BY DANA REYNOLDS – STAFF WRITER
Tired of eating Easy Mac, ramen noodles, Cowan, and pizza? You’re not alone. It turns out several Centre students have come up with cheap, quick, fun and easy alternatives to the boring old standards.
First year Haley Varnadoe has a stir-fry dish that she likes to cook when she has extra time. After preparing her pan by adding coconut oil, she then tosses in some extra-firm tofu, soy-sauce, red peppers, onions, snow peas, and carrots. She then tops this over white rice.
“I like to cook because it helps me relax,” she said. “I cook for my family at home and I have continued cooking here.”
Junior Chloe Peterson has also come up with quick and easy alternatives due to her allergies.
“I have a ton of other allergies besides being gluten-free,” she said. “So, I have to make a lot of meals on my own.”
One quick snack that Peterson enjoys making are kale chips. All you need is the nearest Centre oven, a pan, kale, olive oil, salt, and for extra sweetness a little bit of maple syrup. Then, you just stick the pan in the oven for about ten minutes and enjoy!
For a quick snack junior Elayna Seago likes to coat different fruits in Greek yogurt and place them in the freezer.
“It is tasty and super easy to make,” she said.
Senior Jacob Phelps makes a quick and easy tomato mozzarella salad.
“It’s an easy, no-cook recipe,” he said. “It’s my favorite snack.”
To make this snack, you need: basil, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive-oil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper. There is no cooking involved and you can set it up in whichever way you choose.
Senior Laura Tan has a Coke-chicken recipe that she really enjoys making. “This is actually quite easy and is not weird,” Tan said. “It takes 30 minutes or less to prepare.”
The ingredients include: one can of Coke, a few slices of ginger, one pack of chicken wings or thighs, and soy sauce. The steps to make this delicious, unique recipe are as follows: (1) wash the chicken and place slices of ginger on it, (2) marinate the chicken with as much soy sauce as you want, (3) take a pot and use it to boil the coke, (4) once the coke is boiling, put the chicken, ginger, and soil sauce in it, (5) boil it for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, and lastly (6) eat it and enjoy.
Tan also enjoys making cookies ‘n cream popcorn. For this recipe, after popping her popcorn she adds melted white chocolate, melted almond bark, and crushed Oreos.
Sophomore Mackenzie Weiland only eats her breakfasts in Cowan; therefore, she seeks other options for lunch and dinner. She really enjoys eating kale bars, raw cookie dough, oatmeal, kiwi, flaxseed nut butters, apples, and dark chocolate.
“I always drink a Jus by Julie juice and eat a kale bar with almond butter and some dried fruit and dark chocolate,” Weiland said.
So if you’re looking for a creative outlet or a healthier and cheaper option to most Danville fare, consider giving some of these recipes a try. Stick with a recipe or go wild and make up your own—it’s up to you. While you’re at it, why not grab some friends and cook dinner for the family? It might just turn out that cooking can be a unique way to relax and take a step back from your hectic Centre schedule.