5 Easy, Healthy Recipes for Busy College Students

October 16, 2014 by Mackenzie

As usual, life is busy, my days are packed and I’m spending less and less time at home. I’ve been all about the PBJs and Trader Joe’s frozen dinners this week. But I have been spending time looking at all my older blog posts and have been quite impressed with how much I was cooking two years ago without a full kitchen to work with!

I thought I would pull together a roundup of some of my favorite easy and healthy recipes! I’m going to do two segments – this one is my top 5 EASY, healthy recipes for busy college students. Next week I’ll share my top 5 easy college treats! These meals are easy for students to throw together when all you want is a yummy home cooked meal. Some of these require an oven or a stovetop – but hopefully you at least have a kitchen in your dorm somewhere! The ingredient lists are short and you don’t need any special kitchen equipment – a pot, pan and knife can get you far! Whether you are on campus or you’ve just moved into your own apartment for the first time, try these 5 EASY, healthy recipes for busy college students! If you need ideas for substitutions or cooking improvisations, drop me a comment below!

If you want to look at some of the crazy things my roommate and I cooked up in our dorm, take a look at some of these really old posts! Cranberry Pecan Muffins, Snickerdoodle Cake and Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing!

1. Avocado Chicken Salad

2. Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

3. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Parsley Gremolata

4. Fresh Lemon Mint Pasta with Chicken and Peas

5. Blueberry Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Whole Wheat Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts

February 5, 2013 by Mackenzie

I have a confession.

I am obsessed with butternut squash. Obsessed.

I suppose I could have worse obsessions… At least I’m obsessed with a vegetable! 😀

Libby and I made used butternut squash in four different recipes in one week! Ha! We convinced the checker at the little grocery store on campus that the decorative butternut squashes were for sale… and so we were able to get two big ones for three dollars – with meal points! Haha! Even better!

One of the recipes we made was this butternut squash sauce pasta. It was SO GOOD and SO EASY and will DEFINITELY become a staple for us when we are cooking regularly (in our apartment!!!) next year!

(Sorry the picture is so bad)

Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce

Serves 5, adapted from Skinnytaste

Ingredients:

1 lb butternut squash (half of a large one), peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
10 oz whole wheat pasta
1 cup cauliflower and broccoli (total, whatever combo you have or want)
1 cup brussel sprouts
1/4 cup shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan/Romano cheese (We found a delicious combo at Trader Joes, but just Parmesan would work fine)
4 sage leaves, slice thin
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Boil water in a large pot. Add butternut squash and cook until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove squash using a slotted spoon and place into a blender, blend until smooth. Keep water for pasta.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. During the last 2 minutes, add cauliflower and broccoli and the brussel sprouts for the last minute. Drain but reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute shallots and garlic until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash and enough of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency (I think we only used 1/3 cup or so). Add spinach, cheese and sage and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Toss the pasta and vegetables with the sauce mixture. Top with more cheese and enjoy!

Rotini with Chicken, Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

June 14, 2012 by Mackenzie

Pasta sounded really good tonight and spence gave me the go-ahead to try this recipe!

This is similar to the Brown Butter Chicken Penne that I made a month or so ago… but with the asparagus and the balsamic…mmmhhmmm! A delicious new twist!

Rotini with Chicken, Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

(Adapted from Food and Wine)

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 pound rotini pasta

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then toss with salt, pepper and paprika. Add to the skillet and brown on all sides, cooking for about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

3. While the asparagus and chicken are cooking, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. This will take 10 minutes or so and you can start the water boiling for the pasta at this time. When there is about 3 tablespoons of vinegar left, stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Remove from the heat.

4. Cook the rotini in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done – according to the package. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, Parmesan, asparagus, chicken and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Brown Butter Parmesan Chicken Penne

May 25, 2012 by Mackenzie

Knowing the star of our meal would be the Hearty Whole Grain Basil Bread, my uncle and I searched for a simple, but still flavorful pasta that would be a perfect compliment to our bread! And we found it!

With caramelized onions, mushrooms, paprika flavored chicken, parmesan, and a brown butter sauce – this pasta is now one of my top favorites!

Brown Butter Parmesan Chicken Penne

Serves 6

1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 pound whole wheat pasta (penne or linguine)

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for topping

fresh chopped parsley for topping

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add canola oil. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then toss with salt, pepper and paprika. Add to the skillet and brown on all sides, cooking for about 8-10 minutes total. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

Turn heat down low and add 1/2 tablespooon butter. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and stirring occasionally, cook until caramelized – about 15 minutes.

While onions are caramelizing, heat a small saucepan over low heat and add 5 tablespoons or butter. Whisk constantly until butter has brown bits on the bottom, then immediately remove from heat. (We never got the brown bits but we were afraid we were going to burn the butter if we went any longer – it was still really good!) After removing from the heat, whisk for about 30 seconds more just to make sure the bits don’t burn. Set aside. At this time, also prepare the water for the pasta and cook according to the directions.

After onions have caramelized, set them aside in a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter and add mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes until juicy and caramelized. Place onions back in the skillet, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium and add wine. Let the wine bubble and cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken and pasta both to the skillet, tossing multiple times to coat. Turn off heat and stir in grated cheese. Drizzle brown butter (make sure you get the brown bits!) over top, tossing to coat a few more times. Top with additional cheese and chopped parsley!