All posts by Megan Folmar

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Healthy Eating

by Ashley Hassett, HealthWorks Peer Educator

This colorful and zesty vegetarian taco salad tastes amazing! Packed with protein and fiber from the beans, this recipe will keep you satisfied and energized.

Makes: 6 servings, about 1 ½ cups each

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
  • 1 15-ounce can black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/3 cup prepared salsa
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled tortilla chips
  • Lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn; cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop 1 tomato. Add it to the pan along with rice, beans, chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato cooks down, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  2. Coarsely chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Combine with cilantro, salsa and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a medium bowl.
  3. Toss lettuce in a large bowl with the bean mixture, half the fresh salsa and 2/3 cup cheese. Serve sprinkled with tortilla chips and the remaining cheese, garnish with lime wedges and the remaining fresh salsa at the table.

See the link below for photos and more delicious recipes.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/vegetarian_taco_salad.html

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

#HealthyPSU
Delicious mushroom caps with tomato sauce, spinach and grape tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese.
Delicious mushroom caps with tomato sauce, spinach and grape tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese.

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

by Marina Kakavelos

This is a healthy, delicious, and easy alternative to pizza that’s also wheat free! The best part is that it’s completely customizable so feel free to experiment with your own favorite pizza combinations. I decided to top mine with mozzarella cheese, spinach and grape tomatoes. This recipe feeds 2 but again, it’s easily adjustable for a dinner party of any size!

To start out, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Then, gather the following ingredients:

  • 2 Portobello mushroom caps (many grocery stores sell them in packs of 2-5 in plastic wrap for under $5)
  • 1 small jar of pizza or tomato sauce of any kind
  • ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups of raw baby spinach
  • A small container of grape tomatoes
  1. Scoop out some of the insides of the mushrooms with a tablespoon, deepening the space for your fillings
  2. Spoon as much tomato sauce as desired into the mushrooms, leaving space for the rest of your toppings
  3. Add the spinach leaves on top of the sauce, followed by your shredded cheese
  4. Cut the grape tomatoes into halves and place on top of the cheese
  5. Place your mushrooms in a lightly greased casserole dish, and bake them in the oven for about 25 minutes (or until the cheese is melted and golden)
  6. Take the dish out of the oven and let the mushrooms cool for about 10 minutes, they’ll be extremely hot!
  7. Enjoy your mushrooms with a fork and knife, or put them in the refrigerator and eat them like a regular slice of pizza!

Bon Appétit!

Zucchini, Fennel, and White Bean Pasta

Healthy Eating, Recipes

by Ashley Hassett

Fresh mint and cheese make this healthy pasta dish delicious! Plus it contains almost half the daily recommended value of Vitamin C and Calcium, which is great for protecting the immune system and helping to support strong bone health. Each serving also contains 12g of fiber. Fiber is great for regulating the digestive system and helping to control blood sugar levels. It also helps you feel full longer. Go ahead and dig in!

Makes: 4 servings, about 2 ¼ cup each

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat penne or similar short pasta
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cooked cannellini beans, plus 1/2 cup bean-cooking liquid, pasta-cooking liquid or water
  • 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 3/4 cup crumbled hard, aged goat cheese, or fresh goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise and then slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Quarter zucchini lengthwise. Toss the fennel and zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until soft and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
  5. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop. Add the vegetables, beans and bean-cooking liquid (or other liquid) to the pan with the garlic and place over medium-low heat. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the pan. Toss thoroughly and add tomatoes; toss until just warm. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese and mint. Season with pepper.

Click for photos and more delicious recipes!

 

Thank You to Our Student Staff

FoamBoard Sign w Names 2015Update

 

As the semester winds down, we’d like to take a moment to recognize and thank our student staff at University Health Services for their dedication throughout the 2014-15 academic year.

Each day our clinic and physical therapy volunteers, HealthWorks peer educators, and EMTs are hard at work assisting patients, educating students to make healthy decisions, and providing vital services for the campus and local community. Their efforts are instrumental to University Health Services’ ability to heal, educate, and care for students and the Penn State community.

Thank you to all of our student staff—we wouldn’t be able to do it without you!