We all know stuntin' ain't easy, college ain't easy, and adult-ing definitely ain't easy, either. So in case anyone is like me and Pinterests meals they know aren't possible at 20-years-old, (between classes, studying, parties and napping), I've found cheap, easy, yummy, and nutritious meals, perfect for busy and broke college students.
BREAKFAST
Always known as the most important meal of the day, but to college students, it's often known as the most skipped meal of the day. If you have easy recipes in your arsenal, your morning only needs 15 extra minutes to hold you over until lunch.
1. Avocado Toast
Ingredients: - Whole Wheat bread
-1 avocado (2 optional if you want more)
-Olive Oil
-Sea salt
-Crushed red pepper (optional)
How To: Place bread in the toaster and while it is browning, cut the avocado(s) around the sides and twist to open. Take a spoon and scoop the sides to remove the avocado from the skin. After the toast is done, grab the avocado center and spread it over the toast. Add a light drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, and crushed red pepper.
2. Scrambled Eggs With Feta and Spinach
Ingredients: -3 to 4 Eggs
-Milk
-Feta cheese
-4 to 5 leaves of spinach
How To: Start by cracking the eggs into a bowl and adding enough milk to cover them. A well known secret is adding milk to make scrambled eggs fluffier. Whisk together the eggs and milk until fully mixed. Add as much feta as desired, and pull apart to get small chunks of spinach, and throw it into the mixture. Cook the eggs in your favorite pan until all is fluffy and the cheese is slightly melted. Enjoy!
3. Overnight Oats
Ingredients: -1/2 cup rolled oats
-1/2 unsweetened almond milk
-1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
-1 teaspoon honey
-1/2 cup blueberries
How To: Mix all these ingredients until fully combined, store in airtight container, and put in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours. Wake up in the morning, swirl around, and enjoy! Also, the best part is there's no double clean-up because your breakfast is always in a bowl!
LUNCH
Not everyone gets the time to eat lunch, but with some of these, they have the ability to take on the go, or are easy enough to make that a couple of minutes for lunch are all you need!
1. Burrito Bowl
Ingredients: -1 cup salsa (homemade or bought)
-3 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
-1 cup uncooked rice
-1 can whole kernel corn, drained
-1 can black beans rinsed and drained
-2 small tomatoes diced up
-1 avocado, peeled and diced
-2 tbs chopped cilantro leaves
How To: In a large pan, cook rice with 1 1/2 cups of water. Let that cool and stir in salsa, set aside. To put together the bowls, divide the rice into serving bowls, top that with lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro! Very little cooking time, and the most filling meal ever!
2. Mason Jar Salad
Ingredients: -A mason jar with a closable lid
-Salad mix (either spring or lettuce)
-Any fresh vegetables you desire
-Cheese
-Favorite salad dressing (although I suggest something more liquid-y like a vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar and olive oil)
How To: You're going to layer the ingredients in the mason jar, which makes this lunch amazing for taking to class. First you want to put the salad dressing on the bottom so you're lettuce doesn't get gross and soggy; then the heavier vegetables, whichever you choose to put in your mason car, topped with your lettuce and cheese! Flip over a couple of times to coat the salad and go at it!
3. A Caprese Salad
Ingredients: -1 ball of mozzarella
-4-5 leaves of basil
-1-2 tomatoes
-Balsamic vinegar
How To: Cut both the mozzarella and tomatoes into quarter-inch slices and stack, leaning against one another with basil in between. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and eat one of the easiest to make and low-calorie salads.
DINNER
Dinner is easily my favorite meal of the day. It's the meal you get the most time to cook, and the most indulgent ingredients to cook with. Although, there are options that are easier to cook and require less time and supplies!
1. Greek Yogurt Mac & Cheese
Ingredients: -2 cups of any small pasta
-2 cups of shredded cheese
-1/2 cup milk
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/2 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
How To: Cook the macaroni in water until prepared the way you like it. Drain the noodles but don't rinse water over them. In another pot, stir together the milk, cheese, and salt until the cheese melts. Then add the greek yogurt and heat on low until the sauce is warm. Stir in the macaroni and dive in!
2. White Spinach Pizza
Ingredients: -1 ball prepared pizza dough
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/2 lb frozen pizza
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-Crushed red pepper (to taste)
-1 cup shredded mozzarella
-1/8 medium red onion
-2 oz. goat cheese
How To: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Thaw out the spinach and add the garlic powder, salt, and crushed red pepper until evenly distributed, along with the mozzarella, and stir to combine. Spray a pizza pan with non-stick spray and stretch the pizza dough evenly in a circle around the pan. Take the olive oil and brush it onto the dough. Spread the spinach mixture evenly on the dough. Slice the onions in thin pieces and distribute, along with crumbles of the goat cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned.
3. Red Hot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients: -Frank's Hot Sauce
-Small flour tortillas
-2 chicken breasts
-Lighthouse ranch dressing
-Choice of toppings (i.e tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream)
How To: Just FYI, these tacos pack a punch in the spicy department! First, cube all the chicken in small to medium pieces. Heat a medium sized pan in olive oil and begin cooking the chicken. While the chicken is cooking, begin taking the Frank's sauce and putting it in a pan with the ranch and simmering it in low heat. There is really no rhyme or reason to how much, just equal parts, and enough for all the chicken. You would rather have more than less. When the chicken is done, combine the chicken in the sauce pan until completely covered. Serve on the tortillas and add the perfect toppings!
SNACKS
Because who doesn't need a good snack.
1. Edamame - easy to eat, cheap to buy, and extremely addicting.
2. Apple with peanut butter - it has peanut butter...enough said.
3. Banana with peanut butter and chocolate chips - shout out to my homegirls in Nebraska for showing me the best meal on campus.