If a Disney mouse can cook, so can you.

Just because you’re in college and on a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to subject yourself to sodium-laden, fat-filled and all-around flavorless foods.

Sticking to a diet that will make you gain that dreaded “freshman 15” every semester is not only draining your wardrobe budget, but it will wreak havoc on your body.

Healthy doesn’t always mean boring. Sure, some foods seem bland, but with the right spices and recipe, they can be delicious.

First of all, start with a recipe that you will like. There are so many recipe sites that are specific to your diet. Some college-specific sites are: YumYum.com/student, Collegerecipe.com and Beerandpancakes.com. If you find yourself salivating on your keyboard just thinking about the food on these sites, then copy down the recipe.

Second, be realistic. If you’re lolling over a steak recipe and making it every week, you’re not going to have money. And, if the recipe is one of those that has over thirty steps, has six different sections and there are many “tips” at the end, look out: You have a day or even week-long project ahead of you. If you don’t have the time, don’t waste it on a complicated recipe. Downplay and find something you like and have time for throughout your week.

Third, use it before you lose it. Go through your pantry and try to find a recipe that can use up your stash. You see those cans and boxes that your mom bought you before you came up in August; use them before throwing them out. By using your current stock, you won’t have to go out to buy new stuff every week, and you might find out what Mom really wanted you to be eating.

Fourth, buy fresh. We are in the middle of farm country. Guess what those farms grow? Even if it’s stopping at the supermarket and not a farm stand or farmer’s market, having fresh vegetables in you means fewer preservatives. Vegetables won’t kill you; there will be at least one legume out there that you find delicious. And no, potato chips are not considered a viable vegetable.

Fifth — my personal favorite — spice up your life. You won’t find a recipe that doesn’t call for at least salt and pepper. A good spice rack will contain basil, oregano, fresh ground black pepper, a course salt, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper and chili powder. You can find almost all of these for under $1 a bottle. The more pricey ones like rosemary and thyme will run you a whopping $2-3. By adding just a bit into your mix, you will be cooking.

Sixth — play with your equipment. Gas stoves are different than electric. I grew up with a gas stove and burned everything I made for a week when I moved into my first apartment, which came equipped with an electric stove. See what else Mom packed for you in the kitchen box. You will need those pans, spoons, knives, cutting boards and colanders (fancy word for pasta strainer). Otherwise you will be having a bad time pulling noodles out of the pan with your bare hands. Note — do not pull pasta out of boiling water with your bare hands.

Seventh — have fun. There’s a whole network dedicated to eating well. If you don’t have the Food Network, check out some of those shows on PBS. Even Martha Stewart pumps out a recipe worth trying every now and then. Don’t forget she is invited to P-Diddy’s white party every year and downed a 40 oz. with Conan back in the day, so she does have some street cred.

Below is a recipe that I made for one of my guy roommates, who ate it and went back for seconds, and he hates spinach. All of my recipes will be backward in terms of vegetarianism, meaning everything will be vegetarian with a suggestion of meat to serve.

I have been a lacto-ova vegetarian for about four years and live with a pork-fat loving family back home and a deer-hunting roommate here at NIU. We all make do and eat basically the same things, with or without meat.

Spinach-stuffed tomatoes.

Food:

4 large tomatoes
Bag of frozen spinach
1 whole onion
1 garlic clove
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. Mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Oregano
Oil
Water

Equipment:
9 X 9 Bakeable dish
Pan
Plate
Cutting board
Knife
Tablespoon from your silverware set


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Take your knife and hollow out the tomatoes from the stem part so they look like little bowls. Keep the insides, or pulp, but throw out the thick white part.
Turn the tomatoes upside down on some paper towels to drain out any excess liquid.
Peel and chop the onion into tic-tac sized chunks; do the same with the garlic and tomato pulp.
Microwave the spinach for four minutes, and then drain in the sink. Squeeze that bag until you think you’ve squeezed every drop out and then squeeze it some more. Repeat until you’re positive.
Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan over medium heat and sautée the onions and garlic until they smell really good and start to brown lightly. Keep stirring so nothing burns. Add the spinach and pulp and spice to your taste. Keep stirring for about six minutes. Turn off the stove.
Add a bit of both cheeses to the bottom of the tomato shells. Add your spinach/tomato mixture until it’s all gone and top off with more cheese.
Put the stuffed tomatoes into the bakeable dish and add about half-an-inch of water around the tomatoes.
Bake for about half an hour.

Serve with rice or pasta.

Meat suggestion:
Italian sausage
Brown some ground beef and add it to the spinach/tomato mixture before adding it to the tomato shells.

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