Category: D-Hall Hacks

Take back your stomach. Here are some hints, tips, recipes, and updates that will help you get the most out of your d-hall experience.

Pizza Bagels

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by Caroline Gentile ’17

On a night when there was no pizza to be found in the dining hall (a very sad night indeed), I struggled to put food on my plate that seemed appetizing.  And then – genius struck. I could make my own pizza! I poached some marinara sauce from the spaghetti station while I waited for my bagels to toast, and asked the grille for two slices of cheese. Just a few minutes later, I was enjoying my pizza bagel while my blockmates drooled in jealousy.  Soon, they too made their own pizza bagels, and together we marveled at how delicious they are, yet so easy to make. So the next time you are at a loss for what to eat for lunch or dinner, consider the pizza bagel. It won’t let you down!

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You’ll need:

  • A bagel, cut into halves (use either plain or whole grain)
  • Marinara sauce
  • Cheese (either from the sandwich bar or from the grille)
  • Bacon or other toppings that you think would make your pizza bagel even better (optional)

Toast the bagel until it is well-toasted (a little more than golden brown). You want to ensure that it will not get soggy when you put the marinara sauce on it. Then, add the marinara sauce, about a spoonful for each half, or more depending on your preference.  If you are adding toppings, place them on top of the marinara sauce. Place one slice of cheese on each half.  Put the prepared pizza bagel into the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until the cheese is sufficiently melted. Wait for the pizza bagel to cool for as long as your self-control will allow you (no more than a few minutes though, thank god) and enjoy!

I’ll Have a Grande Vanilla Latte… With Three Scoops of Oatmeal

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by Audrey Thorne ’19

There are a lot of reasons I wanted to try the new Oatmeal-Coffee craze – it solves the problem of not drinking coffee on an empty stomach, it might add flavour to otherwise dreary oatmeal, it is cheap, easy, and quick to make – but the number one reason why I wanted to try oatmeal-coffee is how absolutely strange it sounds. I am not an adventurous eater, but I am a curious one. I wonder what drew people to try replacing the water in oatmeal with coffee, and what led them to keep doing it. Here are the three D-Hall coffee substitutions of oatmeal.

1. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Signature Blend No 4 Decaf Medium-Dark Rich and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

Bitter from the first time the spoon touched my palate, decaffeinated Oatmeal – Coffee is definitely for people who enjoy the taste of coffee. Not my cup of tea (or coffee) but definitely the perfect oatmeal for a coffee lover.

Personal rating: B-

2. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Signature Blend No 4 Medium-Dark Rich and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

When swallowed quickly, it tastes like normal oatmeal. The longer it sits in my mouth, the more bitter it is. Still, every time I finish a spoonful I want another bite. I do not understand what the draw is, but I cannot stop eating it. I definitely had both more oatmeal and coffee together than I would have of either on their own.

Personal rating: B +

3. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Vanilla and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

Sweet with only slight undertones of coffee flavoring. Vanilla Oatmeal-Coffee tastes almost identical to lightly sweetened oatmeal.

Personal rating:

A+

Lessons for the D-Hall, Thanks to SLS19

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by Landy Erlick ’19

Global Health and Nutrition, or SLS19, is part of the Science of the Living Systems general education department. It’s also extremely interesting and edifying. I’ll be honest, I originally enrolled in the course purely to fulfill a requirement. Ever since the very first lecture, however, I have found the subject matter creeping into my daily life, and I think one topic is particularly relevant for your next d-hall venture: micronutrient deficiencies.

a great - and bright - source of vitamin c
A great – and bright – source of Vitamin C!

Each time you choose white rice over brown rice, cereal over vegetables, and glowing blue PowerAde over a glass of water, not only are you falling prey to “the freshman fifteen” – and every year after that – but you are also increasing your risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies. Though more common in developing countries where access to a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains is limited due to poverty or seasonality, micronutrient deficiencies are present in industrialized, rich nations, too. Most students don’t have the discipline to take multiple supplements every day, so it’s important to reach our necessary vitamin intake by filling those ceramic plates with an array of green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, animal protein, cheese, and even some grill-order eggs.  

green leafy vegetables are filled with nurtrients

Admittedly, it’s unlikely that a college student in the Northeast will develop scurvy, but the disease is not just limited to pirates sailing the seas in the 1700s.  Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just prefer a daily sundae over a salad, it’s important to observe your eating habits and take notice of the categories in which you’re lacking. Even though it takes a severe micronutrient deficiency to express symptoms like night blindness or anemia, eating well from a young age boasts many benefits, especially in the battle against obesity. In fact, in recent years, over-nutrition has become more prevalent than under-nutrition. That is a daunting statement.  

Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it's lacking in vitamins
Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it’s lacking in vitamins.
high in sugars and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast
High in sugar and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast.

It only takes a few minutes to look into food sources for important vitamins. Google is your friend. Of course, your diet is your choice, moderation is key, and a balanced life is a healthy life. So, eat the slice of pizza at 3 a.m. – you are in college, after all – just also keep in mind that an apple a day really might just keep the doctor away.

  

 

Chicken & Rice Guys, D-hall Style

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by Michelle Chiang ’19
The Chicken & Rice Guys food truck is a familiar sight in the Science Center plaza. Nonetheless, I had always somewhat ignored the block of sunny yellow. Compared to Vietnamese sandwiches and gourmet grilled cheese, who would want to spend money on boring chicken and rice?
My opinion changed the moment I actually tasted that “boring” chicken and rice. The chicken was tender, flavorful, and warm; the rice, lettuce, and sauces blended perfectly into a crisp, smooth mouthful of deliciousness. It got me wondering if I could recreate the taste in the d-hall. Who wouldn’t want to eat Chicken & Rice Guys all the time?
After doing a bit of research, I’ve concluded that perfectly recreating the dish is impossible without considerable amounts of time, effort, and spices (to prove my point, here’s a recipe for a similar halal food truck in New York City). However, it IS possible to create an approximation that isn’t too shabby. Best of all, you won’t need to buy anything on your own, and you can substitute ingredients and alter proportions to make it as healthy or indulgent as you want.

Ingredients:

grilled chicken
lettuce (and any other vegetables you want)
rice (I used brown rice for my meal, but feel free to use any other kind of rice!)

White Sauce:

1 /2 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice (Yes, they have this in the d-hall.)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoons vinegar (Yes, they also have non-balsamic vinegar in the d-hall. HUDS is just full of surprises, isn’t it?)
2 tablespoons ranch or blue cheese dressing
salt and pepper to taste
(Helpful tip: 1/2 cup is about half of a d-hall soup bowl. You can use the d-hall spoons for teaspoons and tablespoons.)
Enjoy!
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Fried Rice

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by Michelle Chiang ’19

We’ve all been there – you walk into the dining hall, and nothing really piques your appetite. You could settle for a salad, but that’s hardly satisfying. You could splurge and eat out, but you don’t want to spend money. What to do?

Fortunately, there’s a third option that’s ALWAYS available: make your own meal. More specifically, make your own fried rice.
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Fried rice is unbelievably easy to make. At home, my family often makes it with whatever ingredients are at hand: rice (of course), steamed vegetables, egg, leftover meat. Here’s my dhall version of fried rice.
(Feel free to add, remove, or change any part or the recipe! Everything is entirely up to you and your tastes.)

Ingredients:IMAG1067

brown rice
over-easy egg (from the grill)
vegetables (whatever’s in the dhall that day)
sesame oil
soy sauce

Recipe:

1.Dump everything in a bowl.
2. Mix.
3. Eat and be happy.
Enjoy!

Cheesy Sweet Potato Fries

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by Dana Ferrante ’17

It’s Wednesday at 12:10pm. You’re in the servery. Well, it’s not just you, but about 30 other people who decided to eat at 12:10 just like you did. (How inconsiderate of them! #butactually.) First the trays run out, then the forks, and finally, your patience is gone.

Then, from the end of the line, you see a mouthwatering mountain of sweet potato fries…Heaven. It’s finally your turn in line, and everything is right with the world.

This d-hall hack is for the days when you want sweet potato fries, and sweet potato fries only. This fry/nacho hybrid is quite simple, low-commitment, and only involves 2 seconds of your precious, between-class time.

 

 

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You’ll need…

  • A nice big plate of sweet potato fries
  • Cheese: feta from the salad bar, cheddar from the chili station, American/Swiss cheese from the sandwich
  • Scallions from the chili station
  • If you like it hot… Try some chill powder, hot pepper flakes, anything you can find.

How it’s done:

  1. Get some sweet potato fries. Pile on any cheese you’d like, some scallions, and anything you can think of that tastes good with cheese and potatoes.
  2. Throw it in the microwave. 45 seconds will do it.
  3. YUM!

Dipping Sauce Ideas:

  • Sour cream mixed with dill (you know, those spices you always think about using but never do?)
  • Sriracha
  • Your classic fries and ketchup
  • Who knows, maybe even mustard

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

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by Michelle Chiang ’19

I’ve always loved peanut butter – so much so, in fact, that for my 11th birthday I asked for peanut butter as a present. I also really like cookies. Put the two together, and you achieve perfection: peanut butter cookies are heavenly. Unfortunately, they’re also nowhere to be found in the dining halls. To date, I only remember HUDS serving peanut butter cookies twice, and they were a far cry from the melt-in-your-mouth masterpieces found at places like Insomnia Cookies. It’s culinary discrimination. Chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin get their fair representation, but when that peanut-butter-cookie craving strikes, where can a desperate student turn?

They say that desperation is the mother of invention, and this article is about to prove that saying true.
IMAG1017
Plain, boring ranger cookies
I think inspiration struck one night in Dunster dining hall. Brain break featured a tray of Ranger cookies, a sugary offering to the bleary-eyed students running on three hours of sleep. While Ranger cookies do have strong points, such as their satisfying crunch and slight hint of coconut, they obviously lack peanut butter. I picked up a cookie. My gaze landed on the ever-present container of peanut butter at brain breaks. I smeared a plump dollop of peanut butter onto the cookie, hesitantly took a bite, and…
Sweet, sweet success.
The creamy peanut butter provides perfect contrast to the crunch of the Ranger cookie. It also makes overbaked and dry cookies seem softer, more soothing on the tongue. Both organic peanut butter and normal peanut butter work; since the cookie contains more sugar than is probably necessary, the organic peanut butter will also taste sweet.
 In short, it’s a win for everyone.
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Divinely transformed Ranger cookies.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Veritaffle

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by Allison Yan ’19

Veritaffles are a staple of the Harvard student diet – there’s nothing like a warm, carbohydrate – infused start to another long day of problem sets, and club meetings, and all of the other delightful things an overbooked undergraduate has to look forward to.

But sometimes, you need to spice up your Veritaffle. A plain waffle is just not enough. That’s where the amazing oatmeal peanut butter Veritaffle comes in. It’s a quick and easy d-hall hack to make your breakfast and brunches heartier than ever.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium size bowl of the waffle mix
  • 2-3 scoops of oatmeal
  • 2-3 spoonfuls of peanut butter
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Oatmeal, cranberries optional

Instructions:

These are very straightforward: all you need to do is throw in a couple extra ingredients into the pre-made waffle batter!

1. Obtain the bowl of waffle batter. (If anyone who looks at you strangely while you’re pouring the waffle mix into a bowl, just tell them that you eat your waffles nice and raw.)

FullSizeRender (1)
Just the right amount of peanut butter!

2. Add the oatmeal, and mix thoroughly so there are no clumps of batter or oatmeal.

3. Add the peanut butter, and mix thoroughly once more so the peanut butter is evenly mixed into the batter.

4. Pour into waffle maker, wait those anxious 2.5 minutes, and enjoy!

 

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Slice a banana on top for good measure.

Optional Waffle Toppings:

  • Sliced banana and honey
  • Cinnamon
  • The tried-and-true whipped cream and syrup combination

The Ultimate Dining Hall Hack: A Review of Mange App

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by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

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At long last, Mange App is a dining hall hack that everyone on campus will enjoy.  Currently beta testing in Cabot, this app allows for HUDS grill orders to go paperless.  The app displays the daily menu, takes grill orders from anywhere on campus, and texts students when their orders are ready.  Finally, no more of that awkward circling around the grill during the chaos that is lunch hour!

Mange App currently lives exclusively online – the iPhone and Android app should be rolling out in the next month – and, while there are some areas for improvement, it definitely has this starving student’s stamp of approval.  The first time I used Mange App I was a bit annoyed.  I was running to office hours, wanted something from the grill, and had to register as a user and figure out a new interface just to get a piece of chicken.  I soon realized that my aversion to adapt to something new got in the way of me understanding the coolness of the entire set-up.  Now, if I need something quickly, I can order from my room and get a text telling me to go pick my food up.  I’ll probably start getting more texts from Mange App than I will from my roommates, to be honest.

Like I mentioned, no rollout is without its drawbacks.  Currently, lunch time on the app is set to begin at noon.  That means for you early lunchers that you literally cannot order food until 12:00, even if lunch technically begins at 11:30.  This, and other small issues, are already being worked on and will be resolved before the school-wide release of the app.  HUDS has even been kind enough to set up an iPad on the counter so that students without smart phones can use the service.

I am sure that the school-wide release of Mange App will turn out to be successful.  Already, Cabot grill (which is definitely the best) is more efficient, while using less paper.  Mange App is the ultimate dining hall hack: it increases productivity without sacrificing taste.  You may ask yourself, now what?  I have my grilled chicken in no time and now have no idea what to do with it.  For some great ideas on how to spruce up your dining hall meals, check out more Crimson Crave dining hall hacks!

 

 

 

The Elvis

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by Emily Brother ’19
IMG_0212Elvis Presley was famous for many reasons including his odd affinity for Fool’s Gold Sandwiches. This sandwich was originally made from a piece of French bread that is coated in butter, baked, and hollowed out. It was then filled with a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly in addition to slices of bacon and pieces of banana. Here is how you can make your own slightly smaller version of the meal that was fit for The King:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Bagel
  • 5 Strips of Bacon
  • 1/2c Peanut butter
  • 1/3c Jelly
  • ½ Banana

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Steps:

  1. Toast the bagel.
  2. Smear the peanut butter on one half of the bagel.
  3. Smear jelly on the other half of the bagel.
  4. Lay the strips of bacon on the half of the bagel with peanut butter.
  5. Slice ½ banana into thin, half-inch pieces and place them on the half of the bagel with jelly.
  6. Put the two-bagel halves together.

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