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Advice for college super-hero wannabes please :)

Advice for college super-hero wannabes please :)

Started by Kim on January 18, 2011

12 Comments

Kim said #1 Jan 18, 2011 at 7:06pm

I have been a vegetarian for most of my life, and after reading "the kind diet" I've decided that I'd like to make the transition to being vegan/ following the superhero diet she sets out. My problem is that I'm currently in college, and I don't have a car or a lot of time to prepare my own meals so I mostly have to use what I have in the cafeteria at school. I haven't thought of any way that i could follow the super hero diet while in college, but vegan could be do-able. Here are basics I have available

-cubed plain tofu, hummus, beans (refried, some black or red sometimes), peanut butter (has sugar..)

-grated carrots, baby carrots, spinach, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, sometimes mushrooms, sometimes stir fried veggies,

-red wine vinegar salad dressing, white wine vinegar, and olive oil

-brown rice, whole grain bread, crackers, pasta (sometimes whole grain)

-a few spices like basil...

- apple and pears, sometimes oranges

So that's what i have to work with. I've been eating alot of salads, with a dish of beans, or a serving of rice on the side.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have to preparing these ingredients into good tasting meals :) I have a microwave available too, I know it's not the best for the environment and stove are better, but I'm doin the best i can.

thanks!!!!!!!!! =D

K J said #2 Jan 19, 2011 at 6:28am

Kim, you are in quite the predicament because you don't have a lot of the items needed to give you variety. however, I would suggest really letting your creative juices flow. With rice, you can do all kinds of stuff - if you have the availability to cook on a stove. So, assuming you do, you can saute, roast or bake fresh veggies to make them tender. Use a bit of oil for roasting and sauteing. For a different flavor, drizzle a tad bit of either vinegar. Use a little in the beginning so you can add more, if needed. You really want to use this as an opportunity to experiment and get to know flavors and how things taste together.

Other ideas - you can use the beans with additional water to start off with a bean soup or stew. Use spices to keep it from being bland and then roast/bake veggies to go in the "stew". At the end, add cooked rice. Then you almost have a veggie style gumbo.

Obviously, you can create tons of salads using the different veggies and fruits. With the tofu, you can do stirfry, "scrambled eggs" with the veggies, and even add to soup. Tofu is flavorless and will take on any flavor you put it with so it makes it very versatile.

These are just my thoughts. You are more limited but you can truly use this time to experiment and develop your artistic cooking personality! Oh, and as a snack, I love apples and peanut butter! Yum!

ailis_b said #3 Feb 23, 2011 at 11:25am

I'm in the same boat. As I'm forced to be on the student meal plan, I try to do the best with what they offer. My cafeteria offers similar staples, but I find that it can get a bit repetitive so I often supplement it with food that I buy from my local grocery store. Like others suggested, I found it cheapest to go to health food stores and stock up at the bulk section for grains, beans, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. I also bought a small ricemaker that I use to cook up everything from steel cut oats to quinoa, rice and beans. Stock up on healthy snacks and try to focus on getting the most variety within your diet as you can!

Tracy Binol said #4 Feb 23, 2011 at 4:06pm

I am being sarcastic - Where do you go to school? My son goes to Cal State Monterey Bay, they have many vegan and organic options, that a locally grown in their cafeteria. You might want to transfer!

Michelle Harris said #5 Feb 23, 2011 at 5:31pm

Hey hun, I feel your situation.I just graduated but I remember all to well what its with limited options in your area. For me, my mom was close so I would drive home on weekends to wash close and cook 2 or 3 meals that I cook heat up during the week as well as staples like brown rice and beans.I'd make chili and stuff like that. Even if you have no fam in the area maybe a friend with a stove?

Michelle Harris said #6 Feb 23, 2011 at 6:09pm

Oh also, I found that the book Peta's College Cookbook had some great ideas in it and they were all something you could put in a microwave or make cold like wraps, cold salads,etc. You should check it out.I went to the local book store and sat down and read through all the ideas before buying it but its well worth the 14$.

Kerry Last name said #7 Feb 23, 2011 at 6:36pm

I have a great book that I think will help you ( bought it because I was looking for cheep and easy vegan meals ) it's:

Students go vegan cookbook: over 135 quick,easy,cheap,and tasty vegan recipes

by: Carole Raymond

Kim said #8 Feb 23, 2011 at 7:04pm

Thank you for all your suggestions.

Tracy: I'm from Wisconsin, and I go to school in Iowa for music therapy. Sooooo Cal State probably isn't an option but thanks for the suggestion! lol :) I was actually born in Long Beach, and my parents are both from California, Monterey Park and Alhambra, but I've lived in Wisconsin most of my life.

Michelle: I'm actually living on campus and have a community stove available to me. I don't however have a car ( I have a friend who lets me borrow hers sometimes though) , or a lot of spare time, so it's more getting supplies and finding time to prepare things. I actually own the PETA college cookbook, I should revisit that. It's somewhere at my house I'll have to find it next time I'm home. :) thank you for the ideas!

Kerry: I will check out that book! thank you!

KJ, Nicole and Ailis_b: Thank you for your suggestions as well! :)

This is all helpful to me! I think once I get more comfortable with the staples, cooking rice and grains and that sort of thing, things will start to come together more. All of your suggestions are very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time!

Kim said #9 Feb 23, 2011 at 7:07pm

Kerry: I just looked up that book and I actually already own "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook". by the same author. It's somewhere at home with my PETA cookbook. Maybe I just need to utilize my resources..... ha. I'm sure I could modify many of the vegetarian recipes. thanks :)

french_momma said #10 Feb 23, 2011 at 7:07pm

When we remodeled our kitchen i had to cook for two months with nothing but a micro, a rice cooker, a slow cooker and an electric skillet. But you know, it wasn't that bad! If you are allowed to use any of those items at school, you can prepare superhero meals pretty easily.

Also, the items available are not bad... just combine them in new ways. Make them into interesting wraps, stews, salads, sandwiches... You can take cooked rice, a variety of veggies, and then add seasoning of choice and warm it all up- turn it into paella, or jambalaya, or asian fried rice!

Try to set aside money so that once a week you can treat yourself to a yummy vegan lunch or dinner out somewhere to break the monotany.

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