Recipes for culinary-impaired college student?

[Rownrie]

Hi, I'm approaching my second year of college and I've foolishly elected to not have a meal plan. I'm also lactose intolerant (though I have my own lactose-free milk that I drink) and have G.E.R.D so my dining choices are slightly limited. I'm so SO bad at cooking but I need to learn so I can adequately and frugally feed myself. I'm in the process of losing weight, though, right now, eating "healthy/healthier" TV dinners leaves me even more hungry than ever before!

I was wondering if anyone knew healthy, filling, tasty (oxymoron?) recipes that I could make? I came from a really meat-intensive diet and now I'm rarely eating any (other than the occasional whopper/ double cheeseburger w/o the cheese.. occasionally). I live off of eggs though. I know some meats aren't that good for me, but I really miss them. I'm not much of a raw vegetable eater. Peas of any sort are my enemy.

I'm going to buy a skillet and I have a microwave.

I know this is a lot of random, "why is this crazy person telling me this"/"this makes no sense" information, but I'm really at my wits end and I can't afford and don't know how to make the delicious food I so dearly love.

Okay, so RECAP! lol *kicks rocks* Does anyone know of healthy, filling, tasty, cheap, easy, maybe even meat-full (uber-oxymoron?) recipes?

All replies are highly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

[operagirl]

One suggestion -- keep some inexpensive spices on hand. Do you have garlic powder or granulated garlic? A pepper grinder? Cumin and chili powder? Italian seasoning? Red chili flakes? Those can go a long way to spike otherwise dull meals.

[TampaAurora]

Instead of buying the jarred spices from the spice section in a grocery store, try looking in the Hispanic section of your local store. If you have a car, try looking around ethnic markets for cheaper produce and just about everything else I can think of right now.

The Forman grill, slow cooker, and a cheap dorm cooking set from Target got me through my college years. The Internet, college and local libraries all helped me find new ways to play in the kitchen. By my graduation, I was hosting Thanksgiving and other assorted meals. You never stop learning who you are in a kitchen so try to enjoy the experience.

[lollya]

penzeys.com

[BamiaWruz]

Few inexpensive options for you:

George forman grill: They go on sale, they're small, they're great for grilling veggies, meats, steaks, chicken, fish, shrimp... experiment.

Slow cooker: how about a 1.5 qt one? I'm getting one and they're excellent for making soups/stews/curries/pasta sauces/meats/chilies? They don't need much attention and you just gotta learn how to use it and some basic steps but that's it.
Also inexpensive these days, people get them on sale for $6 sometimes, they retail for $20 and up.

Pots and skillets: you don't need too many, and they're almost always on clearance somewhere, so it's not a problem money wise. You'll need the pots to boil pasta..etc. You can make stir fries easily, if you don't like raw veggies then stir fry them up.

If you don't have an oven a toaster oven will do just fine, I just got my mum one and she cooks/bakes everything in there! Also inexpensive. You could do potatoes, or anything you would in an oven.

Ingredient wise if you don't want to keep a whole lot on hand you can purchase sauces, spice mixes.

Pick up a cookbook too .. something you can use that suits your tastes.

[Rownrie]

I'll be getting a small pot really really soon. Maybe a slow cooker early next year.

Thanks!

[HaagenDazs]

This idea is quick and easy but it can be applied to different applications if you get the hang of it. The idea passed on to me from a cousin that I used while in school:

I used to buy those cheap squirt bottles that you find ketchup & mustard in sometimes. You can widen the nozzle by snipping it off bit by bit, or cut it completely off for some of the chunkier ingredients. I would put refried beans in one (large nozzle!), sour cream in one (I know you said lactose intolerant, but maybe there's an alternative?), and salsa in one. Buy yourself a stack of flour tortillas and you have quick bean burritos. Add the salsa and beans, and microwave. Sour cream is added once out of the microwave. Nothing fancy, certainly not high class, but it's real cheap, real easy. And when you're done, you just throw all the bottles back into the fridge.

This can be applied to other meals especially if you cook or buy in bulk. For instance, use the rotisserie chicken that someone mentioned. You can eat off that for a few days as lunches and the tortillas and ingredients can be used in the same way... just with chicken added.

One more thing: Try to click over to the New York Times column by Mark Bittman once a week. His column, "The Minimalist" usually uses simple and often cheap ingredients in very tasty recipes. His article this week is a good one for you to read: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/wee...

[Rownrie]

Oooh that's really creative! And it's funny because I was just looking at some of those today in Walmart.

Thank you!

[JerryMe]

College was peanut butter, refried beans, tortillas and ramen noodles. All can be searched but add veggies as much as possible. All can be cooked / assembled in short order but I agree with the poster that suggested large amounts to eat later (I never did that, altho I do now) and a crockpot if possible.

[Rownrie]

All together? That sounds really good!

Thanks!

[Emme]

for cheap and good protein/fiber meat sub, try TVP - if you get a crockpot, you can make chili using it. or, you can heat broth and revive the dried crumbs, and use it to make a burger patty (i do that with chopped onion, broth, egg white, and some extra TVP crushed to a powder, then form patties and skillet fry or on George Foreman)

grill stuff on George Foreman if you can afford to get one of these

for a quick snack, try cottage cheese (low fat) mixed with salsa or fruit

try making egg salad with reduced fat mayo and egg whites (include one yolk if you prefer)

tuna salad (tuna packed in water, reduced fat mayo, onion, curry powder, chopped red apple, celery)

high fiber tortilla with low fat cheese melted and crisped in skillet to make a quesadilla

you could probably do a chili in a large bowl in the micro - used canned beans or presoak, then cook onion in broth in micro, add tomatoes, beans and seasonings, then nuke more and let flavors meld

google omelette in a bag (for the micro) and make with egg whites no yolks (or just one)

[cheesecake17]

I'm in college as well, but I live in an apartment (and cook for a husband who eats a ton). I've gotten pretty good at making some cheap and yummy meals.

Grains- cook a triple batch and create something different for lunches and dinner. Wheatberries, quinoa, pasta, orzo are all good. You can eat it hot for dinner, add a dressing to it cold or hot the next day, or toss with a salad. Lasts a long time in the fridge and acts as a blank palatte to soak up any flavor.

Vegetables- I know you're on a budget, but buy what looks good and fresh. Shop at a farmer's market if you're around one- the sellers can usually give great ideas on what to do with the veggies. Steamed broccoli florets is a favorite by me. I steam up a ton, eat them warm (plain) and stash them in the fridge to top baked potatoes, mix with rice, ,add dressing and call it a salad, or just snack on them cold. Definitely keep baby carrots around- good roasted with spices, or just salt and pepper, and can be eaten raw as a snack. I also like to saute fresh spinach, chard, or kale. It's good on it's own with a squeeze of lemon, or tossed with some pasta. Beware- a huge pile will shrink down to a teeny bit.

Fruit- you definitely want to keep things that you'll eat. I know with me, I'll buy a pineapple and never get around to cutting it. Apples and pears are great, because you can take them with you with a dab of peanut butter and call it lunch. You can also core and bake apples with a little bit of diet cherry soda and some brown sugar for dessert. Melons are great too- especially when they're cheap.

Protien- make sure you get enough especially if you don't want to eat a lot of meat. Beans and lentils are great, and the dry ones that you can cook up are even cheaper than canned. You can make a huge batch and use them in everything- pasta, soup, hummus, salads, or even eat plain with a little salad dressing. Soy yogurt can be yummy, just make sure you buy the right brand. Experiment with tofu and seitan- they can both be delicious when prepared correctly. Chicken (especially when on sale) is great to have in the freezer. Portion out the family size packs into single cutlet ziplocks, and all you have to do is take out a baggie and defrost. You can basically do anything with a chicken cutlet.

Most importantly- food shopping. Keep a running list on your fridge and stick to it. If you're a sucker for chips (like me) skip the chip aisle. Buy what you need and avoid extras. It's always good to stock up on useful sale items- beans, chicken, yogurt, frozen vegetables, cereal. Another idea- keep a shelf of portioned out snacks so that you can grab a few bags and go. I keep baggies of raisins, dried apricots, cashews, whole apples (in the fridge), popcorn, and small containers of almond or peanut butter. I also buy larger sizes of certain items and pre-portion them myself.

Good luck!!!

[Rownrie]

Thank you so much! That's fantastic!

[cheesecake17]

Another favorite meal that I forgot to mention- coleslaw stir fry. I always keep a bag of the shredded coleslaw mix in the fridge (you can shred cabbage and carrots and store in a ziplock) and stir fry it with some teriyaki or peanut sauce. You can stir fry some chicken, tofu, seitan, or beef first, take out the protein, then add in the cabbage. I would suggest buying a bottle of stir fry sauce even though it seems a little bit expensive. If you're going to buy a whole bunch of ingredients to make a sauce, you might be broke (and intimdated by all the bottles). Once you know the flavors you like, buy some soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch and combine to make your own sauce.

Another great and cheap meal is dissected sushi. Cook up some sticky sushi rice, chop some vegetables (carrot, cucumber, avocado, cooked spinach, edamame) and top with a sprinkle of rice venegar and shredded nori (the seaweed part of sushi)

[bessa]

Rownrie, although not addressing your lactose and gerd dietary restrictions there is an old chowhound thread on frugal meals for students. Not sure if you've come across it already so here's the link. Maybe you can get ideas:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/360312

[Rownrie]

I haven't! But it looks like there's another frugal-living thread within that one! That's so awesome!! xD

Thanks!

[todao]

Brown some hamburger in your skillet. Add one can of Campbells vegetable soup, one can of water, and simmer. You can add garlic or other herbs/spices as your conditon(s) will tolerate. Serve over boiled rice along side steamed vegetables.
Inside a Pyrex pie plate, form a ring using about a pound of ground meat combined with a half cup of bread crumbs and herbs and spices to your liking. Spread top with a cheese spread or slices of cheddar cheese and lay a few strips of partially cooked bacon on top. Bake until the ground meat is fully cooked.
Serve this alongside some oven (or pan) fried potatoes and a fruit compote.

[Rownrie]

Oooh.. sounds delicious!

Thank you!

[lollya]

rice and beans!

[Rownrie]

Rice and Beans!!! <3!!!!

Thanks xD

[lgss]

Ask for the Simply Vegan cookbook for the holidays. It includes healthy, easy to make recipes. Try Sunshine burgers, we get them at WFM. Consider black beans and garbanzos (unless you consider those chick peas). Nuts are a source of protein and healthy fats.

[Rownrie]

I did hear somewhere that Veganism is the healthiest lifestyle. But a Vegan told me that so I'm not quite sure how accurate that assessment is.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[lgss]

Veganism (and eating lower on the food chain in general) is good for people, animals, and the planet. It's silly and wasteful to cycle perfectly good grains through animals. My husband, who is a long-time (over 30 years) vegan and part Abenaki (Native American) jokes that "vegan" means "lousy hunter" in a variety of Native American Languages.

[bessa]

Rownrie, here are some things I make when I am short on time so this is mainly a list for "fast" fix up meals that I often have for dinner if get home late or if I'm lazy. For many, I usually have ingredients on hand in the fridge.

oatmeal made with milk on stovetop with dash salt and sugar plus a bit of butter

oven potatoes: small red potatoes (buy in bulk) ; cut in cubes and boil for 10min;drain and then in bowl with olive oil to coat plus garlic powder/onion powder; basil oregano; s &p (spices vary to what I feel like) then put in oven on baking sheet at 350 for 25-30min; flip once during this time. eat with ketchup or salsa.

salad with avocado or beans (white or pinto); bagged spinach; tomatoes; cucumber; or whatever veggies on hand; torn up/broken up pita (nuke for 3 sec so it's crispy);parsley if have it; splash of olive oil; splash of balsamic vinegar mixed with dash of honey; dash of cayenne pepper; plus/minus oregano or basil dried; maybe garlic powder

2 fried egg/cheese sandwiches with ketchup on pita (well, cheese is out for you so you can dress it up how you like)

Veggie crumbles saute with onion cut up add some dried oregano (spanish kind); throw in some eggs and scramble it in the mix; s & p; eat with pita and add ketchup if you like

Pasta (linguini) with olive oil; garlic; morter/pestled walnuts; parm cheese (find sub for parm?); crushed red pepper; s & p

Pasta (linguiini) and some veggie sauteed (like bag of preshredded cabbage and carrots) in peanut butter sauce (google for sauce there are many recipes and you can adjust to your liking); basically sauce is peanut butter plus soy sauce and some other things in there

Hummus and fresh veggie pita sandwich; spread hummus on half pita; add sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumbers; s &p; if want can do balsamic and olive oil dash on spinach or lettuce and throw in there too plus slice red onions

[bessa]

oops, with the pasta and walnuts I usually add some dried herb (like thyme, etc.)

[Rownrie]

I know this is going to sound crazy, but what's a Hummus? I've heard of it. I just don't quite understand what that is.

Thanks for all of your ideas! They sound great and pretty easy!

[bessa]

Hummus is a spread/or dip which is primarily made of mashed chickpeas (sometimes you'll see them referred to as garbanzo beans.) It is often spiced up with any variety of ingredients including olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini and more. Usually served with bread such as pita bread and often served as an appetizer. Here is more info from wikipedia (has various photos.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummus
The store bought kind can be iffy but I've been pleased with the brand Sabra(well I've only tried the pine nut version.) It costs arnd 4 bucks for a container.

[mselectra]

Rownrie -- Hummus is a student's best friend! It's really easy to make, cheap, delicious and healthy, just what you were looking for, right? And I'd say a good substitute for cheese in sandwiches, if avoiding dairy. I'm no great cook (especially by Chowhound standards) -- hummus, and beans and rice, and lots of pasta got me through many years of school. I use the Moosewood hummus recipe, just because it's what I had handy in those days, fyi.

I don't buy that a vegan diet is healthiest, but getting more vegan in your diet I expect is, plus can help save money. Might keep in mind that vegetarian or vegan isn't about vegetables, it's about the legumes. Beans are cheap and filling and healthy -- if you like them.

[Vetter]

I got through the first couple years of college eating nearly instant soup made out of a can of chicken broth, can of refried beans, and can of ro-tel tomatoes. I'd put cheddar on top for oomph. If you watch the salt, I'd think it's pretty healthy.

If you could master a spanish tortilla in your skillet, I'd bet you'd enjoy that. Potatoes, chorizo (spanish dry kind keeps very well), some onion, eggs-- it's cheap and tasty.

And I think the crock pot is a great idea! There are a zillion ways to eat cheap meat that way. My favorite lazy thing is chili verde and a pork shoulder, slow cooked, eaten with tortillas. Easy peasy.

[Sharuf]

What I did way back when is this: Into a pot put some veggies (fresh or frozen). lay a sausage or two on top, put on the lid and slowly simmer until vegetable is done and sausage is hot. Meanwhile toast a roll or English muffin, and call it dinner.

[Rownrie]

Sounds tasty! Thanks

[applehome]

When you say skillet, (saute pan) do you have a stove top? Buy a couple of pots also - a 2 qt pot and a 6 or 8 - both with tops. Needed for pasta, all kinds of other things. If you don't have a stove top, buying a 1 or 2 burner electric hot plate with these pans would be more useful than an electric skillet.

Some things I did during my youthful no money days:

Grits. Other grains - oatmeal, multi-grain - especially Bob's Red Mill. All easily microwaveable - although the grits are definitely much better cooked slowly in a pan.

Pasta with bottled sauces. Some decent bottled sauces out there - try to avoid those that have HFCS as their first or second ingredient.

Sausages - cooked ones like kielbasa and most chorizo can be cut up and put in the sauce directly, Raw ones, like Italian sausage can be boiled and then pan grilled. Lots of variety - chicken sausages, spicy, garlic, etc.

Buy a rottiserie chicken - learn to cut up whole chicken into pieces. Freeze some, eat some, keep the breasts for slicing thin for sandwiches. Cut up chunks to add to soups, salads, pilaf mixes, etc...

[Rownrie]

I have a stove top! And an oven if they don't come together sometimes.

Grits! Oh How I love thee. I haven't had them in so long. And I do adore rotisserie chicken.

Thank you!!

[Querencia]

When my son was in college he didn't exactly opt out of the meal plan, he just couldn't stand their food and that's when he started cooking. First, basics. Are you in a dorm room or an apartment, do you have a refrigerator for storing leftovers, what is your cleanup situation, do you have anyplace to store groceries. All of this decides what you can manage. Second, assuming you have other things to do besides cook, such as go to class, if you can cook something that makes a lot (like chili or pasta) you can eat it for days. Having to wind yourself up to cook every single meal is conducive to eating out, which gets expensive. You've had a good idea. You can eat well, save money, and learn to cook all at once, what a trifecta. Please post again describing your cooking facilities and I will gladly make suggestions. I'll watch for your post.

[Rownrie]

Hi! Thanks. Okay, I'm in a dorm room. I have a regular-sized refrigerator-freezer. I can clean things up. I have a sink. I have cabinets and stuff to store foods that don't go in the refrigerator-freezer.

Thanks again!

[Querencia]

Hi Rownrie---I was wondering if you could manage a slow-cooker and then store the leftovers. As I recall my son's first effort (in your same situation) was chili. But, let's work with your skillet, hopefully a fairly big one. 1) The spaghetti sauce that comes in glass jars is your friend. a) You can make Sloppy Joes with it (brown ground beef in skillet, add the sauce, spice to taste using garlic, onion powder, a little cinnamon and clove, a little hot pepper) and eat it on hamburger buns. b) You can use it as sauce with Boil-in-the-Bag Rice (do rice in microwave) and whatever meat you cook in your skillet. c) There is now pasta you don't have to boil---just put it in a bakeable dish with plenty of liquidy jar sauce and whatever else you want (ricotta cheese, spinach, ground meat, cooked sausage) and cover it airtight with plastic wrap then cook in microwave according to directions. 2) Picadillo: brown ground beef and a cut-up onion and a cut-up green pepper in skillet. Add an 8-oz can of tomato sauce, a can or two of water, salt to taste, cumin (comino in Spanish markets---DO NOT OMIT THIS), some raisins, and some stuffed green olives. Eat this with boil-in-the-bag rice. 3) Stir fry: any combination of cut-up onion, green pepper, celery, a small can of water chestnuts (cheap), sliced Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts, snow peas, bits of beef or pork or chicken. Eat this with b-in-b rice and soy sauce. 4) Scrambled eggs with mushrooms: saute mushrooms in butter or margarine, dump in beaten eggs, scramble, eat with toast or frozen French fries if you can manage either. 5) Canned mushroom soup + canned tuna on toast. 6) French toast: beat eggs with a couple of spoonfuls of milk, sprinkle of salt, soak bread in this for just a minute---don't leave it so long it falls apart---and cook in skillet in a little butter or margarine. 7) If you make a ham and cheese sandwich then dip it in beaten egg like French toast and fry it, it is a Croque Monsieur and you are in Paris. 8) Canned pork & beans heated with hot dogs, eat with brown bread and a pickle and mustard; 8a) In England they put the pork & beans on hot buttered whole wheat toast and call it Beans on Toast, very delicious. 9) Cook bacon in your microwave between paper towels (on a plate, and change the towels a couple of times) and make a BLT. You can make extra bacon and keep it in your fridge.10) Baked potato made in your microwave, bust it open, cover with anything (canned chili, melted cheese and cooked bacon, anything from a can that looks good). 10a) If you love sweet potatoes you can also microwave a whole sweet potato, bust it open, and pile on the brown sugar and butter. BTW prick a potato or sweet potato with fork before baking so it won't blow up. 11) When you get really busy with school, rely on cereal with fruit on it. In graduate school I lived on cereal for one whole very busy summer. 12) A big salad doesn't have to be cooked at all and you can fortify it with sliced hardboiled eggs, canned pickled beets, canned three-bean-salad, bits of fish or ham or chicken or cheese, an avocado, whatever. 13) Chili in skillet: Brown some ground meat, and chopped onion, add can of kidney beans, can of tomatoes, can of tomato sauce, a little water, season with salt, chili powder, garlic, cumin, hot pepper. 14) A boneless skinless chicken breast cut into hunks, browned in skilled, then a) soy sauce and garlic powder and a small can of crushed pineapple, eat with rice or b) spaghetti sauce from jar, eat with rice or c) eat with Stove Top Stuffing. 15) Deli sliced roast beef + canned beef gravy + instant mashed potatoes or d) eat with microwaved broccoli and a can of cheddar cheese soup for sauce. 16) Corn Chowder= a can of cream style corn, a can of milk, any odd bits of ham or bacon or sausage or hot dog, thicken slightly with a spoonful of instant mashed potato. 17) New England Clam Chowder: cook a cut-up onion in a little butter or margarine, add a cut-up potato and the liquid from a can of chopped clams, cook until the potato is tender, add the clams and 2 cups milk and salt and pepper, bring to boil, eat with crackers. 18) Broccoli flowerets or chopped cabbage, just a couple of spoonfuls of water, twist plastic bag shut but no twistem, put in bowl, and microwave until done to your taste (3-6 minutes). We can keep this up all night, but this will get you started.

[applehome]

Querencia - may I say that paragraphs are your friend, even on the screen. One huge paragraph is intimidating to read - many will skip over the post. You've organized it well - just hit the enter key more often.

[food_eater79]

I think you mean "crushed by giant wall of text!" JK @ Querencia! :)

You have a lot of good ideas. I lived on a George Foreman grill in college, oh and angel hair pasta with "Ragu". Veggies? Those were for when I went to visit the parents.