I have finally commenced my third year of university and, along with it, the commuter life. Moving off campus is often saluted as a rite of passage and another index of adulthood. Now I have to deal with bills (although I’m blessed to have parents who still pay for everything), busing everywhere, and … cooking. As someone who, for the past two years, sustained herself with microwaveable dinners and pre-made — albeit expensive and sometimes indigestible — dining hall food, I was initially a little unenthusiastic about now having to always prepare my own meals. However, I have since accepted the change and believe I am ultimately more satisfied with my new diet.

Now, a disclaimer: I have never genuinely enjoyed cooking. This seems rather counterintuitive for a cooking column. I am lazy and can’t deviate from recipes.  Like most busy students, I also have little patience. Not to mention that the more elaborate a meal is, the more specific ingredients it requires. Some of these I would never use for anything else, thereby dooming said ingredients to rot away in the fridge. Still, cooking has now become an unavoidable necessity since I am unwilling to spend so much real money on takeout. I’m sure that there are many of you in the same boat as me and may be rather unhappy with your endless instant ramen dinners and slapdash peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I don’t claim to make creative gourmet food in the slightest , but from one struggling commuter student to another, hopefully some of these ideas which, admittedly, are my twists on existing recipes, will make your belly happy while conserving as much of your energy, time, and budget as possible. Sometimes I will be replicating recipes to see for both myself and you if they produce yummy results. As the quarter progresses, I’m also hoping to discover grocery and cooking hacks which I will then happily share with you all.

Veggie Egg Scramble Baguette

This easy and savory dish is partially inspired by banh mi, although I wouldn’t really call it as such. This recipe (like all of my recipes) can be considered a template malleable to your palate. Feel free to tweak anything in any way.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 to 2 eggs (if you are vegan, you can substitute the eggs with scrambled tofu)
• 1 baguette or French bun
• vegetables of your choice (for the sandwich in the photo, I used white mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes)
• spinach or any leafy green of your choice
• jalapenos
• Sriracha sauce
• salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash and dice any vegetables and proteins you are using. Tip: use very little – when scrambled in egg, the amount expands)
2. Crack and whisk your eggs in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
3. Heat up a skillet or frying pan to medium heat, add a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter, and begin sauteing your vegetables and protein.
4. When the ingredients are partially cooked , add the egg mixture. Be careful not to wait too long or they will burn. If using onions, cook until they are beginning to brown at the edges.
5. With chopsticks or a fork, begin scrambling the eggs. Adding a little milk can enhance the fluffiness of your eggs. When on medium heat, scrambling  should only take 30 seconds to one minute. If you would like to slow-cook your scramble, use low heat and stir the mixture occasionally.
6. Optional: Toast the baguette or bun to your liking in another pan or toaster oven.
7. While the eggs are cooking, line the inside of the baguette or bun with the vegetables. If you would like, you can scramble them into your eggs. I kept my greens raw as a personal preference. )
8. Transfer the scrambled eggs onto the baguette or bun.
9. Top with as many jalapenos and as much Sriracha as you’d like.

This recipe is so simple and fast, it doesn’t even warrant these many steps. This sandwich is incredibly versatile and can be paired with many sides — fruit, salad, chips, fries, another sandwich (if you’re extra hungry), soup — the choices are endless. The sandwich can be prepared and ready to eat in less than 10 minutes. It is suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Aside from the bread, most of the ingredients will likely be already stocked in your kitchen.

I hope that you will give this sandwich a try and find it a tasty and painless addition to your daily routine. Until next time, good luck with the rest of Week 2, and happy sandwich chowing!