This summer, you don’t have to be Julia Child to grub well on your own. With simple preparation and refined presentation, these seven nutrient-packed recipes please even the most discerning diner. And don’t fret over your physique because while they’re all high in bold tastes, they’re also all low in fat and calories. Savor the flavors of summer with our menu and whether you’re in a dorm, abroad, or in an apartment with strangers, you’ll feel like you’re at a three-star Michelin (or at least a great local joint).
Ingredients to keep on hand:
Proteins:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Peeled and de-veined shrimp
Lean ground turkey
*These should be kept frozen to preserve freshness. Remember to defrost them in the refrigerator the night before use.
Egg Beaters egg substitute
Vegetables & legumes:
Canned black beans
Diced tomatoes—can be canned or fresh
Grains:
La Tortilla Factory wheat tortillas
Wheat hamburger buns
Wheat bread
Spices, sauces, and cooking supply:
Sea salt & pepper
Garlic and garlic powder
Lime juice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable oil
Cilantro
Non-stick cooking spray like Pam
Chile Lime Chicken Taco Salad
Savory lime-marinated chicken sings in a mouthful alongside crisp Romaine, creamy avocado, and crunchy tortilla strips.
Ingredients
- 3 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. Stubb's Chile Lime seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- Dash of Adobo seasoning
- 1 1/2 cup Romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup spinach
- 1/3 cup canned black beans (drained, rinsed)
- 3 Tbsps. salsa
- 2 Tbsps. fat free sour cream
- 1/4 avocado (sliced)
- 1 oz. Tostitos light tortilla chips
Directions
- Drizzle 2 ounces of olive oil equally in a pan.
- Cut up chicken into chunks and cook over medium heat until slightly browned.
- Add lime juice and spices and continue cooking chicken until done.
- Toss romaine and spinach in a big bowl.
- Add chicken chunks, black beans, salsa, sour cream, and avocado cut into slices.
- Sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips.
Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon
Bright salmon shines in contrast with the smoky flavors of the East.
Ingredients
- 1/4 scallion, minced
- 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1/4 Tbsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned
- 1/4 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey dissolves.
- Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Reserve the remaining sauce.
- Preheat broiler.
- Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down.
- Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through for 6 to 10 minutes.
- Drizzle with the reserved sauce and accent with sesame seeds.
Spicy-Sweet Buffalo Chicken Breast Sandwich
A healthy, tangy triumph over any chain’s calorie-laden Buffalo bomb.
Ingredients
- 1 thawed chicken breast
- 1 wheat hamburger bun
- 2 Tbsps. Teriyaki Sauce
- 4 Tbsps. Hot Wing Sauce
- 1 tsp. of garlic powder
- optional: lettuce, tomato, onion, 1 oz. bleu cheese
Directions
- Place chicken breast on aluminum foil in glass oven safe dish and sprinkle with garlic powder.
- Mix together the Teriyaki and wing sauce.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Light French Toast
Breakfast-for-supper is the perfect midweek pleasure.
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/4 cup skim or 1% milk
- 1/2 cup Egg Beaters
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. Splenda
- 1 cup strawberries, blueberries, or other fresh fruit
- optional: dusting of powdered sugar, reduced sugar syrup
Directions
- Mix together all ingredients in a bowl, except bread. Dip each slice of bread on each side into mixture.
- Coat pan with non-stick spray & turn stove on med/low heat.
- Place bread in pan for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Garnish with fresh fruit.
Spinach Feta Personal Pizza
This personal pizza is a celebration of cheeses that only taste dangerously decadent.
Ingredients
- 1 La Tortilla Factory wheat tortilla
- 2 Tbsps. pizza sauce
- 10 spinach leaves, fresh
- 1 sliced Roma tomato
- 1 Tbsp. feta cheese
- 2 Tbsps. low fat mozzarella cheese
- optional: 1 slice chopped Canadian bacon, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers
Directions
- Turn on oven broiler.
- Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray and place tortilla on sheet.
- Toast tortilla lightly on both sides under broiler, approximately 5 minutes.
- Top tortilla with pizza sauce, spinach leaves, and tomato slices.
- Sprinkle on feta cheese and mozzarella cheese.
- Add any optional ingredients and place under broiler until cheese melts.
Thai Pineapple Shrimp Stir-Fry
With fresh pineapple and heavenly cashews, this shrimp stir-fry is not your takeout place’s side dish.
Ingredients
- 3/4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/4 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 medium red onion, diced
- 1/2 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 red or green chile, diced
- ¼ cup Egg Beaters
- 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon(s) lime juice
- 1/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
- Handful of dry-roasted cashews
- Pinch of torn cilantro leaves
Directions
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add shrimp and stir-fry 1 minute, they will turn slightly pink.
- Remove shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and chile to skillet and stir-fry 3 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add Egg Beaters and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in cooked rice, separating grains with back of spoon, and stir-fry 2 minutes.
- Add soy sauce and lime juice and stir for 2 minutes.
- Return shrimp to skillet with fresh pineapple and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Stir in cashews and cilantro.
Spicy Barbeque Turkey Burger
End your week with a restaurant-worthy, big, juicy burger. And no regrets.
Ingredients
- 5 oz. ground turkey
- 1 wheat hamburger bun
- 1/4 medium shallot, minced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.)
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of pepper
- 1 tsp. Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp. Hot Sauce
- 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce or your favorite barbeque sauce
- optional: sliced pickles, tomato, onions
Directions
- Mix all ingredients into ground turkey with your hands and form a patty.
- Spray skillet/grill pan on stovetop with cooking spray and heat to medium.
- Cook burgers for 7 1/2 minutes on each side.
- Assemble burger on bun and add condiments.
Recipes are great starting-off points, but here at Her Campus we fully advocate the kitchen as a place of culinary science. Feel inclined to tweak, experiment, or add your aunt’s special seasoning? Go for it—and then let us know your favorite formulas for healthy noshin’. As Ms. Child would say, bon appetit!
Sources:
http://www.delish.com/
http://www.delish.com/
http://recipes.sparkpeople.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.
