Meal Inspiration During Exam Season

We all know the struggle of exam season, with an endless stream of caffeinated drinks accompanying long, sleepless nights. While students often focus on material retention and doing well, they tend to overlook their physical health. I know my friends and I have foregone healthy meals for quick and often unhealthy foods to save time for studying. While preparing fast, healthy, and affordable meals can be hard, there are ways to amp up the most basic meals to add flavor and nutrition. As a home chef, I want to share some of the dishes I make during my study breaks. The best part about all these meals is that they’re highly customizable! These dishes aren’t strict recipes but serve as guidelines you can play around with. 

Instant ramen is a classic broke college student staple. While it can be a satisfying meal on its own, there are so many things you can add that make it a more balanced meal. I like making this version of instant ramen over a stovetop in a large pot to minimize dishwashing. 

• Protein: I typically add tofu or an egg to my ramen, as those taste the best in that boiled setting. Tofu doesn’t need to be cooked to a certain temperature, and eggs cook relatively quickly (about 3-4 minutes) when cracked directly into the noodles. 
• Vegetables: You can put whatever you want in there, but I love using broccoli, bokchoy, carrots, and mushrooms. Just wash and cut everything up so that they cook quickly and uniformly.  
• Flavoring: I love adding scallions, cilantro, and fried shallots for freshness and flavor. You could add any condiments and spices you wanted; just be careful of salt levels, as the ramen seasoning packets often contain most of the recommended daily sodium intake. 

The most important thing about this dish is timing when you add ingredients so that everything is cooked through. I begin by boiling my vegetables first, then adding the noodles and seasoning, then the protein. Depending on what you use to supplement your ramen, that order is subject to change. 

Pasta is one of my favorite blank canvases to pack a nutritional punch. It is easy to incorporate veggies into pasta by making them into a simple sauce. Start by roasting/boiling a bunch of vegetables, then adding them to a blender with garlic, lemon juice, zest, Parmesan cheese (optional), olive oil, and seasoning. Toss this sauce with any pasta or noodle, and you have a healthy meal in half an hour. Because the recipe is relatively hands-off, you could also clean while things cook, which saves even more time. Here are some combinations that I love that I know work super well.

• Roasted: bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, shallots 
• Boiled: broccoli, kale, asparagus, basil 

Just boil your pasta until done, and mix the done pasta with your sauce and a splash of pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency.  

Stirfries are one of my favorite ways to clear out my fridge when I have five different kinds of produce sitting around and no clear way to use it. I typically season my stir fries with oyster sauce, dark and light soy sauce, sugar, salt, and vinegar. While you could theoretically serve stir-fries over rice, I prefer stir-frying my vegetables with vermicelli noodles. Just cut whatever you use into relatively even-sized pieces so that they cook evenly, toss in your wok (or large pan) with oil, season in stages, and taste to see if everything tastes good! You can never go wrong with stir-fried vegetables with noodles, especially served with hot sauce and a fried egg on top.

Smoothies/smoothie bowls satisfy my craving for a sweet snack, whether that be a drink or a thick, ice-cream-like situation. They use fresh and frozen fruits in your fridge and freezer and are a great way to enjoy vitamins in your diet. Pro-tip: add silken tofu to your smoothies: they have virtually no flavor and are an easy way to balance your meal. 

1. For a smoothie, you could use fresh fruits and blend them with more of your liquid of choice. 
2. For smoothie bowls, blend frozen fruits with less of your liquid of choice

Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations!

1. Strawberry, blueberry, banana, any milk: a classic combination and a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. 
2. Mango, lemon, banana, oat milk: tastes very tropical and feels like summer in a glass. 
3. Strawberry, mango, banana, milk of choice: sweet, tart, and floral tasting, absolutely delicious, and packed with vitamins A and C, and potassium.
4. Banana, blueberries, peanut butter, milk of choice: reminiscent of a PB&J, and has protein and antioxidants!

Eating healthy can be difficult, but it is so important to prioritize your physical and emotional health while working. I hope that these recipes are helpful whenever you deal with exams next!