As a student in college, I’m always looking for recipes that are simple, easy, and delicious. When I moved into my apartment my junior year I noticed I started falling into a routine of eating plain butter pasta far too often – which, don’t get me wrong, is great, but lacks much nutritional value. Since then, I’ve found Instagram to be a great place to find inspiration for easy vegetarian meals. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Mushroom miso udon
It’s safe to say this recipe has been my current obsession. In the past two weeks I’ve made it probably six times. It’s so simple to make and the miso brings in a flavor I don’t often have (miso is super easy to order off of Amazon). I’ve also started adding tofu to the dish when I make it for extra protein, or you can change it up by adding whatever vegetables you like and have in your fridge.
2. Avocado Cucumber sushi bites
When I realize I’ve had some form of pasta for the past too many days, this is a dish I often turn to. I can prepare it in just five minutes because I always have frozen rice in my freezer. All I have to do is cut up the veggies and assemble. Also living on a college campus, my opportunities to have sushi are few and far between so this can fill the craving if needed in a pinch!
3. Garlic and broccoli pasta
This is my slight elevation of butter pasta, including the broccoli justifies the dish as ‘healthy enough’ in my head, while the garlic adds some nice flavor. I’ve found keeping a tube of minced garlic in my fridge helps a lot so that I don’t have to worry about buying garlic or taking the time to mince it myself. To simplify this already super easy recipe, I will also cook the pasta and broccoli together and then just add the butter and garlic to the same pot after so I only dirty one pan.
4. Peach Toast
This may be a breakfast food, but I have also been known to have it for dinner. The nice thing I find about this dish is the almond butter makes it super filling, and adds some protein, so I only have to make a slice or two. I often find myself making this dish on warm summer nights because the sweetness of the peach and honey feels like a perfect way to end the day.
5. Pan Pancakes
I made this for the first time this week, and it is truly so easy. Pancakes have always been a ‘special treat’ breakfast because of the amount of time they take and their lack of nutritional value. With this recipe however, making the pancakes with eggs and milk adds protein (and even more if you use the Kodiak Pancake Mix). I added strawberries, dark chocolate chips, and oats to my pancakes for more flavor! In the future, I definitely also plan on adding bananas, shredded coconut, and raspberries.
Recap
When I first moved into my college apartment, I struggled to have variety in what I ate. Having eaten in dining halls for two years, meant the menu was pre-assigned for you. Luckily, though, I’ve found Instagram to be a great place to find inspiration. The recipes are usually pretty simple to make and located right in the caption! I keep a saved folder on Instagram of all the recipes I find, so that on nights when I don’t know what to make I can just scroll until something looks good! It’s also important to remember that ultimately you’re the one making the recipe, so you can adjust the ingredients to your liking (or in my case, usually just what I have in my fridge).