The Raw Truth: Reinventing the Food on Campus

If you’ve been at Wake for more than two weeks, you’ve probably exhausted all the food options on campus already.  It’s rare to hear someone say, “I’m really craving the Pit today.”  And, if you do hear that, it’s only met with silence because most of us think “Pit” and think wraps, omelets (maybe…only if Netta is there), hamburgers, Mongolian grill (again, maybe – the grill has such weird hours!), home-style cooking or salad.  While there is certainly a variety of food, any real meal options seem pretty uninspired…

However, what is great about the Pit (and the new Hilltop Market) is the fact that you’ll find all of the raw ingredients to be creative!  Of course it takes a little extra time, motivation and imagination, but the more effort you put into “making” your meal, the more you will enjoy it!

Let’s start with chicken salad.  It’s creamy and delicious, and I don’t know how anyone can say they don’t like it. Here’s a way to lighten it up and enjoy it even more!

1. Start with a grilled chicken breast from the Grill Line and cut it up into small pieces. 
2. In a bowl, mix up a little olive oil, spicy mustard and vinegar (check the salad station). You can also add in some salt and pepper. 
3. Cut up the chicken, mix it in the bowl and add a little celery, sliced grapes and pine nuts or sesame seeds from the salad bar.

   NOTE: A sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa are great carb/grain options to pair with this meal.

                                                                           *Images from BonAppetit.com and SproutedKitchen.com

Meat or no meat, a gourmet salad is an easy to spice things up in the Pit or Hilltop Market without getting too many strange looks.

1. Lay a bed of spinach or arugula down on a plate from the salad bar. 
2. Add a little red or green onion, sliced green apple and a little cheese from the salad station. 
3. Top it off with eggs, sliced red meat or chicken. Tofu is an option too. 
4. Drizzle it with balsamic and olive oil 
5. Pair this with a sweet potato for some healthy carbs and enjoy!

   TIP: You can even drizzle the balsamic over the sweet potato and add a little green onion to it for a sweet and savory taste.

                                                                                       *Image from NYTimes.com

The next few meals apply only to the Pit, but are so delicious and nutritious. Here’s how to make a healthy pasta dish!

1. The pasta station offers whole grain pasta, so take advantage of that! 
2. Flavor it with mushrooms, snap peas and green peas from the salad bar. 
3. Pesto sauce would go great with this dish.  You can add a sauce right there, but I prefer to have it on the side so I can control the amount that goes on.  I want pasta and sauce, not soup! 
4. Sprinkle with some parmesan and you’re set.

                                                                                       *Image from MarthaStewart.com

Craving Fish? Take a cue from Martha Stewart and take a filet (or two) of Tilapia! They’re tiny and collegiettes need their protein. 

1. Pick up a piece of Tilapia from the home-style station 
2. Drizzle with olive oil from the salad station and sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and, if you’re feeling spicy, a little red pepper from the pizza station 
3. Pair the fish with a quinoa, feta and cucumber salad.  The quinoa and cucumber are over by the salad bar and the feta is at the omelet station. 
4. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the whole thing and voila!  There are uncut fruits and vegetables laying around EVERYWHERE. So snag a lemon, squeeze half over your plate of food and slice up the other half to put in your Arnie Palmer!

                                                               *Images from HenryHappened.com and Simoneanne.com

When it’s an I-just-want-pizza kind of night or day…or week, get fancy! Make a fold-over pizza using a wrap from the sandwich line.

1. Ask for a plain wrap—it can be a tomato and basil, spinach, wheat or white—topped with pesto (or you can do olive oil from the salad bar). 
2. From here, it’s up to you!Go classic: lay some sliced tomatoes on half of the wrap then top with your choice of cheese.

   Get tropical: add some ham from the sandwich line or the omelet station and crushed pineapple from the fruit bar.

   Embrace your veggies and top it with a variety of steamed vegetables.  Peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, onion and mushrooms make a tasty combination.

   Or, make a Thai chicken pizza. Skip the olive oil and pesto and, instead, head over to the Mongolian Grill and ask for chicken, broccoli, carrots and green onion.  Skip the rice and pasta, and sprinkle with your choice of Asian sauce. 

3. Fold over the other side of the wrap and set it on the Panini press over by the sandwich line. Any weird looks you may have gotten will have just turned into jealous, drooling faces.

Eat up, collegiettes!