It’s a little after a month into college, and if you are anything like me, then you are already sick of on-campus food. The options are limited and if you are trying to avoid the “Freshman 15,” or any weight gain for that matter, then chicken tenders, curly fries and grilled cheese are probably not the best options. Lucky for us Emersonians, unlike most schools, our dorms have stovetops (and for the Colonial dwellers, ovens). This gives us the option of cooking our own meals when we are feeling ambitious or are just too lazy to leave the floor. Here are a few recipes to get you started with dorm room cooking.
Breakfast
The one thing that I probably miss most about home is waking up to smell of bacon and proceeding to eat a filling, delicious breakfast. The great thing about breakfast is that the most common foods are all made in a skillet and, therefore, on a stovetop. This gives us the opportunity to be the best floor-mate ever and mask that typical dorm room smell with the scent of cooking.
Simple Vegan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- More oil to grease your pan/skillet, if necessary
Instructions
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or another mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with the cold milk, gently warm it in the microwave just until it liquifies again.)
2. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until combined, so only a few lumps remain (don’t over-mix or your pancakes will be tough!). If you’d like to mix in any totally optional add-ins (like chocolate chips or blueberries), gently fold them in now. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so your pancakes will be nice and fluffy.
3. Meanwhile, if you’ll be using an electric skillet, heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact.
4. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with additional oil or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great).
5. Using a ¼-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes (you’ll know it’s ready to flip when about ½-inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy), and flip. Cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Mexican Egg White Omelet
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced and seeded (if desired), stem discarded
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and pepper
- 6 egg whites, whisked
- half an avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- chopped fresh cilantro
- crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add jalapeno and onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and tomato and continue sauteing for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then transfer the mixture to a separate plate.
2. Return pan to the stove, and reduce heat to medium*. Add the whisked egg whites and cook for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are set and the bottom of the egg is golden.
3. Remove from heat. Add the onion mixture, diced avocado, cilantro and cotija cheese to the egg white, and fold over to form the omelet. Serve warm, garnished with extra cilantro and cheese if desired.
*Your pan is probably still greased from the olive oil at this point. But if not, you can add a bit more oil or mist the pan with cooking spray before adding the egg, in order to keep it from sticking.
Lunch
With lunch being the most hectic time for most students, they will often have to skip this very important meal in order to make it on time to class. While there is nothing you can do about simply not having enough time, you can pre-make your lunch and pack it to go. Not only are you switching things up flavor-wise, but you also are ensuring that your body gets the nutrients that it so desperately needs.
Greek Pasta Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked pasta, such as penne or rotini
- 2/3 cup sliced red onions
- 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced cucumbers
- 3/4 cup sliced olives
- 3/4 cup diced green peppers
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
To make the pasta salad:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until al dente. Strain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl to cool slightly. While the pasta cools, make the dressing.
To make the dressing:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, except for the olive oil. While whisking, stream in the olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Add the red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, green peppers and feta cheese to the bowl with the pasta.
3. Pour the dressing over the pasta, tossing to combine, then cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again and enjoy cold or at room temperature.
Dinner
There is no need for cooking to be something dreaded or be considered a hassle, at least not in college. Get together with a group of friends and turn it into something fun. Play some music while you cook, dance around and just have a good time. Then in the end you can all sit down and have a nice dinner together.
Garlic Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoons soy sauce
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined (tails left intact optional)
1 tablespoon cooking oil, divided
5 stalks green onion, chopped (white and light green parts)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce and cilantro and set aside.
2. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, add shrimp and cornstarch and toss to coat.
3. In a wok or large saute pan over high heat, add half the cooking oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the wok is very hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook partially until one side is seared brown, about 1 minute. Flip and sear the other side of each shrimp, about one more minute. They don’t need to be cooked all the way through yet. Remove them to a plate or bowl and set aside.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and let wok cool off a bit to prevent the aromatics from burning. Add the remaining cooking oil and add green onion, garlic and ginger and stir fry for a minute until fragrant.
5. Pour in the sauce mixture and add the shrimp back into the pan. Stir fry for another minute until shrimp is cooked through. Serve immediately.
Whether you are looking for a light snack to keep you going between meals, or you are looking for a full-blown dinner, cooking for yourself is never a bad option. You know what’s going in your body and oftentimes, you can save money. There are also thousands of other great food blogs with delicious recipes and plenty of feedback. Bon appetit!