HALEY HALL/ Staff writer

As on-campus resident students, we do not have the luxury of cooking our own meals since we are only supplied with a refrigerator and a microwave. What can you do if you are tired of all the fried foods or all the other unhealthy choices in the caf?

Here are some easy, healthy foods from CollegeXpress that you can make in your dorm room:

1. A healthy breakfast choice:

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon butter

•2 eggs

•1 tablespoon water (or milk)

•salt

•pepper

•cheddar cheese

Directions: Microwave butter in a ceramic mug for 30 seconds. Add eggs, water and a dash of salt and pepper to the mug. Use a fork to whisk ingredients together. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Remove and give a quick stir to ensure even cooking. Return to the microwave and cook on high for an additional 45 seconds. Top with cheddar cheese to taste. Tip: You can also dress up these eggs any way you like. Try adding fresh vegetables, bacon, sliced ham or hot sauce.

2. Ham and cheese wrap

Ingredients

•1 flour tortilla (white or wheat)

•2 slices of deli ham

•1 slice of cheddar cheese

•1 small tomato, sliced

Directions: Place ham on tortilla. Rip cheese into smaller pieces and spread out over ham. Top with slices of tomato. Roll up tortilla and microwave for 90 seconds. Remove and enjoy.

3. Cheesy Quesadilla

Ingredients

•2 flour tortilla wraps (white or wheat)

•shredded cheese (Mexican blend is best)

Directions: Lay one tortilla on a microwave-safe plate and sprinkle evenly with cheese and any other ingredients of your choice on top. Lay a second tortilla on top and place into the microwave for about 45–50 seconds. Once the cheese is completely melted, remove the quesadilla from the microwave, cut into fourths, dip into your favorite side and enjoy.

4. No stove pizza

Ingredients

•1 cup pasta (more if desired)

•1/2 cup of of pasta sauce

Directions: Pour about one cup of pasta into a small microwave-safe bowl. Next, fill the bowl with water until the pasta is completely covered by a few inches. Find the suggested time for cooking on the pasta box. Once the pasta is done, sample a piece to make sure it is cooked enough. You may not have a strainer, but you should be able to remove most of the water from the bowl by placing a large spoon on the edge and tipping the bowl slightly to drain the water. Once you are done, you can heat up the pasta sauce from a jar for about 35 seconds in a separate bowl.

5. Dessert – Low-fat chocolate cake

Ingredients

•5 tablespoons chocolate cake mix

•2 tablespoons yogurt (plain or vanilla work best, though a fruit flavor would be fine)

•1 tablespoon diet soda (cola or root beer)

•powdered sugar (optional)

Directions: Combine cake mix, yogurt and soda in a coffee mug and stir with fork until smooth and thick. Microwave on high for 60–90 seconds, or until top of cake begins to crack and pull away from the edges. Remove and allow cake to cool for a few minutes. Eat directly out of the mug, or use a knife to separate cake from mug and transfer to a dish. Top with powdered sugar if desired.

These are just some of my favorites that I have tried and loved. It is not only great for my taste buds, but also great for my waistline. If you do not try at least one of these you are missing out.