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Dorm Room Dinner: Stuffed Sweet Potato
To me, a dinner should have a balanced amount of protein, vegetables and complex carbs. A plate of pasta is not complete without some grilled chicken and a sauce full of veggies! When you’re limited to cooking in a dorm room or on a budget, that can get a little tricky. It means buying more groceries and more cooking preparation. But I came up with this dinner that was perfectly balanced using only 4 ingredients in my residence hall community kitchen:
Dinner for One
It’s healthy, it’s inexpensive, and it was delicious :)
This insanely easy “Recipe”
You will need: one half of a ridiculously large sweet potato. Package of frozen veggies (I used the stir-fry blend) thawed. 1 piece of pre-grilled chicken (unless you’re into handling raw meat…which I am not). 1 wedge Laughing Cow Light cheese (35 calories?! Score!).
1. Bake half a sweet potato at 400 degrees for 30 minutes
2. Take it out of the oven and slice it down the middle. (Don’t burn your fingers!) Fill the potato and the rest of the baking sheet with your veggies and sliced chicken.
3. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let it cool for a couple of minutes before crumbling on the cheese and devouring while it’s warm.
You have lean protein from the white chicken meat, complex carbs and fiber from the sweet potato and all the vitamins from the vegetable blend. Plus it’s a filling meal (and so colorful)!
There are so many alternatives to Top Ramen no matter what you’re living situation. This meal literally comes out to about $2.90 per serving and about 300 calories. That’s a heck of a lot better than $1.00 and 1000 calories!
Thanks to Pinterest I’ve found a bunch of other varieties of Stuffed Sweet Potatoes including BBQ Pulled Pork and Spinach & Feta. Since sweet potatoes are so hearty and delicious I think I’ll try them all. Sure beats a hot pocket!
This and other college healthy tips and recipes can be found on the College Girl Cuisine page!
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The Ab Lab
As you might have noticed, I have a tendency to use “cutesy” titles. Rhyming, Alliterations…I just can’t help myself when I come up with something clever like the “Ab Lab.” When you convert your dorm room (or bedroom) into a personal fitness studio for today’s workout you will have created an Ab Lab ;)
Sometimes workouts need to be quick and convenient. The best go-to exercie for me: CORE! You don’t need any equipment and very little space to work the major muscle group. Core exercises for the Abdominals, Obliques and low back are some of my favorites (the torso twist machine at the gym? So fun.) If you decide to make this a dorm-room workout, you should invite your roommate to join you. Buddy System!
Crank up the music, lay down a towel (sweaty carpet = bad roommate) and get ready for an oh-so-challenging 5 minute Plank Workout:
1. Basic Plank – 30 seconds
2. Right Side Plank – 30 seconds
3. Left Side Plank – 30 seconds
*30 Second Break*
4. Alternating leg raise (as demonstrated below): 10 reps each side
You’re not done yet! 30 second break…
5. Right Side Plank with Hip Raises – 20 reps
6. Left Side Plank with Hip Raises – 20 reps
7. Alternating Leg Raise Plank – 10 reps each side
8. Crank Out 1 Last Basic Plank – 30 seconds
It’s quick, it ain’t easy, but it’s totally building a beautiful core :)
Now that we’ve got that covered, can I show you my “kitchen”? I’ve already told you about the food aspect of preparing for dorm life, but I also came loaded with kitchen supplies to make sure I can cook all the meals I want.
Of course I’ve got the coffee bar. My room would be incomplete without. Space is everything in a micro-sized living situation so organizing everything was so important. After my roommate and I brought out all of our kitchen gear, we assembled into what I call the Kitchen:
The easiest way to ensure you’ll make healthy choices when living on your own is to stock yourself with all the options you’ll need! If you’re starving and grumpy and all that’s left in your fridge is a carton of eggs and some mustard, you’re more likely to run down to the vending machine for some quick food. I always have apples and bananas on hand, plus other snacks and goodies to make sure I’m never in a need-food-now situation that will leave me feeling guilty afterwards.
Can you tell I like organization..?
If you do the PLANK workout, tell me how it went!
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Cafeteria Cuisine: Balanced Breakfast Challenge
Breakfast isn’t a typical cafeteria meal for me, because I prefer to make my own fruit-filled oatmeal or smoothie in my room. But this morning I met a friend for breakfast in our all-you-can-eat style cafeteria. It was a little challenging finding healthy and filling options amid the donuts, biscuits and gravy, french toast and waffle maker. I just gotta laugh when I see fellow students piling their plates high with tater tots, sausage links, bacon, pancakes, chocolate chip muffins AND a bagel….you didn’t eat like that at home, so why would you here?! If you want to avoid the freshman/sophomore/junior 15 you have got to drop the “I have to get my money’s worth” attitude! Or else you’re “money’s worth” meal will cost you a new pair of pants in a couple months…..
Fear not – I created a balanced breakfast with a sweet parfait!
A fruit n’ yogurt bowl is an easy healthy go-to breakfast. Options were limited to canned peach slices and pineapple, and I would’ve preferred to add a banana but in the cafeteria setting it’s all about working with what you’ve got! I topped the fruit with a little Raisin Bran. I know Raisin Bran still has a considerable amount of sugar but look at my options!
Breakfast with a side of diabetes?
Taking out the Froot Loops, Coco Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Kellogs Granola leaves good ole’ Raisin Bran looking pretty good! And of course I have to commend the cafeteria on their surprisingly delicious coffee. To round out the meal, I small serving of eggs with diced peppers and some salsa left me full through the morning and into my “Stretch & Relaxation” class!
The pancakes and muffins may look appetizing for an instant but I always feel heavy and full after such a bread-y breakfast. This light and fruity bowl was the perfect start to the beautiful day and kept me sitting tall in a summer sundress through out class!
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