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

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. 

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.

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!

Chicken, Pesto and Pinenut Wrap

A tasty lunch option

This is an easy, delicious lunch wrap which can be taken anywhere. With a few cupboard ingredients, tons more flavour can be added to the standard chicken wrap. Plus, this meal works out far cheaper than buying from a shop when you're out and about. Take 5 minutes out of your morning (or night before), put it in a container and have it when you like. No hassle, no stress, no money wasted.

Things you'll need:

Makes 1 wrap

• 1/3 Roast Chicken Pack*
• 1 x tsp Pesto
• 1 x Wholemeal Wrap
• Handful of Rocket Leaves
• Handful of Pine Nuts (optional)

* You have many options here. All major supermarkets sell ready made roast chicken pieces ready to throw in sandwiches/wraps like this. The cheapest way to do this lunch would be to use leftover chicken from a roast dinner. Plan ahead and save the pennies! However, for convenience purposes, pricing is based on the ready made packs provided by supermarkets.

Price per wrap: £1.07

Cooking Instructions:

1. Lay the Wholemeal Wrap down on the surface and spread 1 tbsp of Pesto over the base.
2. Lay the chicken in a line down the middle of the wrap and scatter Pine Nuts (optional) on and around the chicken.
3. Bunch the handful of Rocket Leaves on top of the chicken
4. Fold up the bottom of the wrap (so no fillings fall out) and tuck in the sides. 

A similar Tesco sandwich here is priced at £2, so it's definitely worth making you're own, especially given how easy it is! On the go, cheap tasty chicken pesto pine nut wrap!

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) !

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.

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! 

New Potato, Green Bean, Tomato and Chorizo Salad with Grilled Halloumi

Lunch Salad

Another lunch option, which is perfect for taking to the library and cooked the night before/that morning and stored in tuppleware. Packing your own lunch obviously saves you money but also time - if you've got a deadline then you won't need to stand queueing for your lunch when you could be ploughing through that essay.

Things you'll need:

One Portion

*Warning - these measurements aren't exact because it really depends on how much you eat.

• Handful of New Potatoes
• 3 x Halloumi Slices
• 6 x Green Beans
• 5 x Cherry Tomatoes
• 1/5 Chorizo (Optional)

Price Overall: £1.65/£2.10

An average lunch bought on campus for me works out at around £4 - so immediately saving yourself cash!

Cooking Instructions:

1. Chop the New Potatoes in half and boil for 12 minutes until soft (but not dissolving!) Add the Green Beans for the final 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, Grill the sliced Halloumi, flipping over once so both sides are golden. (Keep you're eye on this - can burn easily!)
3. Drain the Green Beans and Potatoes and set aside. In the same pan quickly fry the Cherry Tomatoes and Chorizo (Optional) for 1 minute, then set aside also.
4. Slice the Grilled Halloumi and add everything together in a tuppleware container and cool before storing in the fridge, ready to take with you later on!

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.

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!

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.  

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!