Eat Well, Cook Easy: Recipes for an extremely lazy, but healthy, student (me)

I was privileged to come from home where both my parents were obsessed with cooking. Half-jewish, half-Italian, my house is constantly filled with delicious meals - every night growing up we would have a starch, a protein, a vegetable, and dessert. Unlike my siblings, I never caught the cooking bug. Genetically, I can cook pretty well, but I do not enjoy the clean up or the time it takes whatsoever.

Behold: 3 of my go-to recipes for lazy, but very tasty and healthy meals! If you are anything like me, but are able to cook a simple meal - try some of these out!

1. One pan chicken and veggies --> I feel as if this is a go to student meal: healthy, tasty, and can easily make leftovers!

-preheat oven too 400 degrees; cooking the chicken and veggies at 400 will have both done at the same time in one pan - super easy and limited clean up; take out baking sheet or pyrex glass pan

-use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs - just cook them for less time)

-chop veggies of your choice --> my favourites are broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes

-time to season: cut up 1 clove of garlic, mix with olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, lemon juice and paprika in a small bowl

-first spoon 1/4 of your seasoning on to the chicken and rub into chicken, flip and repeat (for better flavour you can do this in advance)

-spoon remaining seasoning onto veggies and mix around

- in the oven it goes! be sure to check after 15 mins, and move the veggies around. Should normally take around 30 mins. If you have a meat thermometer, make sure chicken is at 165 Fahrenheit in the thickest part (centre)

***note - these veggies can be made with literally any meal or even as meal themselves! You can easily tweak seasoning to you preferences

2. Steak and rice -->I am a huge steak fan, its SO easy to cook, and you don't even need any seasoning!

-an hour before you want to make dinner, salt your steak well on both sides; return to fridge for 30 mins and then leave on counter for the rest. For this method the best steak is a fast fry one, or any boneless steak 1 inch think or less

-rice: I like to use wild & long grain rice, but any works. If you use wild & long grain, you can replace water with chicken broth for extra flavourful rice. Cook rice according to package

-when there is 5 minutes left with your rice, heat frying pan (with a tiny bit of oil) or cast iron pan (don't need anything) on high. Place steak down in pan - you should hear it sear, this is key to getting a thin crust on the steak. After 3-4 minutes MAX flip steak. Get out some butter, and put a chunk in the pan, and a smaller chunk on top on the steak. As the butter melts, continuously spoon it onto the steak, creating a butter path (you can add rosemary and garlic now if you like). If you like a medium rare steak, it will need about 4 minutes MAX and then your done! Let steak rest for a 10 minutes before cutting & enjoy with your rice!

3. Overnight oats --> this is my all-time favourite and supper filling breakfast, but you can eat it for any meal of the day! I use the recipe from Oh She Glows, but have added a couple of my own twists (it makes approx. 2 bowls). I truly think overnight oats are the easiest, most delicious meal, and they involve almost zero clean up (you only use one bowl for the whole thing)

-in a bowl or Tupperware container mash one large ripe banana

-now add 2 tbsp chia sees, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cups almond milk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla. Stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 5 hrs)

-in the morning, wake up and stir the mixture. Now you can add whatever toppings please you. I normally add fresh berries, coconut flakes, a few more chia sees, and a dash more cinnamon to my bowl. If it is not sweet enough, drizzle some pure maple syrup or agave overtop!!