Welcome to the fall semester and to my new weekly food column for HerCampus Fordham! Each week I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes, products and kitchen hacks to make college cooking and eating more bearable than the dreaded dining hall food.
This week I wanted to highlight some easy dorm recipes because back to school season also means back to dorm/small kitchen season. Prepping for a new semester to start can be exciting with breaking out the fall fashions, getting new school supplies and counting down the days until you’re reunited with your roomies. For me, the new year can also be a little daunting thinking about giving up homecooked meals, easy access to grocery stores and fancy kitchen appliances. This is why I wanted to share some of my favorite easy dorm and college kitchen meals as my first article for my food column! It’s so important to find a few staple meals and snacks you can make in between classes and study breaks to properly fuel and nourish yourself.
- Oatmeal
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Oatmeal is such a staple in my morning routine and is so easy to make and customize with different toppings and flavors. You can quickly mix the ingredients and microwave or prep the night before and leave in the fridge for a hassle-free morning.
I typically start with ½ cup of oats and 1 cup of water as my base and change up the mix ins like chia seeds, berries, banana, protein powder and nut butters to name a few!
- Rice and Veggie Bowl
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Minute rice and frozen veggies are absolutely your best friend throughout a busy semester. Having these staples can make for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner. All you have to do is heat up the rice and veggies together, add a protein like chicken or tofu and top with your favorite sauces! If you have access to a kitchen in your dorm or apartment, you can prep for the week by making big batches of different grains like rice or quinoa and some roasted veggies to store throughout the week to add to different meals!
- Bliss/Energy Balls
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Energy Balls are my favorite snack to prep for the week, and the best part is they require a few easy ingredients, and no baking is necessary! I love to make almond coconut balls by mixing:
- 1 cup of almond butter
- ¼ cup agave, honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup of mini chocolate chips
Mix together then roll the mixture into little balls before covering with shredded coconut. Store in the fridge and enjoy for up to 2 weeks!
- Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs
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Avocado toast is definitely another staple in my college cooking repertoire as it is so easy to make and requires minimal ingredients! Elevate your avocado toast with some spices ( my favorites to add are dill and crushed red pepper) and a poached egg!
Microwave poached egg method:
- Add ½ cup of room temperature water to a microwave safe mug and crack an egg into the mug. Using a toothpick, poke a hole in the yolk. Cover the mug with a plate
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and uncover. You want the whites of the egg to be opaque and not runny and clear. Return the mug, covered, back to the microwave and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until whites are cooked.
- Let the egg sit in the mug for another minute before removing with a fork or spoon. Let the egg sit on a paper towel to soak any excess water before adding to your toast!
- Mug Cake
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Would this really be a dorm meal post without a mug cake? These are such a fun and easy treat to make. You can easily change up the flavors with different seasonal items, creamers or sprinkles!
Chocolate Mug Cake:
In a microwave safe mug, mix:
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tbs cocoa powder
- Pinch of baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbs milk
- 2 tbs oil
- 1 tbs water
- Splash of vanilla
- Chocolate chips
Cook in the microwave for about 1 minute and 45 seconds, let cool slightly and enjoy!
I hope these recipes gave you some new meal inspo and make back to small kitchen season a little less horrid. For some more easy college cooking ideas, head to my food instagram @megandherfood !