Cooking for yourself can be frustrating and time-consuming, but it allows for more variation than cereal and instant noodles every day.
These three recipes are simple and take no more than 20 minutes to prepare and cook. They look nice enough to impress your friends and healthy enough to please your parents.
Note: All recipes are one serving.
Broccoli Pasta (prep + cook time: 15 minutes)
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of broccoli
1 cup of any pasta
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
1. Fill a small pot about three-quarters full with water. Cover and let water boil on medium heat.
2. Once the water’s boiling, add salt, pasta and broccoli. Cook uncovered for the time specified on the pasta box, stirring a few times.
3. Drain the pasta and broccoli when the pasta done, then pour them back into the pot.
4. Pour the olive oil on top and mix everything together.
5. Remove most of the broccoli and mash it into tiny pieces with a fork.
6. Pour the broccoli and Parmesan cheese into the pot and stir.
7. Let sit for two minutes and enjoy.
Salmon Taco Salad (prep + cook time: 20 minutes)
Ingredients:
1 serving of salmon (about 5 oz.)
1 cup of spinach
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 squirt of lemon juice
2 taco shells
Directions:
1. Set oven temperature to 400 degrees.
2. Place the salmon in a Pyrex pan and put it in the oven when the oven is ready. Let it cook for 17-20 minutes, or until it’s a dull pink. Complete steps 3 through 5 while the salmon is cooking.
3. Pour the olive oil in a bowl.
4. Crunch the taco shells into small pieces and pour into the bowl.
5. Rip the spinach into small pieces and pour into the bowl.
6. Pour the lemon juice over the salmon, then crush the salmon into small pieces with a fork.
7. Pour the salmon into the bowl and mix all of the ingredients together.
8. Enjoy.
Healthy Tortilla Wrap (prep + cook time = 10 minutes)
Ingredients:
2 cups of lettuce or salad greens
1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons of diced feta cheese
½ avocado
1 soft tortilla
Directions:
1. Cut avocado into ½ inch pieces.
2. Mix the lettuce, cheese, and avocado in a bowl.
3. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the bowl, then mix in with the other ingredients.
4. Spread the ingredients over a tortilla, then fold the tortilla over until ingredients are wrapped.
5. Enjoy.