COOKING WITH EASE: THE COLLEGE WAY

Story by Iyanna Warrick

You just got out of your three-hour night class. It's late, you're hungry and you won’t get paid for two more days. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

These money-saving but flavorful recipes will keep cash in your pockets and your belly full. Instead of relying on fast food, these cheap and fulfilling meals provide a healthy and delicious alternative.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MINI PIZZAS

NOODLE STIR FRY

BAKED MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

Ingredients Prep

Photo by Alexcia E. Negrete

◆ 1 24-oz jar of butternut squash marinara sauce

◆ 1 small tomato

◆ 1 pack of 2 5-oz organic pizza crusts

◆ 1 8-oz pack of low-fat mozzarella cheese 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Dice the small tomato 3. Place pizza crusts on baking sheet 4. Spread an even amount of marinara sauce on pizza crusts 5. Evenly sprinkle cheese all around pizzas 6. Spread diced tomatoes on top 7. Put pizzas into the oven for 30 minutes 8. Wait for the pizzas to cool before cutting into four even slices

A healthier option is to use cauliflower pizza crust, instead of the organic pizza crust.

A healthier option for this dish is instead of using Maruchan top ramen noodles use regular spaghetti noodles because they are less salty.

If you want a healthier alternative, use cauliflower noodles. You can even use less cheese, even though cheese is amazing. Instead of using the bags of sharp cheddar cheese you can just use the velveeta cheese.

Ingredients

◆ 2 packs of Maruchan top ramen noodles

◆ 2 green onions

◆ 1/4 bell pepper

◆ 2 pieces of thinly sliced deli turkey

Prep

1. Boil 4 cups water in a medium-sized pot 2. Wait for water to boil, then add noodles 3. Chop onions and bell pepper 4. Slice deli turkey 5. After about 3 minutes, drain the water from the noodles but leave a little in the pot 6. Pour the noodles and water into a bowl, sprinkle seasoning packet in and mix until noodles are fully seasoned 7. Top with onions, bell pepper and turkey

Ingredients

◆ 1 box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese

◆ 2 bags of sharp cheddar shredded cheese

Prep

1. Once water is ready add in the box of noodles but leave out the Velveeta cheese 2. When noodles are done, drain the water but leave the noodles in the pot 3. Add pack of Velveeta cheese and stir until cheese is fully mixed in 4. Add everything from the pot to a microwave-safe bowl 5. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese all over the dish until it’s fully covered 6. Microwave for 2 minutes until cheddar cheese is melted and bubbling* 7. *If you have an oven available, you can preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put the dish in for 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

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