You’ve been eating nothing but junk food for the past week and now you want to eat healthier. However, you don’t want to surrender eating what tastes good, either. Plus, you have another party coming up and no time to cook for it. Yes, there’s a recipe for all of that. Today I bring you three ingredient salsa. Why buy it from the store when in three minutes you can have gourmet?

Today’s ingredient: Red Mango

Mango is high in iron, antioxidants, Vitamin A and Vitamin E while remaining low in carbs. It also contains phenols, a nutrient associated with cancer prevention. Eating mango also relieves clogged skin pores. This fruit has a refreshing flavor, but what makes it even more perfect for inclusion in salsa is that it helps prevent acidity and indigestion.

Recipe:

½ cup chopped red mango

½ cup chopped sweet onion

1 can petite diced tomatoes

(You could also get really gourmet and prepare your own fresh tomatoes)

Instructions:

1.) Take your chopped mango and onion. If the pieces look too big for salsa, you can cut them finer by hand. I put them in the food processor for one minute for optimal results. Put finished onion and mango in a bowl.

2.) Likewise, look at your tomatoes. When you are satisfied with the size of your diced tomatoes, pour them in the bowl with the other ingredients.

3.) Fold the mixture with a spatula until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. If you’re a spice fan, feel free to add what you’d like: salt, sumin, oregano, pepper, or fresh cilantro are all amazing choices.  I just wouldn’t actually add all of them to the same salsa.

So there you have it! Three ingredients, three minutes, and three steps will give you what might remain the easiest snack recipe of 2011!

All right so it might not be cold yet, but that doesn’t mean a bowl of something hot wouldn’t hit the spot. If you’re too broke to swing by the nearest deli every time you get a massive craving for a soup and sandwich, try this recipe for chili. It’s super easy, great for dorm rooms (assuming you can use a crock-pot there…or can hide it from your R.A.) and it makes enough to last a lot longer than one of those eensy bowls of Broccoli Cheddar soup (still, mmmm broccoli cheddar soup…).

Chili is extremely customizable. For instance, depending on whether you like yours really hot or not so much, it isn’t hard to adjust the spice of this recipe. Chili is kind of a free-for-all dish, meaning, throw whatever the hell you want into a pot as long as it sounds good. (Caution: do not try this when inebriated. I did and quickly realized that frosting does not go well in chili.)

So, for my perfect chili, here’s what you need:

1 lb. ground beef

Cumin to taste

1 can of chunky tomatoes

1 can Rotel

2 cans red kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 small onion, cut into chunks

1 can jalapeno peppers (for extra spice if you want it)

Chili seasoning (totally optional, by the way)

1. First, brown a pound of ground beef (or turkey, or hell, even chicken) in a skillet (or microwave). I typically like to add some cumin to it because it gives it a great smoky flavor.

2. Here’s where it gets easy: Take the ground beef and drain it. Then throw it in the crock pot. And then add all the cans. You may want to drain some of them, depending on how soupy you like your chili, but don’t drain the beans. The natural starch helps to thicken the chili a little. Add the onions and the jalapeno peppers (if you opt to use them) and any chili seasoning you wish.

3. Turn the crock-pot to high and cook for about an hour, just to get it nice and hot. Then turn it down to low and let it simmer for a while. I usually let it simmer at least two hours but the longer the better–the flavors totally come together the more time you give ‘em.

4. After you’re ready to chow down, serve up some hot chili with some shredded cheese and any other essentials you might need. My personal favorite way is to top it off with some monterey jack cheese with grilled cheese on the side. Talk about comfort food. So tasty.

I love Asian Food. Rice? OMG, perfect side. So, I used to find myself ordering out for it A LOT. That got really pricey. Cooking it on my own, though; not so much. So cheap. And so very, very yummy. Now you try it:

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken tenders

¼ cup of honey

¾ cup of teriyaki sauce

Teaspoon of fine chopped onions (optional)

Teaspoon of ginger (optional)

1) Mix honey, teriyaki sauce, onion, and ginger together.

2) Pour mixture over chicken and let marinate in the fridge for at least two hours. Overnight is better.

3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4) Place chicken in a single layer in casserole dish. Cover with foil and place in heated oven.

5) Cook for 35 – 45 minutes (oven times may vary)

This dish goes great with a side of rice and broccoli, which also happen to be super cheap and easy to make. Seriously, it may take you less time (and money!) to pull this together than to wait for the delivery dude to knock on your door.

A perfect meal for the busy college lady.

[Photo courtesy of flickr.com] 

So make this easy, delicious (vegetarian) recipe and cuddle up on your couch for a cozy evening in. Stay warm! Happy Autumn!

You’ll’s Be Needing:

6 cups of potaters (diced)

3 cans of vegetable broth

4 cups of whole milk

1/2 tsp of black pepper (ground)

1 cup of onion (chopped)

6 tbsp of butter (melted)

3 stalks of celery (diced)

4 cubes of vegetable bouillon

Here’s How’s Ya Does Its:

(1) Boil the potatoes, onion, and celery in two of the cups of vegetable broth. Cook for fifteen minutes.

(2) Drain the stuff but keep the liquid.

(3) Mix said liquid with the milk and put over medium heat. Stir until it’s thick.

(4) Separately, mix the flour and butter.

(5) Stir every single thing into the broth-and-milk mixture.

(6) Voila! Potato soupski!!

[Image courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com]

Yes, I know it is disgusting. Yes, I know it has 50% of your daily value of saturated fat in it per serving. Yes, I know it looks like dog food. But I still love it, even if I feel pretty nasty after eating it.

That is why I was so excited this week when I discovered a recipe that is even better-tasting than Mary Kitchen hash—not to mention worlds healthier. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, it has four ingredients only, making it the easiest thing ever to prepare. All you need is:

• cabbage

• potato

• ground beef

• onion

Salt and pepper work well for flavoring it, and I like to serve mine with ketchup. But those aren’t technically ingredients. Anyway, here is the recipe. Cook it for a good long time—probably 5-10 minutes longer than the recipe recommends, because you want all the ingredients to be nice and browned at the end.

You can thank me later.

[Image courtesy of ApartmentTherapy.com.]

Most normal fajitas or any similar Mexican-like foods will set your number of daily calories over the edge with gobs of refried beans, sour cream, or crazy cheese sauces. Not this fajita—it has all the taste but serious health benefits as well. If you are craving something Mexican that isn’t quite authentic but that tastes fresh and delicious, this is what you want!

It can easily be a 15-minute dinner if you’re rushing, and it’s pretty versatile (any kind of bell pepper will work, the corn is optional, etc.). Here are the ingredients for one fajita:

• canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil (or any other oil, really)

• 1 thin-sliced chicken breast, cut into strips

• ¼ tsp taco seasoning

• ½ red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips

• ½ medium onion, sliced into thin rings

• 2 tablespoons corn, fresh or frozen (optional)

• ½ to ¾ cup fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed

• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cheddar cheese

• 1 whole-wheat tortilla wrap

To begin, put the oil in a shallow pan. Let it heat up, and add the thin rings of onion and strips of bell pepper. Sauté them over low-medium or medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until they are browned, much reduced, and beginning to caramelize.

At that time, add the chicken strips and the taco seasoning. Continue to sauté until the strips are cooked through but not browned. Stir often because taco seasoning can sometimes stick to the bottom of the pan.

Next, add the corn. If you’re using frozen corn, the little bit of ice on the kernels should wet the pan enough so that you’ll be able to scrape up any spare taco seasoning on the bottom. Turn the heat to low.

Prepare your tortilla while you’re waiting for the fajita filling to finish cooking. Grate the cheese if necessary, and set it aside. Put the tortilla on a plate and line it with the fresh spinach (pat the spinach with towels if you need to so that it’s not soaking wet after rinsing). Turn off the heat on the stove, and scoop the filling over the spinach.

Finally, sprinkle the cheese over the filling. If you want the cheese to melt, just pop the fajita in the microwave for 15 seconds or so.

If you layer a ton of filling on the fajita, it’s great to eat with a fork and knife. Otherwise, you can wrap it up for a portable dinner that’s waaaaaay healthier than stopping for take-out Mexican!

If you would like to make an awesome curry in your own kitchen with simple ingredients that tastes just like it came from the masala lunch buffet, then look no further. Bread, main dish, AND drink are all outlined here for you—so break out your notepads and get ready!

Chapatis

There’s nothing better to eat with a curry than chapatis, those delicious little flatbreads that you can use like spoons to scoop up large amounts of what you’re eating. For a great recipe, go here. Even though it seems completely bizarre to fry something in a skillet that has no oil or butter in it, it works like a dream for these breads.

Added tip: if you stack them up nicely and wrap them in foil, chapatis can be reheated and eaten again for up to two days after you make them.

Cauliflower Curry

One of my proudest strokes of culinary genius was devising this curry. I feel like I could eat it every day and STILL love every bite. It makes a lot (4-5 medium-sized servings), so have a party when you make it.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tablespoons oil (canola, olive, or vegetable will all work)

• 1 head of cauliflower, rinsed and broken into tiny florets

• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped into small squares

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste, or 2 cloves of chopped garlic plus a little chopped ginger (the ginger is optional but helpful)

• 1 cup of frozen peas

• ¾ cup paneer, cut into cubes (optional)

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ¼ tsp garam masala (an Indian spice you can find in almost all grocery stores)

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp coriander powder

• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

• fresh cilantro to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Set a big pan on the stove at medium heat. Pour in the oil. When it’s hot, add half the cumin (1/4 tsp) and the cauliflower, potato, diced onion, garlic, and ginger (or ginger-garlic paste). Stir occasionally. Let it cook for a while, until it’s visibly reduced and softened at least a little bit—about 10-15 minutes.

Add the peas, paneer, and all the spices. At this point the dish will need to cook for another 10-15 minutes. If you’re using a nonstick pan, you can cover the pan, turn the heat down to low, and check it every 5 minutes or so. Otherwise, keep it on medium heat and stir it every couple of minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom or burns.

When the cauliflower and potato pieces are tender, the curry is done. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro and serve!

Mango Lassi

Wash your Indian meal down with this refreshing summer drink. To make two glasses of lassi, put one mango (peeled and diced), ¾ cup mango pulp, ¾ cup plain yogurt, 2 crushed ice cubes, and 1-2 tablespoons of sugar in a blender or food processor. Puree, pour into glasses, stick in a straw, and enjoy!

[Photo courtesy of the Better Health Channel]