Anyone who has gone to University and lived to tell the tale will share stories of how they spent more than a few afternoons sleeping through a class. Although most cafeterias have healthy choices for lunch, you can’t always make the time to go there with a busy class schedule.
That’s why it’s a great idea to get set up to cook in your dorm room. I wrote a post about a few cool appliances; a waffle iron and breakfast central, that you might not think about taking to your dorm. Along with a microwave and toaster oven, these appliances will definitely come in handy when it’s time to create a healthy, fast lunch.
Eating the right food at noon will help you think more clearly and you can avoid that afternoon nap you’re always longing to take. Maybe you’ll even get better grades!
Here are four dorm room lunch recipes you can try when you head back to school.
Mac and cheese in a mug
The ultimate in comfort food. This mac and cheese might be made in your microwave, but you’d never be able to tell it didn’t come from a gourmet restaurant. Photo and recipe from madebymonique.com
| Ingredients: 1 cup water
½ cup elbow macaroni ½ cup cheeses of choice |
Directions
Put macaroni in a mug and pour in water. (You may want to add more or less water depending on mug size, but there should be more than enough to completely cover noodles).
Microwave on high for 8 minutes pausing at the 5 and 2 minute mark to stir and add more water if necessary.
Cook until al dente.
Add cheese to pasta mixing with the small amount of water remaining at bottom of mug
If cheese does not completely melt, pop mug back in microwave for 30-60 seconds
Stir then enjoy!
Egg and vegetable sandwich
Who says eggs are only for breakfast? As a mid-day meal an egg or just an egg white is a satisfying hunger-buster that will keep you from snacking when you need to get through afternoon classes. Photo and recipe from foodiecrush.com.
| Ingredients: 1 thin bagel
¾ cup egg whites 10-15 fresh spinach leaves 1 wedge Laughing Cow Herb & Garlic Cheese 2 slices tomato 2-4 slices avocado kosher salt Sriracha sauce |
Directions
Toast bagel thin in your toaster oven. In a small bowl add egg whites and spinach leaves, season with kosher salt. Place in microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds, keeping an eye on the eggs so they don’t overflow.
Smear wedge of cheese on toasted bagel thin and add slices of tomato. Spoon egg out of bowl in a single patty and place on top of cheese and tomato, top with avocado. Season with more salt and hot sauce if desired.
Healthy stuffed potatoes
A baked potato is a satisfying meal during the mid-day, and if you’ve got a test or you need to write a paper, it’s a good way to carb load for some instant energy. Photo and recipe from allrecipes.com.
| Ingredients:4 large potatoes
2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen broccoli, thawed 1/2 cup ranch-style salad dressing 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 teaspoons dried parsley salt and pepper to taste |
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Pierce the skin of the potatoes with a fork.
Microwave pierced potatoes on HIGH for 12 minutes. Place partially baked potatoes in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Slice off potato tops, scoop out the bulk of the interior of the potato being careful to leave the potato skins intact. In a medium bowl, mash the removed potato interior.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat, stir in butter. Saute onions in the skillet until tender, about 5 minutes.
Combine onions, broccoli, and ranch dressing with the mashed potato. Brush the outside of the potato skins with oil. Spoon potato mixture into the skins. Arrange stuffed potatoes on a cookie sheet.
Bake potatoes for 15 minutes in the preheated 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) oven, or until heated through. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley.
Waffle Maker Pizza
A waffle maker might not be the first appliance you think to bring along with you for back to school, but it can come in handy for more than just breakfast. Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, shared a great waffle maker pizza recipe that’s so good, you’ll want to share with friends. It’s easy too, because you just need a few ingredients and a roll of store-bought pizza dough.
| Ingredients: 1 pound thawed frozen pizza dough or bread dough Olive oil spray, for spraying the waffle maker One 14-ounce jar marinara 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese 4 slices ham, cut into slivers 1/3 cup canned pineapple chunks, cut into smaller chunks 1 cup grilled vegetables from the salad bar (peppers, squash, zucchini, red onions) |
Directions
Special equipment: a waffle maker
Preheat a waffle maker to a high heat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
To make 1 pizza, stretch or roll out one-quarter of the pizza dough to a size slightly smaller than the waffle maker. Spray the waffle maker with the olive oil spray and place the dough on the surface. Close the lid and cook until the dough is nicely browned, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, depending on your machine.
Open the lid and spread a thin layer of marinara sauce across the pizza. Season with red pepper flakes and oregano. Sprinkle over a layer of mozzarella, sprinkle on some ham and pineapple chunks and top with roasted vegetables. Sprinkle over a second layer of mozzarella. Close the lid and cook just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and eat.
The first time you’re starving at noon and you’re not sure what to eat, you’ll be grateful you took along your appliances and these recipes. If you’d like to see some of the best breakfast recipes you can create in your dorm room, take a look at last week’s post.
 Whip up a waffle pizza with waffle maker |
 A toaster oven will be really handy in the dorm room |
 Microwaves can make dorm room meals easy |
