Salmon, Coconut and Lime Parcels

Salmon, Coconut and Lime Parcels served with stir fried vegetables and rice

Here's a recipe I found on Tesco real food which I chose to accompany with as many vegetables as I could find in my fridge! I'm going to suggest a really simple way to cook this original recipe which allows you to add lots of vegetables without any extra effort! Also, the beauty of this dish is that you have the option to have rice, noodles or no carbohydrates at all. And taking only 20 minutes to put together, this super healthy supper has got to be tried.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Salmon Fillet*
• 1/2 x Courgette
• 6 x Spring Onions
• 1/2 x Pepper
• 1/2 x Lime
• 1/2 x Chilli 
• 1/2 Can low fat Coconut milk

Price overall: £4.60

Per portion: £2.30

*Remember to use Frozen salmon fillets which are cheaper per portion!

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees.
2. Slice all the vegetables lengthways thinly, as you would for a stir fry.
3. Tear two large rectangles of foil and place a Salmon fillet in the centre of each one. 

Salmon Parcels: before and after

3. Cover the Salmon with the sliced Pepper, Courgette, Spring Onions and Chilli, and pour half the Low fat Coconut Milk into each parcel to surround the salmon.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until salmon is cooked through and vegetables are tender

5. Serve with either Noodles or Rice and squeeze over your Lime for an extra bit of flavour just before you tuck in!

Cooking all the vegetables in the parcel means you have no washing up - wahoo! And the salmon poaches in the coconut milk and the vegetables are steamed on top. Delicious!

You have so many options with this dish, and it's perfect if you've had a few unhealthy days and want a bit of a detox - throw in extra vegetables like Pak Choi, Okra and Mushrooms (there's no such thing as too much veg!) Serve with brown rice or wholewheat noodles if you need the extra energy kick. 

Thai Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Thai style Chicken with Cashew Nuts

So the reason why my blog has been abandoned for a short while is because I've been in Thailand! However, I've come back armed with new inspiration for great tasting food, whilst keeping my money-saving student head screwed on. Here's a brand new Thai style dish which is light on the stomach and wallet and really tasty!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

•  2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Small Onion
• 4 x Spring Onions
• A handful of Cashew Nuts
• 1/2 Chilli
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 100g Brown Rice*

*Brown rice is the healthiest option, but, if you're happy to spend slightly more, my version was made with some Thai style Lemon and Herb infused rice (see here). My pricing will be based on brown rice costs.

Price Overall: £1.92

Per Serving: 96p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Cashew Nuts gently in oil until toasted brown. Remove from pan.
2. Fry the chopped Onion and thinly sliced Chicken in the wok until brown.
3. Add the Soy and Fish sauce and stir fry
4. Immediately add the chopped Spring Onions, chopped Chilli and browned Cashew Nuts and stir fry for 1 minute. Serve with rice.

At under £1 a portion, this Thai delicacy is well worth a try! This 15 minute meal is also perfect if you're tight on time. Bored of the same old stir fry? Definitely give this one a go. 

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Salad

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Salad

As much as I've described this as a 'summer vegetable salad', that doesn't mean it isn't tasty all year round. This is a hot salad with a light Orzo pasta, which stays by you without bloating you. Plus, it's packed full of all things vegetables! Which is good news!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Pepper
• 160g Green Beans (Half a normal pack)
• 160g Broad Beans*
• 150g Orzo Pasta**
• 75g Feta (Optional)

* Buy these frozen to avoid them going off! See here

** If you're not sure what Orzo pasta looks like, see here

Price overall: £2.53

Per portion: £1.26 

With feta: £1.54

Cooking Instructions:

1. Slice the Pepper into chunks, pour over a little olive oil and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, griddle/pan fry the Chicken breasts in a little oil until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. This will take around 15 minutes.
3. With 10 minutes to go, cook the Orzo Pasta according to packet instructions. 
4. With 5 minutes to go, add the Green Beans and Broad Beans to the Orzo Pasta and continue to cook until soft.
5. Finally, drain the Orzo Pasta and Green & Broad Beans and crumble over the Feta (Optional), remove the roasted Pepper from the oven and add to the mixture. Slice the cooked Chicken Breast and place on top of the salad.

There you go! It may sound more complicated than it really is, just keep an eye on your timings and nothing will go cold. But on that note, this meal can easily be stored as leftovers for a library/work lunch the next day if you don't manage it all! One of my favourite recipes recently which I would definitely recommend to students.

Re-fried Bean Quesadillas

A quick lunch: re-fried Bean Quesadillas

This super cheap recipe doubles as a lunch or dinner, and can easily be made for one or many people! The absence of meat makes it cheap and quicker to make. And the spices mean it packs that Mexican punch to excite your average mealtime.

Things you'll need:

Serves 3

• 6 x Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps* (two per person)
• 1 x Can kidney beans/mixed beans
• 1 x Small Onion
• 1 x Clove Garlic
• Tsp Cumin
• Tsp Paprika
• Grated Cheddar (Optional)

* If this is for lunch, one tortilla per person is fine. If you're hungry or this is a main meal then use two per person. Remember to go wholemeal!

Price overall: £1.44

Per Portion: 48p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Chop and gently fry the Onion and Garlic until soft
2. Add the Beans and heat through. Then crush them with a fork into a paste
3. Season with the Cumin and Paprika, and salt and pepper if you fancy. Stir altogether
4. Tip the mixture into the middle of a Wholemeal Tortilla Wrap and then either fold in half or, if using two, place the other one on top.
5. Then place the Quesadilla in the same frying pan and cooking either side for 2 minutes each until crispy and golden brown. Serve on its on or with a salad.

Fed up of the same old sandwiches? At a fraction of the price, you have to give this one a go! If you want to go all out, add jalapenos/chillis, sour cream and/or salsa as well. A super tasty casual meal for any lunch or dinner time.

This recipe was taken from BBC Good Food