Most students in Brookdale, Schottenstein, and 36th street dorms imagine how much easier their life would be if they had a kitchen. However, the reality is that many students who live in the 35th street dorms find their kitchen surprisingly under-used. Often this is the case because groceries in NYC are expensive and a shlep to carry. Students overlook the abundant ingredients that are offered in the school cafeterias as viable options for making filling and nutritious meals. Look no further 35th street dwellers; the following recipes are made entirely from ingredients that are available at the school cafeterias (and there is a non-kitchen friendly recipe below as well). So eat up and enjoy!
Stir Fry
*Note: a “plastic container” is the typical plastic salad bowl that is offered at the Stern and Syms cafeteria salad bars.
Ingredients:
-Sliced bell peppers and snap peas from salad bar, about ½ of a plastic container of each
-Quinoa (or rice) about ½ of plastic container
-Garbanzo beans, about ¼ of plastic container
-2 Tablespoons soy sauce, can be found at sushi bar in Syms
-2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce, can be found at sushi bar in Syms
-1 Tablespoon olive oil, can be found near salad bar
-Salt/Pepper to taste, can be found in packets in either caf
-Optional: can add salmon or chicken for protein
Directions: Coat frying pan in olive oil. Combine bell peppers, snap peas, quinoa/rice, garbanzo beans, nd optional salmon or chicken in frying pan. Cook over medium flame, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft. Add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and salt/pepper to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes. Cook time is usually 10-15 minutes.
Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon
Ingredients:
-1 Tablespoon olive oil
-Garlic powder, can be found near pizza station in Syms caf
-Salt and pepper to taste
-1-2 honey packets, depending on preference. Can be found in Syms caf
-2 Tablespoons mustard, which can be found either by the pump stations or Gulden’s brand is sold at YU store
-Optional: bag of terra chips, crushed; can be found in Syms caf
-One package of raw salmon from the sushi bar
Directions: Combine either 1 or 2 packets of honey with mustard and olive oil in a bowl, then mix. Pour mixture over raw salmon. Lightly sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the salmon, to taste. Optional: can crunch up a bag of terra chips and sprinkle over salmon for a crunchy terra-chip crust. Place in oven at 350° for 30-45 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked.
Mock Crab Crunch with Rice:
Ingredients:
-1 Tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 or Full container of mock crab from sushi bar
-Garlic powder
-1 Tablespoon soy sauce
-1 Tablespoon teryaki sauce
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Brown or white rice (or quinoa, if rice is not on the lunch menu that day)
Directions: Coat frying pan with olive oil and place over low to medium heat. Place ½ or a full container of mock crab in the pan. Lightly brown for 5 minutes or until mock crab appears to be browning. Sprinkle mock crab with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, to taste. Add soy sauce and teriyaki sauce and allow it to cook for 5 more minutes. Eat on a bed of rice or quinoa, or toss into your salad. Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Mexican Baked Potato:
Ingredients:
-One potato or sweet potato. These can be found raw in Syms caf or you can buy an already baked potato if it is on the lunch menu.
-Mozerella cheese
-Salsa, from Syms caf
-Guacamole, from Syms caf
Directions: If potato is raw: place in tinfoil and put in oven at 350° for approximately 1 hour or until potato is soft. Once potato is baked (or if potato has already been baked), slice potato in half and spread salsa, guacamole, and cheese over both sides. Then place potato in the oven or microwave to melt the cheese. Cook time—if potato is raw: approximately 1 hour. If potato is already cooked: 5 minutes.
Steamed Sugar Snap Peas:
Ingredients:
-1 container of sugar snap peas
-2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
-2 Tablespoons soy sauce
-1 Tablespoon mustard (preferably Dijon mustard)
Directions: Fill ¼ of a small pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place sugar snap peas in the pot, reduce flame to low, and cover the pot. Steam in water for about 5-10 minutes or until the sugar snap peas are soft. Pour water out and add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, mustard, ½ pack salt, and ½ pack pepper to the pot. Coat the peas in this mixture and allow it to cook for 5 more minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes.
Banana Trifle (This recipe is non-kitchen friendly!)
Ingredients:
-2 containers vanilla pudding from Syms caf
-Klein’s natural granola from Syms caf
–1 banana, thinly sliced
-Optional: 1 pack of cookies, crumbled.
Directions: You will need 1 tall mug or cup, preferably a glass cup. Place 1 layer of ½ container of vanilla pudding. Then add 1 layer of granola until you can no longer see pudding underneath. Lastly, add one layer of banana slices to fully cover the granola. Alternate between layers until cup is full. Optional: can add crumbled cookies as a fourth layer or as a crumb topping. Place in refrigerator until cool. Cook time: 5 minutes.
We hope you enjoy these recipes, and encourage you to be creative and utilize the food available at the caf in your own kitchens!