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/

No-bake Protein Bars

Author: Wednesday Group 4 Courses:Breakfast, Gluten Free, Plant-based, Snack, Vegetarian Recipe Keys: M macro-friendly H high-protein C college-student

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: minutesSet Time: 25 minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:12 barsCalories:150 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

The recipe is high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber. For college students or college athletes, it is an easy on the go snack that can be prepared in advance and taken anywhere. College students/athletes are pressed for time and often go without eating or turn to fast, less nutritious options. This is a great on the go, nutrient dense option!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2 cups protein powder
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

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. Add to dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. 
4. Transfer protein bar batter into the lined baking dish and press firmly in place. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
5. Once firm, cut into bars and cover in optional chocolate and enjoy!

Notes

• TO STORE: Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Protein bars store well in the refrigerator, too! Let them sit at room temperature for several minutes before enjoying. 
  TO FREEZE: Freeze in a sealable container for up to 6 months. 

Keywords:easy, gluten-free, make-ahead, meal-prep, nutritious, protein, 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!

Cost Breakdown

Our Thoughts

You’ll find that this recipe is easy to follow and that cooking under gluten and dairy restrictions can be much simpler than it is sometimes made out to be. This crustless garden veggie quiche is an inexpensive, simple, and incredibly tasty meal option for breakfast, lunch or dinner that everyone can enjoy.

The process of making this meal went very smoothly. We never felt too overwhelmed and were able to enjoy our time in the kitchen. The baking time is a little long but is one hundred percent worth the wait. Preparing your ingredients by chopping vegetables and pre-measuring before starting to sauté the vegetables will be a huge help later on. Whenever you have multiple pans on the stove it is always a good idea to have your ingredients ready to go to avoid leaving anything on the heat for too long. We fell in love with this recipe and will definitely be making it again.

Pasta primavera is generally served at dinnertime but can be prepared for lunch as well. In the U.S. we tend to put a greater emphasis on the last meal of the day. So, if you plan to serve this for dinner, you may consider adding a side dish. Warm garlic bread goes well with most pastas and can be an enticing choice. The veggies in this dish make it colorful and nutritious. It is a great dish to share with people of any age. This meal may be served with grilled or shredded chicken to add flavor and additional protein. Or if desiring to eat vegetarian, it can be easily converted by substituting the poultry stock for an all-vegetable one.

Cost Breakdown

This pasta primavera is easy to prepare and pleasing to the eye. It is a wonderful way to sharpen your kitchen skills and boost your confidence in cooking. As a college student, it may be hard to establish cooking self-efficacy. But having a collection of reliable recipes you can return to will make you a more competent and effective cook. It is a perfect dish to return to time and time again. Since most items are cooked together in one big pot, it requires little prep work and minimal clean up. You can easily impress your dinner guests or save the leftovers for later. It only takes about 20 minutes to cook and 10 minutes to prepare.

Recipe Lightning Round

Reflection and Tips

Our goal in selecting and preparing this recipe was to appeal to the increasing number of college students and to the emerging young adults everywhere. We searched for a dish that included all the major food groups, could be prepared quickly, and that is budget-friendly. This recipe says that it makes 6 servings, and we found each portion to be quite generous. That makes this dish perfect if cooking for a group of roommates, or if you plan on saving/freezing it to be eaten over the period of several days or a few weeks. It’s the ultimate food planner’s choice.

Several skills can be learned and implemented throughout the preparation process of this dish, thus increasing one’s kitchen abilities and level of self-confidence. You will learn the different ways of cutting vegetables, and how to implement dry and moist heat cooking methods – through sautéing the onions and simmering the pasta to al dente. You will also mix up a creamy sauce and learn about appropriate seasoning.

We learned that there is minimal clean up required after cooking this pasta primavera. It is fun to cook with a group so that certain individuals can be chopping the vegetables while others prepare the broth and additional ingredients. As your noodles are simmering, you might consider preheating the oven and preparing a nice cheesy garlic bread to serve on the side.

As we were preparing this meal, we discovered some of the best ways of cubing cucumbers. Make sure to create a flat edge on each side to avoid rolling during the cutting process. We also substituted the chicken broth for chicken bouillon which we dissolved into hot water. It turned out fantastic and was much cheaper. After pouring in the broth, you may find that it doesn’t completely cover the noodles. Don’t worry about that. The vegetables shrink down, and it all softens and comes together quite nicely. Also keep in mind that you’ll be adding more liquid to the pot when pouring in the cream. We decided against adding the can of peas, and as a result the dish tasted fresher and lighter. We didn’t run into any difficulties preparing the meal or performing the cooking techniques, but we did have a slight problem with managing our time. We started preheating the oven too late and ended up broiling our garlic bread rather than baking it. That alteration allowed us to serve all components of the meal at the same time and while they were still hot.

Overall, we loved this dish because it is healthy, allows access to all the major food groups and does not go over budget. It smelled amazing and tasted just as good. It is a comfort food that can be served on almost any occasion. We would not make any alterations to the recipe; flavors were all there and it worked out quite nicely.

RESOURCES:

We found this recipe for Garlic bread very useful! https://bit.ly/FNGarlicBread

How can I start eating healthy when I’m in college?

I sent out a survey to some college aged individuals who attend various universities (primarily Utah State University and Texas A&M students) to figure out what most people struggle with to make a balanced diet. Most of the responses showed a high intake of meat and refined grains (think white rice, normal flour, white bread, etc.) and a low intake of vegetables and whole grains. Vegetables are jam-packed with nutrients our body needs. Whole grains are important to provide us with healthy carbs and fiber; certain grains are also a great source of protein and other nutrients. Young adults should be getting about 3-4 servings of vegetables a day. Young adults should also be getting about 8 servings of grains at least half of which should be whole grains. How can I start eating healthy when I’m in college?

So how does a college kid, or anyone low in time and on a budget, start to replace their high intake of meat and refined grains with vegetables and whole grains? One easy way to start is by changing the grains you buy. Many grains are in a similar price range as white rice but are much better for your diet. This recipe uses the grain quinoa but other grains like couscous, farro, amaranth or even brown rice can be used. They also take about the same amount of time to cook as white rice (sometimes even less time)

Vegetables can be a bit trickier because they can be expensive if you don’t plan them outright. The first step in figuring out how to incorporate vegetables is knowing what is in season. Along with buying in-season, vegetables (and fruits) can be bought out of season for a cheaper price if they are bought frozen or canned (if you buy canned make sure to look for a low sodium/sugar added option). You can also try buying vegetables that can be used for multiple recipes or snacks that week so none of them go to waste.

What is sustainable eating?

Sustainable eating is a practice that helps support sustainability in our food systems. Having sustainable food systems is important for the continued production of foods we have now, the cost of growing and producing food products, the environment/ global warming, our future generation’s ability to produce food, and more. Though sustainable eating is important, it does not mean you have to go completely vegan, eat organic foods, and never go to chick-fil-a again. There are many other ways to help with sustainability without completely changing your life or spending a ton of money.

Plant-based diets and meals are a growing popularity to help with sustainability. There are some amazing recipes online on how to make plant-based meals. Meals that are planted based tend to naturally be more nutrient-dense and include more fiber/vegetables/whole grains. An easy way to start implementing this is participating in meatless Monday or reducing your animal product intake to only 1or 2 meals a day.

Another way to save some money and help with sustainability is by buying local products. If you are living in Cache Valley a great example of doing this is buying dairy and dairy products that are produced/manufactured in the valley. This also goes for produce, meat, poultry, eggs, and pretty much anything that would have to be transported a long distance. Reducing the need for transportation helps with sustainability in multiple ways. Buying vegetables in season also helps with sustainability in part because of transportation but also because additional resources are needed to grow out of season produce.

Cost Breakdown

Ingredient	Amount	Ap Unit Cost	Recipe Ingredient Cost
Chickpea	1 Tbsp	0.72/ 16 oz can	0.72
Olive Oil	1 Tbsp	2.52/ 16.9 oz (~33 Tbsp)	0.08
Garlic Powder	1 tsp	0.318/ 1 oz (1 oz~6 tsp)	0.06
Italian Seasoning	1/2 tsp	0.286/ 1 oz (1 oz~6 tsp)	0.02
Salt and Pepper	To taste	–	–
Total Recipe Cost	–	–	0.88
Cost Per Serving (1)	–	–	0.88

Ingredient	Amount	AP Unit Cost	Recipe Ingredient Cost
Quinoa	2 cups uncooked	2.59/ 1lb (0.41 lb~ 1 cup)	2.12
Vegetable 1 (cherry tomatoes)	16 oz (48 tomatoes)	1.48/ 10 oz (~30 tomatoes)	2.40
Vegetable 2 (large cucumber)	2	0.87/ cucumber	1.74
Hummus	3/4	2.98/ 14 oz container (~28 Tbsp)	1.32
Lemon juice	6 tsp	.98/4.5 oz (~27 tsp)	0.24
Salt and pepper	To taste	–	–
Feta Cheese (optional)	6 oz (~12 Tbsp)	5.88/12 oz (~24 Tbsp)	2.94
Roasted Chickpeas (optional)	1 serving (1.5 cups)	0.85/ 1 serving	0.88
Total Recipe Cost	–	–	7.82
Cost per serving (6)	–	–	1.30
Total Recipe cost (with optional ingredients)	–	–	11.64
Cost per serving (with optional ingredients) (6)	–	–	1.95

Cost of Eating Healthy/Sustainably

There are so many different ways to save money on food out there so for now I’m going to focus on ways to save for this recipe. Buy vegetables in-season really is a change saver. For this recipe, the two vegetables used are cucumbers and tomatoes. Both tend to be in season July-November. But this recipe can be used year-round with other vegetables. For example, broccoli and carrots are both in season when cucumbers and tomatoes are not and could be used for the two vegetables. Another way to save money is buying things in bulk and not buying name-brand products. For this recipe, the quinoa could be bought at a store like Winco which has a huge bulk foods section where you can get the exact amount of what you are looking for. You can also buy in bulk for the seasonings, salt, and pepper. When trying to reduce the cost of lemon juice and feta cheese the best option is to buy the cheapest brand. If you are making the option roasted chickpeas an easy way to reduce the price is to buy dry chickpeas in bulk instead of canned but this does require extra time and knowledge on how to cook dry chickpeas.

This meal is a healthy and sustainable option that is filling and not too expensive. Shown above is a cost breakdown of the main recipe and the optional addition of roasted chickpeas. The grain bowl costs only $1.95 per serving and might be less depending on what/when ingredients are bought.

References and Resources
Here is a link with some additional things that can be done to help sustainable
food systems. https://www.greenamerica.org/good-food-gone-local/9-ways-
support-sustainable-food None of these has to be done to 100% to be helpful if
you can only implement some of these things occasionally it is better than
nothing.

This link talks about sustainability and plant-based eating.
https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/food-systems/the-case-for-plant-based/ and
this link give some recipes for those living a college lifestyle to start plant-based
eating. https://theveganatlas.com/16-easy-vegan-meals-to-make-in-your-
college-dorm-kitchen/

This website has a chart to see what common vegetables are in season.
https://www.cooksmarts.com/articles/vegetables-month-infographic-
eatmoreveggies/

Here is a great resource for replacing rice with other grains.
https://longevitylive.com/anti-aging/grain-alternative/

This website has a resource where you can figure out your specific
recommendations for different food groups and has general tips for adding food
groups into your diet. https://www.myplate.gov/

https://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/123403-consumer-sustainable-
eating-considerations-continue-to-rise
https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/snack-ideas-
recipes/easy-garlic-herb-roasted-chickpeas-recipe

One of the main issues for college students is not having enough time to eat healthily on
a budget. With this in mind we decided to make a recipe full of vegetables that tastes good, helps students get the nutrients they need, and doesn’t take much time or money. This Budget-Bytes vegetable fried rice recipe is something simple that many students will go out of their way to buy at a restaurant. However, fast food options cost more per serving (ours is only $1.13) and take more time than you would realize, due to driving there and waiting in line.

On the flip side, we were able to get this done in about 30 minutes, even faster than a
takeout delivery! Like we mention in the video linked below, this recipe really isn’t too hard to make. The recipe instructions are straightforward and all it takes is washing and cutting the vegetables, cracking/whisking eggs, heating oil, and sauteeing it all together with rice! We’ll give you more details below

This recipe can be done even quicker with various strategies like prepping vegetables
beforehand or using pre-minced garlic and ginger paste (or the powdered forms). Another thing that helps is to make the rice ahead of time (the day before) and refrigerate it overnight. Something interesting to note is that leftover/day-old rice is actually better for this recipe than fresh rice because it’s less sticky.

Cost Breakdown

Take a look at the cost breakdown for this meal:

Preparation Techniques

All the preparation and cooking techniques for this recipe are super simple- great for
college students just getting into cooking. All you’ll need is a knife, cutting board, stovetop or induction burner, a few bowls or plates, and one pan (or wok, if you have one). Once the
vegetables are cut up, the process is pretty quick moving! So go ahead and get in the zone to chop those veggies and get cooking! If you wanted to dirty one less bowl, the rice could be pushed to one side of the pan after toasting with the garlic and ginger and you can scramble the egg on the other side of the pan.

Take it to Another Level

In our kitchen, cooking sustainably and keeping it budget-friendly is important to us!
So here are a handful of possible options to lift some weight o your wallet while still enjoying what you eat:

• Sustainability: Use whatever vegetables you have that may go bad in your fridge! Broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and zucchini would all make a great addition to this simple veggie-lled recipe! You could also add in some leftover chicken, ham, or even lunch meat for some extra protein.
• Easier additions: A frozen stir-fry mix could replace whole, fresh ingredients to make prep easier and cut down the cost even more! If grating ginger is too much of a hassle, feel free to replace the fresh ginger with the powdered form or ginger paste (although it can be quite expensive), the same thing with garlic (possibly a jar of minced garlic).
• Budget-friendly options: As mentioned above, a frozen stir-fry mix would be cheaper than buying individual, fresh vegetables. The SNAC pantry on campus has lots of groceries available to students for free! Rice is a staple in the SNAC pantry and could cut down the cost even more. SNAC also carries a variety of produce, meat, and canned goods that you could substitute to make things even cheaper.
• Tips and tricks: use long grain white rice to avoid clumpy, sticky, fried rice. If you prefer spicy fried rice- feel free to add sriracha, chili powder, or red pepper akes when cooking your vegetables! If you want a lower sodium meal, make sure to use a low sodium soy sauce as well as watch how much salt you add in. The seasonings we used were super flexible, so feel free to measure with your heart, and add in what you like!

References: https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegetable-not-fried-rice/

This meal can be enjoyed as both as a quick lunch or dinner, only taking 5 minutes overall to prepare and about 10 minutes to cook. Stir fry is a simple Chinese sautéing method that has been used for years. Stir fry is a very beginner friendly meal and great to feed a whole family (serving 10) or can be reduced simply to feed just an individual. We recommend in late summer and early fall because more fresh vegetables are harvested, but can easily be enjoyed year-round.

Cost Breakdown

This McCormick vegetable stir fry recipe by Chef Janice is very budget friendly because each of these vegetables are fairly inexpensive. The spices can be purchased as generic brands which makes them a little cheaper. Here is a cost breakdown:

Tips to make this cheaper:

• Generic brands may be more budget-friendly than purchasing name brands for the sauce, oil, and seasoning.
• It may cost less to buy two (8 oz) bags of sugar snap peas rather than purchasing the 16 oz bag.
• Purchase a small bottle of vegetable oil rather than a large.

References: https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/salads-sides/stir-fry-vegetables?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhoqtwNno-wIVKAGtBh199QU1EAAYASAAEgLcEfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This recipe impressed me on a few different fronts; it tastes delicious, is simple to make, and is an economical choice for college students. Usually when I make meals from websites, I find myself dedicated to the kitchen for at least a few hours. This recipe on the other hand only required 10 minutes of preparation and the results outweigh the required effort.

Cost Breakdown

Making the Vinaigrette

Besides the lemon zest, juice, and minced garlic, everything else was simple to measure out and add to the blender container. For those who have never zested a lemon before, all you simply have to do is lightly run the exterior of a lemon back and forth on a grating surface. You can buy zesters specifically for this purpose, but I used the smallest grate setting on a cheese grater, and it worked just fine! I find it much easier and less stressful to get everything gathered and measured out prior to starting the production of the recipe. Luckily all of the ingredients required for this recipe were readily available and cheap. Because I am a college student, I didn’t have access to many small bowls to store my ingredients for a proper mise en place. For the sake of demonstration, I added the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to a measuring cup and the remaining ingredients to a bowl. I would recommend simply adding everything directly into the blender container to limit the number of dishes that need to be cleaned.

Garlic Preparation

For me, dealing with garlic was the most difficult aspect of this recipe. It can make surfaces sticky, it is hard to peel, and smells very strong. Despite this, I learned in recent years a very easy method to separate the clove from its peel. I found it is best to lay your chef’s knife on top a clove of garlic parallel to your cutting board and press firmly on the flat blade. The skin will come right off after that. After this, you can simply rock your knife back and forth until you get a very small dice similar in size to the picture below (smaller is better).

Emuslification

After all the ingredients are in the container, all you have to do is blend it. As you have likely figured out due to past experience, oil and water don’t mix very well; they will usually separate and form distinct layers. This is due to the difference in polarity in polar (things like water and vinegar) substances and non-polar (fats, oils) substances. Even though this property can stop vinaigrettes from being uniform, there is a solution. Emulsification can be utilized to bring together substances of opposing polarities together to create one cohesive product. With the presence of high speeds and an emulsifier (Dijon mustard in the case of this recipe), we can make a delicious vinaigrette.

Cost

As I mentioned earlier, this recipe is incredibly cheap to make and is perfect for college students wanting to add something new to their salads on a cheap budget. There are a few things you can do to keep the cost low and possibly even make this recipe for less money. For example, you can purchase all ingredients from generic brands. You can also purchase ingredients like salt, black pepper, and olive oil in bulk. These items will be cheaper when purchased in larger quantities and will last a long time before they go bad. This recipe calls for oregano in either dry or fresh form. Another way to save money would be to grow oregano in a garden and use it for this recipe. You could also buy a small potted oregano plant and use the leaves for other recipes as well! Remember that the ratio between dry and fresh herbs is 1:3 when considering replacing one with the other. Unfortunately, none of the ingredients in this recipe are available at the Aggie SNAC pantry, but this recipe is still cheap to make!

Overall, the total cost of this recipe is $3.63 and with 8, 1 oz servings, the cost of each serving comes out to $0.45. Below I have included a detailed cost breakdown of all the ingredients required for this recipe. All prices are based off current prices at Smith’s Grocery store (Kroger brand).

My Thoughts

I really enjoy this recipe! I am not one to eat salads too often, but this vinaigrette has helped encourage me to get more greens into my diet. I would suggest serving it on any leafy green mix and with your favorite salad toppings. I personally just ate it with croutons, and I was satisfied, but you could also add fruits or nuts to improve the flavor profile. I don’t really have any suggestions as to ways to improve this recipe drastically. Perhaps it would be even better to use fresh oregano rather than dried, but that’s something I’ll have to try out in the future!

Cost Calculator

This recipe makes one serving, so the total cost is the same as an individual serving cost. This recipe is easy to double if cooking for more people, but does not make very good leftovers. There are a few ways to make this recipe more budget friendly. The thing that will have the largest impact is the type of ramen you buy. There is a wide variety of instant ramen to buy, and the generic maruchan or top ramen brands are generally the cheapest. Sapporo or other brands, while they taste better, cost more. Buying a pack of 24 ramen packages will lead to a lower unit price as well, as opposed to buying singular packages. Another way to reduce cost is to use frozen broccoli instead of fresh broccoli, and steaming it in the microwave. This recipe only uses a small portion of a head of broccoli and a package of spinach. Don’t just use them for this recipe! Plan to make other recipes that use broccoli or spinach to reduce food waste. None of these items were listed as ingredients that the SNAC pantry was offering.

I make this recipe often and use different variations. One thing I do sometimes that allows the egg to cook faster is to crack it into the pot and cook it more like a poached egg and then add the ramen noodles to the same pot once it begins to boil and reduce the heat. An issue I run into with this is some pots are ridiculously hard to clean after cooking an egg this way which defeats the purpose of a quick meal. Another issue is different amounts of broccoli cook for different amounts of time, so it is important to check it every now and then to ensure it doesn’t burn.

This recipe is very versatile, and the cost can vary a lot depending on what ingredients are used. Buying ramen in packages of 12 or 24 significantly reduces the cost. There are also many different types of ramen noodles. Lotus Foods sells a kind of ramen made from millet and brown rice that is significantly more nutrient dense and sustainable, but also more expensive than the typical Maruchan or Top Ramen. Another way to mix it up is to use other vegetables in place of the broccoli! A fun way to prepare the egg is by frying it in a separate pan. If you break the yolk it cooks very quickly.

General information:

• Time management during preparation went pretty well. The way the recipe works tends to help all the ingredients be ready at the right time.
• It was very easy to find the ingredients needed for this recipe! All of the ingredients are pretty standard ingredients and grocery stores.
• I did not make any alterations to lower the cost, but I did make sure to try to buy the cheapest type of each ingredient.
• The cooking techniques for this recipe are pretty simple, just make sure not to forget about the broccoli in the oven

I love this recipe! One thing to note about it is that this recipe does not keep very well. Refrigerating and reheating ramen noodles gives them a weird texture and the liquid gets too absorbed into the noodles. This is best served hot, right when it is off of the stove. I like putting some spinach on the bottom of the bowl before the noodles and then some on top of the noodles with the broccoli and egg, and then pouring the broth over it all. It is an easy recipe to adjust for different numbers of servings. Some fun ideas to change it up would be to experiment with other vegetables and greens! Happy cooking!

Cost Breakdown

This dish doesn’t take much time, but it does require a bit of prep. The part that takes the longest is slicing your potatoes. If you’re not extremely skilled with your knife, that’s okay! If the potato slices aren’t as thin as you’d like, all that means is that you might have to cook the dish just a bit longer until the potatoes are fork tender.

One thing I really love about this dish is how flexible it is! I added in some spices that I like (I used an italian seasoning blend, and some dried chives). Feel free to use whatever you have on hand to spice it up a bit! I also have an extreme sensitivity to gluten, so I simply replaced the regular flour with gluten free flour when making the cheese sauce. And if you are a super cheesy person, don’t shy away! You can always add more cheese on top. Like I said, this dish is SUPER flexible so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit!

I also used a 9×13 pan because that’s what I had on hand. This just made the dish less thick with not as many layers.

Now one thing to note about this recipe is that it does take some time in the oven, so it does take a bit of planning. But with an hour in the oven it is an easy thing to stick in the oven and work on something else while it is cooking. Just remember to set your timer!

Budget friendly tips

1. Buy in bulk (especially with potatoes). If you buy more potatoes, the cheaper they are and potatoes save fairly well so you can buy more
2. Buy generic brands (works great for flour, butter, and cheese). Generic brands will be much cheaper than the name brands, and since the cheese is melted into a roux you really can’t tell a difference
3. Use whatever seasoning you have – I like to use italian seasoning because that’s what I normally have on hand, feel free to use what you already have to season your potatoes
4. Flour and dry milk can be found in USU’s SNAC pantry
5. The recipe can easily be doubled or cut in half if those options are more sustainable for you. You can add in an extra cheese if you have some that might go bad soon, or you can buy potatoes by the pound in smaller amounts as well.

I really enjoy this dish, and it really does fit into the crazy college student life. This dish is also easily customizable. You can add just about any topping you would like. Some ideas include bacon or onions. This dish can easily be paired with some veggies, like broccoli or asparagus if desired, or you could add in some ham chunks to make it a more filling meal and a stand-alone dish. The possibilities are endless, it just takes a bit of creativity!