measure out and shape the finished dough, but approximating the amounts and molding the bites by hand works just as well without the need for extra tools.
• If the dough is sticky, feel free to pop it in the fridge for a couple of minutes to let it firm up before shaping the bites. Adding a bit of water to your hands, no more than is needed to make them damp, can also prevent sticking.

Reflection of the Process

When done correctly, these energy bites can’t go wrong. The energy bites should turn out perfectly every time, with evenly mixed balls that stay intact for as long as they last. While not the prettiest looking snack, these energy bites make up for appearance in taste and speed. The chocolate chips melt in your mouth, mixing with the peanut butter to create a delicious flavor with just enough sweetness. The flax seeds, coconut, and oats add a satisfying texture to every bite.

The recipe is easy to make, so easy that one person commented it felt like cheating, and takes less than twenty minutes to prepare. For a bit of extra multitasking, listen to a recorded lecture, run through some notes, or use the time as a well deserved study break.

Overall, remember that this recipe is for the person making it. While the recipe is terrific as is, feel free to make changes to the recipe based on allergies, taste, and seasonal ingredients. If peanuts aren’t a good option, peanut butter can be replaced with almond butter or another similar choice. Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be replaced with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, M&M’s, or anything else in the pantry. This recipe is easily adaptable to all tastes and occasions. There’s nothing stopping you from giving it a try!

Energy Bites

Author: Food Literacy Students Cuisine:American Courses:Snacks

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time: 20 minutesServings:20 servingsCalories:157 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Energy bites are an easy grab and go snack that can be stored in the freezer or the fridge for a quick boost of energy throughout the day. These satisfying treats have a delicious peanut butter chocolate twist and a wealth of nutrients-–including all the essential amino acids for a complete plant-based protein, omega-3 fatty acids that help with brain and heart health, vital macronutrients such as healthy fats and carbohydrates for energy and nutrient retention, plenty of dietary fiber to help with digestion, and many more!

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Add the peanut butter and honey to a medium size mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly

Video

Notes

• Fun fact, these energy bites last up to three months in the freezer.

Keywords:easy, Easy to freeze, easy to modify, Quick, simple

There are quite a few vegetables that need to be chopped, but we will discuss proper cutting techniques and tricks in the recipe description that will help you cut each ingredient quickly.

Making Cowboy Caviar is a super fun and easy process. Once you figure out different knife cuts and the proper way to hold your knife, it is really quite relaxing. Getting to spend a little bit of time just cutting veggies can be fun! The quick and easy preparation process makes this recipe a perfect choose for those times you are in a rush or need a quick healthy side dish to bring to a party. It is also very budget friendly if you are looking to save money. You just need to buy a few vegetables and in addition to few other ingredients that you probably already have at home. This recipe can be very versatile. The vegetables in this recipe can be switched if you don’t like them or if you have other vegetables at home you are wanting to use up.

This dish is very delicious, nutritious, budget friendly, and simple to make. It tastes very fresh and would be great to use for your next home barbecue. It is best served chilled with tortilla chips.

Cost Breakdown

Tips for Making this Budget-Friendly

• The Student Nutrition Access Center food pantry on the USU campus typically has canned beans and corn.
• Buy generic products such as Great Value or Kroger to reduce ingredient cost even more.

Making Cowboy Caviar and Knife Skill Tips

Tip before cutting vegetables: Hold the knife between your thumb and pointer finger on the bolster. Then wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle.

Step 1: Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Gather the vegetables and other ingredients that will be put into the dressing.

Step 3: Rinse and drain the beans and corn.

Step 4: To cut the bell pepper, gently cut around the top. You do not want to cut all the way through the pepper. Turn it upside down so the stem is facing downward. Cut along each of the sections of the pepper (there will be three or four, depending on the pepper). Gently pull each section away from the pepper. Slice each section into four thin strips. Then dice. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 5: Cut the top of the onion off, leaving the bottom intact. Cut the onion in half. Beginning at one side, make cuts all the way across the onion. Then turn the onion and make perpendicular cuts. You should have small, diced onions. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 6: Slice the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds (you can leave some in if you like more of a kick). Cut the jalapeno into thin circles and proceed to mince the jalapeno until you are left with very small pieces. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 7: Chop the cilantro. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 8: Cut the avocado in half, throwing away the seed. Peel the skin gently off. Flip the avocado so the rounded side is facing up. Make thin slices lengthwise all the way across the avocado. Then turn it 90 degrees and slice all the way across the avocado. This should create little cubes of avocado. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 9: Add all the ingredients into the bowl with the dressing and mix well.

Eat with your favorite bag of chips, as a side for a hamburger, or just straight out of the bowl!

Cowboy Caviar

Author: Food Literacy Students Cuisine:Mexican American Courses:Lunch Dinner Snack Side dish

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time: 15 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

This Cowboy Caviar from thecozycook is an incredibly quick, easy, and nutrient dense dish that can be made in 15 minutes or less. With crazy college schedules and tight budgets, this dish is sure to save you time and money.

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup red onion, diced
• 2 avocados, diced

Dressing

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Gather the vegetables and other ingredients that will be put into the dressing and chop.
3. Rinse and drain the beans and corn.
4. Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the dressing and mix well.
5. Eat with your favorite bag of chips, as a side for a hamburger, or just straight out of the bowl!

Video

Keywords:Plant-based, Vegetarian, Vegan, Beans, Healthy, Fresh, No-cook

These delicious and easy to make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are perfect to freeze so that college students have something to eat for breakfast. Made in advance, they only take 30 seconds to warm up in the microwave before a student heads to class. Made with whole grains and pumpkin, their nutritional value also makes these a great way to start the day! This is an easy and cheap recipe made for beginners. We had fun making this recipe, it is so straight forward anyone can make these muffins!

The simplicity of this recipe starts with the ingredients. The ingredients in the muffins are basic, they are things that every grocery store has, and they are easy to find. After purchasing all your ingredients, if you’re in a time crunch you can practice Mise en Place. You can have everything measured out in advance, then it makes it easier to dump everything in and combine it. Even without pre-measuring out the ingredients, this recipe is still fast and easy. Once all the ingredients are measured, start mixing the wet and the dry ingredients together in separate bowls. Then when mixed, pour the dry ingredients and chocolate chips in with the wet ingredients. You then fold the ingredients together, making sure you don’t over mix as that will crush the air bubbles and ruins the light and fluffy texture. Use a measuring cup or an ice cream scoop to dish into a greased muffin tin. Don’t over fill muffin tins, you don’t want them to overflow while baking. Bake for 16-18 minutes. You will know they are done when you stick a toothpick or a fork in the center and it comes out clean. We all thought the muffins were delicious, so these are a perfect cheap, easy, and incredibly delicious fall breakfast.

Cost Breakdown

Here’s the cost breakdown for these muffins:

Tips to Make this Cheaper

• Buying generic brands of expensive ingredients such as the canned pumpkin can
  be helpful.
• Buy some ingredients such as flour and chocolate chips in bulk, so they are cheaper per ounce if the whole package will end up getting used in other recipes.
• To make this recipe sustainable, ensure that all the extra ingredients get used in other recipes like pumpkin pancakes!

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Breakfast Snack Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 14 minutesCook time: 16 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:161 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

These Taste Better From Scratch muffins we made rise to the perfect size and are light and airy. You can even eat the muffins right out of the oven or once cooled, or you can freeze them and reheat them for breakfast on a later day. You could even make different flavors of muffins such as zucchini, if pumpkin isn’t your favorite flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup butter or coconut butter, melted
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray (or line with muffin liners) and gather all ingredients.
   
   
2. 2. Whisk dry ingredients together: flour, cornstarch, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
   
   
3. 3. Mix wet ingredients together: eggs, melted butter, honey, and pumpkin puree.
   
   
4. 4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the pumpkin mixture and chocolate chips. Mix just until combined. (Do not over-mix).
   
   
5. 5. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full (or a little more if you want bigger muffins). Bake for 16 – 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   
   

Notes

• Freezing Instructions: Allow muffins to cool completely, then place them in a freezer safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Keywords:easy, made from scratch, health

Reference: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/skinny-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins/