Trying to eat something appetizing that’s not just instant ramen or another sad frozen dinner? As a college student on a tight schedule and even tighter budget, finding a delicious, satisfying meal that doesn’t break the bank or take hours to prepare can feel impossible sometimes, especially if you’re one of the lucky ones that gets to live with food allergies such as myself. But what if we told you there’s a recipe that’s quick, super budget-friendly, naturally gluten and dairy free, and is easily tweaked for any other food sensitivities? Get ready to transform your dorm-room dining with this incredible Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice Bowl recipe by Laura on delish.com—it’s the perfect weeknight meal that proves you don’t need a culinary degree (or a huge wallet) to eat well!

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Your first step when cooking should always be to gather your ingredients and supplies. “Mise en place” is a French culinary term that means everything in its place. This is important when cooking, especially in college, to make sure you have all the ingredients you will need. For this recipe, you will need chicken breasts, basmati rice, black beans, corn, mayonnaise, cherry tomatoes, a bundle of cilantro, limes, an avocado, taco seasoning, as well as an assortment of spices. Once those ingredients are gathered, you are ready to get started!

First, start by making the cilantro lime rice. You can use a rice cooker or a medium saucepan. To use the saucepan, add 1 3/4 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 cups of basmati rice. Bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let that simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, usually about 17 minutes. After starting the rice, you can chop the limes, avocados and tomatoes and store them somewhere cold to top the bowl at the end.

While the rice is cooking, or beforehand, prepare the aioli. Start by finely chopping the cilantro. Once chopped, set aside 1/2 cup for the cilantro lime rice, and add 2 Tbsp to a medium bowl. Mince the jalapeno, measure 1 Tbsp, and add to the bowl. Next, juice the limes. Measure and set aside 2 Tbsp for the rice, and add 1 1/2 tsp to the aioli. Lastly, add 1/8th tsp of garlic powder, 2 tsp of water, and 1/4 cup of mayo. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Next, prepare the chicken. Start by cutting off any fatty parts, and slice the breast lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Then cut the strips into 1/2 inch cubes.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, and season with seasonings of your choice. Taco seasoning, or a combination of paprika, garlic powder, and pepper are great options! Cook through, turning occasionally until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the chicken is cooking, finish the rice by adding the previously set aside 1/2 cup cilantro, and 2 Tbsp Lime juice. Add 1 tsp of olive oil and salt. Fluff with a fork, and stir to combine. Keep warm.

Once chicken is finished cooking, remove to a plate.

Return the skillet to medium and add the corn. Cook corn, tossing occasionally until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape onto a plate.

Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and taco seasoning. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the black beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Once all the ingredients are cooked, it’s time to assemble the bowl.

Fill a shallow bowl with rice. Top with corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken. Drizzle each bowl with aioli and garnish with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice Bowl

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Boiling Cuisine:Mexican Courses:Dinner Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 35 minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:18.12 $Calories:906 kcal Best Season:Summer, Fall

Ingredients

Cilantro Rice

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp olive oil

Cilantro-Lime Aioli

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp jalapeno, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Bowl

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups chicken breast, cooked and cut into strips or cubes
• 2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/2 tsp taco seasoning
• 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Instructions

1. Make rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 1/2 cups rice with 1 ¾ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 17 minutes.
2. Remove rice from the heat and let cool slightly. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, and 1 tsp olive oil.
3. Meanwhile, make aioli: In a medium bowl, whisk 1/4 cup mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp cilantro, 1 Tbsp mined jalapeno, 1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice, 1/8 tsp garlic power and 2 teaspoons of water. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cube chicken. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, add chicken and season with the seasonings of your choice, we found cumin or the extra taco seasoning is really yummy! Cook through, turning occasionally until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove to a plate.
5. Return the skillet to medium and add the corn. Cook corn, tossing occasionally until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape onto a plate.
6. Add remaining tbsp of olive oil to skillet and 1 1/2 tsp taco seasoning. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the black beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
7. Fill a shallow bowl with rice. Top with corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken. Drizzle each bowl with aioli and garnish with cilantro.

Video

Notes

• We found you may need a tbsp more lime juice in the rice.
  Don’t forget to taste as you cook! Make it your own and have fun!

Keywords:Allergy-friendly, budget-friendly, college student, nutritious, quick dinners

This is a recipe to look forward to eating and it will allow you to show off your culinary skills to your friends. Do you know someone that has dietary restrictions such as dairy or gluten? You can easily make minor substitutions to a few ingredients without devaluing the flavor or satisfaction of this dish so it works for anyone.

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Follow these steps to make your Mexican Chicken Burrito Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add chicken to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
2. Add in diced bell peppers.
3. Add the uncooked rice.
4. Sprinkle in the fajita seasoning and cayenne pepper.
5. Add the diced onions.
6. In a separate bowl whisk together the chicken broth, green chilies, tomato paste, and olive oil. Add the broth mixture to the baking dish and stir to combine with the rice mixture.
7. Add the corn.
8. Add the black beans.
9. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 65-70 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
10. Remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the foil, and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese. Return baking dish to oven for 5-10 additional minutes until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

The slide show below shows each step as the burrito casserole is assembled for baking.

Easy Chicken Burrito Casserole

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:Mexican Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:300 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

This recipe by Haute and Healthy Living is a casserole dish that incorporates all the common and popular ingredients of Mexican food, such as seasonings, rice, chicken, some spices. It is easy because it is done using one dish, which is thrown into the oven to cook.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced, for flavor
• 1 red bell pepper, diced, adds a nice color.
• 1 cup uncooked parboiled long-grain brown rice (can also use long-grain white rice)
• 3 Tbsp fajita seasoning, either homemade or store-bought fajita seasoning mix will do!
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 cup corn, frozen
• 1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups shredded chicken (we used canned chicken, 3 cans, to save on price)
• 3 cups chicken broth, important for the rice
• 1 (4 oz) can mild green chilies, will give this easy burrito casserole Southwestern flavor.
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, just use a little to help prevent the rice from sticking together.
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste, full of rich flavor, tomato paste helps to give more flavor to the rice.
• 1 1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, over the top for a perfect cheesy crust.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, green chiles, tomato paste, and olive oil until well combined.
3. Add onion, bell pepper, uncooked rice, fajita seasoning, cayenne (if using), shredded chicken, black beans, and corn to the baking dish.
4. Add the broth mixture to the baking dish and stir to combine with the rice mixture. Give it an additional stir until well combined.
5. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and then transfer to the oven to bake for 65-70 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
6. Once complete, remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the aluminum foil, and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese. Return the baking dish to the oven for a final 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.
7. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, green onion, salsa, and avocado, if desired.

Notes

• For faster baking time: cook the rice partially or fully before adding to the pan.
• Alternatively, you can cook in a crockpot, by placing all the ingredients from step 3 in a crockpot.

Keywords:budget-friendly, casserole dinner, easy dinner, gluten-free, Mexican

Recipe Making Process

1. Gather your ingredients

Let’s get a head start on a meal or two for your week. You can rest easy knowing this is probably the hardest part about this recipe… and even ingredient searching isn’t going to be tedious. Just get a hold of these things and you’ll be ready to make this Friendship Soup when you’ve got a few minutes, and we meant it; it’s only a small amount of cooking.

First, check out what seasonings and oil you have. Hopefully you have these staples on hand, but if not, seasonings are only about a dollar at the store for a bottle. Make sure to add them to your list if you need.

• Salt 
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Italian seasoning 
• Bay Leaf

The biggest money saver here is to look for resources available to you as a student. We sourced a lot of the rest of the ingredients from the Utah State University Student Nutrition Access Center, or SNAC Pantry. If that isn’t something available to you, a great option at Walmart or other stores is to go with the generic brand instead of big names! The best part about this soup is that almost everything is dry or canned, meaning you can keep what you don’t use this week for another meal rotation without the ingredients going bad. 

Here’s what you’ll want to grab from your resource center or store to make this soup: 

• Green split peas 
• Medium pearl barley
• Dried lentils
• Long grain rice
• Macaroni (or your choice of another small pasta)
• A can of diced tomatoes

What you might need to buy from the store: 

• Beef bouillon cubes (if you don’t already own any)
• Dried minced onion (if you don’t already own any)
• Optional add-in: ground beef

*A great way to source beef or any meat would be to check with local butchers or farmers. Sometimes they have great deals or can help you source your meat a little more sustainably and close to the source!

Great! Whenever you’re ready to hop into cooking head on to the next step.

2. Mise en place

So, it’s time to make your friendship soup. This is a great time to practice cooking in a way that is going to be smooth, efficient, and timely. Mise en place means “everything in its place”. This technique includes doing things to prepare everything you need for the recipe that can be done before the actual cooking begins. Think measuring out ingredients, chopping everything you need, or pulling out all the equipment you might need for your meal.

What does this look like when making Friendship Soup in your little kitchen? Actually, it’ll be pretty quick and easy prep. 

1. Measure your dry pasta and set it aside to add in later. We don’t want these to cook as long as the rest of the ingredients or they will be way too soggy and overdone!

• ½ cup Macaroni or other small pasta

2. Measure out all of your ingredients for the “Soup Mix”. These can all go in a bowl and wait until you’re ready to add it into your soup. You can also prepare this soup mix (have your pasta portioned out on top) in 1 ½ pint jars and keep them in storage. They are shelf stable for up to three months! Then you can make this soup whenever you need.

• ¼ cup dried green split peas
• ⅛ cup medium pearl barley
• ¼ cup dried lentils
• ¼ cup long grain rice

Seasonings also in the soup mix: 

• 8 tsp beef bouillon paste or cubes
• ⅛ cup dried minced onion
• One bay leaf
• 1 tsp italian seasoning

3. Have your can of tomatoes and water ready to go. You can put these directly into your pot. Make sure you use a liquid measuring cup for your water! It makes it a lot easier and more accurate.

• ½ can diced tomatoes (DON’T drain these!)
• 1 ½ quarts water

4. Portion out your ground beef. If you aren’t going to use the rest of your meat soon, go ahead and put the rest in a freezer bag to pull out later! You can also use frozen meat for this recipe, but pull it out the day before to thaw in your fridge. 

• ½ pound ground beef

3. Cooking! 

Now you’re ready to go! 

1. Put water, tomatoes (undrained), and soup mix into a large pot on high heat. You can use a large sauce pan or even a small stock pot.

2. Bring your mixture to a boil. You know it’s boiling when there are constant, large moving bubbles that roll the ingredients around. If there’s just a few bubbles or very small, occasional ones, you’re not quite boiling yet. 

3. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 45 minutes. Some stovetops have a simmer label on the knob, but if not, shoot for low heat. Simmering happens at 185-200 degrees; if you really want to double check, you can use a thermometer to see that it’s simmering. You’ll want to stir it occasionally so your grains and beans don’t stick to the bottom. 

4. Add in pasta and simmer for 15-20 more minutes. As it gets closer to time, go ahead and double check the doneness of all your dried ingredients. The pasta, peas, barley, and lentils should all be tender when you test it with a fork. 

5. Make sure to taste test your soup! This is a very important part of the process to make sure it tastes how you want. If it’s too bland, you can add a small amount of salt (about ⅛ tsp at a time) and taste between. However, with all the bouillon in this recipe, we found that it didn’t need any more salt! If it’s too salty for you, add in a small amount of water (about ¼ cup at a time).

6. While this simmers, cook your ground beef. Make sure you have 8 oz (1/2 lb) of raw meat. Then, in a pan, drizzle a small amount (about a teaspoon) of olive oil and heat it on Medium High heat. Break up the meat with a spatula and stir frequently. 

7. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Once there’s no more pink and it’s plenty crumbled (we don’t want huge chunks in our soup), your meat is done. You can taste test it once it’s cooked through.

8. Add ground beef to your soup. Mix in the meat and taste it again!

9. Find the bay leaf and take it out. It’s good at helping add flavor to the soup while simmering, but you don’t want the leaf in your bowl of soup. 

10. And you’re done! Scoop your soup into a bowl with a ladle. 

4. Presentation Tips

If you want to make your creation look beautiful in a bowl or for your friends (I mean, it is friendship soup after all), here’s a few quick plating tips. 

• Consider putting your bowl on top of the plate for stability and style (that’s what we did!).
• Make some cheesy toast, garlic bread, or slice a baguette on a plate beside or across the edge of the bowl.
• Garnish the soup with a sprig of parsley.
• Arrange some sliced fruit on the side of the plate for a pop of color. 

5. Enjoy!

Eat up and feel all the comforts that friendship soup brings!

Friendship Soup

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Simmering Saute or Brown Meat (if used) Cuisine:American Courses:Dairy Free Lunch Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Friendship soup is a budget-friendly, quick, and easy meal that is both nutritious and delicious. It is great for college students who are looking to improve their eating choices and cooking skills in the kitchen.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dried green split peas
• 8 teaspoons beef bouillon granules/8 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/8 cup medium pearl barley
• 1/4 cup dried lentils
• 1/8 cup dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1/2 cup uncooked macaroni/other small pasta
• 1.5 quarts water
• 1/2 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Ground Beef Ingredients (Optional)

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt (if desired)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper (if desired)

Instructions

Friendship Soup Directions

1. Set the pasta aside.
2. Combine the water, tomatoes, and soup mix* and bring it to a boil.

*Soup mix= peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion, Italian seasoning, and rice.

3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Stir in the reserved pasta; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta, peas, barley and lentils are tender.
5. Cook the ground beef and add it to the soup pot.

Ground Beef Instructions

6. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot.
7. Add the ground beef and, using a spatula, press the beef into an even, flat layer in the pan, almost like you’re making a big hamburger.
8. Let it cook untouched for 4 minutes. This is what helps create a brown crust.
9. Start to break apart the meat, flipping it over.
10. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it into clumps until cooked through, 4-5 more minutes.
11. Season with salt and pepper, if using. Stir.
12. Remove from heat and use as desired.

Video

Notes

• Tips:
• For an even quicker cooking time, you can precook the meat, portion it off into sections, and place it in the freezer for a more convenient and rapid cooking process in the future. 
  The recipe can also be altered to be vegetarian friendly. You can either remove the meat or you can replace it with a vegetarian option, like chickpeas or other legumes. The bouillon may also be swapped out for a vegetable-based option.
• Nutrition Facts
  1 cup: 166 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 883mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 4g fiber), 10g protein.

Keywords:budget-friendly, delicious, easy, healthy eating, Meal prep, Nutrient Dense

Cost Breakdown

Sheet pan meals are the perfect meal for a busy college student! This only uses a few dishes so you won’t be the roommate leaving a bunch of dishes in the sink. The hardest thing you will do is setting a timer and making sure you are adding ingredients at the right time.

While shopping for this recipe at your nearest grocery store you can mix and match different ingredients that suit your tastes and budget. You can pick between regular or sweet potatoes, and try different types of protein like turkey, chicken, or beef — even mix in different veggies to spice it up! Anything can work for this recipe, even the weird ingredients hiding in the back of your fridge.

Recipe Making Process

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, then chop your ingredients. Slice your sausage into coins, potatoes into quarters and broccoli into even sized florets.

Step 2:

Mix up your spices and glaze. Mix potatoes with half of the glaze and spread onto a sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes.

While that is cooking, put the rest of the glaze on the broccoli.

Step 3:

Put the sausage coins onto the pan and cook for another 10 minutes.

Then add broccoli onto the pan and cook for another 15 minutes.

Step 4:

Once your final timer has gone off, use a fork to test a potato wedge to ensure tenderness. Once it is to your liking you can take it out of the oven and enjoy your nutritious meal and still have the brain power to ace those midterms!

Easy Sheet Pan Meal

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Roasting Cuisine:American Courses:Dinner Lunch

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time: 50 minutesCooking Temp:450 FServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:12.00 $Calories:521 kcal Best Season:Summer, Fall

Description

This easy roasted sheet pan meal inspired by Kaylyn’s Kitchen is loaded with veggies and protein, and quick for anyone to make!

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, cut into medium sized cubes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pkg. (4-5 links) pre-cooked chicken, turkey, or pork sausage (about 14-16oz. sausage)
• 1 lbs broccoli, trimmed and cut apart to make about 3/4 pound broccoli pieces
• salt and additional fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Slice sausage in coins, potatoes into wedges, and broccoli into even sized
   florets
3. Mix together glaze from oil, vinegar, and spices. coat the potatoes in half of the glaze and spread onto pan. Roast potatoes for 15 minutes.
4. After potatoes have roasted add sausage onto pan and bake for 10 more minutes.
   Coat the broccoli in the rest of the glaze
5. Add broccoli to pan after sausage has roasted and roast for 15 minutes.
6. After the final timer has gone off, take out of the oven and serve.

Keywords:budget-friendly, inexpensive, nutritious, quick dinners, sheet pan, simple, vegetable meal

Cost Breakdown

Process

• This recipe has a ton of variations! There are so many optional ingredients that you can load these breakfast egg muffins with to accommodate different dietary needs! We chose to use shredded ham, spinach, and Swiss cheese, but feel free to use whatever add-ins you already have in the fridge at home. By following this approach, you can prepare a meal that is both more budget-friendly and minimizes food waste. 

• Before you begin cooking, gather and prepare all your ingredients and tools in advance. This will help streamline the process, ensuring efficiency and preventing unnecessary movement around the kitchen.  

• Preparation (Mise en Place): Preheat your oven to 375* F. Chop/grate the ingredients you will be using. In this picture we grated the Swiss cheese, and chopped the spinach and ham.

• Once you have finished chopping and grating the ingredients you have chosen for the egg muffins, it is time to measure the ingredients that go into the food processor. This will be the eggs (10), cottage cheese (½ cup), salt (½ tsp), and pepper (¼ tsp). Throw these ingredients into the food processor and begin blending until smooth. You don’t want any chunks from the cottage cheese left in the mixture.  

• Once the mixture is smooth, pour it into a different bowl and add in the ham (1 cup), Swiss cheese (½ cup), and Spinach (½ cup). Mix these ingredients gently by stirring with a spoon. (See how to do this down below in the video) Once all mixed in, generously spray or coat muffin tin with oil. If you don’t have a muffin tin, you could also put the mixture into a baking pan. Another option would be to use cupcake liners to minimize sticking. Below is a video showing you how:

• The egg mixture will rise in the oven, so only each one ¾ full. Put the pan in the oven for about 18 minutes, or until they are no longer wet in the middle and golden brown on the top and edge. 

• When you remove the egg muffins from the oven, they will puff up but naturally deflate as they cool—this is completely normal. Once they have fully cooled, they are ready to enjoy!

• Here’s a helpful tip: If you plan to freeze or refrigerate the egg muffins, slightly undercook them. They should be fully set in the middle but not golden brown on the outside. This prevents them from overcooking and developing an unpleasant texture when reheated in the microwave. 

Breakfast Egg Muffins

Author: GroupThree Courses:Lunch, Dinner Breakfast

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 18 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesCooking Temp:190 CServings:6 servingsEstimated Cost:8.81 $Calories:137 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Breakfast egg muffins offer super easy meal prep for someone on a tight budget. These are quick, easy, and perfect for an on-the-go breakfast!

Ingredients

• 10 Large Eggs
• 1/2 C. Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1.5 C. chopped or shredded add-ins (this recipe uses 1 C. diced ham and 1/2 C. spinach)
• 1/2 C. Swiss Cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Finely chop or shred your chosen add-in ingredients. Add 2 Tbsp of add-ins to each well of a non-stick 12 muffin tin. If your non-stick pan is older or the finish is a bit worn, you may want to grease the wells first with butter or oil.
2. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper to a large blender. Purée for about 30 seconds or until smooth. With a spoon, stir in shredded Swiss cheese, chopped ham, and chopped spinach.
3. Spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray. Pour the egg mixture into the wells of the muffin tin, dividing evenly between each well. It should fill them almost to the top.
4. Bake the egg muffins in the preheated oven for 18 minutes, or just until the centers no longer look wet, and they are barely golden around the edges. Avoid overcooking them or they’ll become spongy. They’ll puff up quite a bit as they bake and deflate as they cool. This is normal.
5. Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin just enough to handle, then loosen them gently with a knife and remove them from the tin. Allow the egg muffins to finish cooling on a wire rack. Enjoy warm or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Keywords:budget-friendly, easy breakfast, egg, protein muffin, Quick breakfast, variability

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Step 1:

Gather all your ingredients as seen in the image below. Once all ingredients are gathered, measure out what you need and chop the onion. Gathering and preparing all your ingredients is called mise en place and it will make your cooking process smooth and efficient. 

Image Disclaimer: The ingredients shown are equivalent to the recipe halved.

Chopping an onion can be a fairly easy process. Start by slicing off the top of the onion. Then, cut the onion in half lengthwise and remove the outer skin. Next, you will make horizontal cuts into the half onion. You can then start your vertical cuts. If you need more help on chopping an onion this video is a great resource! Cut until you reach the root of the onion and then set aside your chopped onion. The whole onion half can be used as a topping if desired. Now, roll up your sleeves cause it is time to cook! 

To start, use either a food processor or a knife and cutting board. If you are low on funds and don’t have access to a food processor, a knife will do the same thing. With a knife, you will take your chopped onion and mince it. Once the onion is minced, set it aside and do the same to your garlic, chipotle, and beans. Do not mince the beans completely, but rather leave them partially chopped. Leaving the beans partially chopped allows for an interest factor in the texture.

If you do have a food processor in your kitchen, the previous steps become more simple. Add the onion, garlic, and chipotle to the bowl. Pulse until the ingredients are minced. Once the ingredients are minced add in the beans and pulse until the beans are partially chopped. 

Step 2:

Once you are done chopping or pulsing the ingredients, place them in a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, seasonings, and egg. Mix all ingredients together until they are well combined. To modify this recipe to be vegan, substitute 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let the flax seed mixture sit until it achieves a gel-like consistency. Add this to the burger mix.

Step 3-4:

Once you have a well combined mixture, take a cookie scoop, or ¼ cup measuring cup and portion out the mixture. You should get around 8-12 patties, but you can make them larger or smaller based on your needs. To cook your patties you can either bake, grill, or pan-cook (sauté) them. All methods are done in a similar manner, so use the method that you feel most comfortable with. For beginner cooks, baking will most likely be easiest. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and bake the patties for 5 minutes on each side.

If you desire to grill your burgers, place the burgers down and cook for 5 minutes on each side. This method of cooking adds a different flavor. If you desire to pan-cook or sauté your burgers, warm a lightly oiled pan to medium-high heat. Once again, cook the burgers for 5 minutes on each side. This method provides a nice flavor and the oil helps caramelize the outside of the burgers.

Step 5:

When the burgers are cooked, serve immediately on a bun with your favorite ingredients. This is where you can substitute based on your budget. If it is summertime and the produce is inexpensive, use what you like most. If it is winter and there is less fresh produce, using cheaper produce like bell peppers, avocados, and cucumbers are affordable options. You can also find a cheaper green option like coleslaw mix, which tends to stay under $2 in the winter. In our video the following toppings were used: tomato, lettuce, pickles, sautéed onions, ketchup, mustard, and a lightly toasted bun.

Meal Prep:

This recipe is meal prep friendly. Start by freezing uncooked patties on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for 4-6 hours or until frozen solid. They can then be moved to an airtight container or resealable bag. These burgers will last for 2-3 months. When ready to eat, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave (immediate use after this option). Follow the cooking instructions for the desired method and you are ready to enjoy your no-stress burger.

Tips:

The eggs or flax seed mixture are binding agents for the burgers. To keep your burgers together, ensuring the presence of the eggs or flax seed mixture is critical. Having your ingredients minced also contributes to better binding of ingredients. Making sure oil is in the pan or on the grill when sautéing or grilling will also help keep the burgers together. This will also aid in preventing the burger from sticking to the cooking surface and tearing.

Too hot? That is okay because the spice level can be easily changed. The chipotle peppers are optional and can be omitted if this is the case. These burgers give you the freedom to customize your burger to your taste preferences. If you want jalapeños in there, great! If not, great! This recipe provides opportunities to get creative in your culinary skills. Good luck and enjoy!

Nutrient Content:

Black Bean Burger

Author: Nutrition 1240 Group 1 Cooking Method:Baking Grilling Sautéing Cuisine:American Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 10 minutesTotal time: 25 minutesCooking Temp:400 FServings:12 servingsEstimated Cost:7.71 Per 12 BurgersCalories:177 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Black Bean Burgers are easy, delicious, and budget-friendly. They make delicious dinners, especially for your vegetarian and vegan friends! This recipe makes meal prepping so easy as well. The Black Bean Burger has been designed to be nutrient-packed, convenient, and easily modifiable to your taste preferences.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Large Red Onion
• 1-2 Whole Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce (optional)
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 2 (15 oz cans) Black Beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup Plain Bread Crumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Large Eggs

Instructions

1. Place onion, chipotle, and garlic into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add in black beans and pulse until the black beans are partially chopped, leaving some whole or partial beans. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir in the bread crumbs, cumin, salt, pepper and eggs until well combined.
3. Divide up the mixture to form 8 to 12 patties
4. When ready to cook choose one of the following options:
   Skillet: heat a lightly oiled skillet to medium high heat. Cook for 5 minutes on each side.
   Baked: Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes each side.
   Grilled: Cook on an outdoor grill for 5 minutes each side.
5. Serve hot on a bun with desired toppings.

Video

Notes

• Look ahead and choose your desired cooking method before starting. If you choose baking, preheat your oven to 400F first.

Keywords:Vegetarian, Easy to Make Vegan, Fast, Meal Prep, Inexpensive

This recipe is from an established food blog called All Recipes. As a busy college student, I love finding recipes that are budget friendly and that will leave me with quick leftovers throughout the week. Growing up, I was never disappointed when my mom announced that we were having chicken pot pie for dinner. Being able to recreate this dish while being away from home is the perfect way to find joy and comfort through a nutritious meal. I also love that this recipe teaches how to make your own easy pie crust! Since learning how to make this crust, I can use this same recipe for other dishes such as quiche, empanadas, and dessert pies. It is an overall versatile and easy recipe to follow.

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Gathering ingredients for this recipe at local grocery stores is a breeze because each ingredient is a kitchen staple. In fact, it is likely that you already have most of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry! Carrots and celery are in season during the fall and winter seasons, which can make the meal even cheaper to make. Any other vegetables can be substituted in for the filling, such as corn. Having the chicken breast already thawed, helped with speeding up the preparation/cooking process. It can also be helpful to have the carrots and celery pre-chopped to make cooking time run smoother. I like to have the chicken and vegetables boiling while I am working on my pie crust. This recipe uses baking and boiling as its two main cooking methods. Each step should be simple and clear to follow, leaving you with a beautiful, golden brown, pie!

This chicken pot pie recipe is sure to be a winner for you as it’s been for me. It’s packed full of flavor and the flaky texture of the pie crust paired with the warm filling will leave you wanting more. It’s budget friendly and most ingredients can be frozen (chicken and peas) or used for other recipes (flour, salt and pepper). A tip that I would recommend is letting the pie set for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows the pie to set and cool, which makes serving it super easy! If you find your crust is getting too dark/burning as you are cooking, you can cover  it with aluminum foil to avoid the crust burning as it may cook faster than the rest ofthe dish. This recipe makes 1 pie or 8 servings, but if you won’t be eating it all in one sitting it makes great leftovers.

Chicken Pot Pie

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Boiling Baking Cuisine:All American comfort food Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:300 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Versatile for your schedule. This recipe can be made ahead of time and then assembled and baked or assembled and frozen to be enjoyed later. It makes a full pie, so you will have many leftovers for busy days.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 1 cup butter, diced and chilled
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-4 Tbsp cold water

Pot Pie Filling

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions

Pie Crust – with food processor

1. Make sure your butter is diced and cold before starting. Make sure you’re using ice water also.
2. Combine flour and salt in food processor. Pulse once to mix.
3. Add butter and process until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of water and pulse, a few times. I always add a second tablespoon of water and pulse until the dough forms a ball. This takes a few seconds. If you find your mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water, one teaspoon at a time.
4. Turn the dough out onto a silicone baking mat, if you have one. If you don’t, you’ll need to flour your surface. Press the dough ball into a disk and roll to about 1/4″ thickness. If it sticks to the rolling pin, place a sheet of wax paper on top of the dough so you don’t have to add more flour. Be sure to flip and rotate your dough as you go so it does not stick to your surface. Roll out the dough to a few inches larger than your pie plate (about 12″ for a 9″ pie plate).
5. Place in pie plate and press to fit. Tuck under any overhang and crimp or use the tines of a fork to decorate the edges. Chill until ready to fill.
6. If mixing crust by hand: Add flour, butter, and salt to a large bowl. Cut your butter in using a pastry cutter. Work in one tablespoon of water at a time. I find I need to use 2-3 tablespoons of water when I’m doing this by hand.
   
   Turn the dough out onto a silicone baking mat, if you have one. If you don’t, you’ll need to flour your surface. Press the dough ball into a disk and roll to about 1/4″ thickness. If it sticks to the rolling pin, place a sheet of wax paper on top of the dough so you don’t have to add more flour. Be sure to flip and rotate your dough as you go so it does not stick to your surface. Roll out the dough to a few inches larger than your pie plate (about 12″ for a 9″ pie plate).
   
   Place in pie plate and press to fit. Tuck under any overhang and crimp or use the tines of a fork to decorate the edges. Chill until ready to fill.

Filling and Assembling Pie

7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
8. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
9. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Learning how to make a chicken pot pie helps growing knowledge in food and nutrition, because it is a well-rounded meal that includes protein, vegetables, dairy, and grains. It also is useful in developing food skills because the basic pie crust recipe can be used on a variety of other dishes! Once mastering a chicken pot pierecipe such as this one, it is easy to adjust the ingredients and use the learned skills to put together more nutritious meals. This leads to a new-found confidence and self-efficacy both in the kitchen and with your ability to provide nutritious meals for yourself and your loved ones. Understanding ecological factors such as what vegetables are in season, can be helpful in making seasonal modifications. While making a chicken pot pie, skills in both boiling and baking are practiced as well. Truly, a chicken pot pie recipe is ideal for increasing overall food literacy.

Keywords:budget-friendly, Comfort food, crowd pleaser, easy, pie, savory