Undergrad food

[Drogba]

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I live in a dorm equipped with a kitchen and I'm looking for some advice for cooking fast and healthy food. I generally just pan fry or oven bake my meats/fish. I was thinking about getting an awesome electric grill for a bout 40 dollars which is a fast and easy way to cook too. Unfortunately, it seems grilling food is not the healthiest way to cook. Any suggestions for fast cooking methods especially for chicken breast?

Oh and this is definitely on topic for a premed. Undergrad + no time + needing to eat = pre-med, so please don't move this. A move to all students forum would guarantee I get no answers to this very important question 🙂

 

[sle3pyguii]

Healthy? What the deuce is that?

Ramen and microwavable products are the best.

But I guess if you have the time, pasta would be the best since it's easy to make and it doesn't cost a lot.

 

[HumidBeing]

Wok, broil, or poach

What's wrong with an electric grill?

 

[littlealex]

Just eat at a high fat, high calorie place every day. That's what I do and it's working out. I eat about 1600 calories a day, and I can get 1000 of that in 1 sitting. Then a few milk shakes here and there and I'm good for the day. I don't cook unless I exercised.

 

[Picklesali]

I also like to steam stuff (salmon, vegetables) it's quick, easy, yummy...

 

[Miniwheat]

Actually , george foremans are really useful for dorms and they let all the fat drip off so you are not eating it. Pretty cheap too.👍

 

[Picklesali]

On a less healthy note: do any of your Uni's use Sodexho as their food co.? Mine does, and it has been an interesting ride. Any thoughts?

 

[VoiceofReason]

Fajitas.

In one pan, sautee chicken (make the chicken pieces the size of your thumb), green and red peppers, and about as much onion. Use some oil of course and put an equal amount of each ingredient in the pan. The onion and peppers flavor the chicken. You can make a ****load of this and put it in a tupperware and keep it in the fridge.

Then when its time to eat you get out corn or flour tortillas and you slop the chicken/vegetable mixture on it with some grated new york aged sharp cheddar and lime tequila salsa from newman's own. Oh my god if those don't taste ridiculously good and you can basically make enough for 3 or 4 days dinner.

 

[Drogba]

Fajitas.

In one pan, sautee chicken (make the chicken pieces the size of your thumb), green and red peppers, and about as much onion. Use some oil of course and put an equal amount of each ingredient in the pan. The onion and peppers flavor the chicken. You can make a ****load of this and put it in a tupperware and keep it in the fridge.

Then when its time to eat you get out corn or flour tortillas and you slop the chicken/vegetable mixture on it with some grated new york aged sharp cheddar and lime tequila salsa from newman's own. Oh my god if those don't taste ridiculously good and you can basically make enough for 3 or 4 days dinner.

I LOVE fajitas (beef usually). I'm from texas so I will definitely be disappointedwith anything I concoct but I will make a few tupperwares of chicken fajitas I think. Doesn't cooking meat at high temperatures like with a grill cause some sort of carcinogen? Am I mistaken to think grilling is unhealthy because this electric grill definitely seems like a great investment.

 

[Bacchus]

I like George Foreman'ing some sort of meat and eat it between slices of whole grain bread with a salad and possibly some whole grain rice. I'm on a whole grains kick but have started to deviate back to the dark side, gotta get back to the good side. Regardless, I did this whole grains/vegetables/"no" salt kick for a semester and lost about 20 pounds. This semester's stress has put a few back on, unfortunately. Here's to the gym, gym, gym next semester when I actually have time :-x. Finals week is not going to be a good thing, I should just buy celery for the entire week.

 

[Drogba]

I'm sold i'm getting the grill andprobably using it almost daily. I hope I don't get cancer (from that or anything else)!

 

[Bacchus]

I'm sold i'm getting the grill andprobably using it almost daily. I hope I don't get cancer (from that or anything else)!

You won't get cancer from grilling on an electric grill. Only smoke producing grills and thus an open flame have the possibility of producing the benzene derivative associated with a possible mutagenic/carcinogenic effect 😉. Grilling on the George Foreman at first is a bit tricky because on the older models atleast, there is no temperature gauge so the outside of your food can be seared but the inside still a bit "pink." Once you get used to cooking on it you won't put it away. Mine sits on my cutting board. Its nice to throw away the grease after using it rather than thinking, "Damn son, that could have been in my arteries, gut, etc.."

 

[SB100]

You can find some really easy Indian recipes if you get a cookbook for it. Not only is the food really tasty and easy to make, but it's healthy too because the flavor comes from spices and herbs.

 

[FrickenhugeMD]

who says grilling isnt good? It really depends on what you are grilling. if you are cooking fatty meats then yes, but chinck is nothing but delicious

 

[nick_carraway]

Fried rice, risotto, chili, and huevos rancheros are all things that you can make a lot of and eat for more than one meal. They don't take a lot of your time to actually stand there either.

Of course egg sandwiches are a quick one for breakfast too. Classic tuna/chicken/egg salad sandwiches can last you a few lunches as well. A whole roasted chicken from a grocery store + tortillas can last several dinners.

Ramen/udon can get pretty fancy too if you throw the right things into the soup.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

I LOVE fajitas (beef usually). I'm from texas so I will definitely be disappointedwith anything I concoct but I will make a few tupperwares of chicken fajitas I think. Doesn't cooking meat at high temperatures like with a grill cause some sort of carcinogen? Am I mistaken to think grilling is unhealthy because this electric grill definitely seems like a great investment.

I am from texas too and have lived in Ga for almost 6 years now and i still hate the Mexican food here- Im going home for the holidays and am going to eat Mexican EVERY day- well maybe not on Xmas but all the others!

 

[VoiceofReason]

Grilled meat contains some kind of nitrogenous compound that will produce something carcinogenic in the intermediate stages of metabolism.

But possibly good news, if you're white you generally have the largest concentration of the enzyme that detoxifies the intermediate. Asians and african's have less of the enzyme generally and thus the carcinogenic intermediate is in their systems longer.

In the end, who cares. You only live once and a life without good food is no life at all.

 

[LavenderDoll88]

mmm I could live on grilled cheese sandwiches for the rest of my life. Best food ever!!!!

I kind of have the same suggestions, whatever you do make, cook enough that it will last a few days and then you can grab and go when you need to. The stir fried veggies and chicken is great, and you can make rice and have tortillas on hand so you can have one tonight and switch tomorrow type thing. Grilled chicken would be great on lots of things, like pasta or salads too. You could experiment with different marinades on the chicken too.... 😉

 

[nick_carraway]

mmm I could live on grilled cheese sandwiches for the rest of my life. Best food ever!!!!

I kind of have the same suggestions, whatever you do make, cook enough that it will last a few days and then you can grab and go when you need to. The stir fried veggies and chicken is great, and you can make rice and have tortillas on hand so you can have one tonight and switch tomorrow type thing. Grilled chicken would be great on lots of things, like pasta or salads too. You could experiment with different marinades on the chicken too.... 😉

OOo it's even better without the pan. Use a toaster oven to toast the bread and then put the cheese between the bread slices and zap it in the microwave to melt the cheese. (Nearly-instant grilled cheese sandwich).

 

[katieo]

I am from texas too and have lived in Ga for almost 6 years now and i still hate the Mexican food here- Im going home for the holidays and am going to eat Mexican EVERY day- well maybe not on Xmas but all the others!

I'm from Colorado and go to school in Boston. Mexican food here is terrible, and the large majority of people think Qdoba is real mexican. Every time I'm back in Denver, all I eat is Mexican. And Fish Tacos... how does the east not have fish tacos?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Stick with Pizza and MCdonalds, all the rumors are fake, they actually are not fattening.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm from Colorado and go to school in Boston. Mexican food here is terrible, and the large majority of people think Qdoba is real mexican. Every time I'm back in Denver, all I eat is Mexican. And Fish Tacos... how does the east not have fish tacos?

When compared to Taco Bell, Qdoba is the mecca of Mexican food. Why are you hating on Qdoba anyway? 😉

 

[emttim]

When compared to Taco Bell, Qdoba is the mecca of Mexican food. Why are you hating on Qdoba anyway? 😉

I've eaten at Qdoba several times...never been impressed by 'em...they're just as expensive as Chipotle, and Chipotle beats the living piss out of them. I mean, we're not talking like rottweiler tearing up a lab here, we're talking rottweiler tearing up a sick and cancer-ridden chihuahua...that's how much Chipotle beats the living piss out of Qdoba. 😛

Anyway, OP, as far as cooking at home goes...fast and quick foods that are healthy generally will be steamed rice, salads, homemade subs, and any meat that you can throw in the oven and just periodically check while doing homework...I like to call these kind of meals "fire and forget" because you can basically start cooking them then ignore them until they're done for the most part. Any type of fish can be cooked within 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, barely ever deviates from that time frame to cook. Chicken? Boneless skinless chicken breasts always take 45 minutes at 375 degrees. At least in my experience they're like clock work...I don't even check them, I just throw the chicken in there, time it for 45 minutes and take it out when the timer goes off. Rice is the same...get the water boiling, throw the rice in, put put on, and mix it around once or twice inbetween a 15 min time window so all the water gets absorbed. Cooked shrimp can be a very quick meal too...can either eat it cold or heat it for maybe 1 minute in the microwave. For cooking any sort of meat btw, I recommend cajun.

That's about all I can think of, hope it helps.

 

[Bacchus]

I've eaten at Qdoba several times...never been impressed by 'em...they're just as expensive as Chipotle, and Chipotle beats the living piss out of them. I mean, we're not talking like rottweiler tearing up a lab here, we're talking rottweiler tearing up a sick and cancer-ridden chihuahua...that's how much Chipotle beats the living piss out of Qdoba. 😛

Anyway, OP, as far as cooking at home goes...fast and quick foods that are healthy generally will be steamed rice, salads, homemade subs, and any meat that you can throw in the oven and just periodically check while doing homework...I like to call these kind of meals "fire and forget" because you can basically start cooking them then ignore them until they're done for the most part. Any type of fish can be cooked within 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, barely ever deviates from that time frame to cook. Chicken? Boneless skinless chicken breasts always take 45 minutes at 375 degrees. At least in my experience they're like clock work...I don't even check them, I just throw the chicken in there, time it for 45 minutes and take it out when the timer goes off. Rice is the same...get the water boiling, throw the rice in, put put on, and mix it around once or twice inbetween a 15 min time window so all the water gets absorbed. Cooked shrimp can be a very quick meal too...can either eat it cold or heat it for maybe 1 minute in the microwave. For cooking any sort of meat btw, I recommend cajun.

That's about all I can think of, hope it helps.

In Pennsylvania we have Qdoba or Taco-Bell. I gotta work with what I have.

 

[sle3pyguii]

If you want to use a Foreman grill, don't try to grill some bacon in the morning next to your bed to get that fresh bacon smell in the morning. That has been attempted already and resulted in a grilled foot.

 

[katieo]

When compared to Taco Bell, Qdoba is the mecca of Mexican food. Why are you hating on Qdoba anyway? 😉

Well, obviously! 🙂 I actually don't dislike Qdoba, it's just not the authentic mexican food I grew up with. It's kind of like microwavable fish sticks. Are they kind of delicious? Sure. Are they sea food? Not really.

Chipotle beats the living piss out of Qdoba. 😛

I love chipotle more than I love most people. 😍


Sorry, I've driven this post way off topic. Um... I like to grill chicken and I also LOVE Morningstar veggie burgers. Really good for you, easy to make, and super delicious with some mozzarella cheese melted on top.

 

[Drogba]

Qdoba sucks. Its sad people think this is mexican food in PA. Also, chipotle is ok but its Jazz Mexican food. If you want real mexican food go to a taqueria, preferably one whose bathroom is so disgusting you would rather wait to go home then use it. This is authenticity.

 

[Drogba]

If you want to use a Foreman grill, don't try to grill some bacon in the morning next to your bed to get that fresh bacon smell in the morning. That has been attempted already and resulted in a grilled foot.

I don't even know where to begin in replying to this post... I just hope your foot is ok now.

 

[BluePhoenix]

For quick and healthy veggies at least...I totally recommend the ziplock steamer bags. It's quick, you can season them if you want, and very tasty while still being cheap.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

OP, Quick and easy meal: Make some pasta (linguini, spaghetti, w/e), pick up a jar of pre-made alfrado sauce/ mix in; add some of the grilled chicken, or shrimp, and veggies (both of which you made on your new grill 🙂 ) OR, as the entree, I like to take breaded fish fillets (prebreaded/frozen fish section at walmart), into the oven, then the last 2 minutes, add some slices of american or provolone or swiss (cheddar not so much IMO). Dunno about healthy, but certainly quick and easy

 

[Bacchus]

Qdoba sucks. Its sad people think this is mexican food in PA. Also, chipotle is ok but its Jazz Mexican food. If you want real mexican food go to a taqueria, preferably one whose bathroom is so disgusting you would rather wait to go home then use it. This is authenticity.

Have you been to El Azteca in the city? How is it?

 

[Drogba]

Have you been to El Azteca in the city? How is it?

I've not, Have you ever had ethiopian food? You gotta try Abyssinias 45th and locust. Really good food for cheap.

 

[Bacchus]

I've not, Have you ever had ethiopian food? You gotta try Abyssinias 45th and locust. Really good food for cheap.

Abyssinia is delicious and "uber" cheap. I swore I had a whole chicken on my plate for about $7.50.

 

[LavenderDoll88]

If you want to use a Foreman grill, don't try to grill some bacon in the morning next to your bed to get that fresh bacon smell in the morning. That has been attempted already and resulted in a grilled foot.

The Office!!! Do you know I've only see ONE episode of that show, and that is what was on that one show. Whatshisname said that was what happened to him and the others didn't believe him, I think I stopped watching so I'm not sure what really happened to his foot.

But this could be a coincidence, if it is, I'm sorry about your foot!

😉

 

[Drogba]

Abyssinia is delicious and "uber" cheap. I swore I had a whole chicken on my plate for about $7.50.

Probably my favorite restaurant in the world when taking cost into account. Sooo good.

 

[Begaster]

Chili's pretty easy to make and can keep you satisfied for a few days. If you want to lower the fat content, use extra lean ground beef and make sure to strain the oil. Besides that, toss in a bunch of veggies (onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes) and beans (great source of fibre), and just cook it for a few hours.

 

[Paulz]

Make about 10 slices of chicken cutlets and grilled chicken once or twice a week and leave them in your fridge. You could heat them up whenever and they should last you about a week.

 

[Kthanksbye]

Buy fresh whole vegetables from the produce section, whatever you like, tomatoes, asparagus, squash, peppers, onions, etc, and get some fresh or frozen fish. Get a cookie sheet and put aluminum foil over it so that there is zero clean up. Bake the fish with some chopped veggies until done. Generally, everything is done at the same time. Cut in large pieces. Tomatoes can be cut in half with some cheese (mozzarella, feta, etc) on top. Takes about 5 minutes to prepare and cooks in about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on oven temp. Extremely healthy, low sodium, etc, etc. Make some toast to get grains or something. Very easy.

 

[MyInitialsAreJC]

On a less healthy note: do any of your Uni's use Sodexho as their food co.? Mine does, and it has been an interesting ride. Any thoughts?

My undergrad used Sodexho. The food was mediocre and incredibly overpriced. Off campus was the way to eat.

i learned from Super Size Me that Sodexho does a lot of prisons too.

 

[jr doctor in sd]

If you like tuna and it hasnt been said...tuna melt. I put two almost a whole can spread evenly between two slices of toast and put a cheese slice or two on top of the tuna and i have no complaints. Takes about 5 mins to prepare and tastes good. It's also somewhat healthy =). If you want to be a health freak, you could always substitute the cheese for tomatoes or lettuce, etc.

 

[Mayday]

Another vote for the forman grill here - those things are AWESOME! I've also been looking at the ziploc steamer bags.

One thing I personally would like to get is one of these http://www.amazon.com/T-Fal-SM601003-Avante-Sandwich-Waffle/dp/B0007R4IPY it would be nice to make a quick meal. Do a search for pie iron recipes any of those could be made just as easily in a pocket sandwhich maker. Tons of variety 🙂

 

[Tiki]

For quick and healthy veggies at least...I totally recommend the ziplock steamer bags. It's quick, you can season them if you want, and very tasty while still being cheap.

You can make chicken and fish in those steamer bags as well, and it tastes really good. Very healthy and fast meal.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

Those stir-fry asian foods that come in the large plastic bags at walmart in the frozen section (they're like 6 bucks) are pretty good, Cook em up, w/some noodles or rice on the side (sometimes it includes it, but i buy the ones that dont/don't think its cost effective). Usually, 2 meals worth. 3 bucks a meal aint bad.

 

[Geekchick921]

Have you been to El Azteca in the city? How is it?

In Philly? As in, on Grant Avenue? I haven't been there in a few years, but last time I went it was delicious and VERY affordable. I remember most of the entrees being on the lower end of 5-10 bucks. Personally, I've eaten at, or even seen, a Qdoba and I've lived in Philly all my life. Where are they?

And here's another vote for the George Foreman grill. Great for chicken breasts for grilled chicken caesar salad, one of my favorite dinners.

There's one dinner I make that requires some effort but one person could have at least 4 dinners out of it. It's basically a huge batch of homemade hamburger helper. Brown about a pound of ground beef and cook a pound of egg noodles (in a separate pot, obviously). You'll probably want to drain and set aside (cover so they don't dry out) the noodles and use the pot to make the stroganoff sauce. I use this recipe here... http://www.recipezaar.com/121094. Once that's simmering I'll add the meat and noodles til it's heated thru, as well as adding 1-2 cups of frozen peas (which will need to heat thru as well). It makes a LOT and I think it's really tasty.

 

[sle3pyguii]

I don't even know where to begin in replying to this post... I just hope your foot is ok now.

Haha, that scenario was from The Office, not a real-life situation.

 

[Drogba]

Haha, that scenario was from The Office, not a real-life situation.

I don't believe you. I think you are too embarassed to admit the truth now and are trying to retract your story by alluding to tertiary source. SDN is a community of non-judgment; you need not worry about looking foolish here, grill foot.