coll. - The Quick and Easy Vegetarian College Cookbook

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Get a FREE ebook when you join our mailing list. Plus, get updates on new releases, deals, recommended reads, and more from Simon & Schuster. Click below to sign up and see terms and conditions. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP Already a subscriber? Provide your email again so we can register this ebook and send you more of what you like to read. Welcome to college! A time for fun, learning, and, yes, amazing vegetarian food. Its true. Its true.

The days when vegetarians suffered through overcooked rice dishes and flavorless veggie burgers prepared by their college dining halls are long gone. Now you can whip up a batch of Pumpkin Muffins to grab on your way to class, impress your roommates (vegetarian or not!) with Spinach and Feta Pie, or indulge a late-night sweet tooth with Triple-Chocolate Cupcakes. These simple recipes, and the hundreds of others that youll find throughout The Quick and Easy Vegetarian College Cookbook , are guaranteed to get you through your college years with your taste buds (and your wallet) intact. And by doing your own cooking, you decide what you eat and when! If youre looking for something healthy after a busy weekend, try the Lentil-Vegetable Soup or the Tangy Three-Bean Salad. If you need something fast to whip up between classes, try the Quick Tomato and Oregano Saut or the Scrambled Egg Burritos. If you need something to snack on as you pull yet another an all nighter, just reach for the Mini Goat Cheese Pizzas, Greek Salad Tacos, or amazing veggie French Fries.

And, if you havent spent much time in the kitchen, dont worry. Weve got your back. Many of these quick and easy recipes can be made in the toaster oven, microwave, or slow cooker, and youll find a list of basic ingredients and equipment in Chapter 1 to get you started. So whether youre a full-time vegetarian who is just learning how to cook or are just looking for something new and delicious to try on Meatless Monday, its time to give cooking a try. After all, what is college if not a time to try something new!

Leaving home for college presents challenges as well as opportunities. For students whose kitchen know-how doesnt extend beyond the reheat setting on the microwave, the idea of having to learn basic cooking skills along with calculus can seem overwhelming.

Its all too easy to give in to the lure of the dining hall or food court. However, these basic tips will help turn cooking from a chore into a creative, stress-free break from studying.

There are a few basic pieces of equipment that every well-equipped kitchen should have. Of course, whether or not you bring all of them to college will depend on your specific circumstances. For example, residences with communal kitchens often provide pots, pans, and other cooking essentials for residents. And there is no point in bringing a heavy-duty frying pan if youre going to be relying on a microwave oven as your primary heat source.

Here is a basic list of items for setting up a kitchen, which you can add to or subtract from based on your own needs. Fortunately, most are quite inexpensive and can frequently be found at discount stores. Items you absolutely need for cooking include: Plastic mixing bowls for mixing ingredients and serving noodle and salad dishes Wooden spoons for stirring and mixing Heatproof rubber spatula for mixing ingredients and turning food during cooking Plastic or metal colander for draining washed, blanched, and boiled food Knives, particularly a good French knife for cutting fruits and vegetables Plastic or wooden cutting board for cutting, chopping, and mincing food Measuring spoons and a plastic measuring cup Vegetable peeler Can opener Grater for grating, shredding, and slicing cheese and other foods Pastry brush for basting food Wire whisk for whisking sauces and eggs

Many recipes call for food to be beaten, blended, whipped, processed, or crushed. If your budget is limited, hand tools can perform many of these functions. For example, an egg beater (also called a hand mixer) is fine for beating eggs and whipping cream. And nothing beats a mortar and pestle for grinding and crushing nuts, herbs, spices, crackers, soft fruit, and almost any food that will fit into the bowl-shaped mortar.

However, if your budget permits, you may want to explore some higher-tech options for blending and mixing. The ultimate timesaving device, a blender is perfect for harried but health-conscious students. Compact, inexpensive, and easy to clean, a blender will do everything from liquefying smoothie ingredients to pureing vegetables. Even if your cooking requirements dont extend beyond hastily throwing together breakfast on busy weekdays, a blender will help you put together a tasty and nutritious meal in mere minutes. (You may have to drink it while walking to class, but thats okay!) BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR? Besides the basic blender, another option for mixing food is a food processor. A food processor performs all of the functions of a blender and more.

Besides grating cheese and making pastry dough, higher-end models can even be used to make bread dough. However, for most students, these extra options dont justify the food processors higher-end price tag. Furthermore, the blenders tall shape means it can hold more liquid, which makes it a better choice for preparing smoothies and other drinks. If you have the space and can afford it, a food processor is a useful addition to your kitchen, but not essential.

Some college residences allow students to keep small electrical appliances in the dorm or the residence kitchen. A coffeemaker allows you to have a cup of java ready as soon as you wake up in the morning.

Tea drinkers will want a kettle for boiling water. Along with a toaster or toaster oven, these items will help make your living quarters seem more like home. When it comes to larger appliances, definitely consider a microwave oven or a hot plate if your budget and college regulations permit it. Basically, a hot plate performs all the functions of a stovetop heating element while taking up considerably less space than a conventional stove. A hot plate can be used for everything from cooking soup to frying pork chops. Although it cant completely replace a standard electric oven, a microwave oven can be used for everything from making popcorn and reheating leftovers to preparing an entire meal.