When you walk into a dining hall you always encounter the standards: mac n’ cheese, pizza, burgers, the salad bar or maybe even stir fry. But eating the same meals over and over again gets old pretty damn quickly. The solution? Mix it up. Take that rotisserie chicken and toss it into a salad. Get creative with your sandwiches and paninis. Put different toppings from the salad bar in your burger. Sounds like too much effort? I promise it’s not. Check out these easy ideas for original and tasty meals that are made from the boring stuff you see everyday.
BREAKFAST
Yogurt with Honey, Milk, Fruit and Granola
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Plain yogurt (if unavailable, use any other kind and forgo the honey)
Honey
A few spoonfuls of milk
Any fruit available (I used peaches)
Granola
Directions:
1. Fill a bowl with as much plain yogurt as desired.
2. Drizzle honey over the yogurt, to taste.
3. Splash in a few spoonfuls of milk or just hold down the bar at the milk dispenser for a couple of seconds.
4. Mix yogurt, milk and honey to the consistency you prefer.
5. Sprinkle in granola.
6. Add preferred fruit. Kiwis, peaches, apples and bananas are all good options.
Raisin Toast with Cream Cheese
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
A slice or two of raisin bread
Plain cream cheese
Directions:
1. Toast a slice or two of raisin bread.
2. Spread plain cream cheese over toast.
*This is a great (healthier) alternative to a bagel!
LUNCH and DINNER
Rotisserie or Fried Chicken in Tossed Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Total Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
A breast or two drumsticks of rotisserie or fried chicken (I used fried)
Mixed greens
Romaine lettuce (for crunch)
Whatever vegetables and additions you’d like. I used:
Celery
Tomatoes
Peas (they add a nice sweetness)
Feta cheese (for a salty bite)
Zucchini cubes
Quinoa
Red onions
Cucumbers
Sunflower seeds (for awesome nuttiness and crunch)
Hard boiled egg, chopped (if available)
Balsamic Vinaigrette: Take 1 part balsamic vinaigrette to 3 parts olive oil into a cup or bowl and whisk thoroughly with a fork until blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
1. Fill your plate with your preferred veggies and toppings.
2. Shred your chicken into bite sized pieces and mix it into your salad.
3. Take your balsamic vinaigrette (recipe above) and drizzle over the salad.
4. Toss well and enjoy!
Dijon Salad Dressing (use it for the Rotisserie Chicken Salad or really, any salad you’d like)
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Dijon mustard (or honey mustard if you don’t have any)
Red wine vinegar (or balsamic if you don’t have any)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Squeeze about 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard into cup or bowl.
2. Add about one and a half tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
3. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. Whisk everything thoroughly.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*You can eyeball this dressing to the proportions you like
Quinoa Salad with Mixed Greens and Grilled Chicken
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Quinoa
Mixed Greens
Feta cheese
Peas
Slices of red onion
Shredded carrots
Grilled chicken
Directions:
1. Gather the salad ingredients on your plate.
2. Ask for sliced grilled chicken from the person at the grill.
3. Take low-fat Italian dressing and drizzle all over salad.
Mamo’s Chopped Salad (from our website!) Dining Hall Style
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce
Chopped Italian salami (get this from the sandwich station)
Shredded Mozzarella or Chopped provolone cheese (also from the sandwich station)
Garbanzo beans
Chopped tomato slices (from the sandwich station, rather than using the cherry tomatoes)
Dijon mustard vinaigrette (recipe above)
Directions:
1. Put lettuce and garbanzo beans onto plate.
2. Chop tomato slices, provolone cheese and salami. Tip: stack them and slice them like a grid
3. Drizzle Dijon mustard vinaigrette over salad.
4. Toss evenly and enjoy!
Carrot, Feta and Sunflower Seed Salad
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Shredded carrots
Feta cheese (a cheese to carrot ratio of 40:60)
A generous amount of sunflower seeds
Several slices of red onion
Peas
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Directions:
1. Gather all salad ingredients onto a plate.
2. Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and a small amount of olive oil.
3. Toss everything and serve!
*This salad is crunchy, sweet (from the carrots and peas), salty (from the feta), peppery (from the onion) and nutty (from the sunflower seeds). It sounds unconventional but it is seriously delicious and addicting.
A Good Tuna Sandwich
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Two slices of any sandwich bread (I used multi-grain for its texture and slight sweetness)
Spinach or mixed greens
Two slices of tomato
A few slices of red onion
Veggie cream cheese or Slice of cheddar cheese
Slices of radish (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Directions:
1. Toast your bread (optional).
2. Slather some veggie cream cheese on one slice of bread or place one slice of cheddar cheese.
3. Add tuna salad to the other slice.
4. If available, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over tuna.
5. Layer spinach, tomatoes, onions and radishes (which I added for some fresh crunch).
6. Fold over and enjoy! Serve with french fries if you’d like.
Grilled Cheese with Tomatoes, Onion and Dijon Mustard
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Two slices of bread (I used rye)
Two or three slices of cheddar cheese
A few slices of red onion
Two slices of tomato
Dijon mustard (or Honey mustard)
Directions:
1. Spread Dijon mustard onto one slice of bread.
2. Place slices of cheddar, onions and tomato on the other slice.
3. Ask the person at the grill or sandwich station to grill your sandwich on the panini press.
4. Slice and serve!
DESSERT
Nutella, (Peanut Butter) and Banana Panini
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Two slices of bread (I used whole wheat for its nutty sweetness)
Nutella and Peanut butter (optional)
One banana
Directions:
1. Spread nutella onto one slice of bread and if using peanut butter, spread that onto the other slice.
2. Slice banana and place slices evenly across bread.
3. Bring sandwich to sandwich station or grill and ask to have it pressed in the panini press.
4. When finished, just slice and enjoy!
*This could also be a lunch option if you have a sweet tooth!
Waffles with Ice Cream, Strawberries, Nutella and Chocolate Sauce
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
One waffle
A scoop or two of ice cream (I used vanilla)
Strawberry slices (or bananas)
As much nutella and chocolate sauce as desired
Directions:
1. Make a waffle with the waffle maker in your dining hall.
2. Slice strawberries while waiting.
3. When the waffle is done, spread nutella while the waffles still warm.
4. Put one or two scoops of ice cream on top.
5. Drizzle chocolate sauce and sprinkle strawberries all over.
I know it’s hard, but you could try to share dessert with friends. It’s yummy, it’s addicting and if eaten regularly, might singlehandedly become the cause of your freshman 15.