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

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