Benefits of Certain Foods

     

 Wheat Bread

          Most people have heard that wheat bread is better for you than white but not many people know the basis for that statement. I prefer wheat bread to white bread because that is what I am used to. I am still picky about it though and only like certain kinds. I knew that wheat bread had more fiber than white but I did not know how much healthier wheat bread is in general. What I learned from vegetariantimes.com was that wheat has three different parts to it all containing different nutrients and vitamins. Wheat bread is made with all three of the parts included, but white bread only has one of the parts. White bread is not as good for you as wheat bread. It i s important to get your vitamins and nutrients for many health reasons. Eating wheat bread helps lower the risk for diabetes, heart attacks, and various other problems. The most surprising fact I found from this article was that "[t]here’'s so little fiber left after processing that you’d have to eat eight pieces of white bread to get the fiber in just one piece of whole wheat bread"(vegetariantimes.com). You can find the full article here if you'd like more information http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/white-bread-vs-wheat-bread/. Even if you don't think you would like wheat bread or if you are a picky eater I am sure you could find a brand of wheat bread that you would like. As I mentioned above, 

I am a picky eater and only like certain types of wheat bread. I like the ones that do not have what I call "seeds" in them. I like the bread to be smooth and not have any hard bits in it. One of my favorite types is by Arnold. And even this
 one brand makes multiple varieties of wheat bread so I'm sure that if you want to try switching from white bread to wheat bread you will come across a bread that you like.

Whole Grain Pasta

        Another food that comes in white and wheat varieties is pasta, it also comes in many shapes but we don't need to concern ourselves with them right now although it is interesting how many forms it comes in. Wheat pasta is also called whole grain and like when it comes to bread, white is not as beneficial. Also as the case with bread, whole grain pasta has much more fiber and nutrients than white. Whole grain pasta helps with weight loss as well because it fills you up better than white and so you will probably end up eating less of it. And according to the five experts that were consulted in this article, http://time.com/3658167/should-i-eat-whole-wheat-pasta/ you should eat whole grain pasta.

Tomatoes

       Tomatoes are another great thing to incorporate into your diet. They are antioxidant rich and https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/tomatoes.html. Tomatoes are very easy to add to you diet. You can have them in salads, wraps, other sandwiches, on top of pasta. Ketchup and tomato sauce count as well so you can get the benefits from tomatoes from pizza too.
full
of vitamins. They can help with digestion, heart health, and lowering cholesterol. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A which is important for vision. You can find more information about the benefits of tomatoes here

Mustard Not Mayonnaise

        One very interesting thing I learned which researching for my blog was how much better mustard is for you than mayonnaise. I am glad that I already took mayonnaise off of the list of foods that I eat. I prefer mustard and don't knowingly eat mayonnaise because I do not like it. For 100 grams of mustard it is 66 calories and 100 grams of mayonnaise has 680 calories.  Mustard also has lots of minerals and vitamins and can help to lower cholesterol.

Olive Oil

        And finally, olive oil. Olive oil is great for you. It helps to protect against heart disease because https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-olive-oil.html. I enjoy drizzling it over my pasta which is a nice way to start including more of it in your daily life. I also put it on some sandwiches like the tomato, basil, and mozzarella one. You could add some spices to plain olive oil and then dip bread in it instead of using butter if you'd like too.
it helps lower  cholesterol and inflammation and it lowers blood pressure. Olive oil also helps with digestion and metabolism and has many vitamins and nutrients. More facts can be found here at

       I hope this information helped you, I know it helped me and will allow me to continue trying to be healthier!

A College Kitchen

       The dorm I live in has some positives and some negatives but that is to be expected. I did not think that the kitchen would be such a negative though. I don't even know why it is considered "kitchen/lounge" on the floor plan of the building. Take a look for yourself.

F.Y.I if you're wondering, the door does not stay open on its own

       There is a table with a microwave on it from a microfridge. Where that fridge is I do not know. There is a working refrigerator which is nice. The sink however is usually not functional because it is clogged. There is barely any counter next to the sink and the cabinets do not seem too sturdy in my opinion. I do not know who would put any of their belongings in there though. Also you may have noticed that some things are missing. Things that are staples in rooms called kitchens. Any guesses? Well, it's the stove and oven. How might you ask, is this the kitchen then? To tell you the truth, I do not know. This is what some of our room and board goes to though. There are many residence halls on campus that have ovens and stoves in their kitchens but I do not know why my dorm does not. My R.A. has even told us that she has asked about having an oven and stove but nothing has been done. If other buildings have them I do not understand why the particular one I am in does not. Many oven units with electric stoves are available and there are many in the $400 -$600  range. My dorm has about 70 residents. We each pay around $6000 a semester, that amounts to at least $420,000. Colleges do have a large amount of expenses and bills to pay but I think that they can afford an oven and stove unit for every dorm.
       These pictures above actually do the room justice though. Usually pictures make things look worse but not in this case. The pictures make the room look better than it is in reality. There are stains on the wall above the sink, many are blue so I am guessing it is paint but they are still questionable. Also you may have noticed that there are two paper towel holders above the sink. That seems like a good idea right? They are both always empty. To top it off, there is no trash can. There is a small bin that was intended for recycling but not resides in the kitchen and is instead used for trash, most of the time. Some people like to leave trash on the table though. All in all this is not a room people like to spend any time in and I only go in there on rare occasions. Such as for photographing it and it's contents for this post. Don't even get me started on the fridge. Let's just say people forget about things sometimes. Thank goodness there is a microwave and mini fridge in my room or I would never be making food in my dorm.

Tortilla Pizza

       Pizza is a very popular food and hard to mess up so even if your dining hall doesn't have the best food I think that pizza is still a safe bet. The only problem is if they have random flavors. I'm sorry but Mac & Cheese pizza is not something I want. Neither is cheeseburger pizza. Thanks to Beth Hensperger, author of Not Your Mother's Microwave Cookbook I learned of the very simple way to make "pizzas" even if you don't have a full kitchen. It is "pizza" and not pizza because it is pretty good and definitely satisfies a craving fro pizza but it is not the same as actual pizza. I do like these though. The only problem is that the tortillas don't really absorb the sauce so it can be a bit messy since the sauce can slide around. I think that adding more cheese on top can help minimize the problem though because once the cheese melts it should hold things in place better.  You could even roll it up as one whole piece or roll up the slices. It is a tortilla so it does make sense do do that and it can be easier to eat that way. These "pizzas" are in no way messier than some regular pizzas though. Another positive is that the cheese was not stretching off the "pizza" or falling off. Sometimes when I have regular pizza the cheese comes of as one piece and I am left with crust and sauce which is not too

fun.
       The recipe and directions Hensperger gives are on page 89 of her book and the title of the recipe is "Individual Veggie Tortilla Pizzas".  The ingredients she gives include vegetables but I did not follow the recipe. I just used her method. The directions she gives are to "

1. Place the tortilla on a paper towel or plate. Microcook on HIGH for 30 seconds to warm.
2. Using a small metal spatula, immediately spread pizza sauce on the warm tortilla. Drizzle with the olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices and artichokes on top, and dot with the goat cheese. Microcook for 25 to 35 seconds, until the cheese melts. Let stand for 60 seconds, then cut into 4 wedges. Serve immediately" (Hensperger 89).  

       My Ingredients:

• Tortillas
• Pizza Sauce
• Mozzarella

       I chose to make plain cheese pizza but you can get as creative as you'd like with toppings. I put my tortilla in the
microwave as directed above and then spread my sauce on it. Finally I put the cheese on. I made two pizzas and the second came out better than the first. For the first I only cut the cheese into slices thinking it would melt a lot and cover the whole tortilla. This did not happen. The second time I cut the cheese up into little pieces and this worked much better. Pieces of grated cheese on the larger side would be even better but I don't know how many college students have graters in their dorms or how many people that don't have ovens or stoves have them.       

First Attempt                                                                                                              Second Attempt

       If you do have an oven or stove though you can make pizza very easily. And when cooked in the oven it is definitely more similar to actual pizza. It can still be simple to cook it in the oven though. You can buy pre-made pizza dough or crust and then just put your toppings on. Boboli makes great
products for this and I've used them in the past. Once you put your sauce and toppings on the crust and you are satisfied with it you will bake it in an oven set to 450 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

         If you need more ideas for pizza toppings her are a few.

• Grilled Chicken (Tyson Grilled & Ready would be great for this)
• Black Olives
• Veggies: Broccoli, Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, etc.
• Margarita Pizza: Basil Leaves & Mozzarella
• Hawaiian Pizza: Pineapple & Ham
• Meatball or Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Zucchini or Eggplant
• White Pizza (This does not have any tomato sauce. Here is a great recipe from Rachael Ray, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/white-pizza-recipe.html. If you do not have an oven though you can use the tortilla method, just warm up the tortilla by itself then put the toppings on and put it in the microwave again.)
• You can also use herbs and spices to add more flavor to your pizza such as Oregano or Thyme
• Using different  cheeses is another option.  Asiago, Provolone, Parmesan, or Romano are some options.

Lunch: Wraps & Other Possibilities

      Although  I think that dinner is the meal with the most possibilities, lunch can be interesting too though. Maybe I feel that way because dinner is usually what people spend the most time on and have the most time to devote to. During the day people need meals that are quick to put together and to eat. Wraps are a great option.
       I use restaurant style flour tortillas for my wraps. They came in many varieties such as super soft and medium soft and whole wheat tortillas are also available.

Almost California Chicken Wrap
        The first wrap is loosely based off of what is called the California Chicken Wrap. There are many versions of this already and I changed it even more to make it my own. I encourage you to do the same, with this and anything I put up. The most common versions of the California Chicken Wrap include sliced tortillas, deli chicken, avocado, lettuce, tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, red onion, and ranch dressing.

       The ingredients I used were:

• Tortillas
• Tomato
• Deli Sliced Buffalo Chicken
• Mustard
• Deli American Cheese

      Once I have my tortilla laid out on my plate the first thing I put on it is my condiment. In this case mustard. Then I added the chicken, cheese, and tomato. And that's it. If you like you can then warm it in the microwave in order for the cheese to melt a little.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella

        This is one of my favorite things to have for lunch. It is very simple yet tasty and refreshing. All of the ingredients are very easy to get in the U.S. but the first time I had this was actually in Europe. I liked it some much that I decided to incorporate it into my diet and have it for lunch quite often. I tried this sandwich because I needed a quick lunch while sightseeing in London and did not want anything with mayonnaise on it. I was pleasantly surprised and did not realize how much I would like this until I had it. The first one I had was on a toasted baguette, and it did go nicely, but any type of bread works. 

And here are the ingredients although it is pretty self explanatory.

• Bread (baguette, tortilla, or other)
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Tomato
• Mozzarella 

        First lay out your bread or tortilla on your plate. You can toast the bread a little first if you would like. Cut the tomato and mozzarella into the size slices that you desire. Drizzle some olive oil on your bread or tortilla and spread it out is you need to. Layer the mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil leaves  in the center. Then roll it up is you are making a wrap. The last step is to cut it in half.

BLT

        BLTs are very delicious but I always forget about them and I'm sure other people do as well. Bacon is not one of the most healthy foods but you can use turkey bacon instead or Canadian bacon which has less fat than regular bacon. There are also organic options for bacon. Bacon cooked in the microwave is actually better for you than bacon fried on the stove. Microwave cooked bacon has less calories and less fat. Here is a link to more info if you would like specifics http://www.livestrong.com/article/318946-the-calories-in-microwave-vs-pan-fried-bacon/. The directions for cooking it in the microwave are on the package. Usually what you do is put some of the bacon between layers of paper towels on a plate or a certain type of tray and cook it for whatever time it says to on the package. Once those pieces are done transfer them to another plate and put new paper towels and bacon on the other plate and microwave them. Repeat this process until all the bacon is done.
       What you will need:

• Bacon
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Bread (tortilla or other)
• Mayonnaise, Mustard, or a different condiment

      Start with you bread or wrap and spread any condiment of your choosing on it. Then add the rinse your lettuce and put it on the sandwich, then add your tomato slices, and finally the cooked bacon.

Caesar Wrap 
       This one is pretty well known but I thought I'd include it anyway. I think this wrap is so delicious and refreshing. Wraps are great for the warmer weather. They are quick to prepare and the ingredients are usually very fresh and just out of the refrigerator. Having one for lunch can be great. Including chicken makes a Caesar wrap even better. It is more filling and the wrap then becomes a better source of protein.
       Ingredients:

• Tortilla
• Lettuce (Romaine, Ice Berg, etc.)
• Parmesan Cheese
• Caesar Dressing
• Chicken
• Croutons (optional)

Start with your tortilla on you plate and add your Caesar Dressing. Then add the lettuce, cheese, and chicken. Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken is a great option and can be cooked in the microwave.

Tips      
 In order to have a more complete meal serve your wrap or sandwich with a side of fruit. Also try Sun Chips or Popchips instead of other kinds of chips because these two are healthier options.Using wheat bread or wheat tortillas can be another way to make your meal more healthy.

Salads
Many of the above can be turned into salads and some wraps have the exact same ingredients as their salad counterparts. I think the most obvious one is the Caesar. Caesar wrap to a Caesar salad. Many people already put bacon bits in their salad and salads already have tomatoes and lettuce, its the same meal just in a different form. All you have to do is decide on what dressing to use for the salad version. The tomato, basil, and mozzarella is very similar to a Caprese salad. This is a very simple salad although the name might suggest otherwise. It is Italian and actually named after Capri. This salad is commonly used as an appetizer and all it is, is alternating layers of tomato and mozzarella slices. You can put basil leaves in between them or on top of them. Then you can either use olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Some people prefer balsamic dressing, it is up to you.

Pasta Ideas

        Now that you know how to make pasta in a microwave here are some options of what you can add to it  if regular tomato sauce isn't doing it for you. One of the most simple ways I eat pasta is drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. You can also use Alfredo sauce or pesto. I like putting chicken and especially grilled chicken on my pasta. It helps incorporate protein into the meal and means you are not just eating carbs. Even college students can find it easy to do so because Tyson^® makes Grilled & Ready^® Fully Cooked Frozen Grilled Chicken Breast Strips which can be found in any local supermarket and if not there are other comparable items and brands.

You can Pin me!

         Vegetables are also great to incorporate. Broccoli, tomatoes, and peas are some common ones that go well with pasta. Although you may not have a stove you can still have a delicious meal of chicken, broccoli, and any type of pasta you like with Alfredo sauce. Here is a link for how to cook broccoli in the microwave http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-steam-broccoli-in-the-m-47176 and here is a recipe and directions for making Alfredo sauce in the microwave http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-microwave-creamy-alfredo-sauce-265738  I have tried out both of these recipes and they work well. I have also cooked broccoli in a microwave using the method described on page 84 of Healthy Microwave Cooking.

Healthy Microwave Cooking page 84 Broccoli Basics by Judith Benn Hurley

       My personal favorite is combining diced tomatoes, oregano, and olive oil and then mixing that into my pasta.I like to have a lot of tomato but you can use any amount you would like. As for the size, I like the pieces to be pretty small, no  larger than a cubic centimeter, but again you can determine the way you want them. I just use whatever amount of olive oil coats the diced bits of tomato completely and then sprinkle a generous amount of oregano. I then add the tomato mixture to my pasta and top it off with Parmesan cheese. Romano and Asiago also work well and you can even use a blend of cheeses for extra flavor.

        Other additions include bacon bits and meatballs. And yes, you can cook bacon in the microwave, most of the time the directions are right on the package. You will just need a lot of paper towels! You can also buy frozen meatballs which just need to be heated in the microwave. 

Healthy Microwave Cooking Cookbook Overview

        I managed to find another cookbook with recipes that do not require the oven or stove. It is Healthy Microwave Cooking by Judith Benn Hurley. Hurley was a food columnist for Prevention magazine and has written for other publications as well. She also has written four other cookbooks, Rodale's Garden-Fresh Cooking, Savoring the Day, The Good Herbs, and The Healing Foods. Hurley was also nominated for the James Beard Award for Focus on Health. Healthy Microwave Cooking was published in 1988 and the recipes in it are more exotic and seem to be fancier. The main audience for the book is busy career focused adults who do not have much time for cooking but want to enjoy what they eat and don;t want to feel like they are eating rushed sub par food. I think there are recipes in this book though that college students would definitely like and some would be very beneficial to them. It is also nice that the book focuses on healthy because it is not always easy for students to eat healthy especially when it comes to the dining hall.

        Hurley's book is a bit similar to Hensperger's in that they both lay out the ground work for microwave cooking. She has a section with some menu ideas for different occasions which list various recipe titles from the book. Next there is a section with the names all of the recipes in the book that take 15 minutes of less to make. After this the actual recipes start and they are broken up into different sections.

       For each item she lists the number of servings the recipe will make, the number of calories per serving (as you can see she is sticking with the healthy theme here), the directions with the ingredients needed in a box on the side of the page and for many of the recipes she includes ideas for how to serve what was made and what to serve it with. The layout of the pages is very nice and the pages are setup in a way that is good for people who need to quickly flip through the book. They would need to do so in order to see what they would like to make and what they actually could make based on what is called for.





 
 There are no pictures accompanying the recipes in this book either. However there are a four
sections each comprised of a few pages of pictures of some of the things that can be made from recipes in the book. The pictures are also the only pages in the cookbook that have color. This makes them pop even more though I do enjoy colored text as well because it gives a more entertaining and fun feel.

Lemon Miso Soup with Vegetable Julienne and Skinny Noodles page 59, recipe can be found on page 75

The pictures that are included though look great and have very vibrantly colored food.     
        Hurley is a big fan of fresh ingredients and on page 19, the first of the under 15 minutes section "Microwave in Minutes" she states that "[i]t's never easy to determine the exact time it will take to prepare a recipe. I may chop faster than you. You may have extra help in the kitchen. Some cooks may even use convenience items like prepared garlic (and shame on them if they do)"(Hurley 19). You can see a bit of Hurley's personality here and it helps to make the book more interesting. You are able to here her voice throughout and especially when she is giving . Such as how on page 126 which has a recipe for Orange Roughy With Tomato, Lemon and Mint she says "[w]hether this Australian fish deserves its name or not, it sure looks like the thug of the sea. In contrast, its flesh is clean and tasty"(Hurley 126). This gives a glimpse of her writing style which is sometimes hard to see in cookbooks due to the limited amount of creative writing in them. 

Welcome

         Hi and welcome to my blog! I am a college student that loves cooking but unfortunately one who lives in a dorm without a kitchen. Well...actually there is a room in my building called the kitchen,  the key word being called. It does not really function as a kitchen. The room has a refrigerator, a microwave, and a sink that doesn't work properly. This room was a disappointment to me and I accepted the fact that I wouldn't be cooking while at college. I would have to go to the dining hall for all of my meals although that meant walking through the snow, rain, cold air, and other unpleasant conditions for mediocre food. All the while hoping they would have something good to make it worthwhile for the trek from my dorm.
       Then one night while thinking about food (as I sometimes find myself doing) I realized that I could make my own meals at school. I first realized I could make different sandwiches and wraps. I was just basically thinking about lunch possibilities and things that didn't need to be cooked at all before another thought popped into my head. I could use the microwave to make things! This got me really excited and I then went on the internet to see if that was even possible, what things I could actually make, and what I would want to make. And I am happy to report that there are a great amount of things. 
       My purpose for this blog is to share recipes I have found that don't require the basics a kitchen has such as a stove or oven. I hope this is helpful for college students and other people who have limited cooking resources. The recipes I will post will all be things that I have tried. For the most part they will only be items that don't require any cooking or those that only need a microwave. From time to time though I will also have a few simple things that do utilize the oven or stove for the people who do have access to them. I will include tips and tricks from personal experience and other information I learn in the process.
       I hope to post at least once a week and that you find this helpful!
         -Emily