Eating At School: A Vegetarian's Nightmare

I've been remiss to blog lately. Mainly, this is due to the utter lack of time to cook during this, the spring semester of my first year in my MFA program. Compounded to that is our severe lack, of late, in the food budget fund. Sadly, given the tight money and the time-suck of classes, the entire house has reverted to eating canned food, boxed food, and frozen veggies purchased on sale 10/10 at the Kroger in Michigan that we visit whilst visiting the family on alternate weekends.

There has been little actual cooking, but there has been an increase in inventiveness in the lunch food department. You see, Monday nights, I spend at a night class workshopping poetry and the entirety of Wednesday, I spend on campus for over nine hours, teaching one class and then taking two. That Wednesday especially, I head off to class with a giant canvas bag of food that is none-to-easy to cart on the train/bus combo that gets me to campus.

Now, since becoming vegetarian, I am always very aware of the food I eat in a day because I know it's so important to vary my diet to include all the necessary nutrients. For on-the-go meal packing, the veggies and grains are a synch. Pack a salad or some carrot sticks. Pack a sandwich with some tomato. Pack rice cakes. Take some left-over spaghetti from the night before. Protein is a bit trickier, especially given that nuts are not the best protein option and cheese is to be used sparingly. In my kitchen experiments, I have arrived at a protein and veggy heavy meal easy to tote around, one that will even stay warm if put inside one of those travel thermoses. I call it Peas n Beans Casserole. It doesn't use the freshest or most organic of ingredients but substitutions can be made if time allows the healthier route.

What you need:

1 can black beans

1 can cream of mushroom (try a health-conscious variety if you can)

1 can sweet peas

1 small sauce pan

Combine all in food in the pan, sans the water they are packaged in and heat over med flame until bubbly. Portion into tupperware as needed.

My boyfriend calls it disgusting to look at. I call it tasty and ingenious. You be the judge.