Tag Archives: easy recipes for college students

Meatless Monday Recipe: Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

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All of the spice and flavor you look for when thinking Mexican for dinner, but completely vegetarian! Simple, fresh and packed with veggies and protein!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bell pepper (red, green, yellow, or orange)
  • ½ tsp olive oil
  • 1/8 sweet onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 oz diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup corn (fresh or canned)
  • chili envelope (or dash of chili powder, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper)
  • slice of Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tsp plain greek yogurt (optional)
  • hot sauce (optional)

Utensils:

  • baking sheet
  • medium skillet
  • spoon
  • fork

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F and spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Wash outside of pepper, cut in half and remove seeds.
  3. Chop onion and garlic.
  4. Heat skillet over medium heat; sauté olive oil, onions and garlic for 3 min.
  5. Add beans, tomatoes, corn and spices to skillet.
  6. Spoon the mixture into the bell pepper and cover with cheese.
  7. Bake in oven until cheese melts and pepper begins to brown.
  8. Top with yogurt and hot sauce if desired.

Recipe adapted from http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1069671/tex-mex-chili-stuffed-peppers-recipe

Meatless Monday Recipe: Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

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Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 small head of cauliflower (about 3 1/2 cups), cut into florets
  • 1 cup low sodium cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup low sodium canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  • Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil, garam masala, curry powder, and turmeric and stir for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower, and chickpeas, and stir until the cauliflower and chickpeas are evenly coated with the spices, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.  Serve with whole grain naan or pita bread, or over a bed of brown rice.

Recipe adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cauliflower_chickpea_curry/

How to Make a Turkey Burger

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Living healthier is about the small choices, and today, our latest recipe illustrates one of those simple choices to make: lean turkey over the fattier kinds of meat.

Watch as our HealthWorks volunteers cook up a turkey burger.  This recipe can be customized to your tastes by adding vegetables, spices, or cheese.

Have you made this recipe? Leave a comment below about what you did to make it yours.

How to Make Vegetable Salsa

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Our latest cooking video shows you how to make a healthy batch of salsa with whole wheat pita chips.  Salsa is a great dip option because it’s packed with vegetables.  Choose a salsa like this that’s fresh over creamy dips for a healthier option.

For more cooking videos like this, visit our Healthy Recipes for College page.

 

 

How to Cook Healthier in College | Easy Instructional Cooking Videos

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We’re kicking off a series of videos to make your cooking an easier and more enjoyable experience. Watch as some of our HealthWorks volunteers walk you through recipes step-by-step.

First up, let’s cover the classic grilled cheese sandwich.   We’re also adding some tomatoes, but feel free to add whichever vegetable you most enjoy.

If you make this recipe, we’d love to see the finished product! Upload it to Instagram or Twitter and tag it as #healthypsu

Click here to watch our other healthy recipe cooking videos.

Healthy Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Burritos

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Did you know that a high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes?  Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day and men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

Black beans are an excellent source of fiber, so this recipe will help you and 11 of your friends reach that total.

Corn and Black Bean Burritos burrito

Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup scallions (green onions), sliced into 1/4” pieces, including green tops
  • 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels
  • 1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup salsa or taco sauce (choose the option with the least sodium)
  • 12 whole-wheat tortillas (9”)

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine scallions, celery and corn in a small saucepan. Add just enough water to cover.
  3. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 mins. until vegetables soften. Drain vegetables. Set aside to cool.
  4. Combine avocado, cilantro and beans in a large mixing bowl. Add cheese and salsa and mix.
  5. When corn mixture has cooled slightly, add to avocado mixture.
  6. In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, warm each tortilla for about 15 seconds on each side. Place each tortilla on a flat surface. Spoon 1/3 cup of the mixture into the center of the tortilla. Fold the top and bottom of the tortilla over the filling. Fold in the sides to make a closed packet.
  7. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  8. When all tortillas are wrapped, place in a baking pan and bake for 5 minutes, until burritos are warm and cheese is melted.

Take a picture of your burrito fiesta and upload it to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #healthypsu. Your photo could be the featured image!

Healthy Recipe: Yogurt Parfait with Apples & Cranberries

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Get in touch with your creative side in the kitchen! Parfaits are a great way to enjoy dairy, grains, and fruit all in one delectable cup.

This particular parfait contains apples and cranberries. Both  are good sources of Vitamin C, which helps to heal wounds and cuts and keeps teeth and gums healthy. You can find the nutritional information for other fruits and vegetables here.

Yogurt Parfait with Apples & Cranberriesfruit parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • Dash cinnamon
  • Dash ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup granola
  • 1 container (6 oz.) low fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon dried cranberries

Preparation:

  1. In a small bowl, combine applesauce, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  2. Place half the granola into a serving cup.
  3. Layer with yogurt, applesauce and dried cranberries.
  4. Sprinkle with remaining granola and enjoy.

Did you try using other ingredients? Comment and share your experience with fellow healthy cooks.

Upload your masterpiece on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #healthypsu. Your photo could be featured here!

Healthy Recipe: Pesto Pasta with Chicken

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Pasta is one of the easiest foods to make and always tastes great.  Grains are an essential part of a healthy diet and have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and other health problems.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of the grains eaten in a day should be whole grains because they are the healthiest kinds of grains. This recipe uses whole wheat pasta, which can be found at almost any grocery store.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

pesto chickenServes 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat rotini pasta
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut into halves
  • 1/2 cup pesto sauce

Preparation:

  1. Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
  3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, grape tomatoes, and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

To show off your creation, take a picture and upload it to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #healthypsu. Your picture could become the featured image!

samantha schwartz

About the Blogger

Samantha Schwartz is a Penn State senior studying public relations. She is interning atPenn State University Health Services, assisting with the Healthy Penn State initiative.