When you’re feeling down the last thing you want to worry about is cooking. With so much of your energy going into forcing yourself out of bed, once you finally do you can barely muster up any more to make your next meal. Before you know it, you have a standing appointment with SBMenus, UberEats and Dominos and the cardboard containers are piling up by your trash can. Now here’s a tip from personal experience, if you’re already not feeling your best it’s not the smartest move to put nothing but carbs and fats into your body. Eventually your physical health is going to be just as low as your mental health.

School obviously isn’t making it any better. Face it — With just finishing up the last round of midterms and finals season slowly creeping up, there’s no time to make sure you’re eating healthy. We all know that in the midst of crazy midterm week, or weeks if we’re being honest, we rarely watch what we are eating and just need something quick and stress-free that won’t cut time away from studying! However, this isn’t always the best for your health, especially as soon as you’re done with all those tests and realize that you also finished an entire box of instant ramen and spent half of your bank account on takeout. Cooking can seem daunting and time-consuming especially with long ingredient lists and instructions that seem like they never end.Here are some recipes that will be the exact opposite. Not only are they nutritious, affordable and delicious, but they’re also quick and easy. Say goodbye to the unhealthy, processed food that you always go to during finals season.

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Omelette in a Mug

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 microwave-safe mug
  • 2 eggs
  • Butter
  • Bell peppers
  • Red onions
  • Bacon
  • Spinach
  • Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

  1. Dice your vegetables into bite-size pieces. This can be done ahead of time to save time in the morning.
  2. Spread butter around the mug and crack both eggs into the mug and whisk with a fork.
  3. Microwave mug for one minute.
  4. Add bell peppers, red onions, bacon, spinach and cheese. Mix the ingredients in gently. This is where you have the freedom to add any variety of ingredients you want. Try different toppings if you get bored of eating the same things every day.
  5. Microwave 1-3 minutes until eggs are fully cooked.
  6. Sprinkle cheese and scallions on top and go on with your busy day!

Tiffany Velazquez / Daily Nexus

Chicken Ranch Wraps

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 large flour tortilla
  • 1/2 cup chopped, grilled chicken breasts (I went for the pre-cooked variety since that’s what I had on hand)
  • 1 tbsp. ranch dressing
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack and cheddar work great)
  • 1/4 cup spinach

Instructions:

  1. Cook chicken on medium-high heat according to instructions, or opt for rotisserie chicken.
  2. Lay tortilla down on a clean surface and assemble all the ingredients on it.
  3. Fold in the corners of the tortilla and roll tightly to form your wrap.
  4. Cook the wrap on each side for about a minute on a lightly-greased pan over medium heat or until golden.
  5. Remove from the heat, slice and enjoy!

Rachel Lee / Daily Nexus

Caprese Toast

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Slices of bread (your choice what kind to use but I chose whole wheat for this)
  • 2 sliced tomatoes
  • Slices of cheese (I used sharp cheddar but again, your choice!)
  • Spinach

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Lay the slices of bread on a baking sheet
  3. Layer the cheese on top, then the tomatoes and then the spinach
  4. Put into the oven when it’s done heating up. Try to put it on the tray closest to the broiler
  5. Wait 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and then you’re done!

What I like about this recipe is that it’s so simple and quick. The longest part of this recipe is probably waiting for the oven to preheat; in the meantime you could get the food ready or even continue studying. It only needs four ingredients and they could be something you already have or could easily get. I know our foodbank even offers bread and tomatoes so you wouldn’t even be breaking the bank.

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