Easy and healthy dorm recipes

By Ashley Diaz •

Many students experience the “Freshman 15,” in which they gain 15 pounds during their freshman year, because they can develop unhealthy eating habits when starting college.

Many students complain it is difficult to make or buy healthy food with their busy schedules, but there are healthy recipes that are easy for NSU students to make.

Watermelon popsicles

For students looking to eat a healthy dessert, they can make watermelon popsicles. The popsicles have the sweetness of watermelon with a hint of tartness of citrus from lemon juice. Students need diced watermelon, lemon juice, honey, a popsicle mold and a blender.
Place at least 4 cups of diced watermelon into the blender. Once in the blender, pour a bit of lemon juice and honey, depending on the desired sweetness. Blend the mixture until it is smooth and pour it into a popsicle mold. Lastly, students should put the molds into the freezer for four hours or until frozen. Once the popsicles are frozen, students can enjoy a healthy and refreshing dessert.

Cauliflower mac and cheese

Instead of eating Kraft Mac & Cheese or ramen, students can enjoy cauliflower mac and cheese, which takes five minutes to make. Students only need three ingredients: cauliflower, heavy cream and shredded cheese. First, students have to wash the cauliflower, chop it and place it in a bowl or mug. Next, they should sprinkle any shredded cheese onto the cauliflower and microwave until the cheese is melted. To add a creamy texture to the meal, stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and microwave it for two minutes. Once the cauliflower mac and cheese is done, students can eat more vegetables than carbohydrates.

Parmesan herb microwave spaghetti squash

Microwaving spaghetti squash takes 15 minutes, and requires squash, grated parmesan, basil, garlic powder, olive oil, ground pepper and salt. First, cut open the squash, fill it with water and place it on a baking sheet. Put the dish in the microwave for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once it is done, gently scrape the squash with a fork to create spaghetti and place it in a bowl. In the bowl, add 1 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of basil, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper and 1/16 teaspoon of salt. Mix the ingredients with the spaghetti in a bowl, then place the mixture back into the squash for aesthetic purposes.

Ten-minute gluten-free enchiladas

Enchiladas are quick to make for students who enjoy soft and spicy food. Students need four main ingredients: gluten-free enchilada sauce, gluten-free corn tortillas, shredded chicken and shredded cheese. To start, students should wrap the tortillas in paper towels and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to make them softer. After they microwave the tortillas, spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the tortillas in a dish.

Place 2 cups of shredded chicken onto the enchiladas with any other desired toppings, such as lettuce or diced onions. With the desired toppings placed, pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce onto the dish, then roll the enchiladas. After they are rolled, dip the tortillas into the remaining sauce and sprinkle a cup of shredded cheese before putting the dish in the microwave. Lastly, microwave the enchiladas for five to seven minutes. Once the enchiladas are done, students can enjoy a hearty, healthy Latin dish for dinner.