Day 1 Dinner:
Caprese Salad
Leftover Balsamic Chicken (reheated)
Toasted bread slices
Tomato Soup
Nectarine

Day 2 Breakfast:
Banana
Baby carrots + hummus
bit of bread

Day 2 Lunch:
Sandwich: french artisan bread, deli meat, mustard
Nectarine

Day 2 Dinner:
Ate out (Panera bread: sandwich, salad, scone; Starbucks: venti iced black tea + soymilk)

Day 3 Breakfast:
Missed :(

Day 3 Lunch:
Onigiri
Leftover Balsamic Sesame Chicken
Nectarine


Hmmm.. seems like I'm not eating enough veggies....
I managed to sleep through breakfast, so here's what I ate for lunch!

Water
Baby carrots (8)
Hummus (1 tbsp)
3" of Artisan Bread
Balsamic Sesame Chicken*

Fullness factor: Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket 98% Full (I'm 5'9 and ~130 lbs)


I did a slight remake of Justbento's balsamic sesame chicken using drumsticks (much cheaper). I've included the recipe below.

Balsamic Sesame Chicken ($2, 15 min) [JB remake]
Ingredients:
Drumsticks x3
Roasted Sesame seeds
Balsamic vinegar
Cooking Wine
Soy Sauce
Salt
Starch
Garlic clove x2
Olive oil

Instructions:
1. Cut the meat off the drumstick by making a vertical slice. Continue to make slices near the bone until you can pull the meat off. Then slice the meat into cubes in the size of your own choosing (I prefer smaller pieces around 1x1)
2. Marinate using 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tbsp cooking wine (I use traditional chinese liao jiu, 料酒) for at least 10 minutes. Grind up the two garlic cloves (you can also mince if you like) and mix evenly with the chicken. Add about 1/2 tbsp of starch and 1 tsp of salt to absorb some of the liquid
3. Heat your pot and pour in about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the chicken and stir, use a spatula to flatten and mix for about 5 minutes.


General feelings:
The chicken was still a little fishy to me, so I probably won't be able to eat it cold. There was enough for at least 2 or 3 more meals.

Remake Rating: Photobucket
To see whether or not I can handle cooking for myself in college, I've embarked upon a 5day challenge to see: 1) how much I eat, 2) how much $$ it takes to feed me, and 3) how well I can plan ~1 week's worth of meals.

Rules are:
  • I can only eat what I prepare (unless I eat out)
  • I can only eat food prepared from ingredients that I bought in my grocery trip and predetermined ingredients. Includes the following: (1)French Artisan Bread, (1) frozen veggies foursome, (6) chicken drumsticks, (1) baby carrots, (1) hummus*, (6) eggs*, (6) bananas, (6) nectarines, (1) tomato soup. The relative cost of this grocery trip is $25. *= pred. ingredients
  • Water/seasonings are exceptions

Here we go!
College students are forever broke, hungry, and busy; I am no exception. Food for College Foodies is essentially a list of recipes for main/side dishes that are quick and easy to prepare, filling, and cheap to make. Disclaimer: these recipes don't belong to me unless specified!

Caprese Salad (~$2, 10 min)
Ingredients:
Fresh basil leaves
Tomatoes
Mozzarella
Olive oil
Salt, Pepper

Instructions for dummies:
1. Slice the tomatoes and salt/pepper em'
2. Slice mozzarella and put it on top of the tomatoes.
3. Add basil leaves to each of the slices
4. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top