The Vegetarian College Student

thehealthexperiment:

Dollar Friendly Meals: The Hidden Vegetable Pizza

dollarfriendlymeals:

This pizza speaks to me. It moves me, you could say. See, it tastes like a rich and fattening Alfredo pizza but curiously doesn’t boast the calories or fat. Intrigued? Well, here is the secret:

That’s right. Vegetables. This pizza has managed to incorporate 10 ounces of spinach, 2 cups of…

 dollarfriendlymeals, AKA nutritiousanddelicious, AKA my sister, is a recipe genius. Fo realz!

An easy, quick black bean lunch for in between classes:

In a microwavable container (large enough to hold a can of black beans), pour in a can’s worth of black beans. Don’t drain them. Now, add whatever you want! I add garlic powder, a little cayenne pepper, and a lot of ground cumin. Sometimes I add chopped jalapenos, too. Now just lightly cover the container and microwave it for about four minutes.

And bam! You have an easy lunch. If you have rice made, this tastes really good poured over some heated rice.

Enjoy! :D

Steamed Vegetables

You know those frozen bags of vegetables that you can just pop in the microwave and steam to perfection? Those are the best! They’re so easy and usually inexpensive. You can also add any kind of seasonings to them to flair it up. I usually add curry powder and cumin, and eat them with some rice. 

Very delicious. :)

Sweet Sesame Sauce

I’ve already made this sauce twice and it is SO delicious. I drizzled it over some broccoli and rice which was an excellent dinner. :D

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1/8 cup of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of chili paste
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

Method:

1. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the desired consistency is reached.

Edamame Dip

Haha, I know this isn’t holiday-esque, but it looks SO GOOD! Maybe I can make this as an appetizer for a Christmas party? We’ll see!

Ingredients:

*one 14-ounce bag frozen shelled edamame, unthawed
*1/2 ripe avocado
*1 shallot, peeled and sliced into quarters
*1 clove of garlic, peeled
*2 teaspoons olive oil or more, if needed, to create a smoother dip
*2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or more to taste
*1 large handful fresh basil or more to taste
*pinch of sea salt

Preparation:

1. Cook edamame in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

2. Place cooked edamame, avocado, shallot, garlic, oil, lemon juice and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in food processor. Season with the sea salt. Blend in more cooking liquid or a little more olive oil if too chunky/thick.

3. Transfer to a bowl and serve with anything from raw veggies to rice crackers to pita chips.

(Source: healthygreenkitchen.com)

Christmas Morning Breakfast Frittata

This casserole is speckled with green peppers and tomatoes to give it a holiday feel. A nice, filling breakfast idea to serve after you’ve spent the early morning opening presents. :)

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or balsamic vinegar)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in butter for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in tomatoes and parsley; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in reserved vegetables.
2. Pour into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

(Source: allrecipes.com)

Christmas Cheese Ball

This is an excellent appetizer for any Christmas party. My mom and I would make these for gatherings when I was younger and we rolled the ball in crushed pecans, but you guys don’t have to do that. It does add a nice crunch, though. :D

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 (2 ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (or a little balsamic vinegar if anchovies are against your diet)
• Assorted crackers

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in cheddar cheese, onions, pimientos, butter and Worcestershire sauce. Press into a small bowl; smooth top. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before unmolding. Serve with crackers.

(Source: allrecipes.com)

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

Mmmmmm.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together apples, cranberries, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place evenly into baking dish.
3. In the same bowl, combine oats, flour and brown sugar. With a fork, mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over apples.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown, and apples are tender.

(Source: allrecipes.com)