College students are creatures of habit. We hang out with the same people. Got to the same bars. Buy the same types of clothes. Take the same classes. And you can’t blame us really. We know what we like. We know what works. So why change a good thing, right? Right. But not only does that apply to clothes and classes, it also applies to the kitchen. Because if there is one thing that has been made a college cliche, it’s college food. We’re known for our Red bull and Ramen noodles. But hey we’re creatures of habit, and we like what we like…

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!

This Week’s Ingredient: Salsa!

Remember that episode of Seinfeld where George and Jerry are sitting in the coffee shop talking about salsa, because Jerry thinks its popularity is due to the fact that “people like to say ‘salsaaa’”? Well, not only is it fun to say, but salsa is one of the more nutritious condiments around. It is very low in calories, with virtually no fat, and contains a wealth of nutrients like vitamins A, E, C and K, potassium, copper, and manganese.

However, certain brands can contain high levels of sodium, so be sure to check packaging labels to verify that you’re not consuming more than the daily recommended intake (2,3000 mg for a healthy adult). High sodium in the American diet has recently come under attack by various health and governmental bodies,  so make sure you’re enjoying savory snacks (like the one below) in moderation!

Easy Meals

1. Add salsa and kale to your omelette for a spicy Southwestern kick.
2. Combine with brown rice and black beans (drained before cooking to remove excess sodium!) for a healthy, cheap, and easy meal.
3. Serve with carrots, celery, peppers and asparagus for an afternoon snack.

The Recipe: ULTIMATE Nacho Dip!

In honor of Memorial Day tomorrow, many of us will be taking to parks, beaches, or family gatherings to mark the unofficial start of summer. Whether you’re hosting or visiting a Memorial Day celebration, I promise if you make my mother’s nacho dip you will be the hit of the party. So take thirty minutes, whip this baby up, and get ready to receive a lot of compliments!

Ingredients:

1 large container whipped cream cheese
1 16 oz. jar hot and thick salsa
1 lb. ground beef (try for 95% lean!)
1 1.25 oz packet Old El Paso taco seasoning
1 8oz bag of shredded taco cheese
Dice black olives (optional)

Directions:

1. Put the ground beef in an ungreased skillet on medium heat, stirring until it is thoroughly browned. Then strain the grease out of the pan, and return the beef to the skillet.
2. Add taco seasoning and water (according to the packet’s directions–usually 2/3 cup) to the beef and stir through, then turn off heat.
3. In a wide Pyrex or pie dish, coat the bottom with the cream cheese. After the beef has cooled, spread it evenly atop the cream cheese.
4. Add the salsa and then the shredded cheese atop the beef, so there are four distinct layers. Garnish with black olives and serve with tortilla chips or jicama for a healthier (yet equally crispy) option.

But cooking your own meals means healthier eating, more money in your bank account, and the gratification that comes from making something with your hands. Everyone here at CollegeCandy loves to cook, so we're going to bring you our favorite (and easy) recipes every Sunday. You've got nothing better to than cook, right? Right.]

I was buying salsa in the jar for the longest time. In fact, I was buying it (at around $3 or $4 a jar) until this past week. That is when I decided to start making my own. I mean, it is cheaper, healthier and I can make it as hot (or not) as I want!

I had a few jars cleaned out and ready to go (leftovers from my grocery store days) and set out on a mission to make my own salsa…and to make it better than what I was buying.

With all organic ingredients, I put together this salsa that my roommates already love and I think you will, too. Here’s what you need (buy all of the ingredients organic if you can):

4 tomatoes
1 can of corn
1 can of kidney beans
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
Cilantro
Salt
Black Pepper

Here’s what you do:

1. Mix one tomato, a chunk of cilantro, and 1/2 cup of kidney beans together with a blender or mash them until they’re liquid-esque. Keep this mixture on the side.

2. Chop up all of the other ingredients and mix them all together in a big bowl.

3. Add in your liquid mixture a little bit at a time until you’re happy with the taste.

4. Grab a margarita, some salty tortilla chips, dip and enjoy! Or store it in the fridge to use on chicken, omelettes, baked potatoes…the possibilities are endless.

My tongue ruminated on memories of peanut sauce and bean sprouts, quickly tasting each dish with which it was presented and re-shelving the phantom platter for a later craving. When my eyes came to rest on the Spicy Green Curry, I knew my mouth had found what it wanted.

Something in me was telling me that this was the dish I should order, despite the warning label under the menu description advertising this as a “very spicy dish.” Or maybe precisely because of that label.

As I barreled my way through that burning sensation that was my breakfast, I wondered why on Earth I was doing this to myself. There was so much spice that I could barely taste anything else. There were hints of coconut milk here, and eggplant there, but mostly my mouth was a wasteland of curry on fire.

That got me thinking about my whole relationship with spicy food. I can’t say that I really like how it tastes. So why do I love eating it?

As a child, if I thought I saw even one speck of pepper in a dish, I wouldn’t eat it. I hated hot food. It burned. It hurt. I had good common sense. Except there was always this nagging part of me that said, “You are Jamaican. You are supposed to like spicy food.”

Nowadays, telling me that an item is superspicy is like dangling catnip in front of a cat. I have gulped chunks of wasabi, gobbled whole jalapeno peppers, and guzzled teaspoons of hot sauce on request. I make a great show of being unaffected by the fact that my head is imploding.

I think it goes along with some unrequited need for a rite of passage. I put it right up there with my extra piercings, substance experimentation, and tattoos. There is something about spicy food that says, “I am no longer a child,” even if it doesn’t quite say, “I am an adult.” I am subjecting myself to the pain simply to prove that I can do it.

Don’t we all have our little tests of self-mutilation? Like stalking around on stilettos for the entire day, or going through cramps with no Midol, or running the entire five miles even though the last six months have been spent lazily on the couch?

However much I have to suffer, it doesn’t look like I’m going to stop eating spicy foods anytime soon. The other day I ate half a block of cheese full of jabanero peppers. Yum.

If you’re feeling adventurous (or slightly masochistic), here’s a recipe for some Jerk Chicken that will scorch your tastebuds.

[photo from img.timeinc.net]

Below is my list of the five MUST HAVES that got me through those hungry, fun and crazy college days. And don’t worry; there is still plenty of room for the beer.

1. Ramen noodles. While not the best food for your figure (sodium overload and absolutely no nutritional value), it’s great on a budget (you can get something like 10 boxes for $1.99). Throw in some veggies and you can have a quick and cheap stir-fry.

2. Salsa. This condiment spices up casseroles, nachos (which are a PERFECT drunk time/late night snack) and even omelets and eggs.

3. Velveeta. Great for sandwiches, mac & cheese (an essential college meal) and melting into a bowl for dipping animal crackers (You think I’m nuts, but just TRY it!).

4. Brita. I never thought this was necessary until I got to college and realized that natural tap water is filled with some seriously nasty gunk. Nothin’ that’ll kill ya or anything, but still, not the best stuff to put into your body (as I’m currently slugging back a vodka/seltzer – ha!). You can get an easy maintenance one at Target, Walmart and other similar stores.

5. Red Bull. Everyone has those nights where they need to pump up and rally. Red Bull, otherwise known as speed in a can, will do the trick. Chug one of these guys for a night at the library, or a night on the town; it will get you through and leave you feeling fantastic.

Those are my five little must-haves. What are yours?

You’ll need:

One large baking potato

Half cup mixed vegetables of your choice (Zucchini and yellow squash are great, bell peppers and onion are a good topping, or some people love broccoli)

¼ cup salsa

¼ cup light sour cream

2 tablespoons 2% milk shredded cheese of your choice (Monterey jack is a personal fave)

Spray butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Bake your potato for about an hour at 350, or until you can stab it with a fork and remove it easily.

While your potato is nearing completion, heat vegetables in a small frying pan coated in non-stick cooking spray. Season as desired.

Take thoroughly baked potato and cut in half. Mush the sides inward to make the potato fluff away from the skin, then add vegetables to the top. Sprinkle on cheese, then add salsa, sour cream, and keep your spray butter, salt, and pepper handy on the side for when you’ve finished your toppings. This makes a really filling lunch and is really quite healthy so long as you don’t get overzealous with the sour cream and cheese.

For two servings, you’ll need:

Sides:

6 small tortillas, corn/wheat/flour (whichever you prefer)

Salsa of your choice

1 cup shredded Mexican-flavored or Monterey Jack cheese

Low-fat sour cream

Chopped iceberg lettuce (or romaine if you prefer)

Guacamole (optional, and again… there’s no shame in store-bought)

**If you don’t want to make guacamole, you can also just buy, peel, and slice avocados to add to the fajitas. If you mash them with salsa, you’ve essentially got guac.

For the actual veggies, all to be sliced:

2 red bell peppers

2 green bell peppers

1 onion

1 cup mushrooms (optional if you’re not a fan, for me, they’re my favorite part)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cumin

Chili powder

Garlic

Salt

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Toss in your sliced vegetables and cook them until they brown. They cook down, so if it appears that your pan is overflowing, that’s not a bad thing and you don’t need to worry.

Once your veggies start browning, shake cumin and chili powder in equal portions over them. Be liberal, you want to be able to taste the spices. Add a little garlic, a touch goes a long way, maybe just a quick shake over the whole pan, and stir. Make sure to taste everything as you’re cooking, so you get enough flavor. You’ll know they’re done if you’re happy with the taste.

Serve as many or few vegetables as you want in a tortilla, garnish as desired. To make a full meal, serve with Spanish rice and nonfat refried beans OR black beans on the side. As a tip, if you’re making beans, pour in some I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray to add flavor, and just cook on the stove in a saucepan.

Now that baseball season has started (Go Red Sox! Ahem, sorry), you’ll probably be finding yourself sitting around your friend’s apartment watching the game on his or her big screen TV. You know it’s rude to show up empty-handed, but what can you bring to a 1 p.m. game on a Sunday when you woke up at noon with a raging hangover? I have the perfect solution.

This taco dip is one of the simplest and cheapest things to make…and will guarantee you invites to any gathering. Not only do I make it for all sports-watching events I attend, but my friend has already asked that I make a huge one for her wedding. It’s that good.

All you need is:

1 container of whipped cream cheese (12 oz)

1 jar of salsa (I suggest Newman’s Own…hot because it’s not hot at all with all the other ingredients)

1 bag of cheese, any kind you want, but I usually get a Mexican blend

1 bag of shredded lettuce

Sliced olives.

How to make it:

Spread the cream cheese on the bottom of a dish

Pour jar of salsa on top

Put cheese on top

Put shredded lettuce on top

Sprinkle sliced olives on top

I told you it was easy. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a bag of tortilla chips. This dip will be gone before the 3rd inning!

My type of Mexican feast definitely has a taste that is a bit different from your normal greasy burrito. So here’s the secret:

You’ll need:

1 box of Mexican Rice (with seasoning)

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 jalapano pepper

1 jar of hot salsa

1 bag of cheddar cheese

1 tomato

1 can of black beans

Whatever meat you prefer, if you want.

Tortillas

Start to boil the water for the rice while you chop the peppers and the tomato. Begin to stir fry the peppers and tomatoes and put the rice in the boiled water. If you’ve got meat; throw it in with the stir fry.

As the meat finishes cooking, add the beans and salsa to the mix. Once the rice is done, add all of this to the rice (after the seasoning is in) and then slowly add the cheese. Scoop this into your tortilla and wrap it up like a burrito and you’re good to go.

Not only is this delicious, but you can make it slightly healthier, too. Just replace the cheese with fat free cheese, make the tortillas wheat, and use olive oil for your rice instead of butter. Also, try not using meat or at least not any red meat. If you follow those instructions, you’ll have yourself an awesome AND healthy burrito!