The Alternative Dining Hall Delicies are dynamic Tower endorsed meals for when the hot food is not looking too hot. The Brock menu provides a consistently healthy and amazing menu, but as a five day boarder I sometimes want to switch up my meal for dinner or utilize the salad bar. The following recipes are not all my own, but as an observer and reviewer, I can attest to their greatness.
Jen’s Salad
Jen’s Salad came into fruition during freshman year and is in its fourth year as a constant recipe. Filled with greens, protein, and flavor it became a constant pick-me-up to sustain Jennica (Jen) Pereiras ’24, a three season athlete and program wide Varsity Volleyball captain. “I needed a meal that kept me full but didn’t weigh me down”, Pereiras said. Jen’s salad provides a cool yet consistent lunch. She is very keen on getting her vitamins, so including vegetables like carrots for Vitamin A is imperative for her. “I really feel nourished after this meal, because something specifically that’s important for me is iron, and I will feel really tired if I don’t have iron,” Pereiras said. As a three season athlete who needs to stay energized for practice, Pereiras’ choice of lunch has an impact on her athletic and mental focus. “ Having this salad as a lunch meal right in the middle of the day is something I look forward to and it powers me for the rest of my day.” In addition, she said, “ Sometimes in life we are missing some consistency, so I go to the dining hall and I know I am going to have a good, consistent meal.”
Here are the ingredients and instructions to this delicious and nutritious meal:
- Base: ⅓ Arugula, ⅓ mixed greens, ⅓ kale
- Toppings) two servings of carrots, one serving of chicken cubes, one serving of cucumber, 1 serving of radishes, 1 serving of sprouts
- Dressing) two spoonfuls of balsamic vinaigrette and a dash of salt
Spicey Ricey Bowl
It’s the perfect rainbow bowl and super filling. The Spicey Ricey Bowl provides an array of nutritish and delish benefits. I make this bowl usually for dinner after practice to supplement my vitamin D deficiency and to ensure that I will feel good but full while I complete my homework. As a protein fanatic, salmon is the most central ingredient for making this bowl, but for vegetarians and vegans substituting tofu for the salmon is an alternative.
- Base: one spoonful of rice from rice cooker
- Toppings: one serving of carrots from salad bar, two serving of cucumbers, one serving of edamame, half serving of kimchi, one large serving of salmon, one spoonful of soy sauce, one spoonful of mayo, two spoonfuls of seaweed, half a spoonful of chili sauce from rice cooker station, swirl with chopsticks until vegetables are mixed in with sauce.
The PB & B – peanut butter and banana sandwich
A twist on a classic! Instead of using jelly I like to use real fruit. A meal of its own, dynamic enough to be consumed any time and anywhere, the peanut butter and banana sandwich is a portable bastion of protein and potassium. With or without crust, the PB and B can be a snack, lunch, dinner, dessert and everything in between. But, to give it more of a desert feel, try adding a swirl of nutella to the sandwich. To make the PB and Nutella swirl, combine one scoop of peanut butter and nutella using a butter knife.
