finals week

Foodie on the Half Shell: Finals Week power tacos

chathamcommunique

With finals coming up, we all have to make sure we are eating energizing foods that are good for our bodies and souls. Around this time we are known to eat foods that are quick and pleasurable… since we deserve it, right? Well no, our bodies don’t deserve those burgers, fries, and fried chicken tenders.

For the next couple of weeks, it is even more important that you are aware of what you are putting into your body. The greasy foods will leave you feeling heavy and low on energy. What you need is super foods!

Think foods that are dense in nutrients and full of healthy fats to give you energy. Beans, yogurt, berries, avocado, and even dark chocolate can help you in those last couple of hours late at night when you are finishing your paper.

This recipe is fun and will be perfect to start your finals week off, or just perfect anytime you want some tasty tacos. These tacos are shallow fried to create a great crisp shell. Stuff spicy potatoes and protein dense vegetarian chili into the shell, top with some cheddar cheese and a great coleslaw recipe I have for you guys.

This recipe is perfect for the cold nights coming up, and it will heat you right up. Get a group of friends together to have a kick off to finals taco party, and make this recipe together.

What you’ll need for 10 tacos:

Crunchy tacos:

10 corn taco shells

¼ cup of canola oil (more if needed)

Heat a large skillet with canola oil. A note to keep while you are frying the taco shells–make sure to add in little bits of the oil throughout the process so nothing burns. Also, don’t dump too much in, because that will cause the shell to become soggy. Fry each side of the taco shells for about ten seconds. On the second side, fold the shell in half. Hold each side away from the other, though, so they still have an opening. Do this on each side. Transfer to a paper towel and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.

Spicy potatoes:

½ white onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

6 red skin potatoes, diced

1 jalapeno, diced finely

1 teaspoon of chipotle powder

1/3 cup of veggie stock

Sauté the onion, jalapeno, and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the diced potatoes and stock. Cover the pan and let it sit. Keep an eye on the potatoes, though, and make sure to stir every five to ten minutes so they don’t burn. After the potatoes are nice and soft, add the chipotle powder. Smash the potatoes roughly. Don’t smash until they are smooth, you want them to be a little chunky.

Vegetarian chili:

Other half of the onion, diced

1/2 cup of diced peppers (any color)

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of diced mini portabella mushrooms.

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the peppers until they are tender but not mushy. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Next, put in the diced tomatoes. Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes. Add the beans before serving.

Coleslaw:

2 cups of cabbage, grated or thinly sliced into their natural ribbons

1 tablespoon of Mayo

1 tablespoon of greek yogurt

1 tablespoon of smoky hot sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

Assemble the tacos by putting the potatoes into the taco first, then the chili, and top with cheese and the slaw.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Power food for finals week

chathamcommunique

Spring is here, and I can already smell BBQ on the grill, and taste the refreshing mojito I make out of my mom’s own fresh mint. I am really looking forward to the summer, and a break from all the stress and pressures that go along with school. First though, we must all get through finals week.

I’ve always hated finals week, because you’ve worked so hard the entire year, but no matter how great you did the rest of the semester, you could ruin everything your last week. That is completely horrendous! Well, there is only one way for me to get through finals week and that is fuel. I’m talking delicious food that gives me energy and the spirit to go forth and conquer!

It is easy to fall into eating anything and everything during finals week. I even hear about people bribing themselves with cake and candy to make themselves do their research project. However, I can guarantee healthy snacks will be the way to survive this week of hell.

My main snacks this week will be loaded salads, healthy yogurt parfait, and maybe some chocolate covered frozen bananas for a bit of sugar buzz to get me through those last few pages I have to write at two in the morning.

For the loaded salads, I top mine with some plain tuna fish, hard-boiled eggs, grilled veggies, and some feta cheese. The key to this salad is the lean protein, which will give you energy and fill you up without a lot of added fats. You could also use grilled chicken, or salmon.

For the yogurt parfait, use a Greek yogurt, skyr, or regular yogurt and add your favorite fruit, and either some nuts or granola. This is my partner’s everyday breakfast, and it fills you for a long time. The chocolate covered bananas that I get are actually dark chocolate covered frozen bananas, by the brand Diana’s Bananas. They are only 130 calories, and are really delicious. I’m not even a huge fan of bananas, but when they are frozen, it’s like ice cream. These foods are totally reliable, and seriously the way to go!

Since this is my last column of the year as a sophomore, I did want to just say thank you to all for reading my column. This really has been such a learning experience for me, to write about food. It has been so positive to hear from my readers, and to force myself to try new recipes and new restaurants. This summer I hope to start my own website so you all can get new recipes and reviews all week long, and to also start doing cooking videos that I will post on Youtube.

If you have any questions, or want to be notified this summer when the sites are up and ready, please email me at opbeals@gmail.com. This really has been a dream come true. Food is my passion, and I hope I inspired some of you to journey into the world of cooking. Thank you, all!