Whether you’re a hardworking and malnourished academic or a hungry beach bum enrolled in classes, BYU-Hawaii students can have a hard time eating cheap and healthy foods. The Ke Alaka’I has tips to help you make quick and healthy meals with the limited funds of a college student. Rick Bailey, a senior from California studying business, said, “I served in El Salvador, and in most of the wards there was no member list for them to sign up to feed us. We had a lady that we paid to make us lunch, then we would eat dinner at home or go out and get local food.”Easy meals consist of easy things to cook. With a combination of rice, chicken and your choice of vegetables and spices you can have a meal that you enjoy eating, and will help you make it through your day energetically.Ingredients & descriptions:Rice, preferably brown rice, which is healthier and carries more nutrients than bleached and processed white rice, is a gluten free source of carbohydrates. Rice can be cooked in large amounts and kept in the fridge to be used at any time. Save yourself more time by cooking rice in the microwave. Put as much rice as you want into a bowl, and fill it with enough water to cover your first knuckle on your pointer finger. Microwave for half the amount of time it would normally boil (white rice: 10 minutes; brown rice: 15-20), and if needed add more water and microwave in increments of two minutes.Extra virgin olive oil is filled with vitamins and antioxidants. It is considered by nutritionists to be a healthy source of fat for your diet. Use extra virgin olive oil when cooking for added healthy value. Only a small amount of oil is needed to fry chicken. A bottle will usually last a long time if used in the correct amounts.Garlic is healthy for your immune system, and both adds and enhances flavor in the dish. Before you fry your chicken in olive oil, allow chopped garlic to cook for a couple of minutes to release the flavor.Chicken is a great source of protein. It also carries little fat, if you cut it off, and cooks quickly, making this a great choice for many dishes. Chicken is also easily flavored. Use any herbs you want to customize your flavor. Mixes, such as fajita, grill or others, tend to work well. Use a liberal amount of seasoning.Variety of vegetables can add color and flavor to a dish. Adding bell peppers and onions can make your dish savory, or sweet depending on how long you allow them to cook. For a more savory flavor, add vegetables in last. For a sweeter flavor, allow the vegetables to caramelize by frying them over a medium-low heat with the chicken for a while. After your chicken and vegetables are fully cooked, throw them on a plate and enjoy.This recipe is quick and easy for college students, and is healthy. As Romy Lakip, a senior from Georgia studying business, said, “If you put crap into your car, it won’t run well. It’s the same with our bodies, you need to fuel it with good fuel, and eating healthy is what makes it run well.”Students should keep health in mind when they eat. Even Elder Jorg Klebingat said in LDS General Conference this October, “Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem.” He continued his address to members of the Church with a quote from Elder Russell M. Nelson, “We should ‘regard our body as a temple of our very own,’ and that we should ‘control our diet and exercise for physical fitness.’“Hamoni Akau, a freshman from Tonga studying computer science, agreed with Elder Klebingat and Nelson and said, “My mission president’s wife always encouraged us to eat five fruits or vegetables a day.”NOTE: While we only used bell peppers and onions, virtually any vegetable can be used. Carrots and mushrooms could add more variety of flavors. Experiment to find out what you prefer. You also do not need to use an entire pepper, less than one section will typically suffice, and a carrot can be chopped up and saved for later. Save more money by buying one of each color of bell pepper and use only one section for each meal - stretching their for up to four different meals.
Writer: Camron Stockford ~ Multimedia Journalist
