12 Healthy and Easy Recipes For Busy Students!

With students leaving for college, one of the biggest pieces of advice people get is to learn how to cook. It’s definitely an important skill, after all, eating is crucial to life and eating out gets expensive anyway. I’ll admit, I’m the type of person who loves cooking. I find it really relaxing to just follow a recipe and end up with some delicious food, so when I’m not working on my blog or researching bacteria, I’ll probably be found in the kitchen! In fact, last summer, I cooked all of the meals for my family, and learned to cook over 100 dishes.

The way I learned to cook was by making simple recipes and following the recipe exactly. I’ve learned to always start out by following recipes exactly if you aren’t sure what substitutions will do. For example, when I used to make cookies, the cookies would never spread, and the reason was because I would cut down on the butter and sugar so much that the ratio of butter and flour got changed so it didn’t have enough moisture to spread. In fact, I was reading on Levain Bakery cookies as people were discussing the secret to how Levain Bakery was able to get their cookies to not spread, I was just thinking, “that’s a secret? My cookies never spread, but for me, it’s unintentional!” 

However, as I got better at cooking, I could make my own substitutions and change recipes completely. If you want to make healthier recipes though, it’s good to start out by searching for healthy recipes instead of modifying regular recipes. I’ve actually begun making more vegan, paleo, keto, and gluten-free recipes unintentionally because many of these recipes contain healthier ingredients. Just to note, many of my recipes contain healthier ingredients or have significantly less sugar than traditional recipes, so if you like your food to be sweeter, you may need to make a couple of changes. But anyways, here are 10 of my favorite super easy and healthy recipes that all students can learn to make!

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Easy Everyday Oatmeal

5-Minute Yogurt Parfait

Artisan Ham Sandwich

Peanut Butter and Banana Toast

Easiest Tater Tot Casserole

Spinach, Tomato, and Cheese Omelet

Mini Salmon Sushi Pizza

No Butter or Sugar Caramel Popcorn

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Baked Oats

Mini Berry Cheesecakes

The Easiest Classic Pumpkin Pie

French Lemon Yogurt Cake

Breakfast

Easy Everyday Oatmeal

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup fruit (my favorites are peaches, apples, or berries)
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tablespoons chia seeds
• ¼ cup granola
• ½ banana, sliced

Instructions:

1. Boil the water in a small saucepan. When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium heat and pour in the rolled oats. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. (Note: I like my oatmeal thick, so I cook it for 10 minutes, but if you prefer your oatmeal soupy, you can reduce the cooking time)
2. For larger fruits, chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces and slice the banana into rounds.
3. Spoon the oatmeal into a bowl, and spread the almond butter evenly on top of the oatmeal. Sprinkle chia seeds on the almond butter, and top with granola.
4. Arrange the sliced fruits and banana on top. Enjoy!

Tip: If you prefer microwaving your oatmeal, use ½ cup water with ½ cup rolled oats, and microwave for 2 minutes!

5-Minute Yogurt Parfait

• ½ cup greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ cup chopped fruits (strawberries, peaches, mangoes, apples, etc.)
• ⅓ cup granola

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the greek yogurt and honey
2. Spoon ⅓ of the honey greek yogurt into a parfait glass or mason jar
3. Layer the yogurt with ⅓ of the chopped fruits, and top with ⅓ of the granola
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the parfait is complete. Enjoy!

Lunch

Artisan Ham Sandwich

• 2 slices ciabatta bread
• 2 slices black forest ham
• 1 egg
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 lettuce leaves
• 2 slices swiss cheese
• ½ tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil on a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack the egg into the pan, and cook until the whites are set, but the yolk is still runny. Season the egg with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat the oven 350° F. To assemble the sandwich, spread the mayonnaise on both slices of bread. Place the slices of ham on one side of the bread with the mayonnaise, and arrange slices of tomato on top of the ham.
3. Place the fried egg on the sandwich, and top with lettuce and cheese slices. 
4. Put the second slice of bread back on the sandwich, and toast in the oven for around 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Banana Toast

• 1 banana, sliced into rounds
• 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• ¼ cup nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts)
• Honey

Instructions:

1. Toast your whole wheat bread in a toaster, or bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Spread the peanut butter evenly onto the bread.
3. Arrange the sliced banana to lay on the bread in an even layer.
4. Roughly chop the nuts, and sprinkle onto the banana and bread
5. Drizzle the bread with honey. Enjoy!

Dinner

Easiest Tater Tot Casserole

• 10 frozen or prepared tater tots
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 350° F. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and seasoning. Stir in ¼ cup of the cheese.
2. Grease a 5” x 5” baking dish with cooking spray, and arrange the tater tots in a single layer in the baking dish
3. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish over the tater tots. Sprinkle top with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 350° F for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Enjoy!

Spinach, Tomato, and Cheese Omelet

Omelet:

2 eggs

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ green onion, chopped

¼ cup shredded cheese of choice (I prefer gruyere!)

Olive oil

Filling:

½ medium onion, diced

1 small potato, diced

1 cup spinach

1 roma tomato, chopped

½ bell pepper, chopped

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil, and boil potatoes for 5 minutes
2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the diced onions. Cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the boiled potatoes, tomato, bell pepper, and seasonings into the skillet, and saute until browned, around 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, and saute for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To cook the omelet, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes together until no whites remain.
6. Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture, and tilt the pan so the egg covers the entire pan. When the egg begins to set, drag the edges of the egg into the center of the pan, and let the egg cook until the bottom is set.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese and green onion onto the omelet. Spoon the filling into one half of the omelet, and top with more cheese as desired. Fold over the omelet, and serve. Enjoy!

Mini Salmon Sushi Pizza

• 2 cups uncooked white short-grain rice
• 7 ounces salmon
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Optional: Shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice according to package instructions, such as by boiling or with a rice cooker.
2. Line a 3” round cookie cutter, ramekin, or a hamburger press with plastic wrap. Place about ½ cup of rice into the lined press, and press down firmly until a patty forms. Unwrap and set aside. Repeat with the remaining rice.
3. Mix the panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, and set aside. Coat the rice patties with flour. Then, dip the coated rice patty in egg, and finally coat the patty with panko breadcrumbs.
4. In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Place the rice patties in the skillet, and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip over, and fry until both sides are golden brown. Once done, set aside the rice patties.
5. Preheat the oven 425° F. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon fillet with kosher salt, and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
6. Using a fork, break the salmon into flakes. Mix in the chopped green onion, soy sauce, mayonnaise, sesame oil, lemon zest, and chili sauce.
7. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the salmon mixture into the rice patties. If desired, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top, and bake in the oven at 375° F for 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Enjoy!

Snacks

No Butter or Sugar Caramel Popcorn

• ¼ cup unpopped popping corn
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• Sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil and maple syrup over medium heat. Let boil for two minutes, and turn off the heat.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot, and set over medium heat. Add 2-3 kernels of unpopped popcorn. When the popcorn pops, add in the rest of the popping corn. Cover the pot with a lid, and wait for the kernels to pop, around 4-5 minutes.
3. When the popcorn finishes popping, immediately turn off the heat, but keep the popcorn in the pot. Drizzle the coconut oil and maple syrup mixture on the popcorn. The mixture should sizzle upon hitting the hot pot and solidify into a caramel coating on the popcorn.
4. Transfer the popcorn into a serving bowl, and sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Baked Oats

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 350° F. In a blender, add the rolled oats, banana, egg, maple syrup, baking powder, and salt, and blend until smooth.
2. Grease a round 16-ounce round baking dish or ramekin with cooking spray. Pour half of the mixture into the baking dish, and spoon in the peanut butter. Add in the rest of the mixture, and top with chocolate chips. Stir to incorporate the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
3. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the oats are cooked through. Enjoy!

Dessert

Mini Berry Cheesecakes

Cheesecake:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen berries
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Crust:

• 1 cup ground rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 425° F. In a small bowl, combine rolled oats, melted coconut oil, honey, and salt until the oats clump together. Spoon into a cupcake tin lined with baking cups, and press down firmly. Bake at 425° F for 15-18 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with a hand-held mixer. Add the egg, and beat using low speed until combined.
3. Once the crust has been baked and cooled, spoon the cheesecake mixture into the cupcake tin.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the centers are fully set. Let cool.
5. In a small saucepan, add the berries, cornstarch, and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for about 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
6. Spoon the berry sauce over the cupcakes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!

The Easiest Classic Pumpkin Pie

• 15 ounces pumpkin puree (I make my own by pureeing a roasted pumpkin!)
• 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 425° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices, and salt until smooth.
2. Pour into the pie crust, and bake for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350° F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. The center of the pie may jiggle a bit, but the pie will continue cooking as it cools. Let cool completely, and enjoy!

French Lemon Yogurt Cake

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• Grated lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
• ¾ cup greek yogurt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the lemon zest and sugar. Add the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
3. Gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Add the vegetable oil, and mix until combined. The oil will seem to separate at first, but mix until the batter is glossy and smooth.
5. Spray a 9” x 5” loaf pan with baking spray, and pour in the batter.
6. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the cake is golden brown. Let cool, and enjoy!