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Did you know frozen veggies are just as nutritious as fresh? We’ll show you how to use your frozen peas for more than icing down sore knees—like making a simple veggie burger that’s big on flavor and short on time.

Before we begin, let’s clear the air: Frozen vegetables are real vegetables. Besides being just as nutrient-rich as fresh vegetables, according to recent research, they’re also way more affordable, require less prep, and can hang out in the back of the freezer without turning all sorts of moldy. Now that’s something we can get behind. 

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen spinach, drained and squeezed
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup frozen corn
• ¼ cup diced onion, frozen or fresh
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Optional

• 2 teaspoons your favorite herbs or seasonings (suggestion: thyme, parsley, or sage)
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs, plus extra if needed to bind the burger together
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole-wheat hamburger buns

Directions

1. Defrost spinach, strain out excess moisture, and squeeze dry with paper towels.
2. Mash drained and rinsed beans with a fork to make a thick paste.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and form mixture into 4–6 patties.
4. Lightly coat a skillet with oil. Cook patties on medium heat for 3–4 minutes each side, until browned.
5. Serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Those wonderful white beans are fiber filled and protein packed. The spinach contains high amounts of Vitamins K and A, and the onions add Vitamin C to your diet.

Recipe review

Scott V.
Third-year student at St. Louis University School of Law, Missouri 

Finding a low-sodium, high-nutrient meal that still makes me excited for dinner is not easy, but this recipe meets the criteria. I especially appreciate the level of flavor because of how healthy it is.

Cost?

The total cost was about $20, which is fairly expensive, but you might have many of the ingredients on hand already if you cook regularly.

Taste?

I added some different seasonings (sage and parsley) to play with the flavor profile. Next time, I want to try a more Southwest style, with red pepper flakes, cumin, cayenne pepper, etc.

Prepared and photographed by Joanna Carmona

Adapted from:
https://naturallyella.com/chickpea-and-spinach-veggie-burgers/
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012989-white-bean-burgers

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Ingredients

• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 cup cottage cheese (if cottage cheese gives you the creeps, substitute Greek yogurt)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

The egg whites are low in cholesterol and saturated fat, the cottage cheese adds calcium to your diet, and the rolled oats are full of fiber.

Optional toppings

• ½ banana or a cup of berries
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter, fruit spread, Nutella (don’t overdo it), or another spread

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients (minus the toppings) into a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth-ish.
2. Heat the frying pan on medium heat with 2 Tbsp. oil or a nonstick spray.
3. Measure out about ¼ cup of the pancake batter and place it on the frying pan. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the pancake over. When it’s cooked on both sides, move it to a covered dish to keep warm. Keep pancaking until the batter runs out.
4. Stack up the pancakes and serve with sliced banana and almond butter on top—or whatever toppings work for you. Take your pics for Instagram, but don’t get so carried away with your artistry that your food gets cold.

Prepared and photographed by Joanna Carmona

Recipe review

Pancakes are a delicious way to start the day (or end the day) (or add an enjoyable diversion to any part of the day). Pancakes needn’t be all about the carbs. This easy, high-protein recipe uses whole foods, avoiding protein powder (which can be high in sugar and additives, and more expensive than actual food).

Katrina Flanders
fourth-year graduate student, University of Victoria, British Columbia

“I try to eat as healthy as I can but that doesn’t always happen. This recipe seemed easy enough to make with very little prep. Plus it’s cost effective and tasty—and healthy (besides the chocolate chips I added). I’ll definitely be making these again!”

Cost

I had almost everything I needed already, but even so, this is a pretty inexpensive breakfast to make.

Taste

I was a little skeptical at first, but they were very good! Not too dense, super filling, and very flavorful due to the vanilla and cinnamon. I used Greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese.

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Every so often, a dish comes along that fulfills all your nutritional requirements in one go. This is that moment. Say hello to pineapple fried rice.

Pineapple fried rice offers everything you need for a balanced meal: fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and healthy protein. It incorporates several foods from plants, along with a moderate serving of chicken—leaner and healthier than red meat. (Alternatively, use shrimp, tofu, or tempeh.) And it’s easy to make.

How to eat simply in a complicated food world

We live in a world full of competing nutritional claims, evolving scientific findings, and various pyramids, pie charts, and plates. How to filter all that info and translate it into simple, healthy meals isn’t always obvious. At SH101, these two guidelines helped us do it—and showed us, in the end, the glory of pineapple fried rice.

1. Avoid getting hung up on popular food dogmas

“Don’t get caught in the weeds by thinking healthy means non-GMO, organic, gluten-free, or ‘natural,’” says Dr. Christine Rosenbloom, nutrition professor emerita at Georgia State University. Instead, choose foods close to their original state: “an apple instead of apple juice, or lean grilled steak instead of bacon or hot dogs, and load up your plate with veggies and healthy carbs.” (Healthy carbs include brown rice, quinoa, seeds, vegetables, and whole fruits.)

2. Find a guide from a neutral source and get to know it

For example, to help us untangle the mess of nutritional advice out there, Harvard School of Public Health created the Healthy Eating Plate. This is an alternative to MyPlate, created by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Our recipe for pineapple fried rice fulfills the criteria of the Healthy Eating Plate.

Why did Harvard decide to design a new plate? Because experts at Harvard noticed some gaps in MyPlate. In addition, they wanted to promote nutritional recommendations based fully in scientific research, free of food industry influence.

What changed and why? Check out the two plates side-by-side

How pineapple fried rice captures all the elements of the Healthy Eating Plate

Healthy oils
Canola, olive, coconut, or sunflower oil for cooking the veggies

Vegetables
Carrots, peas, bell pepper, onion, broccoli, and scallions

Fruits
Pineapple

Whole grains
Brown rice

Healthy protein
Chicken, tofu, or tempeh

Experts and students: “Simple strategies for eating well”

Swap out ingredients

“Instead of saying, ‘I’ll give up pizza,’ try leaner meat toppings like turkey pepperoni or lean ham with lots of veggies such as peppers, tomato, or mushrooms. Better yet, watch YouTube videos on how to make simple meals and learn how to cook,” says Dr. Rosenbloom.

Step up your pasta

“Invest in a spiralizer ($20 from large chain stores) to make nutrient-packed noodles from vegetables like zucchini, sweet potato, carrots, turnips, and more. Another option is to buy pre-packed pasta made from other ingredients, such as corn or beans, which can pack in more protein, fiber, and nutrients,” says Sonya M., a third-year undergraduate at Northern Illinois University.

Snack healthy

“Make trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and wholegrain breakfast cereals. This is a great snack that you can carry with you that will help decrease the urge to stop and buy candy or chips,” says Dr. Koch.

Get colorful

“When I was in Katimavik [a Canadian volunteer program], we had to cook using the ‘five-color’ rule. There had to be five different-colored foods for each meal, and two foods that were the same color wouldn’t count (e.g., cauliflower and pasta are both white). We’d use things like red onions (purple) instead of white; yellow, orange, and red peppers instead of green; and sweet potatoes instead of regular,” says Ashe M., second-year undergraduate at Lakehead University in Ontario.

Eat before eating

“I may have an appetizer and drink water so I don’t overeat when I get my meal,” says Martin M., a second-year undergraduate at San Bernardino Valley College in California.

The meal that has it all: What works about pineapple fried rice?

“Pineapple fried rice is a nutritious recipe because it has so many different foods from plants and a small amount of healthy animal protein from the chicken,” says Dr. Pamela Koch, executive director, associate research professor, and registered dietitian at the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy at Columbia University, New York.

Chicken: Lean protein containing the building blocks needed to form lean muscle mass and help us feel full

Pineapple: High in Vitamin C (for tissue growth and repair)

Carrots: Rich in beta-carotene, converted into Vitamin A in the body (for immune function, reproduction, vision, and cell activity)

Peas: Quality carbs (for energy and for fiber, which lowers disease risk) and additional protein (to repair and build cells)

Red bell pepper: High in Vitamin C and Vitamin A

Onion: Rich in sulfuric compounds and antioxidants (various health benefits)

Scallions: Good source of Vitamin C and potassium (various health benefits)

Broccoli: Contains Vitamins A and C

Precooked brown rice: Wholegrain, with more nutrients and fiber than white rice

Print or save your step-by-step guide to pineapple fried rice

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Are you a master or disaster in the kitchen? Most likely, you’re somewhere in between. If the thought of moving beyond the microwave creeps you out, that’s all the more reason to get the hang of basic cooking techniques and quickie recipes.

Your healthier, prep-it-yourself options go way beyond salads (not dissing salads—just saying). Want some grilled cheese with those fries? Here we demo a revamped version of the classic American comfort meal.

Gooey cheese melted between two slices of bread: Can it get any better than that? Actually, it can.

How we made this grilled cheese healthy

Veggies
The fresh tomato adds a burst of flavor, Vitamins A and C, and lycopene, an antioxidant. We’re sneaking in a bit of spinach too, because it’s packed with nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, Vitamins A and C, folate, and fiber. You can hardly taste the spinach, so even if greens aren’t your thing, this likely will be.

Bread
Go for a whole-wheat or wholegrain bread. This crisps up nicely like a grilled cheese should, provides a sturdy base to balance the melting cheese, and adds fiber and antioxidants. Look for bread that has wholegrains or whole-wheat flour listed as the first ingredient and contains at least 3 g of fiber and 3 g of protein with little to no added sugar (aim for less than 3 g of sugar) per serving.

Cheese
What’s not to love? Cheese is flavorful, it melts into ooey gooey glory, and it tastes ridiculously good. It’s got protein and calcium, but it falls a little short on the healthfulness factor due to the high fat and calorie content. The solution? Choose a strongly flavored cheese, so a little goes a long way. Our favorite for grilled cheese is sharp cheddar. Other options: Swiss, pepper jack (for a spicy kick), goat (if you’re feeling adventurous), or crumbled feta. You can also use dairy-alternative cheeses made from soy or almond.

Directions

1. Rinse the tomato under running water because you never know.
2. Cut it into slices.
3. Assemble the sandwich. Use two thin slices of sharp cheddar (or whichever cheese), tomato slices, and a handful of baby spinach leaves.
4. Spray or spread a thin layer of oil in the frying pan. Turn a burner on to medium-high heat and let the pan heat up for 1–2 minutes.
5. Place your sandwich in the pan. Using a spatula,  press down on it to ensure the underside is crisping up.
6. Periodically check the bottom of the sandwich. You want it to turn brown but not burn. Once it’s a crisp brown color, flip the sandwich and reduce the heat to medium-low. If you find that your bread is turning brown very quickly, turn the heat down further. Once the second side is brown, flip the sandwich over again and heat for another 30 seconds, or until the cheese is melted.
7. Remove the sandwich from the pan, slice it in half, and artfully arrange it with the oven fries for your Instagram pic.
8. Eat. Savor. Be happy. Watch those likes accumulate.

Oven-baked fries

Who doesn’t love their french fries soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside? But that frying thing is so 10 years ago. Try this much- better-for-you baked version.

This recipe is what you’ve been looking for—the ideal way to recognize World Cancer Day (February 4) and National Wear Red Day (February 5), organized by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Right? Way to let those awareness days keep you alive and kicking (as in kickboxing) longer.

Make these fries at home or school, and bake instead of fry them. Baking your fries removes that whole restaurant-trans-fat situation (the worst type of fat for your health) and reduces the amount of fats and calories overall. Deep-frying foods in oil—the way most french fries are cooked—adds a load of fat and increases your risk of chronic health issues, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Also, you won’t set the kitchen on fire.

Ingredients

Serving size: 2

• 1 Russet potato (the long brown kind) or sweet potato (higher in nutrients than a regular potato)
• Canola or olive oil (the spray cans work great, or you can use the regular liquid version)
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Spices & herbs if desired (try any combination of rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or oregano)

Supplies you’ll need

• A sharp knife for chopping
• Chopping board
• One large baking sheet
• An oven (toaster or conventional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. A toaster oven works for this too (use the conventional oven or bake setting).
2. Rinse the potato under running water, and scrub with a clean brush or dish towel.
3. Chop the potatoes into matchstick shape (as shown).
   • Note: The thinner you cut the fries, the crispier they’ll be. If you like softer fries, go for a thicker cut.
   • Learn basic knife skills and how to chop 
4. Lightly oil a baking pan with olive or canola oil. Alternatively, line the baking pan with parchment paper (no oil needed) or aluminum foil (needs oil). Spread the fries out on the pan.
5. Drizzle a small amount of oil (1 Tbsp.) or spray oil over the top of the fries, and sprinkle with salt and pepper (if desired). Mix the fries around so they are evenly coated. Spread the fries into a single layer so that they aren’t touching—this helps them crisp up more.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Halfway through, use a spatula to flip them over and make sure they are cooking evenly. The fries are done when the edges are browned and they’re as crispy as you like.
7. Remove the fries from the oven. If desired, toss them in your favorite herbs or spices, such as garlic powder and rosemary. Serve them with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

 

 

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This quickie lunch is all about whole foods. No, not the grocery store chain. We’re talking ingredients that stay as close as possible to their natural state. Here, we’re featuring a vegetarian burrito bowl with black beans, veggies, and rice. Eating whole foods ensures we get the maximum amount of nutrients without the additives found in processed foods.

Ingredients

• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup chopped lettuce (any variety)
• 1 cup microwavable pre-cooked brown rice (choose one that has no additives)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ avocado, cubed
• ¼ cup salsa
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne (ground red pepper)

Toppings

• 2 Tbsp. sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Alternatives

Add chicken, use kale instead of lettuce, swap brown rice for quinoa, or roast your vegetables instead of leaving them raw. Not into cheddar? Sprinkle on some Cotija or Monterey Jack instead.

Directions

1   Chop up the lettuce, bell pepper, and avocado.

2   Drain and rinse the black beans. Add the cumin and cayenne pepper. Sauté on low heat until the food is warm.

3   Heat the brown rice in the microwave.

4   Combine the warm ingredients (the black beans and rice) with the lettuce, pepper, avocado, and salsa.

5   Add your toppings (cheese, lime juice, cilantro, and so on) and mix everything together.

Nutrition tips: Those black beans contain fiber and protein to keep you satisfied. The bell pepper gives you a big dose of Vitamin C, and avocado is one of those fats that tastes amazing and is good for you.

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Recipe review

 

These black bean burrito bowls are a great solution to those nights I don’t feel like cooking. This recipe is super quick, satisfying, and delicious. As a health-conscious student on a budget, this is a perfect weeknight meal.

Cost

This recipe gives you about three meals for $20, but there are ways to reduce that. Dried black beans and rice are cheaper than the prepared versions.

Taste

So yummy; I will definitely be making this again. I’d like to try it with the addition of some other vegetables like red onion and roasted sweet potato.

Photos and text by Joanna Carmona 

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Happiness is…a salad? Before you count us out as weirdos with a concerning affection for kale, let us explain. What we eat can affect our moods for up to two days afterward, research shows.

Undergraduates who ate foods high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium reported feeling moody and blah in the aftermath, said Dr. Helen Hendy, a psychologist at Pennsylvania State University, in the journal Appetite (2012).

But students who ate fruits and vegetables felt happier until the following day, even after other influences had been ruled out, according to “Many Apples a Day Keep the Blues Away” (2013), a British study.

So go ahead and get your greens on with our Ultimate Easy Happy Salad. We’ll tell you what to do and why it works, and you’ll be a believer in no time.

Click each to learn more:

Make it: Ultimate Easy Happy Salad

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