I've learned a lot in college: writing, accounting, marketing, history, biology…and cooking. Cooking was something I definitely wasn’t skilled at, so I had to do some extra homework. I still haven’t mastered it by any means, but I have found some super simple ~ and healthy ~ recipes that even I can follow, so I know you can too. And, learning to cook these while in college means they’re budget friendly too!
1. Shrimp, green beans, and potatoes
Ingredients: frozen shrimp, fingerling potatoes, and frozen cut green beans.
Directions: Sauté 6-8 shrimp in a pan with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.
While that’s cooking on the stove, grab 5 fingerling potatoes, poke holes in them, pour a tiny bit of olive oil on them, sprinkle on a little more salt and garlic powder, and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes.
When the potatoes are done, throw in your bag of frozen green beans. Those usually cook for five minutes, just read the bag.
By now the shrimp should be done. Take the tails off (or leave them on, if that’s what you like) and put them on top of the potatoes. Then add in the green beans.
If you buy one bag of frozen shrimp, two small bag of fingering potatoes, and two bags of the frozen green beans, you can make this meal about 5 times.
2. Turkey stir fry
Ingredients: One pound of lean ground turkey and a bag of Birds Eye Steamfresh Selects Brown & Wild Rice with Corn, Carrots & Peas.
Directions: Put turkey in a pan. Sprinkle on some Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder. Cook until it browns.
As the turkey’s just about done, put your bag of brown rice and veggies in the microwave.
While the rice is cooking, drain the extra juices from the turkey.
Now mix it all together and eat!
If you buy one pound of turkey and two bags of the brown rice with veggies, you’ll have about four servings.
3. Quesadillas
* Disclaimer * I hate cheese and so I don’t make these with cheese, but you can add whatever flavor you like.
Ingredients: Two whole grain tortilla shells, one can of chicken, 1/8 cup chopping onions, and BBQ sauce.
Directions: Sauté the onions, then add in the can of chicken. Let that cook together for a couple of minutes until the chicken is brown.
Place a tortilla shell in another pan. Pour chicken and onion mix onto shell.
Add on the BBQ sauce, then cover will shell.
Wait unit the bottom shell starts to brown and turn crispy (probably like three minutes), then flip. Do the same for the other side.
Then cut it up and eat!
Tortilla shells normally come in packs of 8, so with one pack of tortilla shells, one onion, and four cans of chicken, you could make this meal four times.
4. “Super Soup”
Okay, I don't know where this falls on the healthy scale, but my dad invented this when my brothers and I were little and it’s the easiest, cheapest meal ever. It’s literally just ramen noodles and a can of chicken. Simply follow the instructions as you would normally cook ramen noodles, and just add in a can of chicken when you put in the noodles. That’s it.
