Dec 20, 20224 min read

Keys to College Cooking

Moving into an apartment is a big step. I was excited to have my own place, but having to plan out all my meals was overwhelming! What I eat affects how I feel, so I knew I needed to find ways to eat healthy while not spending hours a day in the kitchen. After over a year of apartment life, here are 10 hacks and quick recipes for minimal effort, vegetarian meals.

1. Good ol' avocado toast

Yes, avocado toast has a reputation for being basic but upgrading it with some seasoned toppings is anything but. Heirloom tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, and soft scrambled eggs are great ways to start. If you don't have time for any cooking, try seasoning the avocado with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning from TJs. If you do have the extra few minutes, cooking down veggies with the umami from miso, soy sauce, balsamic, and chili oil provides great balance to your mild and creamy avocado.

Miso Soy Sauce Mushrooms

Chop mushrooms and sauté with a little salt. When half cooked, add a bit of miso and soy sauce and stir to coat all the mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are tender and sauce thickens.

2. Don't let stale food go to waste

Learn to use kinda stale food (please nothing moldy though). I'm a pro at forgetting food in my fridge. Old bread makes the best french toast. 3 day old rice is perfect for a quick fried rice. Potatoes sitting around? Make a hash (pro-tip soak potatoes in water for 30 mins to get them crispy).

Basic French Toast

Soak stale bread of your choice in french toast batter (1-2 eggs, milk to desired thickness, touch of sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla). Cook on a buttered pan with medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup.

3. Make good oats

Make good oatmeal and switch it up. Roasted bananas, berries, fruit compote, caramelized apples, pumpkin spice, pomegranates are all great oatmeal toppings. Add in some nuts, coconut flakes, chocolate, and chia seeds for texture.

Basic Oatmeal

Boil 1/2 cup of water. Add 1/2 cup of rolled oats, decrease the temperature. When the water level is low and the oats are partially cooked, add about another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of almond milk. Add in chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and any other seasoning. Oat milk and cow milk do not work as well for me, but this can be changed to personal preference.

Quick Fruit Compote

Take a handful of frozen mixed berries, a spoon of cornstarch, a spoon of sugar, and some chia seeds and mix in a bowl. Microwave until fruit is thawed. Mash fruit to desired consistency.

4. Master shakshuka (or a brunch dish of choice)

I make my weekend mornings count. My Saturday mornings consist of a good, hearty shakshuka with some combination of sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and garbanzo beans. The best part is you can freeze the base and thaw to enjoy later. If eggs, tomatoes, and bread is not up your alley, I highly recommend mastering a brunch dish that brings you joy on your weekends.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Shakshuka

Mince some garlic and onion and sauté. Add in chopped tomatoes and seasoning of choice (I use salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and Italian seasoning) and cook down. In the meantime, chop and peel a sweet potato and microwave in a bowl with a bit of water until somewhat tender. Add crushed tomatoes (the kind from a can) to the pan along with the cooked sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Stir and taste to adjust seasoning as needed. I usually add some sugar to balance the acidity at this stage. Let the mixture cook a bit to thicken. Make some holes in the pan to crack an egg. Season the egg with freshly ground salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let the egg cook 4-10 minutes based on how firm you want it. Serve with toasted bread.

5. Maximize veggies, minimize work

Cooking vegetables can be a lot of work. Choose veggies that cook quickly (mushrooms, greens), that don't need to be cooked (cherry tomatoes), are usually frozen (edamame, corn), or roastable (broccoli, brussels sprouts, eggplant, sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower) to minimize time at the stove. Roasting is hands off, which is always better than hands on and can save a ton of time. Mix and match as needed and toss into whatever. Use capers to add some tartness and nuts for crunch.

Lemon Bucatini

Roast broccoli at 400˚F. Preheat your pan for extra crunch. Cook bucatini pasta until al dente. Whisk a quick creamy lemon sauce. Sauté some kale. Toss everything together with capers, parmesan cheese, and walnuts.

6. The Freezer is your friend

Meal prep sautéed veggies and freeze them in single servings. Freeze whatever you can. Thaw and toss veggies in with some noodles and a quick sauce (soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sriracha, and lime) and you’re good to go. I've frozen not only vegetables, but salsa, cookie dough, curry, and much more. It's a huge time saver.

7. Upgrade frozen food

Speaking of the freezer, upgrade your frozen food with pantry staples. Frozen samosas go great with chickpeas, chutney, yogurt, onion, and cilantro. Frozen mac and cheese can be elevated with butternut squash or broccoli. In fact, why stop at frozen food. Ready to eat meals can also get a boost. I added roasted red peppers, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives to Trader Joe's Orzo and that worked out well.

8. Grow your grains (not literally)

Bored of rice? Try quinoa, brown rice, ancient grains, medleys at the base of your next bowl. Roasted potatoes and falafels, grains, greens, and hummus can create a satisfying, simple meal.

Instant Pot Rice

For short grain white rice, use a 1:2 ratio for 4 minutes on high pressure. For brown rice, use a 1:1 ratio for 15 minutes on high pressure.

Quinoa

Rinse a few times to reduce bitterness. Cook stovetop with a punch of salt. Let stand to remove excess water. I prefer red quinoa over white quinoa, but that's just me!

9. Get saucy

Go out of your comfort zone with sauces. Here is beet pesto with some greens. I also enjoy sundried tomato pesto, fun hummus flavors, and things with peanuts. Sauces last and can be frozen, so reuse for several meals!