Chicken and Leek Pie

Chicken and Leek Pie with Sweet Potato Chips

This Chicken and Leek Pie is lighter because of it's filo pastry topping (as opposed to buttery puff pastry.) Filo Pastry can be kept in the Freezer and then just pull it out to defrost with your chicken on the day! It's full of vegetables whilst still being super creamy, using low-fat alternatives at the same price as ordinary products! This recipe was taken from BBC Good Food (here) and kept more or less the same ingredients. 

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Carrot
• 1 x Leek
• 85g Light Soft Cheese (or Low Fat Creme Fraiche)
• 225ml Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Filo Pastry Sheet
• 1 x Sweet Potato 

Total Price: £2.74 

Per Serving: £1.37

Prices based on Tesco.com

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cut the Sweet Potato into chunks and spread in a roasting dish. Sprinkle Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper over them for that extra seasoning. Put into the 180 Degree Oven to cook for 30 Minutes until crispy and Golden.
2. Meanwhile, Heat 1 tsp oil in a medium frying pan. Fry the chicken until browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the leek and a splash of water, and gently fry until soft, about 7 mins. Add the carrot and cook for 3 mins more. 
3. Pour in the stock and boil until reduced by half, then add the mustard and soft cheese, stirring well to combine. Return the chicken to the pan.
4. Divide the mixture into 1/2 separate ovenproof dishes (depending on how many are eating) and top each pie with a sheet of filo pastry. Brush with a dash of olive oil and put in the oven with the wedges for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden. 

It may initially seems like a lot of effort, but it honestly isn't and the results are well worth it! I cooked the mixture in one ovenproof dish (enough for 2) and stored half of it in a tuppleware box in the fridge for another portion later in the week. 

A light, tasty alternative to thick creamy chicken pie. Well worth giving a try.

Sticky Lemon Chilli Chicken

Similar to a stir-fry, this is another easy, throw-together meal. The only differences are that the chicken is crispier and the sauce is homemade from some simple fridge ingredients. Really tasty, and easy to keep back any bits you don't eat for a light lunch the next day.

Things you'll need:

Serves 1-2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 4 x Spring Onion
• 1 Pepper
• Fine Thread Egg Noodles (1-2 Portions)
• Tbsp Honey
• 1 x Lemon (Juiced)
• Tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 2 x Tbsp Cornflour

Price Overall: £1.70 (Approx)

Per Serving: 85p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Dice the Chicken Breast into bite-size pieces and coat in the Cornflour with some seasoning (Optional) Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the Chicken until crispy.
2. Then add the sliced Pepper and Spring Onions (Keep some Spring Onion back raw as a finishing touch at the end). Stir Fry the vegetables until tender (or your preferred crunchiness). 
3. Cook the noodles according to package instructions.
4. Mix together the Honey, Sweet Chilli Sauce and Lemon Juice as your sauce. Add to the pan with the Noodles. Stir Fry together for 1 minute and then serve.

The fine thread egg noodles make the dish really light and easy to digest, meaning you aren't left with that bloated feeling. A really quick supper using staple cupboard ingredients, producing enough to double as a lunch for the next day!

Chicken Kebabs with Crunchy Salad

Chicken Kebabs with Crunchy Salad, Greek Yoghurt and Toasted Pitta Bread

Another low carb, quick and easy meal, where you can prepare most of the ingredients a day in advance. If I'm entirely honest, a greasy kebab is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine as a student after a night out. So this is a bit like satisfying those cravings but in a productive, healthy way!
WARNING: this recipe comes with a health hazard - take it easy on the garlic, especially if it's a pre-night out meal!!

Recipe has been taken from 'Cook Yourself Thin' here. But I've cut out some of the ingredients to make it cheaper, without losing the flavour.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Bag of Ready made crunchy salad (I bought this one from Tesco)
• 2 x Wholemeal Pitta Bread
• 1 Small Pot of Fat Free Greek Yoghurt (150g)
• 1 x Lemon
• 1 x Garlic Clove
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Sprinkle Paprika
• Sprinkle Oregano

Price overall: £2.80 (Approx)

Per Serving: £1.40

Cooking Instructions:

1. For the Chicken Marinade, mix the Olive Oil, juice of one Lemon, Half Garlic Clove, Paprika and Oregano together. Slice the Chicken into chunks and slide onto your Kebab sticks. Place in a bowl and pour over the marinade for any time between 1-12 hours.
2. Separately, mix the Yoghurt, some Lemon Zest and other half of Garlic (add Black pepper to season if you want).
3. Toast the wholemeal pitta bread and then add your Crunchy Salad on top. Then pour the Yoghurt mixture on top.
4. Grill the Chicken Kebabs until golden in colour and cooked all the way through (about 12 minutes - keep your eye on them) Then place on top of your Yoghurt Mixture and Serve.

If you are on a really tight budget, skip the marinade for the chicken. It adds flavour and is delicious but not essential. If you're a kebab loving student - this is for you!

Warming Veggie Curry

This vegetarian dish is low calorie, low fat and delicious. So quick and easy to make and, best of all, CHEAP! A nice winter warmer and without the bloated meaty feeling afterwards, and packing in 3 of your 5-a-day!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 1 x Small Butternut Squash. Peeled and cut into think slices
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Low Fat Coconut Cream Can
• Half Pack French Beans
• 1 x Naan Bread
• 1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• Olive Oil

Price Overall: £2.89 (Approx)

Per Serving: £1.45 (Approx)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat Oil in a pan and gently fry Butternut Squash and Onion for 5 minutes until golden. Add the Curry Paste and stir for 1 minute more
2. Mix the Coconut Cream with 300ml of Boiling Water. Pour into the pan and Simmer for 10 minutes
3. Add the Beans to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes more until everything is tender. Serve with warm Naan Bread.

This meal is really delicious and you don't really miss the meat! And any Vegetarians reading, I urge you to try this one! 

Turkey Rosemary Skewers and Middle Eastern Salad

Turkey and Rosemary Skewers with Middle Eastern Salad

This low carb dish is light, healthy and tasty. It's more of a Summery dish but if you're not too fussed then cook away! Turkey is a leaner meat than beef and contains less than 2g of Saturated Fat as opposed to the 4.5g that red meat contains. And with Christmas just around the corner, Turkey is definitely 'in season', therefore Tasty!

I've taken the recipe from Tesco Healthy Living (here) and adapted it slightly for student satisfaction!

Things you'll need:

• 2 x Turkey Breasts
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Half Cucumber
• 4 x Spring Onions
• 1 x Tortilla/Flat Bread
• Kebab Sticks (Super Cheap)

Price: £3.60 Approx

Per serving: £1.80

(For the Turkey marinade - Optional, but gives it better flavour)

• 3 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Rosemary (Dried or Fresh - Dried is cheaper and lasts longer)

Total Price: £4.10 Approx

Per Serving: £2.05

This amount caters for around one dinner and lunch. I managed to get 6 Kebabs out of it and ate 4 of them for Dinner and saved the other 2 for lunch.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cut the Turkey into long thin strips and then thread onto the Kebab sticks. Place in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with Rosemary.
2. Mix the Honey, Olive Oil and Crushed Garlic together until it forms a liquidy paste. Pour 3/4 of it over the Turkey kebabs and leave to marinade for 15 minutes (or longer, if you have time)
3. Chop the Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber and Spring Onions and mix together for your 'Middle Eastern' salad. Then place your tortilla/flat bread until the grill for 1-2 minutes (Keep your eye on it!) until golden brown on both sides. Remove it, allow to cool and then snap it into little pieces and spread in amongst your salad.
4. Finally, grill the Turkey kebabs for 5-6 minutes, turning once, until golden brown in colour. Serve with the salad.

There you have it.  A light tasty summery dinner which doubles perfectly for a meal the next day - what more does a student want?

Get your 5-a-day Beef Stir Fry

Beef Stir Fry

This super quick stir fry is healthy, cheap and easy. For students, it's perfect. Chicken is also an option if you're not a big red meat fan, but alternatively, beef is a nice change from Chicken! Also, If you do enough Veggies with it, you don't need the noodles. This recipe doubles as a no carb, low fat, light dinner.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• Thin Cut Sirloin Steak (Chopped into thin slices)
• Tenderstem Broccoli 
• 1 Pepper
• 1 Onion
• Stir-Fry Sauce (Optional)*
• 1 x Noodle Portion (Optional)

Price per serving: £2.85/£3.40 with Optional Items.

As with any Stir Fry, you can add other vegetables to get your 5-a-day such as Carrot, Pak Choi, Asparagus or Mushrooms.

*WATCH OUT when using ready-made Stir Fry sauces, check the nutritional information as some are high in salt or sugar (such as Chinese sauce or Sweet Chilli). 

Instructions:

1. Gently fry the Chopped Onions for 1-2 minutes
2. Add the Beef strips and continue to fry on a low heat to avoid the beef going too dry. Fry for a further 2-3 minutes until beef is coloured.
3. Turn up the heat slightly and add the remaining Vegetables and toss in the pan continuously until soft. Then stir in the ready made sauce (Optional).
4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to packet instructions (Optional) and then add to the stir fry and mix together.

A Stir Fry should be a staple student meal, as you can pack in as much Veg as you want and it's so easy and quick. Another option (which can sometimes turn out cheaper but not always) is buying the ready prepared stir fry vegetables, which saves time on prepping the food!

Somerset Stew and Mash (Veggie Option too!)

I have literally just put my empty bowl in the dishwasher and immediately felt the need to blog this recipe. A recipe I found on BBC Good Food (here) with my own studenty spin on it. This recipe cooks for 3-4 people so it's great to save and freeze for a day when you're in a rush! This is actually a Vegetarian dish, but as I have a bit of a soft spot for meat, I did add Chorizo to this one - although it would still be delicious without.

Things you'll need:

(Serves 4)

• 1 Onion Chopped Finely
• 1 Garlic Clove (Optional)
• 1 Leek Chopped
• 1 Carrot Chopped
• 1 Can of Butter beans
• 1 Can of Cannelloni Beans
• 1 x Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 x Vegetable Stock Cube dissolved in 250ml Boiling Water
• Splash of Oil
• 30g Chorizo Chopped (Optional)

(1 x Potato per person for Mash, also Optional)

Price per serving: 64p

Including Chorizo and Mash: £1.05

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Onion, Garlic, Leek and Carrot in Oil in a Frying Pan on a low heat until tender but not coloured. 
2. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 20-25 minutes until sauce has thickened.
3. (Optional) Boil potato(es) under tender, then add butter and mash with a splash of milk.

A super quick, easy, winter warming and my cheapest recipe I've blogged to date!! Totally student friendly and delicious.

Salmon Cream Cheese Bagel

A healthier lunch option which is easier to make than it sounds, the trick is to make your salmon cream cheese the night before whilst you're waiting for your dinner to cook! Then come lunchtime the next day, all you have to do is spread it over your Bagel and add a bit of greenery - Easy Peasy!

What you'll need:

(Does 2 Bagel Servings)

• 1 x Salmon Fillet Cooked
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Low Fat Cream Cheese
• Handful of Rocket
• Wholemeal Bagel*
• Splash of Lemon Juice (Optional)
• Black Pepper (Optional)

*You can obviously use any type of Bagel, but wholemeal is the healthy option.

Price per serving: £1 per bagel! 

(Based on Tesco prices)

Instructions:

Steps 1 & 2 can be completed the night before, put into a tuppleware container in the fridge for lunchtime!

1. Cook the salmon fillet in the oven as per the cooking instructions. Then shred to a tuna consistency with a knife and fork.
2. Add the cream cheese and lemon juice (optional) and lots of black pepper!
3. Cut bagel in half and toast until crispy. Spread your mixture over the bagel and add a handful of Rocket, then sandwich together! 

A surprisingly quick, healthy, low fat lunch which can be eating at home or taken to work/library. 

(Recipe discovered on BBC Good Food)

BBC 'The Men Who Made us Fat'

I watched the BBC's 'The Men Who Made us Fat' series a while ago, and am only now blogging about it. Presenter Jacques Peretti looked into the illusions the British public are under when buying and eating food everyday.

I found this programme particularly interesting, although I must admit I did switch off occasionally when he delved into deep historical content of our food production industry over the past 30 years. However, all in all it was a very interesting if not shocking programme, which I think is certainly relevant to not only students, but anyone looking to lose weight. I will be blogging about particular parts of the programme that interested me the most.

Firstly, he met with an MRI Professor who looks at peoples internal body fat (that which is not visible.) I thought this section related particularly to boys, who claim they can 'eat what they like' because they 'are skinny and don't gain weight'. And, in fairness, I've always taken the mentality of 'It's not how much you weigh, it's what you look like'. I was wrong. Here's what happened: Jacques Peretti went through one of his MRI scans, and him being a fairly average sized guy, if not on the slightly thinner size for his age, came out with shocking results. The average man of his age and size should have around 2 litres of fat in their bodies. Peretti, however, had 4-5 litres. He, and the viewers, were stunned! I'm sure everyone can think of someone they know who eats junk food like a horse and never gains weight, so warn them! These hidden fat deposits put them at risk of diabetes and heart disease more so than someone healthier!

Secondly, Peretti looks at how the idea of snacking has dramatically affected our country's health climate. Who knew that only a few years ago, it was frowned upon to eat anything between your 3 meals a day. Once chocolate bars were invented, no one knew what the limit was so ate and ate and ate! The easy thing for students is this: students are poor, therefore can't afford snacks, therefore don't eat them!

Lastly, Peretti analysed the marketing strategies of our major food producers. After snacking was brought in and the Freezer was invented (establishing what we know as the normally unhealthy 'ready meal' into people's kitchens), the public suddenly found themselves becoming fat. One American scientist came to the conclusion that fat content in foods was what was making people gain weight, so there was a sudden demand for 'low fat' products as we still see on our shelf today. A British Scientist believed that sugar as well as fat contributed to weight gain, but his ideas were shot down by authorities, claiming he did not have enough evidence. So, the major food producers began releasing 'low fat' meals and snacks, plastering the words across their packaging so it was the first thing the consumer saw. However, with no one reading the small print, they packed double the amount of sugar into it, meaning people would eat as much as they like thinking they would lose weight, when it actually did the opposite. This is an important thing to bear in mind! Something which is marketed as healthy isn't necessarily healthy! Peretti gave the example of a 'Pret a Manger' sandwich has more calories in it than a Big Mac at McDonalds, and an Innocent Smoothie more calories than a can of Coke.

Some Supermarkets began to approve the 'Traffic Light' system, which alerted the consumer whether the product was high in one area or low in another area. For example, a product high in fat would appear in Red under 'Fat' or a product low in sugar would appear in Green under 'Sugar'. 

Unfortunately, not all Supermarkets wanted to introduce this, as they feared they may lose profit from it. In my opinion, this is a ridiculous opinion to have of the system. And makes me angry to think that some food manufacturers and retailers appear to not want to help our current obesity problem. It's all very controversial, but bringing it back to a student-beneficial scheme, the Traffic Light is something to look out for in Asda, Sainsburies, Co-op, Waitrose and M&S.

I would recommend this program to anyone who has an interest in food, health and well-being!

You can gain further information about this program here 

Eat Yourself Thin Fish Pie

Fish Pie

Arguably the most unlikely meal for a student to cook themselves, but Fish Pie is certainly a crowd pleaser. Yes, you do have to devote about an hour of your time to it, so on a lonely weekend when you might be feeling a bit hungover, you'll have lots of time on your hands to rustle up an amazing meal for you and your flatmates!

Things you'll need:

(Serves 4)

• 1 x Fresh Fish Pie Mix (Most supermarkets sell these)
• 2 x Leeks
• 1 x Frozen Peas*
• 1 x Vegetable Stock Cube (in 250ml of Water)
• 4 x Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Low Fat Creme Fraiche
• 1 Heaped Tablespoon CornFlour
• 1 x Garlic Clove (Optional)
• 100ml White Wine (Optional)

*However much you think you would eat x 4!

Price Overall: £6.95/£7.45 (Including Optional Items)
Price per Serving: £1.74/£1.86
(Approx, based on Tesco Prices)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the Oven to 190 Degrees.
2. Peel and slice the Potatoes and put them on to boil under tender.
3. Meanwhile, sweat the chopped leeks and garlic (optional) in olive oil for 4-5 minutes. Then pour in the white wine (optional) and vegetable stock and simmer for 2 minutes. 
4. Mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the leek sauce, then add the creme fraiche and stir slowly on a low heat.
5. Add the fish mixture to the Leek Sauce and transfer to an over proof dish.
6. Mash the potatoes using a little bit of butter and then spread over the top of your fish pie, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

I took this recipe idea from a 'Cook Yourself Thin' book found here. At 348 calories a serving, you can barely tell the difference as it's delicious! I think the only ingredient on this list that a student is unlikely to buy is Cornflour. However, this is a great cupboard ingredient as it thickens all sauces, enhancing flavour and texture!

Enjoy this dish as a treat to all your flatmates as this years Freshers week approaches!

'1 of your 5 a day'... Or is it?

Or is it?

After watching Channel 4's Dispatches program 'Myths about your 5 a Day', I've felt the need to blog not only about the Food Industry's power to brainwash the public's idea of what constitutes 'Healthy Eating', but also the publics ignorance of what constitutes healthy eating.

I do not and never have claimed to be some kind of health guru, but I'd like to think I have a fair idea of what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet. But the idea of '5 a day' definitely scares any Student studying at University. Hopefully this blog post will help those who did not manage to watch the program tonight, who may still be in the dark with exactly what constitutes 1 of your 5 a day.

The Government have said that they 'are powerless to prevent firms claiming products are healthy, even when packed with sugar, salt and fat' (taken from this article.) In my opinion, the Government are scared to challenge the powerful Food Industry, and, with too many people concerned about covering their own reputations, no one has intervened with the labels that are being placed on our food, onto our supermarket shelves and, ultimately, into our bodies.

Food companies are claiming there are 1 of our 5 a day in ready meals such as Sausage and Chips and All Day Breakfasts. They are allowed to do this because each meal contains 80g of fruit and/or veg. However, the consumer (us) fail to recognise what isn't being advertised on the front: these ready meals contain our whole recommended daily allowance of salt. All gone on one meal. Shocking? Yes. Clever marketing and advertising? Definitely. Also, products labelled as 'lunchbox' snacks such a yoghurt covered dried fruit (claiming to be 1 of your 5 a day) have been proven to be made up of 50% sugar. Experts have concluded that any fruit that has been altered or had things added to it takes away any nutrition from the original thing. And students are certainly one of the vulnerable groups of people which succumb to the ready-prepared, ready-to-eat ready-meals out of ignorance and, unfortunately, sheer laziness. 

Discussions on twitter have come up with suggestions of teaching children in schools, getting into their heads from a young age so that, come their University days where they will be cooking for themselves, they will know what to do. And, ultimately, if people stop making these 'impulse buys' rushing through supermarkets, grabbing meals that look healthy, companies will stop producing the products. 

Here's my tip: Don't eat anything out of a packet. Eat Fresh. There are too many false presumptions amongst students about Fresh Food being expensive - it really isn't! Take some ownership on what you put into your mouths and enjoy trying out new recipes - it's your health, and you are the only person standing in your way.

Pan Fried Salmon with Spicy Ratatouille

Pan Fried Salmon with Spicy Ratatouille

Another original carb-free* recipe that I conjured up. Very similar to my Spicy Meatball Ratatouille recipe and a great way to make fish a bit more exciting and nutritious! This recipe is especially good for those students who aren't so keen on the (get ready to laugh) 'fishy' taste of fish. If you understand what I mean then this recipe is 100% for you! The Spicy Tomato Ratatouille accompaniment takes away that sharp fishy salmon taste, and the Vegetables bulk out the meal enough to keep you going for longer! 

(*Note: The picture of this recipe above also has Tagliatelle Pasta which will sustain you even longer. Feel free to include if you want to, but normally I find just the Salmon and Vegetables will suffice.)

Things you'll need: 

(Serves 2)

• 2 x Salmon Fillet
• 1 Pepper
• 1 Courgette
• 1 Onion
• 1 Can Chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 Chilli Pepper (dependant on taste - can use a whole one) (Optional)
• Oregano and Basil (Optional)
• Tagliatelle Pasta (Optional)

Price Overall Approx (Tesco):  £4.30/£4.42 (With tagliatelle)

Per Serving: £2.15/£2.21 (With Tagliatelle)

Cooking Instructions:

• Chop and fry the Onion in a saucepan until soft
• Add in the chopped Courgette, Pepper and Chilli (Optional) and fry for 3 minutes.
• Add the Can of Chopped Tomatoes and Cover. Reduce heat to Simmer for 5 minutes, then season with herbs Oregano and Basil (Optional). Leave to simmer until rest of meal is ready.
• Cook the Tagliatelle as per Cooking instructions (Optional).
• At the same time heat oil in a large frying pan. Add the salmon (skin side down) and pan fry for 3 minutes before turning over for a further 3 minutes. Reduce heat until salmon is cooked all the way through. 
• Drain the Tagliatelle and mix in with Spicy Ratatouille, spoon into a bowl and serve Salmon on top.

Students will often leave fish out of their diet because they think it's 'too expensive' or they just don't know what to do with it. But actually, every supermarket I've come across have included fish in their bundle deals with fresh meat such as '2 for £7' or '3 for £10,' and you will get your weeks worth of meat and fish in these deals.  

A New Dining Experience

El Piedro, South Tenerife

I have just returned from a weeks holiday with housemates in South Tenerife. One of our nights we stumbled upon what looked like a recently opened restaurant and, with us being money-conscious students, we were looking to take advantage of any opening prices they had to entice various tourists such as ourselves. What we actually ended up with totally exceeded our expectations.

We had a hot plate placed in front of us along with a selection of various meats: Duck, Pork, Beef, Tandoori Chicken, Miniature Burgers. We also each ordered a side ranging from Garlic Prawns to Smoked Cheese and Tomatoes on skewers, as well as a complimentary side salad each and sauces and chips for our group of Six. 

The next bit some lazy students might turn their noses up at, as some might argue that the whole point of eating out is so you don't have to cook yourself. But in this case, it was the opposite.

We had to cook the meat and side orders ourselves on the hot plate in any order we wished, sampling at least one of each meat. It was delicious, and a really unique and social dining experience. Something which, if they haven't already introduced in England - they should! The meat was cut really thin so it cooked within seconds and the side salad complemented it really well as a 'light' meal. The fries only allowed us to have a handful each, rather than served on individual plates. A perfect holiday supper for those hoping not to bloat in their bikinis! 

Prices are shown below:

Hot Plate + Meats + Side Salad + Fries to Share: 17 Euro = £13.50. 

We shared one of these between two, and then ordered one additional side dish at 2 Euros each.

Total price of main meal: Approx £8.35 (Excluding Drinks).

One Jug of Sangria (1 Litre) between 4 of us: 10 Euros = £8 (£2 each)

Smoked Haddock with Creme Spinach and Tomatoes

Smoked Haddock with Creme Spinach and Tomatoes

Another tasty, zero-carb dinner substituted by Creme Spinach and Fresh roasted Tomatoes. My first fish recipe to be uploaded, and a meal I eat regularly! Students often rule out fish as an 'expensive' or 'complicated' choice for their meals. But actually, it's nearly always included in the deals in supermarkets and is great to help avoid that bloated feeling (Girls will understand!) The picture above is a portion for 1, but below you'll find instructions for 2 servings.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 Smoked Haddock Fillets
• Handful of Baby Tomatoes
• 1 Bag of Spinach*
• 1 x Tbsp Low fat Creme Fraiche
• Olive Oil
• 2 Large Tomatoes (Optional)
• Pepper (Optional)
• Grated Cheese (Optional)

Price Overall Approx (Tesco): £2/£2.21

Per Serving: £1/1.11

*I learned that Fresh Spinach goes off very quickly, which is no good for students! So buy a bag of Frozen Spinach and it can be thrown straight into the pan with no need to defrost. 

Cooking Instructions:

• Pre-heat Oven to 200 Degrees C. 
• Fry Spinach in Olive Oil until wilted. Add tbsp of Creme Fraiche and season with Pepper. 
• Put Spinach in bottom of a oven-proof dish. Lay Smoked Haddock Fillets on top and scatter Baby Tomatoes around it. Add sliced Large Tomatoes on top of the Haddock and Grated Cheese on top to your acquired taste.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until Fish is cooked through.

Most students will turn their nose up at the thought of eating Spinach. But with a bit of added Creme Fraiche, Pepper and Cheese it's really tasty (and good for you, by the way!) This recipe works with normal Haddock as well as Smoked. Also works well with potatoes if you're particularly hungry, although I have found that altering your vegetable intake makes up for the missing carbohydrates. And for those who are particularly weight-conscious, cutting down the Creme Fraiche and not adding Cheese will make this dish very low fat! 

Spicy Meatball Ratatouille

Spicy Meatball Ratatouille

ORIGINAL RECIPE

A super cheap, carb-free dinner for any time in the year. I can't remember how exactly I came up with this dish but it probably originated from the Italian classic: Spaghetti and Meatballs. If you love a bit of spice in your food, this meal is for you!

Serves 2-3

Things You'll Need:

• Pack of 12 Meatballs 
• 1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 Courgette
• 1 Onion
• 1 Pepper
• 1 Chilli Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Oregano (Optional)
• Basil (Optional)

Overall Price Approx (Tesco): £4

Per Serving: £1.30

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Chopped Onion in Olive Oil 
2. Add the Meatballs until browned
3. Add the sliced Courgette, Pepper and Chilli and fry for 2 Mins until soft
4. Add the Tinned Chopped Tomatoes and Season with Oregano and Basil (Optional).
5. Leave to Simmer for 10 Minutes until the Meatballs are cooked through and the sauce reduces to your taste.

To fill you up more, this meal goes very well with not only Spaghetti but also Ciabatta Bread warmed through in the oven! A cheap delicious student meal for those who enjoy spicy food!

A New Breakfast Option

Fruity Smoothies

This combination of Strawberries, Kiwi Fruit, Passion Fruit and Mango all blended together produces a delicious fruit smoothie as an alternative Breakfast option for those health-conscious students. And don't be put off by the colour, as a wise person once told me a healthy meal is one which is as colourful as possible!

There are a lot of false presumptions about fruit smoothies. I did my research before putting together one myself, and it seems that yes, the manufactured Smoothie companies pack high amounts of additives and sugars into them to make them 'tastier', but it is far healthier to make your own from scratch as you know exactly what you're putting into them. So that's just what I did!

The second presumption about fruit smoothies is that they are horrendously expensive (and therefore way out of us students's reach!) This is true to a certain extent, but it was when I saw how a friend of mine made her morning smoothies that I changed my mind. If I were to blend whole apples, mangoes, passion fruit, etc, then Yes, this would eventually cost me an arm and a leg. And fruit doesn't exactly have the largest use-by date either. So, this is how I did it: Frozen Fresh Fruit. Nothing added and nothing taken away, they are used for lots of different things such as home made deserts and decoration on food. But they also make delicious smoothies without any worry of going out of date! 

Each Pack of Frozen Fruit costs £2 in Tesco (See Here). I normally buy two different ones and I get around 8 smoothies out of them - that's 50p a smoothie and a weeks breakfasts sorted! Not as bad as you thought?

I personally like to mix and match: I buy a 'Tropical Fruit' selection, for example, and also a 'Smoothie Selection' and have a small handful of each. Unfortunately, you do have to cheat slightly by adding some Juice (any flavour will do) to make it pourable and drinkable! Juice does tend to have added sugar and, unfortunately, I've found this is only really avoided in the more expensive brands. But no more than 90kcal per glass, and you're likely to have less than that in your smoothie. 

Gradually add the juice and blend with the frozen fruit and there you go! You have a delicious, ice cold, low calorie, 1 of your 5 a day fruit smoothie to start your day!

(Optional: I also add granola into mine to keep me going that bit longer! Don't blend it but stir in at the very end. Enjoy!)

There's something about Nandos

What is it about Nandos when it comes to student eating? It seems to have become more and more student-friendly over the years. If it wasn't the free refills, which satisfy all your fizzy sugary needs, the introduction of the Nandos 'Loyalty Card' certainly sealed the deal. Obtaining a free quarter, half, and then WHOLE chicken got all students taste buds tantalising, demanding them to go back for more. The sight of the iconic 'Nandos Stamp' printed on your precious card warms the cockles of students hearts, as they get closer and closer to what all students love: Free Food. But this cunning marketing strategy would only succeed if the food was truly delicious, surely?

What is so great about Nandos food is that it can satisfy all tastes and choices. Whether you like your chicken steaming with spice, or just enough to excite the taste buds, Nandos has a variety of marinades to suit all. On top of this, the customer has the freedom to pick their accompaniments to their chicken. When the calorie-counters of us see the dreaded 'all meals served with chips' something makes us very frustrated, wanting to get all our monies worth by forcing down each one even when we don't really want to.

So, as a student health-conscious blog, I would recommend the spicy rice and corn on the cob to complement your free quarter, half, or whole chicken. You avoid the delicious (yet horribly fattening) creamy mash (yes, made with CREAM) and salty, deep fried chips with extra Peri-Peri salt. Your corn on the cob comes with butter but separate from it, giving you the option to treat yourself or not. Ultimately, it works perfectly for those students who LOVE Nandos but don't want to walk away feeling bloated and guilty. Of course Nandos is not going to aid any diet you are currently on, but this is my student-healthy (different from normal healthy!) tip for this restaurant. Because, lets face it, students could never deny themselves a Nandos!

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

A very colourful and tasty meal. Alternative to the seafood paella!

Serves 2 - 4
Things you'll need:

• 2-4 x Chicken Breast 
• 225g Long Grain Rice
• Half Chorizo Sausage
• 1 Onion
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Pepper
• Tsp Tumeric
• 1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes
• Chicken Stock in 300ml of Water
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Tomatoes (Optional)
• Frozen Peas (Optional)

Total Cost Approximately: £8.60

Per Serving: £2.15

Dish idea taken from: BBC Good Food

In my opinion, most of these ingredients are cupboard essentials. Before you go running and crying about not wanting to buy Chicken Stock cubes and Tinned Tomatoes - think again. You may spend slightly more on the first shop, but it saves you money in the long run!! Plus, this recipe will serve between 3 and 4 people in total, depending on your portion sizes. So this is certainly a cost-friendly dish, beating the ready-made Supermarket Paella on both cost (per serving) as well as nutritional value.

Cooking instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken. Add the Garlic, Onion and Tsp of Turmeric. Cook for 2 Minutes.
2. Add sliced Chorizo, Rice and the Chicken Stock. Cover and cook for 15 Minutes.
3. Add Chopped Tomatoes, Sliced Pepper, Frozen Peas and Fresh Tomatoes. Simmer for further 10 minutes until chicken is tender and rice has absorbed the stock.

Freeze any portions you do not use!

University: to drink or not to drink

Some might say this photo appraises University lifestyle: a whole array of cans, bottles and  absolutely anything we might find in our cupboards all piled up after a weekend of drinking, fun and one hell of a hangover. And, after the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, this is what we were faced with. How did it make us feel? Perhaps slightly surprised, ill, impressed, or a combination of all three.

I came to the conclusion that drinking is a part of University, whether we like it or not. So, being someone conscious of keeping fit and active, I decided to change a different habit: food. An air of paranoia crept in on me in Freshers week, where I ate so healthily I even surprised myself. The thought of gaining weight through alcohol is inevitable, but through food? This can be changed, I thought. Of course I gave into the odd takeaway, Indian, Dominoes, Kebabs, and then spent the next hungover day surviving off chicken dippers and other awful substances. 

But since then I have make a conscious effort to eat better, wading through recipe books and online databases, making life easier for someone who doesn't have the time to do that and settles for McDonalds or KFC just out of sheer laziness. Well, your body needs YOU! And hopefully you can draw inspiration from this blog and apply yourself in a healthy and productive way whilst studying (or drinking?!)