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Quick Recipes to Stay Healthy During Exams

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Western chapter.

During exams, many students sacrifice their diet for more study time, relying on frozen dinners and take out. I have also been guilty of doing this in the past because I felt like I didn’t have enough time to make a nutritious meal. However, here at HC we made it our mission to ensure that this exam season, you’re well prepared, stress free and healthy! We’ve collected some recipes and ideas of nutritious but quick recipes you can try that take 30 minutes or less.

Breakfast

Basil-Vegetable Scramble
Ingredients:

  • 2  cups cubed cooked potatoes (2 medium)
  • 1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 1/4  cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 4  eggs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat cooking spray or oil in a skillet. Cook potatoes, onion and bell pepper in skillet about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until hot.
  2. Beat remaining ingredients until well blended and pour into skillet. Avoid constant stirring. Cook around 2 to 4 minutes.

 
Banana Nut Pancakes
Ingredients:

  • 1 package Betty Crocker banana nut muffin mix
  • 1 1/3  cups water
  •  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 bananas, sliced, if desired
  • Maple-flavoured syrup

 Directions:
In medium bowl, beat dry Muffin Mix, Walnuts, water, oil and egg, using wire whisk, until blended. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until golden on each side. Serve topped with sliced bananas and syrup.
 
Snacks

Strawberry-Banana Parfaits
Ingredients:

  • 2  containers (6 oz each) of your favourite strawberry yogurt
  • 2  cups Fibre One Honey Clusters cereal, or any granola cereal of your choice
  • 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1 medium banana, thinly sliced
  • 4 fresh strawberries

 Directions:

  1. In each of 4 (10-oz) plastic cups or parfait glasses, layer 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1/4 cup cereal, 1/4 cup strawberry slices and 1/4 of the banana slices.
  2. Top each with 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1/4 cup cereal and remaining yogurt. Garnish top of each parfait with whole strawberry.

 
Blueberry Smoothies (for 2)
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2  cup vanilla soymilk or fat-free skim milk
  • 1 container (6 oz)  vanilla yogurt
  • Honey, if desired

 Directions:

  1. In blender, place blueberries, soymilk and yogurt. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Sweeten to taste with honey.
  2. Pour into 2 glasses. Serve immediately.

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Lunch/Dinner

Chicken Waldorf salad
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cubed chicken breast (from 3- to 3 1/2-lb chicken)
  • 1 medium unpeeled apple, cubed (1 cup)
  • 1 medium stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2  cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
  • 1/4  cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons refrigerated coleslaw dressing
  • 2 leaf lettuce leaves
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

 Directions:

  1. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except lettuce and chives.
  2. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 2 serving plates; spoon salad onto lettuce. Sprinkle with chives.

 
Creamy Corn and broccoli Chowder (serves 6)
Ingredients:

  • 2  tablespoons butter or margarine
  • medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  • clove garlic, finely chopped
  • tablespoons  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2  teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/8  teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups chicken broth (from 32-oz carton) or vegetable broth
  • 1 bag (16 oz) frozen organic broccoli cuts
  • 2 cups frozen organic sweet corn (from 16-oz bag)
  • 1 cup half-and-half

 Directions:

  1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
  2. Stir in broth, broccoli and corn. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
  3. Stir in half-and-half. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until hot.

 
Pesto-Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cut-up cooked chicken breast
  • 2 tablespoons refrigerated reduced fat basil pesto
  • 4 whole wheat pita (pocket) breads (6 inch)
  • 1/2  cup pizza sauce
  • 1/4  cup chopped onion
  • 1/4  cup chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4  cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (1 oz)
  • 2  tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

 
Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, mix chicken and pesto until blended.
  2. Place pita bread in single layer on cookie sheet. Spread 2 tablespoons pizza sauce on each pita. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita bread. Top with remaining ingredients.
  3. Bake about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut pizzas into wedges.

 
Desert
Gooey Chocolate Mug Cake in Minutes
Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c. powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (depending on how chocolaty you want your cake)
  • 1 standard-sized mug

 
Directions:
In a mug, crack the egg and add powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Whisk together until well mixed.  Microwave for 50-60 seconds, until the cake is cooked through but be careful not to overcook it!  Top immediately with a handful of milk chocolate chips, hot fudge, whipped cream, or ice cream and enjoy!
 
For more delicious mug cake recipes, visit http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/11/10/10-tasty-mug-cakes-that-you-can-make-in-just-minutes/.
 
For more quick and easy recipes visit:
http://www.tablespoon.com/quick-dish-recipes/
http://www.studentrecipes.com/

Sources:
http://www.tablespoon.com/quick-dish-recipes/

visit http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/11/10/10-tasty-mug-cakes-that-you-can-make-in-just-minutes/.

Rida is a fourth year student at the University of Western Ontario and is extremely excited about the opportunity to bring Her Campus to London! She recently changed her major from Finance to English Literature after finally realizing what she wanted to do with her life. Having spent her whole life in the Middle East (Dubai and Saudi Arabia) Rida had no choice but to grow up a shopaholic! Having shifted from the desert to the great ice box that is Canada, she still finds it difficult to adjust to the freezing weather. In her spare time, Rida likes reading, watching way too many shows, stuffed crust pizza and,of course, shopping! Her aspirations are to one day live in Paris and be a writer for Vogue.