Fast Food From Home

LRR,

Written by: Madison Torre

With endless restaurants surrounding UConn’s campus, eating out is quite common. While I love to go out, I spend more money than I’d like on dining out. As a student who is conscious of what she eats, it can be hard to navigate the balance between sticking to a diet, while also feeling satisfied enough to not be craving takeout food afterwards. For a while, I stuck to the bland foods that technically keep me full, but didn’t satisfy my love for flavorful food. Now, I have more enticing options in my meal prep rotations that allow me to eat my favorite takeout foods from home! 

 

  1. Healthy Chuck’s Margarita Grill Shrimp Tacos (serving: 3 tacos) 

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag 16-20 count raw shrimp
  • 0 calorie cooking spray
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • ½ tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2-3 limes
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • Dole coleslaw mix
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tbsp honey, divided
  • 2 tbsp lite mayo
  • 2 tbsp vinegar (ACV or red wine)
  • ½ red onion, chopped
  • 1.5 cups pineapple, chopped
  • Street style net carb tortillas

Images taken by Madison Torre

 

Steps:

  1. Devein shrimp, add to a sealable bag
  2. Add all dry seasonings
  3. Add zest and juice of 1 lime
  4. Add 1 tbsp of honey
  5. Add orange juice
  6. Add garlic
  7. Mix and marinate in fridge 2 hours
  8. Combine coleslaw, vinegar, mayo, remaining honey, and ~¼ cup cilantro
  9. Stir, adjust ratios to liking (I prefer minimal mayo)
  10. Put in fridge 
  11. Combine pineapple, 2 tbsp cilantro, zest and juice of 1 lime, salt, pepper, and red onion in bowl
  12. Put in fridge
  13. After two hours, heat a pan to medium and add cooking spray
  14. Add shrimp, cook for 3-4 minutes 
  15. Remove from heat
  16. Assemble tacos- one tortilla gets two shrimp (cut in pieces), scoop of coleslaw, pineapple salsa, cilantro (serve with lime wedge)

 

**yield: 18 tacos, 95 cals/taco 

 

  1. Crumbl Berry Oat Cookies 

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup melted butter
  • ⅓ cup swerve brown sugar
  • ½ plus ¼ cup swerve white sugar, divided
  • Splash vanilla
  • 46g egg whites
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 8 oz fat free cream cheese
  • 3 cups swerve powdered sugar 

 

 

Image taken by Madison Torre

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 F
  • Combine butter, brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar 
  • Add vanilla and egg whites
  • Separately, mix cinnamon, pinch of salt, AP flour, rolled oats, baking soda
  • Add to wet ingredients
  • Roll into 12 cookies
  • Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned
  • While baking, add blueberries, raspberries, lemon juice and remaining white sugar in a pan on medium heat 
  • Cook until mixture resembles jam
  • Turn off heat, put jam in bowl to cool
  • Combine cream cheese, splash of vanilla and powdered sugar, add more sugar if needed
  • Once cookies are done and cooled, add a scoop of jam to each, and then add frosting on top

**yield: 12 cookies, 100 cal/cookie

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