10 • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
LIFESTYLE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2002
Easy dorm dishes beat cafeteria blues
To be blunt, the cafeteria food in college is nothing but weak. While there are daily specials of meatloaf and mashed potatoes plus other classics, the repetitiveness of the same food each and every day gets exhausting. Between exams and studying, the toll has been taken, and by the time student's venture to the dining hall, they is a resemble zombies.
EATTHIS
Regardless, all universities are required to provide students with this bland food "alternative," and it is boring.
So, it's time to take the initiative, rid yourself of the same old food and start creating dishes that are delicious. To this end, save yourself from the lack of options and buy a single electronic burner to begin cooking for yourself in the dorm. Not only is it inexpensive (about $15), but also it will save you the burden of eating junk.
Pesto Pasta
Note: Please cook within the proper facilities or ask for the permission of the residence hall.
Christina DiGiacomo
edgiacome@kansan.com
Supplies:
Small colander
Medium saucepan
Disposable cutting sheet
Ingredients:
8 to 10 cooked and refrigerated ravioli or tortellini
1/2 cup prepared pasta sauce
1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce
1/4 cup half and half
1 Roma tomato, seeded and minced
2 to 3 basil leaves, minced
Parmesan cheese
Cook ravioli or tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat pesto sauce and half and half until warm. Stir frequently with spoon. Toss sauce with pasta and top with tomatoes and basil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.
Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas
Supplies:
Medium sauté pan
Disposable cutting sheet
Large plate
Ingredients:
2 medium sized tortillas
Ready-to-use chicken strips
1/2 cup monterey jack and cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/8 cup chopped white onions
5 canned jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional)
5 to 8 canned sliced black olives
1 tablespoon butter or butter substitute
Heat saucepan to medium heat and melt down butter. Add onions and cook until translucent. Remove onions from pan and set aside. Place pan back onto burner on medium heat. Arrange tortilla by layering chicken, onions, black olives, peppers, barbecue sauce and cheese. Top with remaining tortilla. Place quesadilla onto saucepan and let cook 3 minutes to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Place plate over sauté pan and flip onto plate. Slip quesadilla back onto pan and let cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and is lightly browned. Cut into thirds. Serve with guacamole and sour cream. Serves 2.
Other Cooking Ideas:
Cook ramen soup,add sliced mushrooms and chopped scallions while cooking for added flavor,and top with Romano cheese.
Cook macaroni and cheese, and add chopped tomatoes, chopped bacon or 1 tablespoon of crumbled bacon topping, and top with shredded American cheese.
Cook flavored rice and add cooked chicken or beef and serve a sliced pear or apple and top with 1 tablespoon of blue cheese dressing, Gorgonzola cheese and chopped walnuts.
HEALTH Q&A
Jayplay is working with HOMEBASE to answer questions about body acceptance, healthy eating and physical fitness. Students in health-related fields will answer readers' questions every week. Submit questions to achap@ukans.edu. Participants will remain anonymous.
C: People say high-protein diets are bad, but people lose a lot of weight on them. What's wrong with that?
A: An individual's initial weight loss from high protein diets is not attributed to fat loss. The weight loss is due to water weight that is caused by restricting carbohydrates. The intake of carbohydrates will be accompanied by water during the storage process. The intake of protein doesn't result in water storage, so dehydration may eventually cause the individual additional health concerns. Because high protein diets are typically high in saturated fat, increases in cholesterol levels can be expected. High protein diets can also put stress on the kidneys, causing greater loss of calcium in the urine. High protein diets encourage several negative side effects that do not aid in the quest for long-term weight loss.
— Kim Archer, graduate student in Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Over holidays, enjoy what you eat, just not too much
About this time of the year, too many details exist to commit to memory. Three people to buy presents for, four finals left, and five more days of class. But there's one more number to keep in mind: seven.
HEALTH
Leslie Kimmel
lkimmel@kansan.com
That's seasonal seven—the average number of pounds an American gains from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's morning.
The combination of friends, family, vacation, and food leaves most people a few pounds heavier by the time next semester rolls around. So you have to admit to yourself that yes, at times, you will be prone to overeat.
There are usually two approaches when it comes to the holidays and holiday food. One is the "starve and binge" approach, where you spend the day making room and the evening filling up on treats.
Keep in mind that the season will pack some pounds underneath your sweater, but it doesn't have to be seven.
Many people think that eliminating a whole day's worth of calories will make up
for special holiday dishes. But they fail to consider that eating throughout the day ensures that they won't show up to a festivity absolutely starving and then overeat.
If you know that you are going to indulge later that day, plan ahead. Instead of following your usual routine and grabbing a morning cinnamon roll — or skipping meals altogether — opt for some lighter fare.
Replace your usual meal plan with a snack and a meal. Remember that a meal is usually between 400 calories and 500 calories, while a snack has between 200 calories and 400 calories.
So think about eating a breakfast meal, and then grabbing a healthy snack about an hour before the party. Granola bars, crackers, fruit and cottage cheese are some easy, low-fat snack options that still have nutritional value.
Eliminating all healthy habits when the holidays near is the other approach. A lot of times this stems from dieter's beliefs that absolutely, in no way will they stray from their diets.
Forget about this right now. In many cases, a strict dieter will cave and treat themselves to some holiday candy, and thinking that he blew it, will then give up on all healthy habits and finish the whole bag.
Instead of pushing all healthy habits out of mind, play the balancing act. Make room for some carrot sticks next to your mashed potatoes and homemade gravy. You will bend the diet rules a little bit, so don't be too hard on yourself.
But you might want to look out for and limit some guilty holiday dishes. Appetizers, side dishes, and of course, desserts are traps of hidden fat. Think about balancing with some lighter choices, such as fresh fruits and veggies.
Also, try to take a few steps back from the buffet table when socializing. You may be prone to pick at certain treats and might not even realize it.
The words "no" and "holiday food" should not be found in the same sentence. Instead of thinking in terms of what not to eat, survey the dinner table and pick three or four items that you would like to sample. Everything you eat is there to be enjoyed.
During the holidays, admit to yourself that you will grab a few pieces of grandma's homemade fudge. Always keep in mind that the holidays are a time for friends, family and fun.
By taking some simple precautions, you can help to make this the season for a healthy and enjoyable season.