Red Thai Beef Curry and Quinoa

Red Thai Beef Curry and Quinoa

Super healthy and super filling! I'm a huge fan of Thai's curries and enjoy changing up the main meat to keep things exciting (I live a very sad life). The recipe is simple: slice the beef nice and thin, keep the sauce thick and throw in lots of healthy vegetable friends. Here's what you need:

(Serves 4)
1 x Pack Beef Frying Steak*
1 x Large Sweet Potato
1 x Onion
1 x Courgette
1 x can Coconut milk
2 x tbsp Red Thai Curry Paste
360g Quinoa**

*These are always pretty good value. Tesco's version here
**Tesco's version here

Total: £7.79
Per Serving: £1.90

Cooking Instructions:

• Fry the chopped Onion in a frying pan until soft
• Add the thinly sliced Beef Steaks and Red Thai Curry Paste for 2 mins. Then add the Coconut Milk, mixing all ingredients, and cook for 3 mins. Transfer to separate pan/oven dish
• Gently fry the diced Courgette and Large Sweet Potato until soft, then mix with previous ingredients
• Transfer to the oven (or cook on a low heat) until curry has reduced to a thick sauce
• Serve with cooked Quinoa.

Bargain!
Minimal washing up, minimal effort and great taste. This is perfect for throwing together for flatmates or freezing portions for lunch. Plus you now know what Quinoa is - but remember to pronounce it right when telling others (Keen-wah). Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken with Asparagus & Tarragon

One Pan Creamy Chicken with Asparagus & Tarragon

'A light and low calorie chicken casserole with silky herb sauce, greens and baby new potatoes' BBC Good Food.

So I'm really into my 'seasonal food' recently, and decided to churn out some recipes perfect for sunny spring evenings. This is a super light dinner which is suitable to make one evening in and save the leftovers for lunches or if you're in a rush! The longer you cook this one-pan dish, the better it tastes: the chicken gets really tender and yummy, and the sauce thickens, making everything more creamy and delicious.

Note: All of these ingredients are currently in season - this means they are more reasonable in price!

Things you'll need:

Serves 4

• 4 x Chicken Thighs*
• 500g Baby Potatoes (Optional)
• 1 x Onion
• 175g Asparagus
• 3 x tbsp Low fat creme fraiche
• 350 ml Chicken Stock
• 2 x tsp Tarragon

* I used chicken breast, but the cheapest option is to use chicken thighs. Buy from frozen to save even more money! (Here).

Price Overall: £3.20
Per portion: 80p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Season the Chicken Thighs and pan fry along with the sliced Onion until brown. Transfer to a large dish (to fit the rest of your ingredients)
2. Then stir in the Chicken Stock and Creme Fraiche until combined in a creamy sauce
3. Add the sliced Baby Potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the Asparagus and continue to cook for at least 10 more minutes.**

** Tip: Serve yourself a portion and keep the dish cooking as you eat - the longer you leave it the better (but don't burn it, obviously.)

 It's Spring! It's cheap! It's tasty! Get cooking and share your creation on Instagram using the hashtag #EasyPeasyStudentCooking

Spaghetti with Chorizo, Kale, Black Beans & Lime

Spaghetti with Chorizo, Kale, Black Beans & Lime

I've made it my quest to try and inspire pasta lovers and draw them away from the shop-bought sauces, which cost you more and certainly don't contain the good stuff. Luckily, Buzz Feed was on hand to help me out, and this recipe was inspired by their article found here. Now I'm in full-time employment, I'm looking for quicker, easier dishes that I can throw together after work. Buzz Feed's recipe collection may well be appearing on Easy Peasy Student Cooking soon, so watch this space!


Things you'll need:
(Serves 2)

• 150g Wholewheat Pasta
• 50g Chorizo
• 2 x Large handful of Kale*
• 1/2 Can Red kidney beans
• 1 x Garlic clove
• 1/2 Lime

*That's right - my good friend Kale is featuring again. A large handful is an estimation, but as it wilts like spinach, it's best to go overboard than end up with small amounts.

Price: £1.10 per portion

Cooking instructions:

1. Cook the Wholewheat Pasta according to packet instructions
2. Meanwhile, gently fry the chopped Garlic and sliced Chorizo until golden brown
3. Then add the Red kidney beans to #2 along with some Lime juice to make the sauce (save a bit back for serving)
4. As you drain the pasta, wilt in the Kale with #2 
5. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix altogether. 

Coming in at just over £1 a portion, this wallet-friendly supper needs to be tried! The beans are a great source of protein, wholewheat pasta is a complex carbohydrate (your body prefers this, trust me), and Mr Kale is a superfood! This recipe has so many fresh ingredients, pasta no longer has to be boring!

Chorizo & Kale Hash

Chorizo & Kale Hash with fried egg

Unfortunately today I was faced with the saddening fact that the contents of my beloved fridge was one solitary egg. So, in order to claw my way through until the end of the working day, I browsed my favourite go-to database BBC Good Food to find a use for my mighty egg which would be quick and, more importantly, keep my costs low. This particular recipe is a 'triple threat': it's a mighty breakfast, a speedy lunch or a cheap healthy dinner. Take your pick and give it a go.

I initially thought Kale was some kind of strange fusion between a broccoli and something you might find in your garden, but once I put my insecurities aside and tried it, I never looked back. Kale even has it's own fan site (it's really that good for you): (http://www.discoverkale.co.uk/). So embrace the curly Kale and join the club.

Things you'll need:

(Serves 1)

• 100g Kale
• 1/4 Chorizo Ring (50g)
• 1 x Egg
• 4/5 x Baby Potatoes (Or 1 x Potato)
• 1 x Shallot (or small onion)

Price per portion: £1.35

Cooking Instructions:

1. Slice your potato(es) into bitesize chunks and par-boil in boiling water for 5-7 minutes until tender. Then drain.
2. In a frying pan, fry the shallot and sliced chorizo until soft. Then add the drained potatoes and crisp up the edges (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the Kale handful by handful. I found it was similar to spinach in that it shrinks to half the size once it hits the heat. 
4. Finally, create a gap in the middle of the pan and break the Egg. Continue on the heat until cooked.

The final great thing about this recipe is you can combine it with any leftover bits: onion, cherry tomatoes - it's one of those dishes you can throw just about anything into and it will work (because Kale won't argue with your other ingredients: he is a super versatile and healthy friend to us all.)

Whether you want to start your day on the best possible foot or, like me, need to improvise something with leftovers, this dish is for you. Healthy, quick, and under £1.50 per portion! 

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

One-pan Salmon with Roast Asparagus

One-pan Salmon with roasted Asparagus, Potatoes and Tomatoes

This is such a simple meal which requires no effort at all. And what's best is that it's quick, cheap and healthy if you pick the right ingredients. I've taken this recipe from BBC Good Food (here) and barely needed to change anything! Some recipes include squeezes of lemon or more exotic looking vegetables, but sometimes simple is best, and this recipe is delicious and perfect for a mid-week meal.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x Salmon Fillet*
• 2 x Small Baking Potatoes
• 10 x Cherry Tomatoes
• 200g Asaparagus (Chop the bottoms off)

* Buy salmon fresh from frozen in these packs - works out cheaper per portion!

Price Overall: £4.20

Per serving: £2.10

Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cookings Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees. Slice the Baking Potatoes into bite-size chunks and scatter in a baking tray with some oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until starting to brown.
2. Toss the Asparagus in with the sliced Potatoes for a further 15 minutes.
3. Throw in the Cherry Tomatoes and nestle in the Salmon Fillets and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes until salmon is cooked through. Then serve.

At just over £2 a portion, this dish is affordable, delicious and so easy to make! You're guaranteed to have your housemates jealous when you pull this colourful fun dish from the oven.

Gordon Ramsay's Pork and Sauté Vegetables

Gordon Ramsay's Pork and Saute Vegetables

This dish is inspired by a Gordon Ramsay recipe, but I have replaced the original meat ingredient (Veal) to Pork because it is cheaper and more readily available from supermarkets. There are no carbs in this dish, you can easily add potatoes or rice if you wanted to, but I went without and doubled my veg intake instead and felt perfectly satisfied. I improvised a sauce to go with the Pork which soaks up all the juices - really easy and delicious! 

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Pork Steaks
• 1 x Courgette
• 1/2 x Aubergine
• 1/2 x Pepper
• 200ml x Creme Fraiche*

* I also added chopped apple to my sauce, just because it goes really well with Pork! But if you want to really cut your costs, don't bother with the sauce, it's completely up to you.

Price Overall: £3.36

Per serving: £1.68

Cooking Instructions:

• Place the Pork Steaks in a frying pan with a little oil. Fry for around 10-15 minutes, turning half way until golden brown on both sides.
• Meanwhile, chop the Courgette, Aubergine and Pepper into 1cm cubes. 
• Place the vegetables in a frying pan with a little oil and fry for 5 minutes until just tender.
• Just before serving, add the Creme Fraiche to the Pork in the pan and scrape any juices from the bottom of the pan, the sauce should be a creamy brown colour. Serve with your saute vegetables.

Always remember, white meat tends to contain less saturated fat than red meats, so it's always good to vary your diet and have a night off from chicken with a dish like this! Plus, the vegetable quantities I've stated above can easily be changed if you want to pack more goodness into your dish, or if you're worried the lack of carbs will leave you hungry - just add more veg! This student take on a Ramsay recipe is quick, delicious, and has little ingredients to shop for. 

Spicy Turkey Chilli

Spicy Turkey Chill

A low fat alternative to beef which still provides tasty chilli flavour. Turkey, in comparison to beef, is leaner and cheaper. This recipe also constitutes as low carb because you have the option to add them or not. It can be accompanied by rice, a jacket potato, pitta bread, wedges or (as I chose) a flatbread. Whether you need the energy fuel or not, here are the details of this lean, low fat retake on the traditional Chilli Con Carne!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 250g Turkey Mince*
• 1 x Pepper
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Can Red Kidney Beans
• 1 x Chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 x Chilli Pepper
• 1 x tsp Cumin
• 100ml Beef Stock (Optional)**

* These days, Turkey breast mince is the same price as minced beef. However, Turkey thigh mince is a lot cheaper!

** Some people might miss the normal 'beefy' taste of their chilli, so add a stock cube to enhance some of that flavour instead.

Price overall: £2.41

Per Serving: £1.20

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat Oil in a Large Pan. Add the chopped Onion and fry until golden. Then add the Turkey Mince, break the mince apart and cook until browned
2. Add the chopped Pepper and Chilli Pepper until soft
3. Add the Cumin, Red Kidney Beans, Chopped Tomatoes and Beef Stock (Optional) and stir altogether. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

A relatively quick, cheap and tasty meal which is suitable for any night of the week. This is also a good dish to cook up for a group of friends or cook larger portions to freeze for another time. So next time you fancy a bit of warm comfort food but don't want the extra sat fats, make the substitution from beef to Turkey.

Zesty Fish with Crushed Potatoes and Peas

Zesty Fish with Crushed Potatoes and Peas, Spinach and Capers

I really really enjoyed this dish! It was light, full of flavour and I used ingredients I wouldn't normally cook with. The main difference with this recipe is the sauce: it's super thin and made up of only a few ingredients, much easier and saves on time. Adapted from recipe here on BBC Good Food.

Things you'll need:

(Serves 1)

• 1 x White Fish Fillet*
• 1 x Potato
• 3 x Tbsp Frozen Peas
• 2 x Tsp Capers
• 1/2 a Lemon (juice)
• 1/2 bag Fresh Spinach or blocks Frozen Spinach**
• 1 x Tbsp Olive Oil

* I used Trout but any white fish fillet will do. As I've mentioned on My Top 10 Money Saving Tips you can buy these fresh in frozen packs for much cheaper.

** Similarly to above, Frozen Spinach is cheaper and still locks in all the flavour. All that's required is heating the blocks in a saucepan to break them down.

Price per portion: £1.24

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix together the Olive Oil, 1/2 Lemon juice and Capers.
2. Peel and slice the Potatoes and put them in boiling water for 15 minutes (approx) until tender. 
3. With about 8 minutes to go, fry the White Fish, turning half way through until both sides are golden brown and the fillet is cooked through. Pore in the sauce mix at the last minute just to heat through.
4. Meanwhile, wilt the Spinach in frying pan with a little oil until it breaks down.
5. Mash the Potatoes and Peas together and serve with the wilted Spinach and pan-fried Fish.

Affordable, quick and super delicious! Try not to worry too much about timings, if your mash is ready before your fish, you can always have it ready to serve and cover it with tin foil whilst you cook the rest. I wish I could eat this all over again - give it a go!

Italian Steak Supper

Italian Steak Supper with Garlic Flatbread

Lets be honest, steak isn't something which you would expect to appear on a healthy student cooking blog: it's delicious but high in saturated fat, and it's commonly thought of as being an expensive luxury. However I've thought of a way of getting around it, inspired by a recipe in Ideal Home Magazine. This dish is light, summery and full of fresh vegetables - the Garlic flatbread is completely optional, as the dish stands well on it's own as well.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Frying Steaks*
• 2 x small Red Onion
• 1/2 Courgette
• 10 x Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 x Handful of Rocket
• 1 x Flatbread**

* Because you end up cutting the steak into slices, you don't need to worry too much about thickness, and standard frying steak will do (and is the cheapest option). Try Tesco's option, which can work out under £1 a steak!

** If you would like to have some carbohydrates with the meal, try one of these which we split between 3 people.

Price overall: £3.17 (£3.50 with Flatbread)

Per portion: £1.59 (£1.75 with Flatbread)

Cooking Instructions:

(If cooking a flatbread, preheat the oven before you start and cook according to packet guidelines.)

1. If you have one, use a griddle pan. Otherwise a regular frying pan will do. Heat some oil in the pan. Cut the small Red Onions in two and place in the pan. (If you have some skewers they will help hold the onions together if you slide them along it, if not then don't worry.) Turn the halved Onions every 1-2 minutes to brown all sides.
2. Slice the courgettes thinly and lengthways (as in the picture above) and add them to the pan alongside the onions. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side until they have that nice charcoaled effect. 
3. As the pan fills up, remove the slices of Courgette, place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Once you have space, add the cherry tomatoes. Keep moving everything around so each item is browned all over. 
4. Once your Tomatoes are cooked and removed from the pan (under the foil) add your Steaks. Cooking time is dependent on how you like your steak cooked, but stick to this as a guideline: 1 1/2 minutes each side - Rare. 2 minutes each side - Med Rare. 2 1/2 minutes each side - Medium. 3 minutes each side - Well done. 
5. Take everything off the heat and slice the cooked Steaks into strips. Place a handful of Rocket on each plate and top with your Courgettes, Tomatoes, Red Onions and Steak.

There you go! This is a real throw-together salad, with a nice mixture of hot and cold ingredients which work really well. And at this affordable price, it makes Steak student-friendly!

Normandy Pork with Cider

Normandy Pork with Apples, Potatoes in a Creamy Cider sauce

Excusing the poor quality picture, I can promise this creamy yet low fat dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! I took this recipe from a Cook Yourself Thin book, available on Amazon.co.uk here. With this dish you can enjoy pork outside the sausage/bacon family, saving yourself any additional saturated fats or grease!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Pork Fillet
• 1 x Onion
• 1/2 Apple
• 125 ml Cider
• 2 x tbsp Half Fat Creme Fraiche
• 1 x Potato (Optional)

Price Overall: £1.89/£2.14

Per Serving: 95p/£1.07

Approx, based on Sainsburys prices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Pork Fillets in a deep frying pan until golden.
2. Once the Pork is cooked, set aside. Add the Onion and Apple and cook until golden. Then add the Cider and bubble hard for 2/3.
3. Then turn down the heat and add the Creme Fraiche, Pork and chopped Potatoes (Optional) and simmer for 3 minutes (or longer until potatoes are cooked through.) 

The Potatoes aren't essential to the dish, but if you do use them you may prefer to parboil them before adding them to the pan to reduce your overall cooking time. But students - I know the idea of cooking with alcohol instead of drinking it seems mad, but the Cider makes the dish loads tastier (and because it's only a bit, it gives you an excuse to drink the rest with your meal) !

Chicken, Spinach and Creamy Tomato Pasta

Another creamy but low fat recipe for all you pasta loving students. I have adapted this recipe from one I found online here, but substituted many of the ingredients to make it cheaper and quicker to make! I have always encouraged whole wheat pasta over white pasta, but was unable to find it in my local shop! Buy whatever you prefer - the sauce will still taste great.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Onion
• 4 x Handfuls of Fresh Spinach*
• 2 x tbsp Chopped tomatoes
• 2 x tbsp Low Fat Soft Cheese**
• 2 x 75g Fettuccine Pasta

*You can also use Frozen Spinach which keeps for much longer! See here
**I used 'LowLow' Soft Cheese, still a cheap option which packs in more flavour!

You also have the option to throw in extra veggies like fresh tomatoes or peas if you fancy!

Price Overall: £2.22
Per Serving: £1.11
Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Boil the pasta according to packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, fry the chopped Onion and Chicken Breast in oil in and large frying pan until brown.
3. Then stir in your Chopped Tomatoes and Low Fat Soft Cheese and reduce heat.
4. Just being serving, add your Fresh Spinach and stir in until wilted (This takes no more than 30 seconds!) Add more spinach according to preference.

Try 'LowLow' Soft Cheese in all major supermarkets

http://www.kerrylowlow.com/

Love this recipe? Share your attempt with me on Twitter: @Verityphillips_

And be in with a chance of winning your own 'LowLow' Vouchers to purchase in store!

Healthy Fish & Chips

Healthy Fish & Chips

Not many people can resist a greasy Fish & Chips every now and again. With this recipe, ditch the grease and enjoy more regularly without the guilt. I've substituted the deep fried batter for a crispy herb and breadcrumb topping, and the fatty chips have been replaced by roasted Sweet Potato wedges!

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x White Fish Fillet*
• 1 x Sweet Potato
• Tsp Breadcrumbs
• Tsp Tarragon (Optional)
• 200g Frozen Mixed Vegetables

* I used Cod, but any white fish will work. The cheapest option is to buy them frozen (see here)
I also highly recommend Frozen Mixed Vegetables: they're a lot cheaper than fresh vegetables and still have all the goodness locked in the pack. (see here)

Price overall: £1.55
Per serving: 78p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the Sweet Potato into wedges. Put in a roasting dish with a splash of oil + salt and pepper (Optional). Put in the oven on 180 degrees. These will need 10 minutes cooking ahead of the fish.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the Breadcrumbs and Tarragon. Lightly oil the fish and then cover with the breadcrumb mixture. Put in the oven with the wedges for 15-18 minutes until cooked.*
3. For the last 3 minutes of cooking, put Mixed Vegetables in small amount of water in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Then drain and serve with your Fish & Chips.

Enjoy fish & chips without all the extra calories and save yourself a stack of money! A really quick and easy alternative to satisfy your fast-food temptations.

Creamy Salmon Spaghetti

Smoked Salmon, Courgette and Pea Spaghetti

This meal is super quick to put together and under a £1 per portion! It's creamy and packed full of veggies, accompanied by wholewheat spaghetti, a complex carbohydrate which doesn't leave you with that bloated feeling. Wholewheat means it's packed full of fibre so you stay fuller for longer.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 150g Wholewheat Spaghetti (75g per person)
• Half a Courgette
• 25g Frozen Peas
• 1 x Spring Onion
• 80g Smoked Salmon
• Tbsp Low Fat Creme Fraiche

Total price: £1.46

Per serving: 73p

Approx, based on Tesco pricing.

Cooking instructions:

1. Cook the Wholewheat Spaghetti according to package instructions
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small frying pan and gently fry the chopped Spring Onion and sliced Courgette until tender.
3. Add the tbsp of Low Fat Creme Fraiche and stir in the Peas and Smoked Salmon. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not boil.
4. Drain the cooked Spaghetti, stir through the sauce and serve.

My cheapest dinner option to date, and it only takes 10 minutes to put together. This beats any processed creamy sauce you might pick up in supermarkets and is tons better for you! You can also experiment with more vegetables such as Asparagus and Leeks - the more veggies the better.

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Tarragon Chicken, Brown Rice and Vegetables

Tarragon is a herb which isn't used often, especially by students, but tastes great with Chicken! Combined with a low fat creamy sauce, this recipe can easily be put together quickly and any leftovers can be frozen for another day. This recipe goes well with any sort of rice, potatoes or crispy bread*, as well as lots of vegetables - as many as you want!

*This recipe is based on the above meal combination: brown rice and vegetables.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 100 ml Chicken Stock
• 200 ml Low-Fat Creme Fraiche
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 
• 1 tbsp Tarragon (Dried)*
• 50g Brown Rice
• Mixed Vegetable Selection (see here)

*You can use fresh Tarragon (in which case it's 2tbsp!) But dried works just as well and it more cost-efficient!
I suggest you buy the cheaper Chicken breasts which have been frozen from fresh (see here)

Price Overall: £1.30

Per Serving: £67p

Approx, based on Tesco prices.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the chopped Chicken in oil until brown.
2. Meanwhile, put your Brown Rice on to boil (or potatoes)
3. Turn down the heat and add the Chicken Stock. When it bubbles, add the Low Fat Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Dijon Mustard. Stir in the mixture and simmer until the sauce has reduced.
4. Meanwhile, boil/steam your Vegetables. Then serve!

You need to think about your timings depending on what you're eating your Tarragon Chicken with! For example, Brown Rice tends to take a lot longer than normal rice, or if you're mashing potatoes you'll need to put those on earlier too. Read your timings on the packages and everything will work out fine.

This recipe is taken from the 'Eat Yourself Thin' cook book! You can view some of their other recipes online here.

Mexican Turkey Nachos

Mexican Turkey Nachos

Another Turkey dish, leaving you satisfied without that bloated feeling. As I've said before, Turkey meat is much leaner than red meat with less saturated fat - so it's well worth trying out! This recipe is technically low carb as it only has kidney beans and a few tortilla chips! You can also easily overspend on this sort of meal if you buy the branded products you're used to - I've substituted them for Everyday Value alternatives to keep it cheap! Easy Peasy Mexican food suitable for one or many (if you fancy cooking for housemates.)

Things you'll need:

Serves 4

• 500g Turkey Mince
• 1 x Taco Mix
• 1 x Pepper
• 1 x Red Onion
• 1 x Can Red Kidney Beans
• 1 x Can Chopped Tomatoes
• Handful Tortilla Chips
• Half pack of Mushrooms (Optional)
• 4 x Celery Stalks (Optional)
• 1 x Small Chilli (Optional)
• Sprinkle of Grated Cheese (Optional)

I had extra vegetables left over in the fridge so added those to pack in my 5-a-day! But it's completely up to you what you want to add.

Price Overall: £5.65/£6.80 (Including Optional Items)

Per Serving: £1.41/£1.70 (Including Optional Items)

Cooking Instructions:

Pre-heat Oven to 180 Degrees.

1. Fry the chopped Onion in some oil in a large saucepan for 2 minutes. Then add the Turkey Mince and break up as it browns (NOTE: Ensure you stab away at it - otherwise it will clump together. It's a bit of a workout but well worth it.)
2. Add the Taco Mix to the browned Turkey Mince with 100ml of water and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minutes so it reduces a little, then take off the heat.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan (see picture) fry all the Vegetables until soft. Then add your Turkey, Onions, Red Kidney Beans, Chopped Tomatoes and Chilli (Optional). Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. 
4. Then transfer to an Oven-proof dish and scatter Tortilla Chips on top with a little Grated Cheese (Optional) and heat in the Oven for 3 minutes until Cheese has melted. Serve with Salad!

There you have it. One of my cheapest meat dishes to date! Packed full of veggies and low carb as well, all under £2 a portion. Remember this recipe makes 4 portions which can easily be frozen - just defrost, heat up and crisp in the oven! 

Beef Stroganoff

I've altered this usually high-in-fat meal to a lighter AND cheaper version. Taken from the Philidelphia website (here), this recipe is tasty, quick and easy. And each ingredient has a cheap supermarket alternative in both full fat and light options, so perfect for students!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Beef Steak*
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Baby Mushrooms Pack
• 75g Light Soft Cheese
• Splash of Milk
• Tbsp Dijon Mustard (Optional)
• Brown Rice (Optional)
• Mixed Vegetables (Optional)**

*I use Tesco stir-fry beef (here) 

** Mixed Vegetables are cheaper bought in the frozen packs (here)

I replaced the refined white carbs with brown rice, but this can be served with mash or chips too!

Price total: £5.28

Per serving: £2.64

(Excluding optional items)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the chopped Onion in and large frying pan until soft, then remove from pan.
2. Fry the sliced Beef until brown, then add the Mushrooms until the juices run out of both. Then return the Onions to the pan.
3. Add the Splash of Milk and allow the mixture to reduce a little.
4. Stir in the Light Soft Cheese and Mustard (Optional).
5. Serve with accompaniments of your choice

Another reasonably priced, easy peasy recipe suitable for students! You can also freeze a portion of the Stroganoff for another time if you are only feeding one. And this recipe fits with lots of different accompaniments, catering for all tastes and preferences.