Quinoa, the Super Grain!

After our first soup success of the Squash Corn Chowder, we figured we couldn't go wrong with another variation on the much loved soup!  This recipe included quinoa, which adds loads of fiber, without the calories, to keep us starving college students full and satisfied.  The picture does not do it justice, this soup was DELICIOUS, not to mention incredibly healthy, with a huge serving that is under 250 calories, and packs 8g of protein, and 5g of fiber.

Quinoa Corn Chowder
3/4 c. red or white quinoa ($2.00)
1 tsp. cumin seeds ($1.99)
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil (bulk item)
2 1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels ($2.69)
1 large potato, diced ($.90)
1 bunch of green onions ($.59)
4 c. vegetable broth ($2.50)
2 c. plain soymilk or fat free milk (soymilk makes soup creamier) ($1.79)
1 red pepper ($.99)
3 tbs. cilantro ($.59)
salt & pepper, to taste (season LIBERALLY)
Toast quinoa and cumin for about 3-4 min (until fragrant), remove and set aside.  Heat oil in pot, add corn, potato, and chopped onions, and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add vegetable broth and milk and bring to a boil.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Stir in quinoa and cumin, cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.  Stir in chopped bell pepper, recover, and let simmer for another 5, or until vegetables are tender.  Add any additional salt/pepper, add cilantro, and serve immediately. Makes 6 huge servings ($14.04/$2.34 per serving).

Porque no los dos?!

Tonight, Alli and I set out on a mission... to create a Mexican inspired dish out of simple ingredients we had left from the weeks grocery trip without a recipe. All I can say is, mission complete!

Mexican Stir Fry w/ Rice

2 red bell peppers, sliced fajita style

1 yellow onion

3 roasted green chilies

1/2 lb frozen corn

1 cup steamed white rice

1.5 lbs chicken breast

1 tbsp garlic salt

1/2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp olive oil

Cook rice per directions on package. Set aside. Slice red peppers, onions, and chicken fajita style. Combine spices in small bowl and toss chicken to coat. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add chicken and cook until mostly done. Add vegetables, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Once veggies and chicken is cooked, make a bed of rice and add fajita mixture. ENJOY!

Noodle Bowl Goodness

If you haven't already noticed, it's quite arguable that I have an addiction to asian foods, more specifically noodle bowls.  There's just something about the yummy stir-fried veggies, proteins, and grains all sitting in a deliciously seasoned broth.  This bowl includes a homemade teriyaki sauce that once you try, you're going to want to marinate everything in.

The chilled leftovers are just as yummy!

Teriyaki Shrimp Noodle Bowls

1/2 lb. soba noodles (or any other noodles)

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed

1 yellow squash

1/2 dozen large carrots, peeled

1 c. edamame

2-3 stalks of celery

1 1/2 c. bean sprouts

2 tbsp. canola oil

bunch of green onions

handful of peanuts (optional but greatly recommended)

salt & pepper, to taste

3/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. minced ginger

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. water (cold)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. white vinegar (most vinegars can act as substitute)

1 tsp. sesame oil

Cook soba noodles according to package, drain in cold water, and set aside.  In a bowl, mix water and cornstarch until dissolved.  Mix in remaining sauce ingredients.  In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Pour shrimp into hot pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until opaque and pink(2-3 min). Remove from pan.  Stir fry squash, carrot, celery and edamame until carrots start to soften. Add shrimp back in and pour teriyaki sauce over pan, and stir until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in cooked soba noodles, bean sprouts, and green onions. Toss to coat in sauce, and enjoy! 

Sealed with a Kiss

A bit of bad luck had fallen upon one of the roomies one day, so necessarily, baking was in order.  Problem: the house was lacking in most of the essentials found in most recipes. The solution: two ingredient mini-pies that were as quick and easy to gobble up as they were to make.  We had a left over pie crust from the apple baking spree from the previous weekend, and a bag of Hershey's Hugs.  With the addition of a little melted butter or egg wash, and some cinnamon and sugar, these little pastries were completed and baked faster than the gloomy roomie could shed a tear!

Pre-baking!

Kiss Pies
1 pre-made pie crust
1 bag of Hershey's kisses (any flavor)
1 tbsp. butter
sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out the thawed dough on a floured surface, and place kisses about 2-3 inches apart around the edge of the dough.  Cut even circles around the kisses.  Fold opposite sides of the circle to each other at the top of the kiss, making a wonton shape, and press together firmly.  Re-roll the dough and repeat process until all the dough is used up.  Place them on a lightly Pam-ed baking sheet, brush each with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, then bake for 10-20 min., or until pies are golden brown, then remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.  I promise these bite-sized treats will turn any frown upside down :)

Breakfast for Dinner

The original plan to make Sweet 'n Spicy Lettuce Cups (stay tuned for attempt two) fell through upon discovering the lack of chicken we had left.  A quick switch to Breakfast Quesadillas proved to be the most tempting option!  This five ingredient combo is a super quick and surprisingly filling meal that is easy enough to make any night of the week.
Breakfast Quesadillas
6 eggs ($1.69)
1/2 lb. hot breakfast sausage ($3.11)
2 c. raw baby spinach ($2.69)
1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese ($3.49)
6 tortillas ($1.99)
salt & pepper, to season (bulk item)
butter, for skillet (bulk item)


Brown sausage in a pan and scramble eggs in another.  Set both aside.  Melt a small pat of butter in a large skillet.  Place one tortilla down, layer egg, sausage, spinach, and cheese.  Put other tortilla on top and press down.  Cook until tortilla crispens, flip over and allow to cook.  Repeat for the other two, then enjoy. Simple! Makes 3 servings ($12.97/$4.32 per serving)