I’m calling this my Dorm Room Special. I feel like I’m back in college trying to cook without a kitchen.
I have to admit that I’ve been a pretty bad “healthy food” blogger since we started our kitchen remodel. In an ideal world, I would have set up a makeshift kitchen elsewhere. But I really believed that after the workers left for the day, I’d be able to access my stove and enough cooking utensils to throw dinner together. But the tarps covering my appliances and counter tops are 2 inches deep with sawdust, which I dare not disturb lest I want to spend my evening vacuuming the floors, walls, ceiling, etc.
I’m tired of eating at the Whole Foods salad and hot bar, so I ran into Traders Joe to see what I could grab that would make an easy, healthy salad that would require minimal prep, cleaning and storage. One bag of baby spinach, an avocado, a lime, a can of black beans, a cucumber, a pint of cherry tomatoes. Done.
I made this salad using the fewest number of kitchen utensils I could get away with – things even a college student probably has lying around like a beat up knife, a can opener, a bowl and fork (for mashing the avocado to make the guac), and a plate. That’s it – makes for easy clean up in the bathroom sink.
I made this sitting on the floor in front of my living room coffee table. Felt kinda weird. But the end result was worth it. It was such a wonderful feeling to eat something fresh and healthy and vibrant and tasty! Really made me feel like I was treating my body right for the first time in a few weeks (even exercise has pretty much been kicked to the curb for the time being).
So if you know any college kids who think they can’t eat something delicious and healthy on campus, send them this recipe. It’s ready in about 10 minutes and there’s minimal clean up. Yea!
Ingredients (serves 1 – 2)
1 bag baby spinach leaves
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained – in bathroom sink!)
1 small cucumber – thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes – cut in half
1 ripe Haas avocado
1 lime
salt to taste
Directions
- Make the guac by cutting the avocado in half and removing the pit. Then score the flesh length-wise and across into a small dice size. Scoop out the flesh with a fork into a bowl. Squeeze as much lime juice as you like over the avocado and use the back of the fork to mash to desired consistency. Salt to taste.
- Arrange a bed of spinach leaves on a plate. Spread a layer of black beans over the spinach. Place a dollop of guac in the center of the plate and arrange the tomatoes and cucumbers around it.
- Squeeze any remaining lime juice over everything and serve immediately.
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