Lunch Time

Before my time here at Drexel, I was a student at Temple University living in an off-campus apartment with four friends. Sometimes, I  would eat such a large breakfast that I would skip lunch, grab a chewy bar, and run out the door for my next class. On the other hand, at times, I would skip breakfast and end up eating a huge lunch. Neither of these lunch time habits is healthy, especially because we all have extremely busy schedules and our bodies need to be kept satisfied and working their best. I learned quickly that the 'three meals a day' rule is an extremely important aspect of staying healthy in college. Hopefully, you will have some time to create the delicious chicken and tuna recipes listed below, but if not, some quick alternatives include small salads with chick peas, tomatoes, cheese, carrots, or a variety of other vegetables with lowfat dressings. You could pair them with a yogurt, whole grain bread, side of fruits/veggies or one of the snacks Allie has posted in the "Snack time" section. 

Teena's Spicy Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Prep Time:
15 Minutes

Ready In:
40 Minutes

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon hot chile paste

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch pieces

6 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place farfalle pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in the chile paste and chicken. Cook and stir chicken 10 minutes, or until evenly browned and juices run clear.

3. Toss the cooked farfalle, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and cilantro into the skillet, and continue cooking just until heated through.

Amount Per Serving 

Calories: 400 | Total Fat: 13.7g | Cholesterol: 38mg

A Good Easy Garlic Chicken

Prep Time:
10 Min

Ready In:
20 Minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt and onion powder. 3. Saute about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 214 | Total Fat: 10.1g | Cholesterol: 91mg

Tuna Sandwich

This is a recipe I have been making myself for years, and one I'm sure many of you have had a variation of before. I just HAD to list it because of how nutritional of a sandwich it truly is. Tuna has loads of Vitamin D and protein, which are essential in any diet. Packing lettuce and tomato on top is a great way to incorporate vegetables, and adding a couple slices of cheddar or american cheese gives you a dose of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are important nutrients that college students tend to lack in their diets. To top it all off, two slices of whole grain bread, as opposed to white, potato, or rye, give you a healthy serving of fiber. The recipe below is the way I have been making it forever, but change up the amount of ingredients however you like! 

*I like to pair this meal with a serving of fruit- such as a cup of grapes or chopped up apple with cinnamon sugar on top.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 5 Minutes

Ingredients

1-2 packets of pre-drained tuna (so cheap and on sale a majority of the time!)

1-1 1/2 tablespoons light or low-fat mayonnaise - optional

2 slices American or Cheddar cheese

1/2 tomato, sliced

2 big leaves Romaine lettuce

2 slices whole grain bread

Directions

1. Place 1 slice of cheese on each slice of bread and toast

2. Spread mayonnaise onto one slice and add tuna from packets

3. Add lettuce, tomato, and top off with other slice of toast. Cut in half

4. Enjoy!

25 Minute Chicken and NoOdles 

*Adding some Cajun seasoning, a bit of garlic and more veggies can add more flavor to this recipe- don’t be afraid to experiment with any and all of the recipes- make them your own!

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Ready In: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) can Swanson® Chicken Broth or Swanson® Natural Goodness™ Chicken Broth

1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) - Don't know whether to buy fresh or frozen veggies? Here's some advice!

2 cups uncooked medium egg noodles

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

Directions

1. Mix broth, basil, pepper and vegetables in skillet. Heat to a boil. Cover and

cook over low heat 5 minutes.

2. Stir in noodles. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add chicken and heat through.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 261 | Total Fat: 10.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg




*All of these recipes involve chicken, but there are plenty of healthy meat substitutions in this article to check out!




Source: www.allrecipes.com