Don’t worry, they won’t involve an oven
The chaos of balancing a social life, academics and professional endeavors while in college can sometimes seem impossible. Some nights are spent hunched over a desk, some days are spent cramming in the library with seemingly no end in sight. At times, it can feel like there aren’t nearly enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be. Because of this, it can become incredibly hard to make time for yourself and prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing.
One of the easiest ways to make sure this happens is through food. Wait–food? Yes. Eating a homecooked, hearty, satisfying meal can make you feel significantly better no matter what busy times you’re going through. And for me, dedicating time to cooking for myself provides me with a sense of comfort and accomplishment that makes all of my other worries seem a little less overwhelming. Cooking is one of my favorite ways to put time away for myself, listen to some music and enjoy my own company or other’s, too.
Since I’m now a junior, I’ve had a couple years of living on my own to try many recipes out. Here are some ideas when you find yourself in the kitchen, unsure of what to make.
1. You can’t go wrong with salmon.
Although it may be a bit intimidating at first to prepare and cook salmon, I’ve concluded that it might be one of the easiest things to make, surprisingly. What I often do is cook up some salmon with the standard seasonings–salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika–and then microwave some frozen Trader Joe’s brown rice. Once the rice is done and I put it at the base of my bowl, I put the cooked salmon on top, add some Persian cucumbers, avocado, sriracha, soy sauce and sesame seeds. I then use some seaweed snacks and envelop the rice mixture. It’s a great way to satisfy any Asian food cravings without having to spend the money on sushi or the high delivery fees.
2. Chipotle, but better.
My next easy, home cooked meal that I love to make and highly recommend is my spin on a Chipotle bowl. For this meal, I cook up some chicken, use my frozen Trader Joe’s rice again and then caramelize some sliced up onions and peppers on the stove top. I then slice up some avocado, assemble the bowl with all my ingredients and top it off with some freshly-squeezed lime juice, hot sauce, sour cream and the Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning. Yes, Chipotle really is great. But I think this creation that I’ve found might be a little bit better.
3. An alternative to traditional tacos.
A pillar of my diet in college is truly bell peppers; I use them for so many different types of meals and they never disappoint. A meal of mine that I absolutely love to make are bell pepper tacos. First, I slice up a pepper into four sections so that they resemble little hollow “cups” or “boats”. I then cook up some ground turkey meat, season it with taco seasoning and cook up some onions in that pan as well. I place this mixture of meat and onions into my sliced bell peppers, instead of using traditional tortillas. Finally, I add some guacamole, hot sauce and, again, chili lime seasoning. This meal never disappoints.
Although taking the time out of your busy day to cook for yourself may feel like a chore, try to do it anyway. Nothing is more rewarding than a home cooked meal.