PITTSBURGH — Cooking every day is not easy. It’s even harder when you have to juggle school, work, extracurriculars or a full-time job with it.
While I would love to spend three hours each day experimenting with elaborate dishes, being in college or doing a full-time summer internship means that I’m always looking for quick recipes for yummy, nutritious food.
In Food Editor Gretchen McKay’s kitchen, I recently tested four recipes from “The Easy 3 Ingredient College Cookbook” by Robin Fields (Simon and Shuster, $15.99). True to the cookbook’s name, each low-cost recipe requires only three ingredients. The recipes are extremely simple; some even make use of premade pizza crusts and muffin mixes.
I’ve chosen to share recipes that involve just a little more effort and natural ingredients. This cookbook is a really good basic source for beginner cooks. But for those who would like extra challenge, flavor or nutrition, I’ve included additional PG-tested tips to take these recipes beyond the basics.
It took me only one hour to prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert all at once — which means daily meal prep has never been easier.
Breakfast: Cheddar Egg Bites
Many coffee shops offer a variation of this breakfast staple. But why purchase a single premade egg bite that costs upwards of $4 when you could enjoy multiple egg bites, fresh out of the oven, for a fraction of the cost?
I chose to garnish the fluffy egg bites with scallions before baking to add another umami layer to the taste. While eggs and cheese already make for a protein-filled breakfast, sprinkling in bacon flakes could provide more texture and flavor for those of us who are non-vegetarian.
According to the cookbook, the batter should be enough to fill six cups in a muffin tin, but the actual number can vary with the cups’ sizes. With larger cups, remember to let the egg bites bake for 1-2 minutes more in the oven before you take them out.
4 large eggs
1/3 cup small curd cottage cheese
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 6 cups of a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high for 20 seconds or until smooth. Pour egg mixture evenly into each prepared cup in the muffin tin; they will be about three-quarters full.
Place muffin tin into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When done, egg bites will appear firm in the center and edges will be slightly browned. Serve warm. Store leftover egg bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Lunch: Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
I’m the first person to proclaim my love for teriyaki sauce. But purchasing a very specific sauce just to let it sit in the drawer for ages isn’t for everyone.
I tested the cookbook’s suggested substitute: brown sugar and soy sauce in equal portions. The mixture was a bit too savory and lacked the interesting nuances of teriyaki sauce. Chicken thighs are extremely versatile and go well with anything; pesto and tahini sauces would be great alternatives for this recipe.
Chicken thighs should be quite filling for lunch, but for some carbohydrates, I prepared a pot of brown rice on the side. Some fresh salad veggies would also add a bright crunch.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (4-ounce) boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Panda Express Chinese Kitchen Mandarin Teriyaki Sauce (or ¼ cup of soy sauce with equal amount brown sugar)
Warm vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Place chicken into the skillet and sear on each side for 4 minutes.
Pour teriyaki into the skillet on top of chicken and flip so each side is well coated. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, turning and rotating chicken occasionally.
When done, sauce in the skillet should be thickened and coat the chicken in a shiny glaze. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165 degrees and juices should run clear. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve warm with any remaining pan sauce.
Dinner: One-Pot Spaghetti
Hand-washing dishes is a hassle, and college dorm rooms don’t usually have dishwashers. Minimize the mess by making spaghetti in one pot — and eat right out of it afterward.
If you can’t find pot-size spaghetti, breaking normal spaghetti in half would also work. Jarred sauces are a must for the busy college student.
For a finishing touch, garnish with basil, Parmesan or freshly diced tomatoes and bell peppers.
This one-pot spaghetti from “The Easy 3-Ingredient College Cookbook” is made with ground beef and jarred sauce. (Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette)
1/3 pound 80/20 ground beef
2 cups pasta sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
4 ounces dry pot-size spaghetti
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, brown ground beef until no pink remains, about 7 minutes. Drain any grease and return the pan to the burner.
Stir in pasta sauce, salt and water. Add spaghetti, pressing down gently to ensure it’s submerged. Increase heat to high.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender.
Serve warm.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Dessert: Dark Chocolate Almond Nut Clusters
These almond nut clusters will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide multiple vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants at the same time. They are also easily customizable and can contain more than chocolate and nuts; you could switch the flavors up with hemp seeds, sesame seeds, raisins and other dried fruits.
They should last for at least a few days in the freezer, so you can pre-make them in larger batches for parties and other special occasions!
Made with dark chocolate, toasted almonds and a pinch of finishing salt, these easy treats will conquer any college student’s sweet craving. (Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette)
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup roasted whole almonds
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Place chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 15 seconds, then stir until fully melted and smooth.
Place almonds into chocolate and stir to fully coat. Use a spoon to drop small mounds of chocolate and almonds onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 tablespoons per cluster. Leave 2 inches of space between clusters to avoid melting together. There should be 16 clusters. Sprinkle each with ¹⁄8 teaspoon sea salt.
Place clusters on the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 1 hour to harden. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
