I Drank the Juice in the Dining Hall...And Got Type II Diabetes

I think we can all agree that the juice in the dining hall literally tastes like straight sugar opposed to the actual juice it's supposed to be.  Therefore I'm taking a simple idea from my friend who used the juice of her grapefruit to make her own, natural, grapefruit juice. If one wanted to they could also add some soda water to it to make the juice less concentrated and fizzy!  This could also be done with oranges to make a natural orange juice for breakfast. 

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Cup O' Cinnamon

I think we can all agree that the lack of having flavored coffee in the dining hall is something that brings us down in the morning.  Therefore, I decided to take an idea that I use at Starbucks to save money and try it in the dining hall.  When I get coffee at Starbucks I usually don't get it flavored, but instead use the powdered cinnanom they have with the milk to flavor my coffee cinnamon.  One morning I noticed they provide cinnamon along with the oatmeal and decided to use that to flavor my coffee.  This is a great trick to try if you are unenthused with the coffe they provide however, I will warn you the cinnamon is only there till 11 when they take away the oatmeal so try this at breakfast!

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Something More then a Salad...

For dinner tonight I wanted a salad, but I also wanted something that would fill me up.  Therefore I decided to add some shredded orange thyme rotisserie chicken to my normal salad of lettuce, spinach, red onion, beans, and blue cheese.  Trying it, it tasted good but was still missing something.  That's when I noticed the butternut squash and added it to finish off the mix.  Dressed with a light olive oil vinaigrette, this salad definitely was unlike any I've made in the dining hall before.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Cornbread Gets A Kick...

Today as I watched my friend eat the cornbread muffin they served along with pulled pork and beans, I came up with the idea to add a flavored butter to it.  Mixing a little maple syrup into the butter I created a maple butter to make this otherwise average muffin a little more special.  This can definitely be to other breads and muffins at the dining hall and I will be trying some new combinations soon!

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

And In the Morning I'm Makin' Waffles...

The cheddar scallion biscuits I used to enjoy from a local bakery in my home town inspired this newest creation.  Taking the waffle batter I mixed in some cheddar cheese and scallions available in the salad bar before pouring it into the waffle maker.  The result was a savory waffle that could be enjoyed anytime of the day, not just in the morning for breakfast.  So to those of you that I see making waffles for dinner, try this next time to make that waffle a little more dinner appropriate.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Roasted Red Pepper Rocks...

Again I am going to give you another recipe involving hummus.  When buying hummus I usually opt for the flavored ones like roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, or pesto.  However, at the dining hall they sadly only provide original.  Therefore I decided to combine the original hummus and roasted red pepper spread, provided at the sandwich bar to create my own flavored one.  I then asked for a whole grain wrap and cut it into sections before putting it through the toaster, giving me warmed pita chips to dip into my delicious roasted red pepper hummus.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Changing Up My Cheerios...

Ever since I was little I loved cheerios.  I was constantly snacking on them and even carried around one of those yellow cheerio shaped containers.  As I got older, and so did the brand I started trying their new flavored cheerios.  I will say I have tried many of them and they are quite good.  Their new flavors range from chocolate to apple cinnamon to banana nut.  At our dining hall we do have a good variety of cereals, but to my dismay only the plain cheerios.  Therefore I decided to create my own flavor.  Taking the idea of the classic honey net cheerios that so many people enjoy, I simply drizzled some honey (available by the tea) over my cereal.  This created a new sweet flavor that really did make a difference. 

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Amazing Alfalfa...

I made this sandwich using one of my favorite foods, hummus.  First I toasted a piece of wheat bread and then spread hummus on each side.  Next I asked for a piece of turkey and finished it off with alfalfa sprouts to give an interesting addition to this sandwich.

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

From Scallions to Strawberries...

Here I have developed another flavored cream cheese to add to the scallion one I previously tried.  This time I picked strawberry and simply incorporated strawberry jam with plain cream cheese.  I once again toasted a bagel and then spread it on top.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Peanut Better...

This morning I made what I make best.  Even though it was not something new for me, I figured it might be something new for you to try.  I am a lover of peanut butter and therefore whenever I have yogurt at the dining hall I mix some in to give it a creamier and better taste.  To this I then add granola and bananas to finish it off.  Personally I think the addition of peanut butter makes all the difference here and that's why it is a favorite of mine.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Beating the Bagel Breakfast Blues...

I will first say that I am usually not one to eat the bagels from the dining hall, but for the sake of my blog I decided I would try one because of an idea I came up with.  Originally from New Jersey, I am used to eating some of the best bagels and have yet to find anything that can compare here in Boston.  Perhaps though with the addition of some flavored cream cheese I could make them taste just a little bit better?  While my whole wheat bagel was toasting (one must never eat a bagel untoasted) I put some cream cheese in a bowl and next took some scallions from the salad bar.  Combining these I created the scallion cream cheese I usually desire at home.  The bagel was done and so was my spread and must say, it did make quite a big difference.  

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Are You Hungary?

Taking a walk around our dining hall I decided to try the hungarian turkey burger they were offering.  However, instead of just putting it on a bun and eating it like a burger as they suggested I decided to make one of my normal salads a little more interesting.  After making it as I usually do I added the turkey burger that was cooked with onions in it on top.  It made a normal salad much tastier and much more exciting. 

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

Not Just Your Average Sandwich Bar Sandwich...

While this may look like your average sandwich from our sandwich bar, I actually got creative in making it. It was my first attempt at making my own meal so you'll have to bear with me if you don't think it is unique enough.  I took some spinach and had them add it to the turkey, provolone and sourdough already provided at this station.  After they assembled it and placed it in the press I went again to find something new.  Taking balsamic and olive oil I mixed some in a bowl to create a dip.  Simple as it seems this tasted like nothing I had ever gotten before.  A simply delicious sandwich, made by some simple changes. 

And that's how you make the dining hall tasty...

So This Is My Blog...

This blog has been set up with the stomach's of college students in mind. When we enter college we are all amazed with the vast amount of options a dining hall can provide however, as the first semester blends into the second we start to realize the options vary less then we originally thought they did.  We can start to predict what meals they will have on what days, and we start resorting to eating cereal for dinner because we are un-enthused  with the various roasted chicken or pork options they have each night.  Wanting a change I decided why not make your own creations even if they aren't technically offered.  This blog will mark my adventures of creating my own unique meals at the dining hall and hopefully they will inspire you to do the same!