It’s October — rain is pouring, midterms are here and Halloween parties are running rampant. You may already be feeling run-down from a September of toga parties, late nights and eating more Domino’s than one would ever be proud of admitting. And that’s okay — university is a time to take risks and learn how to develop a lifestyle that suits you, and one of the most important parts of developing a healthy lifestyle is having a healthy diet.
Eating healthy is an important part of being a student. Science shows that eating healthy can not only boost our overall mood — much needed in the constant grey that is Vancouver — but potentially help us perform better in school, too. If eating healthy is as important as people say it is, then why does it feel so hard? Between classes, club meetings and the commute to school, it seems that there is often no time to put together a cheap, easy and healthy meal.
Throughout my time at UBC, I have developed some quick, easy and healthy recipes that will help you conquer many of the wild curveballs UBC may throw you. These recipes won’t replace your late night McDonalds’s craving or prevent you from contracting whatever the sneezing person beside you in lecture has, but they just might give you the energy and warmth you need to persevere through the semester — even after eating a pint of ice cream because yes, that math exam was really that devastating.
Early-fall Butternut Squash Soup
A delicious and hearty butternut squash soup — are you ready to squash those midterms?
1 large squash
3-4 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 litre vegetable stock
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash lengthwise, remove the seeds and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the squash, and place face down on a baking tray and put into the oven. Roast until tender with a fork (about 45 minutes). While the squash is roasting, heat olive oil in a large pot and add diced onion. Cook until translucent (about five minutes) and add in the carrots. After five more minutes, add the garlic, ginger and cumin, and cook until aromatic. Add the vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Once the squash is done, remove the peel and add to the pot, cooking for ten more minutes. To purée the soup, you can use an immersion blender, magic bullet, baby bullet, or whatever you have. Purée until smooth and your soup is done. Enjoy!