Living with a dining plan can be lots of fun — unlimited servings of your favorite BU dishes, dining points to spend at your leisure and, of course, no dishes.
However, dining plans are sometimes excessive, expensive and not worth having if you live in an apartment. As a vegetarian, I also found myself having a hard time finding hearty meals on campus.
This year, I moved into my first on-campus apartment and therefore cook all my own meals. My roommates and I love cooking together and trying out new recipes, which makes each night exciting and fun. Although Gordon Ramsay never replied to my tweet asking him to judge our meals, I’d say we’re doing pretty great so far. The vegetarian meals we like to cook are healthy, inexpensive and require little-to-no prep!
Here are some of my favorites:
1. Homemade ramen (serves two)
Ingredients:
- Miso paste
- Ramen noodles
- Sweet corn
- Bean sprouts
- Bamboo shoots
- Enokitake mushrooms
- Two soft boiled eggs (marinated overnight in soy sauce and water)
- Kale
- Carrots
- Green onion
Method:
- Sautee bamboo shoots, mushrooms, kale, carrots, bean sprouts and onion in a saucepan
- Cook the noodles in miso paste
- Serve immediately and garnish with egg
2. Roasted veggie bowl (serves three)
Ingredients:
- Kale
- Sweet potato
- Carrots
- Instant rice
- Sriracha
Method:
- Cube sweet potato and carrots, roast at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden
- Sautee kale in garlic powder, salt and pepper
- Microwave instant rice, top with vegetables
- Add sriracha to taste
3. Sweet potato “nachos” (serves two)
Ingredients:
- Sweet potato
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Black beans
- Shredded cheese
- Cilantro
Method:
- Slice sweet potato into thin discs
- Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, roast at 350 degrees until crispy
- Add tomatoes, beans and cheese, put back in oven for 5 to 10 minutes
- Garnish with cubed avocado and cilantro to taste
