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.

Smoked Mackerel and New Potato Salad

Lunch Option: Smoked Mackerel and New Potato Salad

This light lunch is perfect to pack and take out on the go. Great for any hard working students who want a change from library sandwiches! Smoked Mackerel is also a fairly cheap option to go with and requires no cooking, you simply tear it up over the salad. The dressing is either light mayonnaise or low fat creme fraiche (depending on preference), meaning you get a nice creamy dressing without the calories.

Things you'll need:

Makes 4 lunches

• 1 x Pack of Mackerel Fish (I bought everyday value here)
• 1 x Pack of New Potatoes
• 4 x Tbsp Low Fat Creme Fraiche
• Handful Green Salad Leaves (per portion)
• Chopped Chives (Optional)
• Cracked Black Pepper (Optional)

Price overall: £4.91/£5.17

Per Serving: £1.23/£2.03

Cooking Instructions:

1. Half/Quarter the New Potatoes and boil for 15 minutes until tender. Then drain.
2. Meanwhile, mix the Creme Fraiche with the Chives and Black Pepper (Optional) and flake the Mackerel* into pieces, mixing half with the dressing along with the drained Potatoes.
3. Place the Green Salad Leaves on the bottom of the plate, then the dressing mixture and finally the leftover Mackerel on top. Add more Black Pepper is you would like!

* I suggest you use one Mackerel fish per portion (comes in a pack of 4)

It's that simple. An easy, affordable lunch that doesn't take too long to make. Can also be made the night before and kept in the fridge if necessary. Perfect to take out or eat at home!

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.

Easy Peasy Red Thai Curry

Red Thai Curry

I've always been a huge fan of curry, but it's not always the healthiest of options. This is mainly due to the Coconut Milk you use - I ensure to use Half fat Coconut Cream to cut down on the unnecessary saturated fat! If, like my local supermarket, you can't purchase it, just order online through Amazon (here). It honestly tastes exactly the same and means you can enjoy a guilt-free curry. I also use brown rice instead of the refined white rice. Complex carbohydrates are your friends, get to know them and replace your white alternative!!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• Half pack of Green Beans 
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Garlic Clove
• 150g Brown Rice
• 1 x tbsp Red Thai Curry Paste
• 1 x Half Fat Coconut Milk Can
• 150ml Chicken Stock
• 1 x Red Chilli (Optional)
• Half a Lime (Optional)

Total Price: £1.50/£1.80

Per Serving: 75p/90p

Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the sliced Onion, Garlic and Chicken breast until golden brown.
2. Add the Curry Paste, Chilli, Chicken Stock and Coconut Milk and bring to the boil. Then simmer for 20-25mins until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced.
3. Add the Green Beans and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with rice and lime!

Based on a Tesco recipe here with a few healthier twists and student cut backs - this recipe means anyone can enjoy the classic Red Thai Curry!

Pepper and Red Onion Melt

Lunch Option: Pepper and Red Onion Melt

Another lunch option which is vegetarian as well as low on calories and saturated fat! Most things that are smothered with cheese are high in saturated fat, but lighter choices like Mozzarella thinly sliced is much better than melting cheddar. Plus you're adding some tasty vegetables and accompanying it with a side salad - who knew cheese toasties could be healthy! I took this recipe from a new app by the NHS called 'Be Food Smart' (more info here) - I'd really recommend it!

Things you'll need:
This amount will get you 3 lunches worth.

• 3 x Slices of wholemeal bread
• 1 x Mozzarella Ball
• 1 x Pepper
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1 x Mixed Salad Bag

Price overall: £2.29 (Approx)

Per Lunch: 76p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Slice the Pepper and Red Onion and put in a baking tray with a splash of Olive Oil. Place under a hot grill for 3/4 minutes until it's just starting to brown.
2. Meanwhile, toast your slice of Wholemeal Bread in a toaster. Then thinly slice your Mozzarella and place on top of the toasted Bread.
3. Remove the grilled Pepper and Red Onion from the grill and spread on top of the Mozzarella, then place under the grill for a further 3 minutes until the cheese has melted over the Bread. Serve with side salad.

My cheapest meal option to date! If you're feeling particularly hungry then toast two piece of Bread instead of one and make it a proper sandwich! But if you want a light lunch, this is perfect!

Beef and Vegetable Casserole

This recipe takes some time to make, so perfect if you have some extra time on your hands (which most students do, let's be honest!) The actual preparation takes no time at all, but the slow cooking makes the beef really tender and tasty. I took this recipe from BBC Good Food (here) and didn't need to alter it too much as it's really simple and packed full of goodness (5 of your 5 a day!)

Things you'll need:

Serves 2-3*

• 1 x Pack of Casserole Beef (Steak or Diced)
• 1 x Onion 
• 1 x Carrot
• 1 x Leek
• 1 x Garlic Clove
• 2 x Celery Sticks
• 75g Mushrooms
• 500ml Beef Stock
• 2 x tbsp Tomato Puree

* This may seem like too much, but to save the awkwardness of only using half a carrot (etc), make a big Casserole and Freeze the other portions for a later date!

Price Overall: £5.71 (Approx)

Per Serving: £1.90 (3 Servings) 

Cooking Instructions:

1. Add a splash of Olive Oil and Fry the chopped Onion, Leek, Carrot, Celery and Garlic in a large saucepan and cooking gently for 5 minutes. Add the Mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes until transparent but not browned. Remove all vegetables from the pan and set aside.
2. Add a splash of Olive Oil and gently fry the diced Casserole Beef and then brown all over. Then return the vegetables to the pan and add the Beef Stock and Tomato Puree. Simmer on a low heat for 1 1/2 hours until tender.

Ensure that you check on the Casserole every 20 minutes or so, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and keep everything moving - the last thing you want to do is burn it! Feel free to leave it to cook for longer if you want the beef to be more tender. Serve with Mash Potato! A super cheap student dish and a great replacement for those Sunday Roasts you might be missing!

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!

Asparagus, Courgette and Pesto Risotto

Asparagus, Courgette and Pesto Risotto

Another Vegetarian option with enough flavour for any carnivore to appreciate also. I ate a meal similar to this in the restaurant Cote and then recreated it for this blog, inspired by a Tesco recipe (here)
It was surprisingly easy, cheap and really tasty! Plus, it contains 3 of your 5 a day! Pack in the veg whilst enjoying the taste - not a combination most students (Veg-haters) can achieve.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 175g Risotto Rice
• 50g Asparagus Trimmed (I sliced in half lengthways)
• 50g Courgette (Cut into chunks)
• 1 x Small Onion
• 1/2 Litre Vegetable Stock
• Tea Spoon Green Pesto
• Handful of Rocket (Optional)
• Grated Cheddar/Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

Approx Price Overall: £3.10/£3.90

Approx Per Serving: £1.55/£1.95

(Based on Tesco.com prices)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Melt oil or butter in a deep saucepan. Then fry the onions until transparent. Then add the Risotto Rice and a splash of stock. Once the rice has absorbed the added stock, add it more and more until you have used it all up. Remember, less is more: don't flood the rice and keep it on a low simmer.
2. Meanwhile, place the Courgette and Asparagus into boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then drain.
3. Once the Risotto Rice has absorbed all the liquid and is soft and edible, add the vegetables, pesto and grated cheddar (optional) and stir together for one minute. Then serve with a handful of Rocket (Optional).

One of my cheapest blog recipes due to the absence of meat, and it wasn't a problem at all.  The only down side to this recipe is you have to be patient, as with any Risotto. Don't flood it with liquid, add it gradually and take it off the heat at just the right consistency: not too liquidy but not too dry. This was my first time cooking Risotto and it worked out fine!

Recipe dedicated to my dear friend Grace McCrum. A risotto lover, study-buddy and long term friend.