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

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

1. We started by preheating the oven to 425 degrees before gathering and prepping our ingredients. This included chopping the sweet potatoes (seen below) into uniform cubes. Taking just five minutes to prepare your ingredients allows for a quick and easy cooking process.

2. Once our sweet potatoes were nicely cut, we combined salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. This part is fully customizable, as you can use any seasonings of your choice!

3. Combine your spices, sweet potatoes, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large bowl and toss together until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated.

3. The sweet potatoes are cooked using roasting, a simple yet effective technique where food is cooked by dry heat in an oven. The key to perfectly roasted vegetables is a high temperature (425°F for this recipe), using a small amount of oil to prevent sticking and help with browning, and not overcrowding the pan. Giving them space allows the heat to circulate, which results in those delicious crispy edges you see!

5. While the sweet potatoes are roasting for 25-35 minutes, this is where your knife skills come in handy for preparing the fresh toppings, like the cilantro and avocado. You can also portion the cheese.

6. As the sweet potatoes continue to roast, it is time to move to the stovetop to sauté the ground beef. You will then season to taste with taco seasoning!

7. Drain any excess grease and dispose of it in the trash can. Grease should never be poured down the sink drain!

8. Once the sweet potatoes are roasted (soft on the inside and slightly caramelized on the edges) and the beef is cooked, all that is left to do is assemble the toppings. Don’t forget your cottage cheese for that delicious added protein!

9. When serving this dish, it tastes best when the beef and sweet potatoes are served warm! We like to place the cottage cheese on top of the beef and potatoes, then top it with our avocado slices and chopped cilantro!

I wouldn’t make any major changes to this recipe, because I love that it can be easily customized to your liking. You can swap which meat is being used, make it more/less spicy, and even add more veggies like roasted bell peppers or broccoli!

Sweet Potato Protein Bowl

Author: NDFS-1240-001 Wednesday Group 3 Cooking Method:Roasting Sautéing Cuisine:Modern American Courses:Dinner Lunch Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 35 minutesRest time: 10 minutesTotal time: 45 minutesCooking Temp:425 FServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:3.02 $ per servingCalories:500 kcal Best Season:Winter, Fall, Available

Description

This meal by the Balanced Nutritionist provides a fantastic source of protein (from the beef and cottage cheese) to keep you full, complex carbohydrates (from the sweet potato) for sustained energy, and healthy fats (from the avocado). It’s a true all-in-one meal perfect for a busy student.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef 1lb
• Sweet Potato 2 medium
• Cottage Cheese 1 cup
• Avocado 1 small
• Cucumber 1
• Cherry Tomato (Optional) 1 cup
• Spinach (Optional) 1 cup
• Olive Oil 1 Tbsp
• Chili Powder (Substituted with Taco Seasoning) 1 tsp
• Garlic Powder 1/2 tsp
• Paprika
  (Substituted with Taco Seasoning) 1/2 tsp
• Salt 1/2 tsp
• Pepper 1/4 tsp

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425
2. Prepare the vegetables, chop the sweet potatoes. Slice the avocado and roughly chop the cilantro.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the diced sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp paprika.
4. Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 25-35 minutes until tender and caramelized.
5. While potatoes roast, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and taco seasoning. Sauté until the meat is fully browned and broken apart (7-10 minutes).
6. Assemble: Divide the cottage cheese (1/2 cup per bowl), cooked beef, and roasted sweet potatoes into 4 bowls. Top each serving with the sliced avocado and chopped cilantro.

Keywords:easy, Eating in college, nutritious, protein, Quick

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

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

College life is busy, between classes, jobs, and a social life. Cooking often gets pushed to the back burner, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. If you’re looking for an easy, satisfying, and flavorful dish, Shakshuka is a great choice! This dish by Holly on Spendwithpennies.com only requires one-pot and 30 minutes of your time. Shakshuka is a simple combination of poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce. Its origins are debated but it has early ties to many North African countries. Today Shakshuka is a very popular dish in both North Africa and Middle Eastern countries, people enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home and in restaurants. It is also easy to customize and can be based on your preferences or adjusted depending on what’s in your pantry. Not only is it delicious and easy, but it is also nutritious, hearty, and perfect for any meal of the day!

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Shakshuka is a simple sauce made up of red peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It is seasoned with incredible spices and cooked until it is a thick sauce. Red peppers are a great source of vitamin C, E, and A. Vegetables can be hard to incorporate into a college diet, but the benefits and nutrients they provide are crucial to a healthy diet. This recipe makes incorporating vegetables both easy and delicious.

The tomatoes are the bulk of the sauce and create a depth of flavor in the recipe. Fresh tomatoes are not always in season and can be quite expensive. Don’t fret! Canned tomatoes are an affordable and accessible option for college students. Canned tomatoes are a great way to save money for this recipe and they allow for a mess-free prep. Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants and vitamins. Not only that, but they are truly tasty.

Eggs create a great source of protein within this recipe. Protein is an important part of a balanced and satisfying meal.

Shakshuka is simple and easy to make:

1. Add onions and garlic to a pot and cook until tender

2. Add diced red pepper and seasoning. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Add tomatoes and cook until thickened on simmer

Cooking the onions and garlic together creates a fragrant and flavorful meal. Adding the seasonings is crucial to the flavor and spice of this dish. The level of spice can be completely up to you!

From here, all you have to do is cook the eggs, right there in the pan by creating little wells for them to sit in. No extra dishes necessary!

Shakshuka can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is great for meal prepping and is easy to reheat on a stressful day for a college student!

Shakshuka is best served with toasted bread or roasted potatoes.

Easier than it sounds Shakshuka

Author: Ali, Allysa, Scout, Tatelyn Cuisine:Middle Eastern North African Courses:Lunch, Dinner Breakfast Brunch

Difficulty:BeginnerCook time: 25 minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost: $ 13.50

Description

A simple, one pan nutritious meal for anytime of day.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Small Red Bell Peppers, diced
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 28 Ounces Canned Whole Tomatoes, with juices
• 6 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Crush tomatoes with your hands (or a whisk) until they’re broken up, set aside.
2. In a 10″ skillet, cook onions and garlic in oil until tender. Add bell pepper and cook an additional 6-7 minutes or until very soft.
3. Add seasonings and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. Use the back of the spoon to gently create wells for the eggs. Crack an egg into each well.
5. Turn skillet down to simmer, cover with a lid, and gently simmer for 4-6 minutes or until eggs are set.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with toast or roasted potatoes.

Video

Notes

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave and refresh flavors with salt and pepper.

Keywords:easy, Eating in college, Healthy, inexpensive, nutritious, one pot, simple

Cost Breakdown

We were surprised at how simple and fun this recipe is to make! It takes little time and preparation, so it is perfect for a busy college student. This recipe will teach you many food skills such as how to safely cook chicken tenders with the cooking method of roasting. To properly roast the chicken, you can heat the baking sheet in the oven first and then place the chicken on the hot pan to cook for 15 minutes in the oven. Test the temperature with a thermometer to make sure the chicken is done and safe to eat.

We recommend making this in the summer or fall because that is when the produce is the best, but it works well at any time of year! To make this recipe more cost friendly you can buy generic brands of the chicken, beans, or the yogurt. You can also not add the yogurt dressing, or the kale for a cheaper outcome that will still be delicious! Worried about the cost of the chicken? It most likely won’t all be used for this recipe, so you can freeze the rest and use it for another meal! One tip we have is to cut up the vegetables before beginning the cooking process so everything goes smoothly. We will show you some knife skills to use to cut the onion and peppers nice and even in the pictures below.

A lot of the ingredients will be cooked in the same pan, which makes it a simple recipe to follow, and fewer dishes to be done. This is also a very healthy and balanced meal with carbs, healthy fats, and protein. It is only 343 calories and a great source of protein (43g)! The finished product should look like a bowl full of veggies and chicken, seasoned to your liking. We think it tastes as delicious as it looks. We hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as we have!

Expand your culinary creations by trying out a Thai flavored dish that is sure to impress your friends with its yummy flavors. Making new or foreign flavored foods can feel intimidating but we have split this recipe into easy steps to follow and you are sure to succeed! Only two cooking techniques are needed and if you want a simpler dish you can simply forgo sautéing the chicken or even adding some precooked shredded chicken if you are worried about cooking raw meat. We take a piece of chicken out of the pan in our video below and cut it open to show you what fully cooked chicken looks like to help. The other technique used is boiling, and while salt isn’t called for in the recipe adding salt to water helps the water boil and also adds a little flavor to the noodles.

When you are making the sauce don’t be worried if you feel like the ingredients aren’t fully combining and it looks lumpy. When you add the sauce to freshly drained noodles in the warm pot the leftover heat will help to smooth out the sauce. If it still stays lumpy feel free to turn the heat on to low to help smooth out the sauce and remove the lumps. At first the sauce will be fairly thin, if you would like it to be thicker you can keep it on the low heat or let it sit for a few minutes before you serve it to thicken it up. Use the toppings we provided or feel free to add any of your own that sound good to you! See the video below for each step in the cooking process.

Cost Breakdown

No one wants to pay an arm and a leg for a yummy meal. We have broken down all of the costs needed for the ingredients. Feel free to substitute with whatever form of the ingredient you already own, no need to buy a specific kind or specifically fresh garlic, lime or ginger. For a single serving you could also simply make a pack of ramen noodles and then add a 1/4 of the sauce to it for some tasty Thai flavored noodles!

Thai Peanut Noodles

Author: Thursday Group 3 Cooking Method:Boiling Sautéing Cuisine:Thai Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:405 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

A delicious and simple Thai dish that will add some fun variety to your weekly meals and add a new dish to your weekly staples. Warm flavors blend together with the nutty flavor of the peanut butter to create a satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1-2 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Minced Ginger
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Honey
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
• 8 oz Linguine Noodles
• Green Onions (to taste)
• Cilantro (to taste)
• Peanuts (to taste)
• 1 Lime
• 1 Chicken Breast

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients and grab a pot, bowl, and pan.
2. Add water a little salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling add noodles.
3. Heat pan with oil for chicken and while it’s heating cut chicken into bit size cubes.
4. Once pan is hot add chicken and season to taste ex: salt, pepper, garlic, or onion.
5. While the chicken is cooking combine the chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a bowl and stir with a fork until mostly combined. It will still be a little lumpy don’t worry!
6. Drain water from noodles and while in the pot add sauce and chicken and stir.
7. Chop green onions, quarter lime, and chop peanuts for toppings
8. Serve into bowls and top with green onions, cilantro, lime, and peanuts.
9. Eat and Enjoy!

Video

Notes

• – Ingredients like garlic, lime, and ginger can be from any kind.
• – Proteins are interchangeable, substitute chicken for tofu, shrimp, pork etc.
• -Feel free to use whichever kind of noodles you prefer.

Keywords:easy, international, nutritious, yummy, noodles

There is a lot of beauty in simplicity, and this recipe is exactly that. The few cooking techniques that are needed for this is breading (which is explained in the recipe below) and baking. Since the cooking technique used here is a dry technique, we have included helpful tips and reminders for anyone of any level of skill: preheat the oven BEFORE you begin the recipe, set a timer that is split up into two times in order to flip it halfway through, and how to tell when the chicken is cooked thoroughly. This last tip is particularly important because no one wants to bite into half-cooked chicken! From our own procedure, we agree that the best way to gauge its readiness is to examine the outer crust of the chicken, which should be a deep golden brown, not pale or soggy. And if you want further proof, cut open the thickest part of the chicken in the MIDDLE of the pan, and see if there is any pinkness left. If not, you are good! If you don’t want to ruin the look of the chicken, poke a thermometer into the meat and make sure it reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

These may seem like tedious details, but it is incredibly important in order to create a safe, crispy product. We hope that this recipe can teach you proper roasting techniques, so that you can become a pro for other recipes in the future!

When experimenting with our recipe, it became clear some things which may seem like a good idea at first are not as effective as one might hope. In the original experiment we decided to double coat our chicken with the butter milk and dry mixture, this ended up creating a semi-soggy coating even after cooking thoroughly; in this case more is not always more.

When it comes to serving the chicken after cooking, it’s best to decide some dishes to serve with it beforehand if you aren’t in a rush or are cooking for more than one. Since the chicken provides the bulk of protein in the meal it’s good to pair it with some roasted veggie or in the summer maybe some fresh cut fruit to add variety to the palette. A classic addition would be any sort of grain like rice or pasta.

Additionally, another option would be fried potatoes or coleslaw! This would be best served as a backyard barbecue treat, or a nice meal on a snowy day to deter the winter scaries.

Oven “Fried” Chicken

Author: Thursday Group 1 Cooking Method:dry heat oven Cuisine:Classic American Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A quick but delicious fix to any college student’s end of day hunger. After a full day at school or work the first thing you want to do is eat something amazing but the last thing you want to do is cook it. With this oven fried chicken you are getting the best of both worlds.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup of buttermilk
• 4 tbsp of melted butter
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp of seasoning salt (Lawry’s brand works great)
• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• 1 1/3 tsp of paprika

Instructions

1. Prep: Thaw and soak chicken the night before if possible. If not, one half-hour before cooking is fine as well. Cut into thick strips (about 3 per breast) and soak in buttermilk in the fridge. 
2. Set oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Get a 15 x 19in baking tray. Line with parchment paper. Melt the butter (10-15 sec in the microwave) and brush onto the paper with a food brush or with a paper towel. 
4. Make coating: Combine Panko, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a gallon zip-lock bag (amount of coating can be adjusted if you want to add a second coating).
5. Coat chicken: Put chicken in zip-lock bag and shake well to coat.
6. Bake the chicken: Space the chicken out of the baking sheet with room to breathe. Put them into the 145F oven and bake for 10 min.
7. After 10 min, flip them gently with tongs or a spatula. Drizzle some cooking oil onto the pan if it is dry, to help the bottoms of the breast crisp up in the oven. Cook another 10 min. 
   
   Check temp has reached 165F for at least 15 sec. If needed, bake an additional 5-10 min. Pull and let sit 2 min on a paper towel to soak up excess oil before serving.

Video

Notes

• You can soak the chicken in buttermilk for up to overnight. This makes prep a little easier and the chicken more flavorful.
• You can customize the seasonings to whatever you want! Try out Cajun, spicy, Italian, Korean, sesame, ranch, and so many more!
• You can add a little bit of baking powder to the breading (¼ tsp per batch). This increases volume and surface area of the breading and makes the skin crispier.
• Spray some cooking oil on the chicken before baking to achieve more of a deep-fried texture with less oil.
• While the chicken bakes, you can make side dishes: coleslaw, salad, steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, or anything else you would like! Also consider whipping up some homemade dipping sauce of your choice!

Keywords:budget-friendly, quick dinner, chicken lovers, easy-to-make, college diet, finger food, home-style

One of the best parts of these muffins is their versatility. If zucchini is not your preferred vegetable, or you want to make these into a sweet fall treat, you can use apples instead. If you want to make these muffins a little sweeter, you can add your choice of chocolate chips into the batter before baking. Even sprinkling a little granulated sugar on top will add a perfect tasty crunch!  There are so many options to make these muffins your own, so get creative, and I promise you will never get bored of them!

The baking process is super simple, so even if you are new to the kitchen, or just don’t have any fancy tools, this recipe is for you! All you need are mixing bowls, a spatula, a whisk or fork, muffin tins, and an oven. After preheating the oven, the first step is mixing the dry ingredients. Next, you mix the wet ingredients. Once mixed, you combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Finally, you add in the zucchini and mix lightly. Divide evenly into muffin tins and then cook for about 17-22 minutes until light and fluffy. 

If you are concerned about the cost of these ingredients, we have a cost breakdown provided for you. If you want to make it even cheaper you can visit the SNAC pantry on campus. Additionally, a lot of people have an excess of fresh zucchini from their gardens and give it away to food banks and neighbors. Splitting the cost of baking ingredients with a friend or roommate can also relieve some financial stress. 

Overall, we love these muffins. They allow college students to make healthier choices for themselves by choosing whole grains and zucchini. Zucchini is low in calories, high in fiber, and is a good source of Vitamin C which makes it a great way to add nutrients to a not-as-nutritious food like muffins. Not only do you get to incorporate more healthful foods into your diet, but you will also build confidence in your abilities in the kitchen. And most importantly, these zucchini muffins are delicious! Bon Appetit!

Cost Breakdown

As shown above, this recipe is budget friendly (and gives you your veg for the day) because even the brokest of us need and deserve a delicious treat to get us through the day (or even to start our day).

First Things First

When making this recipe it is important to remember that you are incorporating a wet vegetable into the batter, which affects consistency. When we made this recipe, our batter was running dry even after mixing in the oil and eggs. We ended up using an extra teaspoon of oil and not squeezing all the water out of the zucchini to get our batter to the right consistency and it made the end result moist and delicious! You could hold back on extra oil and instead not squeeze your zucchini dry, this could also help retain the water soluble vitamins and minerals.

The other thing to keep in mind is what you desire out of your muffin. Do you want it to be a sweet treat or feel like it hits the healthy spot. This can determine how much sugar you use, what kind of chocolate chips you use, and the type of flour. We wanted a mix of both when we made ours so we did 3/4 cup of sugar, with semi sweet/dark chocolate chips.

When mixing, you don’t want to over mix it because then you can find yourself with a dense mess of a muffin. It can also make your muffins not look as appealing (which doesn’t matter if you’re eating them yourself but can be a pain if trying to make an impression) because they will cook differently and won’t rise up to perfection. You want it to be just barely incorporated, which leads to fluffy, melt in your mouth finished product.

You’ll want to use a scoop to divide your mix into the muffin tins, or if you don’t have one you can spoon the portions in. But a scoop is preferable because it gives you even portions in each tin to ensure even baking. Another thing to consider when cooking is that the oven should be preheated and you want to clean up any spillage on your muffin tin, otherwise it can lead to burning or weird looking muffins. Use an oven light if you can, which is preferred to opening the oven too soon, as this could also deflate your muffins. We didn’t have an oven light and so we waited for the 20 minutes before we opened the oven up and stuck the muffins with a toothpick. Ours came out clean but you can adjust your time based off of how the muffin top looks and if your toothpick comes out clean.

Zucchini Muffins

Author: Thursday Group 2 Courses:Breakfast Snack Vegetarian

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 20 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:12 servingsCalories:186 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

These simple and delicious zucchini muffins are an easy way to consume veggies and whole grains on a daily basis. There are a lot of variations, so you can make the recipe your own. They are fast and perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil**
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour***
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini****
• 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• course sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well-combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula 3-4 times until the batter starts to come together but there are still streaks of flour throughout.
5. Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, if using, until the batter is just combined. Don’t over mix! It’s okay if the batter is still slightly lumpy.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tin. Add a few chocolate chips to the top of each muffin for a prettier chocolate chip appearance (totally optional). If making the batter without chocolate chips, sprinkle a bit of raw or coarse sugar over the top of the muffins (again, optional, but super delicious).
7. Bake for 17-22 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch.
8. Let cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• * use 1/2 cup for less sweet muffin
• ** can use alternative oils (avocado, coconut, or vegetable)
• *** can use alternative flours (all- purpose , wheat, etc.)
• **** gently squeeze out excess water
• You can use apples to substitute the zucchini if desired

Keywords:Bread, Comfort food, delicious, Homemade, inexpensive, nutritious, Quick, simple, veggie

Nutrition information (per Serving)

Serving: 1 muffin

Calories: 186 kcal

Carbohydrates: 26g,

Protein: 3g, Fat:9g,

Saturated Fat: 2g,

Cholesterol: 29 mg,

Sodium:206 mg,

Fiber: 2g,

Sugar: 16g