Ideas for making easy, healthy in the dorms!

Like most other college students living in the dorms, I've come to lament the lack of a sink or stove in my room. There's not even a stove on the floor, just a sink and microwave! So, what are your ideas for simple and healthy meals to make? I'll give a few, but I need some fresh thoughts!

Breakfast:

-Instant oatmeal (cooked with water in micro) with a few tablespoonfuls of Dannon light n' fit yogurt mixed in..delicious! Try it!

-Fruit cut up into yogurt

-Cereal with yogurt/milk and fruit...I know, not so original.

Lunch/Dinner:

-Healthy Wraps!! I love these: Smart & Delicious tortilla with steamed veggies and tofu inside. Or tofu and tomatoes...or rice and veggies...or beans and rice...any combination is good! Season with herbs sprinkled inside.

-Salad..I like to put a combination of either tofu or beans, tomatoes, carrots on mine...with annie's light raspberry vinaigrette and balsamic vinegar.

-ALSO amazing! whole wheat toast with tomatoe sauce/tomatoes and tofu on top! Sounds gross, but its amazing, trust me.

I know I don't have a ton of ideas, but thats why I need help! Thanks :)

ok, I'll go ahead and admit right away that I don't have any ideas.

BUT... I was wondering how you cook your tofu!!! I'm a vegetarian, and a I always rely on pre-made meat substitutes or canned beans, etc and never really broke into the tofu thing. I've been meaning to, but I just don't know how to cook it (and I've been a veggie for over a year! shame shame). If you could let me in on what you do with it that would be awesome.

Oh, and I guess I do have one idea. My sisters and I used to make scrambled eggs in the microwave when we were kids. You prepare it the same way (eggs and a little milk mixed up in a micro safe bowl) and just microwave for a few minutes, stopping to stir them half way though. Add a little salsa, tomatoes, cheese, spinach, or whatever and you have a great meal for any time of day!

and my boyfriend used to be a veggie as well and he used to mix tofu with his scrambled eggs, if that appeals to you :)

I know it's not the same but I steam veggies in the microwave. sandwich the fresh veggies between two paper plates and wrap in 1 damp and 1 dry paper towel and just sort of put it in for 3 minutes at a time and check them until they are cooked how you like them.

I put like any sort of seasoned salt or whatever I want on it to flavor them differently.

I love eating tofu pretty much any way, so often times I will just buy firm or extra firm, cut it into slices, and eat it with whatever. If you're not a fan of raw tofu, what I recommend is cutting it into chunks, and then frying it up in a pan with a bit of olive oil and veggies and stuff. Grilled onions are great with fried tofu! Or, you could try frying it in a large slab and making it into a pseduo-hamburger type of thing, with herbs and seasonings. Have you ever tried tempe before? It's a good substitute meat product also.

I'll have to try the microwave egg thing! Do you think it would work with egg whites too?

Canned tuna in your salads and sandwiches are good.  Also buying a low-sodium canned soup/stew/broth and then tossing in some extra veggies to microwave can be a healthy choice as well.

Get a crockpot!

Could you buy yourself a crock-pot?  They're free-standing so you could put it on a desk.  I don't have one myself but I believe they're quite versatile.... add all the ingredients at the start of the day and have a hot casserole when you get home?  Got to be better than trying to live on cold food or horrible frozen dinners all winter?

doesn't your school have a cafeteria? I know it isn't the best place, but I survived on salads and all when I was in school....

I only have a microwave in my dorm as well, & I am a firm believer that almost ANYTHING can be cooked in a microwave haha. Sometimes you just need to get kind of creative...

Yeah we have a cafeteria, but its really expensive so eating there for every meal would be around $25-30 a day. Plus, I'd rather not eat their salad bar for every meal...so thats why I'm asking for ideas.

Haha yes, I've definitely discovered that microwaves are amazing. I still really want to try the microwaved egg thing, I miss having egg whites, they're delicious. I did steam veggies in the micro yesterday, I put water with veggies in a ceramic container and heated it up at 2 minute intervals until they were soft. Yum!

Thanks for the tofu tips! My roommates are NOT vegetarians, but they said if they knew how to cook tofu they would, so let's see if they live up to that!

I'm sure egg whites will work just fine. They aren't exactly like pan-cooked scrambled eggs, but they'll be just as good for what you have to work with :) I'm glad I could help!

Thank you sooo much for the microwave egg tip! I bought egg beaters and they are DELICIOUS when microwaved. I chopped up tomato and put it in with the eggs and it was like a tomato and egg omelette :)