Recipes by Category!

Following a particular diet? Curious to try something new? Check out the new addition at the top of the Recipe page - recipes by category! We've done the work for you and sorted through all of our recipes, dividing them up into different categories:

Dairy-Free

Gluten-Free

Residence Hall Friendly

Vegetarian/Vegan

Just click on the links for the category you want, and find recipes that fit the criteria you're looking food!

- Chef Meghann

The Scoop on Oils

Are you ever overwhelmed by the vast array of oil choices at the grocery store? From the pale gold to green colored oils, the tiny tasting bottles to gallon sizes, to the extreme price differences it can be an oil overload. Oils that are liquid at room temperature are typically high in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. So although many of these oils are a healthy alternative to solid fats like butter and lard there are so many options it is important to find the right one. Here are a few things to consider:

         What are you using the oil for?

         How long do you plan to keep it for?

         How much are you willing to spend?

         What health benefits are you looking for?

        

With all these factors to consider here is a guide to help you decide: 

Oil	% Monounsaturated Fats: Good	% Polyunsaturated Fats: Good	% Saturated Fats: Bad	Uses	Price	Comments
Canola	61	32	7	Baking, salads, sautéing, and stir-frying	$0.06/oz	Mild flavor, supplies some plant omega 3s
Flaxseed	18	75	7	Salad dressings and drizzling (not cooking)	$0.24/oz	Slight nutty flavor, high in plant omega 3s, store in refrigerator
Extra Virgin Olive	78	8	14	Salad dressings, drizzling, low-heat cooking	$0.38/oz	May have fruity, grassy, peppery, or bitter flavor, contains antioxidants, high quality is expensive
Peanut	48	34	18	Stir-frying, sautéing, and searing	$0.05/oz	Bland flavor, contains vitamin E, those with peanut allergies should avoid
Safflower	79	13	8	Sautéing, frying, baking	$.36/oz	Mild flavor
Sesame	41	44	15	Light: sautéing and stir-fries, Toasted: dressing,seasonings	$.56/oz	Light: delicate flavor Toasted: intense nutty flavor, good for Asian cuisines, store in refrigerator
Soybean	27	58	15	Sautéing, searing, and stir-fries	$.27/oz	Neutral flavor, high in omega 6s, most commonly used in USA, inexpensive

According to Alice Lichtenstein of Tufts University the most cost and health effective oil is buying quart sized containers of soybean oil for everyday use and olive or sesame oil only for special uses. If you use specific oil often, buying the larger containers will be much more cost effective and when looking at labels be sure to read the cost per ounce listed in small font on the price tag to make sure you are getting the best deal! 

Happy shopping! 

- Kjersti

By popular request, here is our Earth Day Salad as presented during our cooking demonstrations at the UA Earth Day celebration on Monday. Happy eating!

- Chef Meghann

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! Come to the UA Earth Day fair TODAY on the Mall from 3:00-7:00pm to celebrate sustainability with food, games, prizes, and lot of entertainment! Stop at the Cooking on Campus table for live Cooking Demonstrations every hour (3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30), free samples of our delicious no-cook seasonal whole grain salad, and some awesome SHAC swag if you play and win our seasonal produce game! See you tonight!

- Chef Meghann

Barbeque Blowout

Tuesday on Cooking on Campus, the class stepped out of the usual indoor cooking course and instead ended the last class of the semester with a summertime barbeque blowout! The class learned to master their knife skills and grilling techniques using healthy proteins, fruits, and vegetables. The two recipes worked on were:

- Grilled Tofu with Fire Roasted Corn and Tomato Salsa
- Grilled Salmon with Warm Pineapple Salsa

We started by prepped two similar based salsas and later on extended the flavors according to each recipe. The class began by dicing red bell peppers, red onions, Serrano chili and cilantro, to which we added lime juice and seasoned with salt to enhance the flavors and create a fresh balance. We then skewed cherry tomatoes, shucked the corn, and saw a quick demonstration on how to cut a whole fresh pineapple. We placed our fruit and veggies on our hot grill and allowed them to tenderize and pick up some of that char flavor from the grill, creating beautiful cross hatches.

Afterwards, the class learned how to grill different proteins, such as tofu, salmon, and chicken breast. The tofu had been marinated with minced garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and lime juice. The chicken was seasoned with a barbeque dry rub, and the salmon was left as it was. While the proteins cooked, the class finished dicing the salsas by dicing the grilled fruits and veggies. The smokey aroma helped to paint the picture of a perfect summertime meal; and with the addition of our grilled proteins that meal became a reality!

This barbeque course provided a healthy, flavorful, and easy route for one that is usually known to be greasy, cluttered, and time consuming. For a different path to the salsa or protein, make sure to explore the variation portion on each recipe to find a flavor profile that suits you! Thank you for another wonderful semester of Cooking on Campus - make sure you check back over the summer for some great cooking tricks and tips and updates for the Fall 2013 series!

- Chef Dorine

Barbeque Blowout: get grillin'!

Nothing says summertime like the aroma of cooking on a charcoal grill. Grilling is one of my favorite ways to cook - it allows you to pack in tons of smokey flavor, and cook with virtually no oil! However, since barbeques are often reserved for parties and picnics, most people don't get much practice with cooking on grills.

In this class, Barbeque Blowout, you'll learn how to master the technique of grilling fruits, vegetables, and different proteins! You'll learn that barbeques aren't just for meat-eaters with our Grilled Tofu with Fire Roasted Corn and Tomato Salsa, and perfect the technique of grilling delicate fish with our Grilled Salmon with Warm Pineapple Salsa. We'll also have some chicken breast for you to practice grilling, so that you can really get a well-rounded experience and lots of practice for when you grill at home.


Come to the Instructional Kitchen in the Outdoor Adventures building at Camus Rec on Tuesday, April 16th from 5:15-6:30PM to make and taste some delicious food for only $5! Register online in advance and pay using your bursar's account or credit card, or register at the Registration Desk at Campus Rec!

Until then, try altering some of these recipes by grilling some of the main ingredients:

- Blackened Tilapia with Roasted Brussell Sprouts

- Collard Veggie Burger Wrap

- Organic Grass-Fed Burger

- Chef Meghann

Tasty Travels

This past Tuesday in Cooking on Campus, our tastebuds were taken on a trip around the world during our Tasty Travels class with these two first class recipes:

- Gazpacho - Spain
- Whole Wheat Crepes with Strawberries - France

Our first recipe, Gazpacho, is a cold soup that  originated in Spain, and is Andalusia's best known dish. Gazpacho comes in several different varieties, but we chose to stick with tradition by using fresh vegetables, herbs, red wine vinegar, and some whole wheat bread to thicken it slightly - all pureed in a food processor or blender. Because this is a raw soup, it's very easy for certain vegetables, specifically the red onion, to overpower the other fresh vegetables. Make sure when you're making this at home to add in part of the onion at a time, tasting your soup before you add more. Unfortunately there isn't really a way to neutralize too much onion flavor, so remember: when it comes to cooking with onions, less is more! Our second recipe, Whole Wheat Crepes with Strawberries, is a celebration of France's national dish. Crepes are becoming more and more popular in the States, but you'd be surprised how easy it is to make a healthier variation for yourself at home! With whole wheat flourr, skim milk, and fresh fruit topping, you too can make a delicious breakfast in a matter of minutes. Be sure to check out our variations section for both of these recipes for a few suggestions on how to make these dishes perfect for your palate!

- Chef Meghann