5 or less ingredient EASY recipes for your entire day
If you’re a busy student you may feel like you have no time to cook, and sometimes it’s difficult to get meal inspiration. Here are simple and quick recipes to fill all your meals for the day.
Whether you’re living on or off campus, these recipes can be made with minimal kitchen equipment. Tip for on-campus students: air fryers are great to have in your dorm, you can make practically anything!
Breakfast
Mini strawberry pancakes
These mini strawberry pancakes take 5-10 minutes to make and will satisfy your morning sweet tooth! The ingredients you need are: Aunt Jemima pancake mix, water, strawberries, and maple syrup.
Step 1: follow the measuring instructions on the pancake mix box and make desired amount of mix.
Step 2: cut strawberries into bite size pieces.
Step 3: toss strawberries in the pancake mix one at a time and put on a heated pan with oil.
Step 4: flip each mini pancake after about a minute. Step 5: plate your pancakes and top with maple syrup. ENJOY !!
Yogurt bowl
This yogurt bowl breakfast is high in fibre, vitamins, protein, and potassium. It’ll take you 5 minutes or less to prepare! The ingredients you need are: banana, blueberries, granola, chia seeds, Greek yogourt.
Step 1: cut banana into slices.
Step 2: scoop yogurt into a bowl and top with banana, blueberries, granola, and chia seeds. ENJOY !!
Snack
Carrot fries
These carrot fries will make you forget you’re eating carrots! This will take you 25 minutes to prepare and cook, but it’s worth it! This recipe is best cooked in an air fryer, but you can also use an oven. The ingredients you need are: large carrots, olive oil, seasoning of choice (onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, etc.)
Step 1: wash your carrots and then cut into fry-size pieces.
Step 2: place carrots into a bowl and toss in olive oil.
Step 3: season with whatever you choose.
Step 4: air fry for 20 minutes at 400F, flipping every 5 minutes.
Step 5: remove fries and serve with dip of choice (chipotle mayo, ketchup, ranch, etc.) ENJOY !!
Lunch
Bacon, cream cheese & cucumber sandwich
Enjoy this sandwich on its own, with your favourite soup, or maybe the carrot fries above! It’ll take you 5 minutes to put together and provides that fried-chicken-crunch you crave! The ingredients you need are: sourdough bread, turkey bacon, cream cheese, cucumber.
Step 1: put sourdough bread in the toaster.
Step 2: pan fry or microwave turkey bacon (3 minutes in microwave).
Step 3: spread cream cheese on both pieces of toast.
Step 4: cut cucumber into thin slices.
Step 5: layer bread with cucumber and turkey bacon.
Step 6: cut sandwich down the middle and ENJOY !!
Appetizer
Caprese salad
This Caprese salad appetizer/snack will make you feel like you’ve jumped on a plane and landed in Italy! It’ll take 5 minutes to put together and all you need are: mozzarella block, large tomato, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
Step 1: wash your tomatoes and basil.
Step 2: cut your tomato and mozzarella into slices.
Step 3: plate your salad and make sure to alternate ingredients, as shown in the photo, so that each bite has every ingredient!
Step 4: drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and ENJOY !!
Dinner
Rice bowl
Rice bowls are a great protein and vegetable filled meal that you can prep for your week! This recipe will take 15 minutes and it can be altered to use your preferred protein, sauce, etc. The ingredients you need are: white rice, firm tofu, cucumber, broccoli, soya sauce.
Step 1: measure your rice into a pot with a 1:1.5 rice to water ratio. Rinse the rice with water and pour the water out until it’s clear to get the starch off.
Step 2: put the rice pot on a burner on high until it boils, then lower the heat to low for 10 minutes with the lid on.
Step 3: press tofu on paper towel to get excess water out. Cut tofu into cubes. (Optional: toss tofu in oil and panko crumbs to get crispy.)
Step 4: air fry tofu for 10 minutes at 400F.
Step 5: cut broccoli and cucumber into bite size pieces.
Step 6: air fry broccoli for 5 minutes at 400F (add to tofu).
Step 7: serve in a bowl or plate and top with soya sauce, ENJOY !!
Dessert
Smoothie bowl ice cream
Smoothie bowl ice cream is my all time favourite homemade dessert!! Filled with protein and fruit to help meet your nutrients intake for the day! It’ll take 5 minutes to make and all you need are: almond milk, frozen strawberries/banana mix, protein powder, dark chocolate, peanut butter (optional: fresh fruit topping).
Step 1: blend almond milk, frozen fruit, and protein powder until smooth.
Step 2: pour into bowl and top with chosen toppings. ENJOY !!
