Most New Year’s resolutions don’t survive January. If you’re trying to lead a healthier lifestyle at school, that goal can be even trickier to reach with taunts of free pizza at club meetings and the stretch of Dinkytown restaurants you pass on your walk home.

These three healthy recipes will free you from those temptations with fruits and vegetables and a little bit of meal prep.

Acai Smoothie

Making time for breakfast is difficult. This smoothie, filled with antioxidants thanks to the acai puree, has less sugar than the Naked Juice you might be tempted to grab on the way to class. 

1 packet of frozen, unsweetened acai puree

1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut milk (or almond milk, soy milk, regular milk)

1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter

1 frozen banana

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Use less milk for a creamier consistency, more akin to a smoothie bowl, or use more milk for a smoothie perfect for any to-go cup. Add protein powder, spinach or your favorite toppings to customize this breakfast to your liking. 

Greens and Grains Bowl

Is it a salad? Is it a rice bowl? It’s kind of both. The cauliflower rice helps you reach your daily serving of vegetables, and takes advantage of winter’s best citrus fruit with the incorporation of clementine slices. Make this layered meal for dinner after class and double the portion for an easy packed lunch the next morning. 

4 chicken tenderloins

Handful of your preferred salad greens

1 clementine

2 cups of rice or similar grains (we used a 1/2 cup of riced cauliflower and a 1/2 cup of white rice)

1/4 cup of roasted red peppers

1/2 of an onion, diced

Feta cheese

Paprika

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Preferred salad dressing (we used balsamic vinaigrette) 

1. Prepare rice or grains as needed. (To cook cauliflower rice, saute in pan with olive oil and one teaspoon of minced garlic.)

2. Season chicken tenderloins with preferred amount of paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

3. Pan-fry chicken tenderloins in olive oil with chopped onion and roasted red peppers. 

4. Layer greens, grains, chicken, pepper and clementines in bowl. 

5. Sprinkle with feta cheese and drizzle with salad dressing of your choice. 

6. Set aside leftovers in to-go container for the next day! To keep rice and greens crisp, pack salad dressing separately. 

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

Going meat free even one night a week is healthy and eco-friendly. This vegan chili recipe is easily customizable, so feel free to incorporate more greens or beans. Still looking to add lean protein to your meal? Brown one pound of ground chicken or turkey, and add to your slow cooker chili base. 

2 bell peppers, diced

1/2 of an onion, diced

1 zucchini, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Olive oil

1 can of chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce) 

1 can of black beans

1 can of garbanzo beans

2 cans of tomato paste

1 cup of vegetable broth

1 can of diced tomatoes

5 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 tablespoon of cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute bell peppers, onion, one clove of minced garlic and zucchini in olive oil. 

2. Add sauteed mixture and remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Mix well. 

3. Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. 

Enjoy on its own, or with fresh vegetables and rice or quinoa to stretch your meal prep efforts.