Finding an easy and, most importantly, healthy recipe to make for dinner can be challenging. As college students, it can be easy to fall into a routine of making whatever is quickest or most convenient because we are so busy during the day. I hope this article encourages you to think more about your meals and prioritize cooking a little more. Here are some of my go-to recipes that are fairly quick to prepare and are super nutritious. 

Salmon bowl 

This recipe is an all time favorite of mine. If you don’t eat fish, the salmon can easily be substituted with tofu. Here’s everything I put in my bowl:

Salmon: 

I like to chop up bite-sized cubes of salmon and cook it in a skillet on the stove. I season them with a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon honey and ¼ cup cornstarch by pouring this mixture over the salmon in the skillet.

Jasmine rice: 

Any kind of rice will do but my favorite one to use in a salmon bowl is jasmine rice.

Once the rice and salmon are done cooking, all you have to do is assemble your bowl!

Recommended toppings:

• Edamame (I always keep edamame in the freezer and just microwave it for this recipe)
• Avocado 
• Cucumber  
• Seaweed 
• Sesame seeds or furikake for garnish 

Grain bowl 

This is a delicious bowl that I recreated from one of my favorite restaurants. For this bowl you’ll need:

Farro: 

Cook as directed on the package. I buy mine from Trader Joe’s and I cook it on the stove and it only takes 10 minutes!

Kale:

I drizzle the kale with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook in a pan on the stove to crisp up. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat.

Sweet potato:

I cook the sweet potato in the oven and season it with olive oil, honey and cinnamon. Cook for about 35 minutes in the oven at 420 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chickpeas: 

I season mine with salt and pepper and get them crispy in an air fryer or oven until at desired crispiness.

Then you combine it all in a bowl and add feta cheese, beets or pickled red onions, pistachios and a cilantro yogurt sauce.

Spicy Thai peanut bowl 

This was one of the first things I ever made in my apartment and it was one of the best so far. You’ll need:

Tofu: 

Drizzle with olive oil, soy sauce, sriracha and cornstarch (to make it more crispy). I typically cook for about 15-20 minutes at 420 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on how crispy you want your tofu).

Broccoli: 

Oven-roasted broccoli is the best way to cook broccoli for this recipe so that it can get nice and crispy on the outside. I put olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. I cook it for about 20-25 minutes at 420 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Grilled bell pepper: 

This can go on the same sheet pan as the broccoli.

Dressing:

Now, for the magical sauce that makes the whole dish come together you’ll need: ¼ cup peanut butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced ginger root and 1 clove of garlic. All you have to do is blend all the ingredients together and voila! 

I hope you try one of these bowls soon — you won’t be disappointed! Making healthy meals is so important in order to have lots of energy, be more focused and feel your best!