easy – Page 2

When The Food Feels Too Far Away, Order In

Published on February 22, 2016February 29, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Audrey Thorne ’19

There are lots of reasons to order in. Sometimes the winter cold is just too much to venture into. Sometimes the walk is daunting. Sometimes the restaurant in question delivers in under an hour and the trek there and back would take the same time, so it just seems easier to order in. And often, the ordering method that allows me to give the maximum detail for what I want so that I know I will get what I want and the minimal time spent sounding awkward on the phone wins out.

The first day I attended Harvard summer school in 2014, my parents took me out to a thai lunch in the square. That late afternoon I dined in Annenberg with my roommates. That night I made an account with Seamless. I was still craving the delectable fried rice I had eaten earlier that day. Not really wanting to spend money on food with a free meal plan, it took two weeks for me to break down and order again.

Seamless has a multi layered filtration system for finding new food places, with star rankings that I have learned to trust. I did not use that the first night, though, because the night I first ordered from Seamless I just wanted my Spice fried rice. Living in union dorms for the summer, I was able to enter a real address, ask the deliverer to call me upon their arrival. After an hour, an unknown number popped up on my food. I hurried excitedly downstairs. The delivery man told me he had been waiting for almost ten minutes. Apparently the instructions to call up were not well translated. I did get my food, still hot, in the estimated delivery time, I just felt bad because the poor guy had waited for me downstairs in the time it would have taken for me to walk to the restaurant. I ordered three more times during the summer, and each time the message to call was poorly translated. Otherwise, the delivery service was just as advertised.

Coming from New York and not having tried to get food delivered from anywhere except the thai place that I did not know no longer delivers, I assumed most places would deliver. After being in Cambridge for a few months, I found that the usual call and deliver method is rather unpopular. Many of my favourite places do not have their own delivery service via a phone line and often they do not even deliver through an online service like Seamless.

At the end of last semester, however, I was made aware of DoorDash. I downloaded DoorDash for the sole purpose of having places that did not normally deliver, deliver. Offering ASAP or a specific time delivery while the restaurant is open, and pre-orders for the next day once the restaraunts in question is within an hour of closing time, DoorDash boasts selections such as Liquiteria, Au Bon Pan, JP Licks, Dumpling House, and Felipe’s. On the easy-to-use app, DoorDash advertises times between thirty minutes and two hours for delivery. Skeptical of if the $5.99 fee, excluding tip, would be worth getting Felipe’s in 50 minutes, I waited for DoorDash’s time to come.

Reading period, after watching the hours blend together as I got not as much work done as I had hoped in Lamont, I decided it was time. I would not have to take a break from working and I would get to eat one of my favorite foods, so it was a win-win. I watched the delivery process unfold on my phone through the order tracking portion of the app. 23 minutes after placing my order, my phone started buzzing. On the other end was a man telling me he was downstairs. I grabbed my ID card, speed walked out of Lamont, and ran to Greenough. As I approached the entrance I heard a man in a long coat holding a brown bag ask “Are you Andy?”

“DoorDash?”

“Yes.”

“I am so sorry for taking so long. I was in the library.”

“Next time just put in that address and I could take it to you.”

“Really?”

Despite having several times been told that the perk of living in Greenough is that it’s outside-of-the-yard address makes food deliveries possible, DoorDash actually delivers to Harvard buildings. One can put the name of a dorm into the app and it will come to wherever one is on campus in less than the predicted time. My burrito arrived as warm as the welcome of my DoorDasher, and the food was what I had ordered online to a T.

Still, I wondered if I was on the best food delivering website. GrubHub I have found to have almost the same options as Seamless, just three fewer options at 20 restaurants. Offering solely restaurants I had never tried before, GrubHub pushed me to try new foods and delivered in the expected amount of time. With fees varying by restaurant, from free to $3, GrubHub is worth considering.

Overall DoorDash has my favorite options and I found Seamless and GrubHub hardly distinguishable. If all three have the food one needs, Seamless and GrubHub have the lower fee and still get the delivered in the estimated time. However, if I am craving a late night burger from Tasty, or a tasty smoothie while Lamonstering, DoorDash is the only option, and it is a great one.

Crazy Cake in a Mug

Published on February 22, 2016February 29, 2016 by danielleleavittLeave a comment

by Danielle Leavitt ’17

Hot chocolate is always my “go-to” drink in winter when I want to warm up. Just tasting that warm, soothing liquid somehow makes the snow outside disappear. Recently, I was introduced to another cup of winter wonderland: a moist and chocolaty rich cake that is made entirely in a cup. Taking only minutes to prepare, this easy recipe is cooked in your microwave and will have you satisfied and wanting more! Best of all, it can be made gluten-free!

Dry Ingredients:

5 tbsp flour (gluten free)
4 ½ tbsp sugar
2 tsp cocoa (unsweetened, most brands are gluten free except Ghirdeli)
¼ tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:

½ tsp white vinegar
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 1/2 tbsp water

Spray the inside of a microwave safe mug with non-stick cooking spray
Mix the first 5 dry ingredients
After mixing, make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients.
Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in the third
Pour the water on top
Mix well until smooth
Microwave for 2 minutes

To make your Crazy Mug Cake taste even better you can add mini marshmallows, chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand are gluten free), M&Ms, sprinkles, shredded coconut, etc. This easy mug cake will not only taste great on a wintery day, but you could even have a cup of hot chocolate along with it!

Recipe from:

https://sites.google.com/site/sweetlittebluebird/crazy-cake-in-a-mug-single-serving-microwave-recipe

5 Ingredient Key Lime Pie

Published on September 27, 2015January 25, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Emily Brother ’19

Made with only five ingredients and taking less than twenty minutes to prepare, this recipe is easy to conceive but never fails to impress! The filling’s acidity pairs wonderfully with its smooth, velvety texture and the crumbles of graham cracker crust to make a pie that you’ll never want to stop eating. As my first attempt at baking here at Harvard (in the basement of Wigg B), a little improv, some effort, and a big mess were a part of the process of making this pie. But all said and done, the recipe turned out truly delicious! Just follow the steps below and you’ll have the most irresistible treat to share with your suitemates (or just eat by yourself)!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine the condensed milk, sour cream, limejuice, and lime zest. Mix well and pour into the graham cracker crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of the pie. Do not brown!
Chill pie thoroughly (I suggest overnight) before serving.
Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream or a dollop of ice cream.

Much thanks to:

Annrichardson from AllRecipes.com for the recipe.
Sue Brother (a.k.a. my amazing Mom) for finding this recipe online, making it all of these years, and sending me the ingredients from Portland, Oregon!

Gluten- Free Puppy Chow

Published on September 13, 2015January 25, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Danielle Leavitt’ 17

This summer I welcomed a new brother into my home. Adorable, furry, curious, and smart, my new puppy won my affection instantly. Always on the go, he made me think of a quick and easy gluten-free snack that I could make at school. “Puppy Chow” is usually a staple, eaten at holiday parties and snacked on anytime and anywhere. This easy treat can be made entirely in a microwave with very simple ingredients. The ingredients can all be found at Broadway Market and at Whole Foods. Sweet, crunchy, gooey, chocolaty, and delicious, “Puppy Chow” is an easy-to-make, satisfying snack that even my new puppy would love to try.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter

10oz marshmallows

5 tbsp. Peanut Butter

Chocolate chips to taste (Enjoy Life brand are gluten, soy, and dairy free)

4 cups Chex cereal (all flavors are Gluten free, but this was made with Rice Chex, which you could totally poach from the d-hall…)

Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

Microwave butter, marshmallows, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Stir every 2-3 minutes. Add Chex cereal. Mix together.

Additions: you can put some powdered sugar on top, and mix thoroughly

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles: Spice things up this Valentine’s Day

Published on February 11, 2015 by Victoria PiccioneLeave a comment

By Victoria Piccione ’16

I’m the first to acknowledge Valentine’s Day for what it really is, or what it should be: the chocolate holiday. If you’re in a relationship, chances are you’ll get a box of truffles with maybe a dozen red roses. If you’re single, rich and indulgent chocolate is undoubtedly better than any significant other anyway. And while chocolate raspberry torte, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate lava cakes, or just about any form of chocolate all say romance, this Valentine’s Day why not spice things up? Because with enough snow outside to justify two consecutive snow days and even colder temperatures in the forecast, we could all use some warming up.

Aphrodisiacs are foods that spark romance. Oysters, avocadoes, chocolate, and strawberries are all examples. Cinnamon, as a spice, falls into this category as well. And because nothing says I love you like a freshly baked batch of cookies, Snickerdoodles would make the perfect addition to your Valentine’s Day celebration. The cinnamon brings the warmth; the butter brings the comfort, and the sugar brings the sweet. Best of all, these cookies are remarkably simple, and they stay moist and chewy for days.

The original recipe describes them as Mrs. Field’s copycats, which, while I’ve never had a Mrs. Field’s Snickerdoodle, seems to be the gold standard. Airy but substantial, not too crumbly and ridiculously chewy, the right amount of sweet and the perfect amount of cinnamon, these cookies beat out even some of my favorite chocolate-based alternatives. So this Valentine’s Day, whip up a batch and say I love you in the sweetest, warmest way possible.

Snickerdoodles

Recipe adapted from Averie Cooks

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

¼ tsp. salt

For rolling:

+ ¼ cup granulated sugar

+ 2 tsp. cinnamon

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until creamed and combined.
Once well combined, add the egg and vanilla, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the cinnamon, flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, beating on low and then medium speed, until just combined.
Important: The dough must be allowed to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. If you do not give it this time to set up, the cookies will come out flat and will not reach their full potential. During this time, make your special someone a beautiful handmade Valentine.
Once the cookies have chilled for at least an hour, remove from fridge. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease two baking sheets with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the extra sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
Using two spoons, scoop dough and roll into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar until fully coated, then place them on the baking sheet, at least one inch apart from each other.
Bake in the preheated for no more than 9 minutes. The cookies may appear under-baked and very soft in the middle: these are done! The cookies will firm up as they cool on the baking sheets, and over-baking them will leave them less chewy and soft.
Enjoy with your loved one/best friend/platonic Valentine!

Homemade Chicken Bolognese

Published on February 9, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Caroline Gentile ’17

Maybe it’s because I’m part Italian, or maybe it’s just because I love carbs, but pasta bolognese is probably my favorite meal. To me, nothing is more satisfying than a plate full of perfectly al-dente rigatoni smothered in a hearty, meaty bolognese sauce. When I first decided to try my hand at cooking in third grade, it was no surprise that I decided to make a bolognese sauce.

My mom chose a recipe for chicken bolognese by the Australian chef Bill Granger, known for his clean and simple approach to cooking. After spending hours learning how to chop things, and overcoming my weird phobia of touching raw meat, I produced a delicious chicken bolognese sauce. Using chicken instead of beef really lightened up the sauce, making it possible to have seconds (or even thirds!)

Since then, this recipe has become my go-to for a quick and easy dinner. If third grade me can make it, anybody can!

You’ll need:

2 TB extra virgin olive oil (the best you can get your hands on)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

sea salt

2 slices of pancetta or prosciutto, chopped

1lb 2oz minced ground chicken

1.5 cups crushed tomato

1lb 2oz rigatoni

1/2 cup pinot grigio (optional, but recommended for added flavor)*

freshly grated parmesan cheese and 3 TB flat leaf parsley to serve

Directions:

Put the oil, onion, celery, garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for several minutes until golden. Add the prosciutto/panc etta and chicken, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps. When the mince is cooked through, add the tomato sauce and simmer for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box until al dente. Toss together with sauce, parmesan, and parsley, and enjoy!

Why Did the Turkey Stop Eating? He Was Stuffed!

Published on December 2, 2014December 2, 2014 by Orlea MillerLeave a comment

By Orlea Miller ‘16

Thanksgiving is easily a foodie’s favorite holiday of the year. While my day-to-day life revolves around the foods I’m eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Thanksgiving is the one time of year when everyone else does the same. We begin looking into airline fares months ahead of time when making our holiday plans, and then spend at least a week or two carefully selecting Thanksgiving recipes and entering the grocery store madness just to eat together as a family.

My family sticks to the traditional foods for this annual event: turkey, stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and green beans (and a countless number of pies and other treats). Unfortunately, they don’t like straying from the recipes they’re used to either. However, after years of box-made stuffing, I decided to try out a new recipe for Thanksgiving this time around.

I found the recipe for “Save-the-Day Stuffing” online (a.k.a. homemade stuffing with a few healthy swaps) to lighten everyone’s plates this year. I used the typical veggies but included light bread and liquid egg substitute, and ended up with a pretty tasty addition to our household’s Thanksgiving repertoire.

Ingredients
(MAKES 5 SERVINGS)

6 slices light bread

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup fat-free chicken broth, room temperature

1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute

1 tbsp. light buttery spread

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, to taste

1 oz dried cranberries (if desired)

Directions:

Leave bread uncovered at room temperature overnight. Otherwise, begin by lightly toasting bread.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray, and place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish.

Chop up the celery and onion to prepare it for the stuffing.

In a medium pot, combine broth, celery, and onion. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat.

Remove pot from heat, and add mushrooms and garlic. Season mixture to taste with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Let cool for several minutes.

Add egg substitute and butter to veggie/broth mixture and stir. Pour mixture into the baking pan, evenly covering bread cubes. Mix gently with a fork. Bread cubes should be moist, but not saturated (if necessary, add 1 – 2 tbsp. water, and then mix again).

If desired, throw in the dried cranberries to add a sweet kick to your stuffing!

Cover with foil, and cook dish in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove foil, and fluff and rearrange stuffing. Return dish to oven (uncovered), and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

After comparing my homemade stuffing to the boxed one we have had at our Thanksgiving table in years past, I was impressed. This version had more flavor and texture, though I admittedly added in more chicken broth than the recipe called for after noticing it looked dry before putting it in the oven.

I found the stuffing recipe, along with quite a few other holiday dishes at www.hungry-girl.com, one of my go-to websites for healthy sides, entrees, and desserts that are just as tasty as the original version, yet far more nutritious and lower in calories and fat.

Indulge in a Fall Favorite: Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Published on November 15, 2014November 15, 2014 by Orlea MillerLeave a comment

By Orlea Miller ‘16

By the time November rolls around in Cambridge, winter has arrived, ready or not. But at least the fall foods can continue, giving me the opportunity to indulge in all of the rich, creamy, delicious pumpkin treats fathomable: scones, cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, and most importantly pumpkin pie.

With all of the holiday cooking, and the continuous eating that takes place from October through December, I like to bake healthy versions of my favorite desserts when I have the chance. If I’m sneaky enough, my family members might even enjoy the sweets I’ve made without realizing what’s inside.

I also try to find recipes with ingredients I’m likely to use in the future, preferably with items that are already at home. One of my favorites is ChocolateCoveredKatie.com, a dessert blog full of healthy pies, cakes, cookies, and single-serving desserts that can satisfy even the pickiest sweet tooth!

Last fall, I selected a healthy pumpkin pie from the blog during holiday season, and decided to replicate the mouthwatering treat a second time around. My plan is to bring the pie back to school, freeze it, and top a slice with whipped cream whenever I crave the delectable fall flavor while I’m away from a kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup xylitol or brown sugar

pinch uncut stevia or 2 extra tbsp. brown sugar

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

¾ cup plus 2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp oil, or omit and increase milk to 1 cup

1 tsp ener-g powder or 1 tbsp ground flax

2 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F, and grease a 10-inch round pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine first 7 ingredients, and stir very well.

In a separate bowl, combine all liquid ingredients with the ener-g or flax, and whisk.

Pour wet into dry, stir to combine, then pour into the pan and bake 35 minutes. (It’ll still be gooey after baking, but that’s okay.)

Allow to cool completely before transferring uncovered to the fridge to “set” for at least 6 hours before trying to slice. Each slice of this healthy take on pumpkin pie came out to about 55 calories (with an additional 25 calories per slice if the optional oil is included).

I like to take a slice out of the freezer every few days, heat it up, and top it with whipped cream or chocolate chips! My only problem is making the eight slices last until I’m home to bake again…

Overnight Oats

Published on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Eliza Hale

I like making overnight oats because they are delicious and healthy, and they are one of the only meals I can make myself in my dorm room. The only appliance you need to make them is a fridge, and some of the ingredients are available in the dining hall. Hence, perfect dorm-room food. They are easy to prepare, and you can get creative with the quantities and types of ingredients. No matter how creative you get, they will still *almost* always turn out edible.

My boyfriend calls overnight oats ‘baby-food’ and my sister calls them ‘mush’. I’ll admit that overnight oats don’t look especially appealing, but even the boyfriend and sister agree that they are awesome.

So what the heck are overnight oats?

They’re just like oatmeal, but instead of cooking the oatmeal in hot water or milk, you soak the oats in cold water or milk. They need to soak for at least a couple of hours; I usually make them the night before and let them sit overnight.

You could make overnight oats with just rolled oats and milk, but I like to add a few more ingredients to up the deliciousness factor. One of these ingredients is chia seeds. They’re not strictly necessary, but I always use chia seeds because they add so much. They make the overnight oats seem creamy. Chia seeds are the same seeds you might have used to grow a chia pet when you were little; you can buy them from most grocery stores (probably in the health food section). They soak up about four times their volume in liquid. They don’t add much flavor, but they add to the texture of the oats.

I also always add banana. I usually mash half a banana per serving. The banana and chia seeds work really well together to give the oats a nice consistency.

So here’s the darn recipe already:

banana(1/2 banana mashed) – eat the other half, nom nom
cinnamon(a pinch)
rolledoats (1/3 cup) – rolled oats work better than instant-oats
chiaseeds (1 tablespoon)
almondmilk (1 cup) – any milk will work! You can also substitute yogurt for part of the milk
nuts, seeds and dried fruit – my favorite combination is walnuts and dates

I use a mason jar to combine the ingredients because I like how it looks, and it comes with a lid; but any cup or bowl will work, just put saran-wrap on top when you soak the oats.
Mash ½ banana in mason jar, cup, or bowl.
Stir cinnamon into banana.
Add remaining ingredients (oats, chia seeds, almond milk, nuts, and dried fruit), stir, and refrigerate for anywhere between 2 hours and 2 days.
Enjoy!

Ways to get fancy:

Try adding other spices. I like nutmeg and cardamom.
Add honey, nut butters, or Nutella. Best to stir these in with the banana and spices before adding other ingredients.
Add fresh fruit to the oats right before eating. I find that fresh fruit loses its flavor if you add it before refrigerating.
Microwave the oats before eating if it’s chilly outside.