Hello Readers!!
I have now been out of college for a year and a half. And although I don't have to worry about 12 page papers anymore, I still have to worry about a budget and about not having QUITE enough food in the house haha.
Three things that I have found CRUCIAL to have in my kitchen and have really helped me in times of broke-ness:
1) Pasta.
-PASTA PASTA PASTA. I know that it is not the most healthy option, but you have no idea how much pasta can expand a dish and add a little bit more to it. You can cook up a small amount of chicken and add it to some butter/olive oil and parmesan cheese and toss it all in a bowl. I also like to add some sun dried tomatoes to that dish. Another CHEAP way to dress up a pasta dish is quickly stir fry some green pepper and onion and toss it with the pasta. Parmesan cheese adds a LOT of flavor and can last forever in the fridge.
2) Chicken
- Obviously, if you are vegetarian, don't listen to me here. but you can get so many different cuts of chicken and you can get it super cheap if you know where to look. Fresh and Easy has cheap meat slices. If you go to Ralph's, or Vons, etc, they usually have some meats on clearance. These are the cuts that are about to expire and the store just wants them off the shelves. There is NO reason not to buy these clearance meats! Buy it for half off OR MORE, and then pop it in the freezer for later and BAM! cheap meat that will last a long time.
- Here is a quick guide to chicken:
~Larger cuts of meat defrost slower and are a little harder to cook for inexperienced chefs. I have had my fair share of over cooking the smaller bits of chicken and undercooking the larger bits of chicken. Smaller, thinner cuts are easier to cook. Especially if they are the same thickness all the way through.
~ Do not undercook chicken! Pork and beef can certainly be undercooked, but chicken needs to be cooked all the way through. It will take time figuring out just how long to cook a piece of chicken because if its OVER cooked, the chicken gets dry and not as tasty. Don't be afraid of the chicken!
~ White meat is a little more healthy for you, and dark meat is a little bit more flavorful.
- Chicken legs! EASIEST recipe I have right now. take a 9"x9" pan and cover bottom with olive oil. Drop a quarter size pool at the bottom and spread it around with a paper towel. Cut 2-4 red potatoes into half inch-inch cubes. sprinkle dried rosemary on top with a small amount of minced garlic, slat and pepper. drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and stir until everything is covered. Shift potatoes to the side of the pan. sprinkle salt, pepper, and basil on 6 chicken legs. Place the spiced side down into the pan and sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper, basil, and paprika. You can add any other spices you may like. Cover with foil and poke 2 or 3 small holes in the foil. Bake at 400 degrees for about half an hour. Serve with a side salad!
3) Vegetables!
-You cant live off of carbs and bread and pasta your whole life. Sometimes some nice kale or cucumbers with ranch can change your whole mood and give you some well needed vitamins. Cruise the internet for some GREAT and simple recipes involving healthy veggies.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Spaghetti Squash
Hello readers!
First off, I apologize for not having written in FOREVER. I am having major internet issues so the videos of how to make certain foods is not happening until the internet problems get sorted out, which might not be until October, so be patient.
Now onto the point of this blog:
Spaghetti Squash. Don't worry, I didn't know what it was either until this weekend. Basically, it is a big yellow squash (about the size of a football), and its pretty heavy. After you cook it and cut it open, the insides looks like angel hair pasta. When i bought mine, it was $1.29 a pound, so was much cheaper than buying pasta and made much more.
Here is how you cook it:
1) Use a large knife and poke a hole into the squash making sure to get at least to the center of it.
2) Place in the microwave, hole facing up, and cook for 15 minutes.
3) Take it out of the microwave (be careful, it is VERY hot) and cut it in half length-wise.
4) Use a fork to scrape out the seeds and the stringy meat the seeds are attached to. (there is a noticeable difference to the meat with seeds, and the good stuff on the inside. There shouldn't be many seeds but make sure you get them all) Again, be careful because it is VERY hot.
5) After disposing of the seeds, use the fork to scrape out the rest of the squash. Scrape it all into a bowl. The only part now that you wont eat is the thick skin.
6) Enjoy! When my friend and I cooked it, we mixed it with veggies we had grilled with garlic and sun-dried tomato pesto. You can find a similar recipe here: http://collegecookingfordummies.blogspot.com/2010/06/pesto-pasta.html
This is an extremely healthy and delicious alternative to pastas. If you don't add chicken into your pesto, this can also be vegetarian as well as gluten free.
Enjoy!
Until next time,
Lucy
First off, I apologize for not having written in FOREVER. I am having major internet issues so the videos of how to make certain foods is not happening until the internet problems get sorted out, which might not be until October, so be patient.
Now onto the point of this blog:
Spaghetti Squash. Don't worry, I didn't know what it was either until this weekend. Basically, it is a big yellow squash (about the size of a football), and its pretty heavy. After you cook it and cut it open, the insides looks like angel hair pasta. When i bought mine, it was $1.29 a pound, so was much cheaper than buying pasta and made much more.
Here is how you cook it:
1) Use a large knife and poke a hole into the squash making sure to get at least to the center of it.
2) Place in the microwave, hole facing up, and cook for 15 minutes.
3) Take it out of the microwave (be careful, it is VERY hot) and cut it in half length-wise.
4) Use a fork to scrape out the seeds and the stringy meat the seeds are attached to. (there is a noticeable difference to the meat with seeds, and the good stuff on the inside. There shouldn't be many seeds but make sure you get them all) Again, be careful because it is VERY hot.
5) After disposing of the seeds, use the fork to scrape out the rest of the squash. Scrape it all into a bowl. The only part now that you wont eat is the thick skin.
6) Enjoy! When my friend and I cooked it, we mixed it with veggies we had grilled with garlic and sun-dried tomato pesto. You can find a similar recipe here: http://collegecookingfordummies.blogspot.com/2010/06/pesto-pasta.html
This is an extremely healthy and delicious alternative to pastas. If you don't add chicken into your pesto, this can also be vegetarian as well as gluten free.
Enjoy!
Until next time,
Lucy
Monday, June 14, 2010
Pesto Pasta
So my dad and I made dinner the other day and it was simple, healthy, and delicious. Here it is!!
Ingredients:
Bow-tie or shell pasta (I used gluten-free pasta, but regular pasta is just fine)
Pesto (I used Sun Dried Tomato Pesto. Use whatever kind of pesto you prefer)
Vegetables (We used onion, broccoli, red and yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. you can use any vegetables you want.)
Chicken
Start the pasta cooking.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and cook. Sprinkle garlic salt on it while it cooks.
After the chicken cooks, drain the liquid and put it aside.
You can use the same pan for the vegetables.
Cut the vegetables unto strips or whatever size you want. Put olive oil in the pan and grill the vegetables. When they are just about cooked, add the vegetables and the DRAINED pasta.
Add the pesto to taste along with salt if you want it.
Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
Ingredients:
Bow-tie or shell pasta (I used gluten-free pasta, but regular pasta is just fine)
Pesto (I used Sun Dried Tomato Pesto. Use whatever kind of pesto you prefer)
Vegetables (We used onion, broccoli, red and yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. you can use any vegetables you want.)
Chicken
Start the pasta cooking.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and cook. Sprinkle garlic salt on it while it cooks.
After the chicken cooks, drain the liquid and put it aside.
You can use the same pan for the vegetables.
Cut the vegetables unto strips or whatever size you want. Put olive oil in the pan and grill the vegetables. When they are just about cooked, add the vegetables and the DRAINED pasta.
Add the pesto to taste along with salt if you want it.
Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Videos!
Hey Readers!!
So starting in June, I am going to be doing videos of different recipes.
Keep an eye out for them and send me requests if there is some recipe I have put on my blog that you want to see done.
Thanks for reading!
~~Lucy
So starting in June, I am going to be doing videos of different recipes.
Keep an eye out for them and send me requests if there is some recipe I have put on my blog that you want to see done.
Thanks for reading!
~~Lucy
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Keep Off the Freshman 15
Although diet is a large part of avoiding putting on the dreaded Freshman 15, exercise is also a key component.
I am not the person to tell you to go for a run everyday, because I have a lot of trouble motivating MYSELF to go for a run, let along other people. Luckily, I have found some exercises that everyone can do daily and burn a few unwanted calories. These exercises are so easy to do, even I am able to do these easily everyday.
1) Heels up and down.
- What: Stand with your feet in a comfortable position (parallel and somewhere between together and hip-width apart). Raise your heels so you are standing on your toes, then lower your heels. Repeat as many times as wanted.
- When: This is easy to do while waiting in line, waiting for an elevator, while in an elevator, while waiting to cross the street, while cooking, and watching TV.
2) High knees
- What: While standing, raise your knees as high as you can and replace back on the floor. Trade legs. Repeat.
- When: This is easy to do while waiting in line, waiting for an elevator, while in an elevator, while waiting to cross the street, while cooking, and watching TV.
3) Jog in place
- What: If you don't know what this means, then I don't know what to say.
- When: Brushing your teeth, waiting for toast, waiting for an elevator, jog up stairs.
4) Park your car far away.
- This is one that I do often. Instead of searching for the closest space to the store, I simply park in the first spot I come to, no matter how far away it is. While leaving the store with bags of stuff, it is another extra weight to help you burn more calories. (It also gives you a longer journey if you like to pretend your shopping cart is a race-car and make sound effects all the way from the store...)
5) Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- I used this technique for one week. I never once used the stairs and I lost 5 pounds in a week. I didn't change my diet, I simply was more active for a week. Amazing.
More to come!
I am not the person to tell you to go for a run everyday, because I have a lot of trouble motivating MYSELF to go for a run, let along other people. Luckily, I have found some exercises that everyone can do daily and burn a few unwanted calories. These exercises are so easy to do, even I am able to do these easily everyday.
1) Heels up and down.
- What: Stand with your feet in a comfortable position (parallel and somewhere between together and hip-width apart). Raise your heels so you are standing on your toes, then lower your heels. Repeat as many times as wanted.
- When: This is easy to do while waiting in line, waiting for an elevator, while in an elevator, while waiting to cross the street, while cooking, and watching TV.
2) High knees
- What: While standing, raise your knees as high as you can and replace back on the floor. Trade legs. Repeat.
- When: This is easy to do while waiting in line, waiting for an elevator, while in an elevator, while waiting to cross the street, while cooking, and watching TV.
3) Jog in place
- What: If you don't know what this means, then I don't know what to say.
- When: Brushing your teeth, waiting for toast, waiting for an elevator, jog up stairs.
4) Park your car far away.
- This is one that I do often. Instead of searching for the closest space to the store, I simply park in the first spot I come to, no matter how far away it is. While leaving the store with bags of stuff, it is another extra weight to help you burn more calories. (It also gives you a longer journey if you like to pretend your shopping cart is a race-car and make sound effects all the way from the store...)
5) Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- I used this technique for one week. I never once used the stairs and I lost 5 pounds in a week. I didn't change my diet, I simply was more active for a week. Amazing.
More to come!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Smoothies Galore!
In my last blog, I promised to write more. Well, I didn't exactly uphold that promise. But I REALLY am back now! Midterms just passed so my work load is not quite as heavy as it was. During my hiatus, I didn't just sit on my butt and forget about my readers! I was researching about RAW foods and VEGETARIAN eating. So here is the beginning of a new way of living for you and me!
Below are recipes for different smoothies. All of these are ones that I found on a raw food website. None of these have dairy in them (like milk or ice cream or yogurt) because my stomach has trouble digesting dairy and I know many people who are in the same boat as me. Let's face it, people, milk just isnt good for us anymore! Commercial milk is produced by cows that have been pumped full of hormones to get them producing an unnatural amount of milk in a short period of time. Most dairy farms do not give them adequate space to move and the cows are fed grains and corn. Since when are cows meant to be eating corn?? OK, thats enough of that rant. ONTO THE SMOOTHIES!!
This first one is very gentle on the stomach and contains a LOT of vitamins needed to keep you going throughout the day. My favorite part is the bananas because of their potassium.
Healing Smoothie:
1) crack open the coconut (find a good method that works for you- I haven't found mine yet! I just cut like hell till I finally get a hole in the top..)
2) our all the liquid right from the coco into the blender
3) add the bananas
4) liquify
Keep checking back for more vegetarian recipes!
Until next time!
~~Lucy
Below are recipes for different smoothies. All of these are ones that I found on a raw food website. None of these have dairy in them (like milk or ice cream or yogurt) because my stomach has trouble digesting dairy and I know many people who are in the same boat as me. Let's face it, people, milk just isnt good for us anymore! Commercial milk is produced by cows that have been pumped full of hormones to get them producing an unnatural amount of milk in a short period of time. Most dairy farms do not give them adequate space to move and the cows are fed grains and corn. Since when are cows meant to be eating corn?? OK, thats enough of that rant. ONTO THE SMOOTHIES!!
This first one is very gentle on the stomach and contains a LOT of vitamins needed to keep you going throughout the day. My favorite part is the bananas because of their potassium.
Healing Smoothie:
1 firm kiwi fruit, peeled
1/4 cantaloupe, with skin
1 ripe banana
1/4 cantaloupe, with skin
1 ripe banana
1. Push kiwi fruit and cantaloupe through the hopper.
2. Place juice and banana in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a tall glass, drink immediately and enjoy!!
2. Place juice and banana in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a tall glass, drink immediately and enjoy!!
This next one contains a lot of Vitamin B and antioxidants to keep you energized all day long
1/2 Cup Filtered Water
1/4 of a Whole Pineapple, peeled and cut into pieces
10 Strawberries
1 Mango, peeled and cut into pieces
1 Banana
3 Ice Cubes
Process in a blender until creamy.
1/4 of a Whole Pineapple, peeled and cut into pieces
10 Strawberries
1 Mango, peeled and cut into pieces
1 Banana
3 Ice Cubes
Process in a blender until creamy.
This next one is a little bit more complicated because it evolves a coconut: an ingredient that might not be available to everyone all year long.
You'll need:
2 large or three small bananas (no yellow ones! nice and ripe & spotted)
-one "young" or green coconut
-a blender & glass!
What to do:2 large or three small bananas (no yellow ones! nice and ripe & spotted)
-one "young" or green coconut
-a blender & glass!
1) crack open the coconut (find a good method that works for you- I haven't found mine yet! I just cut like hell till I finally get a hole in the top..)
2) our all the liquid right from the coco into the blender
3) add the bananas
4) liquify
Keep checking back for more vegetarian recipes!
Until next time!
~~Lucy
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Apologies
Hey everyone!
Sorry I haven't been blogging lately! I have had a VERY hectic few weeks at school and some things had to be pushed to the side. I also moved into a new apartment with a friend of mine and we don't have very good internet connection (luckily, our neighbors do and they don't have a password. shhhhhhh!).
I know some of you found me through the Twitter account I have (CollegeCooker). I have been getting a lot of feedback about the vegetarian and raw cooking links I posted so I am going to be accommodating your needs and putting more posts about eating raw and eating vegetarian.
Keep reading!
Until next time,
~~Lucy
Sorry I haven't been blogging lately! I have had a VERY hectic few weeks at school and some things had to be pushed to the side. I also moved into a new apartment with a friend of mine and we don't have very good internet connection (luckily, our neighbors do and they don't have a password. shhhhhhh!).
I know some of you found me through the Twitter account I have (CollegeCooker). I have been getting a lot of feedback about the vegetarian and raw cooking links I posted so I am going to be accommodating your needs and putting more posts about eating raw and eating vegetarian.
Keep reading!
Until next time,
~~Lucy
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