Carrot Cake Oatmeal

I have seen more and more people adding vegetables to their morning porridge
What a brilliant way to get more goodness into your diet. 
I decided to start with a nice and subtle change from my regular porridge and came across carrot cake oatmeal- guilt-free cake for breakfast? Yes please!
Its a super easy recipe to make and really easy to adapt to personal preference.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
1 cup milk (I used almond)
1 small/medium carrot, finely grated
generous 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
optional: a handful of raisins/ sultanas


Method:
On the hob:
Pile all the ingredients apart from the spices in a saucepan and mix together on a medium heat
Bring to the boil and add the spices
When it all smells delicious and is at your prefered consistency, transfer to a bowl and enjoy :)

*** I topped mine with some berries and home-made granola ***

Easy Peasy One Pot Fish Dish

The best part of this dish is that you can use pretty much any white fish which means cheap fish! Available in most supermarkets, a budget pack of frozen fish is less than £2 for about 5 portions! 

Full of lean protein and omegas it's a freezer must have! 

This recipe requires just 4 ingredients! Most of them cupboard staples- even for a student

Borrowed from the BBC Good Food website.

It works out at just over 50p a portion!!!

Recipe:

Ingredients: 
White fish (4 fillets) : £1.30
Chopped tomatoes (400g can) : 32p
Black olives (1/2 330g jar) : 38p
Medium onion: 7p

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180oC
• Fry the onion in a little oil until it softens in an oven proof dish (or a saucepan and transfer to oven proof dish later)
• Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil 
• Add the olives, give a stir and remove from the heat
• (Transfer sauce to a oven proof dish)
• Put the fish on the top of the sauce and place the dish in the oven
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked
• 
  

***Squeeze over lemon juice to serve if you feel like being reaaal fancy***

Deliciously Ella's Mediterranean Vegetable Spaghetti

She's done it again. Another masterpiece by Deliciously Ella.
Kicking off my final term of first year with this scrumptious recipe. 
I spend a lot of my time trawling the internet for meal inspiration on this tiny student budget. Deliciously Ella is often a website that I end up at, and rarely come away disappointed. 
I have no idea how I missed this recipe but I am so glad I found it.
This recipe is sooooo yummy and it smells amazing. 
At less than £1 per portion, full of veg and oh so colourful, its not one to miss.

Recipe (serves 2): 
Ingredients:
Spaghetti or other pasta (I used whole wheat)
2 tomatoes - 30p
A good handful of cherry tomatoes (about 10)- 30p
Mixed herbs - 1p
1 pepper - 30p
1 courgette - 50p
A generous tbsp of tomato puree - 5p
A good handful of spinach or about 4 frozen cubes - 20p
10 black olives cut in half - 25p

Total cost: £1.91

Method: 

• Cut the big tomatoes and pepper into chunks and add to a saucepan with a glug of oil and a generous sprinkling of herbs.
• Add the tomato puree and give a good stir.
• When the sauce starts to disintegrate, add the cherry tomatoes cut into quarters and the courgette, sliced. Mix well. 
• Start cooking the pasta
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the olives and give a good stir so that it is nicely covered. 
• Serve with extra olives, herbs or cherry tomatoes (or all 3!)

*** Top with a little basil if you want to look reaaal fancy ***

Baked Strawberry and Banana Porridge

This was my first try at baked porridge and loved it so much and it was so easy that I had to share it.
As its baked and is a sort of flapjacky texture its basically like eating pudding for breakfast! 
You can even make it up the night before so that you only have to pop it in the oven the next morning. 

Recipe (serves 1):
Ingredients: 
1/2 cup oats
1 banana
1/2 cup almond milk
2-4 strawberries
1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 150oC
• Mash 1/2 - 1/3 (depending on how much you want for the top) of the banana in a bowl 
• Chop half of the strawberries (the rest can be used for the top) into small pieces and add the oats, milk and cinnamon
• Stir to combine and transfer to an oven-safe dish
• Top with the remainder of your fruit
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is firm and golden. 

*** This really basic recipe means that you can easily swap and change ingredients- try adding nuts or switching up the fruits ***

Hot Cross Buns

I am so excited to share this recipe with you all!
After a lot of searching, I found this masterpiece of a recipe:
http://glutenfreescdandveggie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/allspice-grain-free-hot-cross-buns-gf.html
No messing around with yeast or rising time or proving draws, mix all the ingredients up and put the buns in the oven. Et Voila you have a super healthy hot cross bun without it tasting super healthy! 
I did a little tweaking to suit my preferences and have a bit of fun but this gal got it spot on! 
Gluten, wheat, dairy and refined sugar free doesn't sound too appealing, and I thought that the result would be far from the original.
However, these are light and delicious and not too dissimilar to regular hot cross buns!
I added flaked almonds to the mix to give it a bit more of a bite, the same can be done with other nuts and seeds.

Chocolate chip with a marzipan cross on the top row and fruity with coconut cross on the bottom 

Recipe(Makes 6 buns):

Ingredients: 
300g ground almonds
20g flaked almonds (broken into smaller pieces)
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
2 eggs
3 1/5 tbsps honey
2 tbsps olive oil

For citrusy, raisin buns:
rind of 1 lemon
rind of 1 orange
70g raisins

For chocolate chip buns:
70g dark chocolate chips 

For marzipan crosses:
3 tbsps ground almonds 
2 tsps honey (or until at the right consistency)

For coconut crosses:
2 tbsps coconut flour 
9 tbsps/ 50 ml water (or until at the right consistency)

Method:

Chocolate chip bun with a marzipan cross

• Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a baking tray with baking paper
• Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together
• In a separate bowl, add all of the wet ingredients and mix using an electric whisk until fluffy
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir to combine (the dough should be quite a sticky consistency)
• Divide the dough into 6 and, using wet hands, roll into balls. 
• Place the balls onto a lined baking tray and flatten them slightly
• Make your crosses by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. 
• Spread the coconut mixture onto the buns in a cross shape 
• Put them into the preheated oven. After 5 minutes turn down the temperature to 140oC and cook for a further 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown on top and cooked through
• Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool
• Once cold combine the marzipan mix and roll between two sheets of baking paper to about 0.5cm thickness, cut to size and place on the buns
• Grill and enjoy with butter or jam or nut butter or even on their own

*** Can easily be made throughout the year as fruit buns! ***

Granola flapjack bites

These delicious little granola-ry flapjack-y bites kept me company on the long journey home from uni for the Easter break.
I have been trying and testing different recipes for healthy granola bars since I started uni. 
I think I have finally hit the jackpot with these.
I didn't do the usual price-up for them, but the whole batch cost around the £1 mark
So for a much cheaper and much healthier alternative to the sugar-packed supermarket definitely give these a try!

(Makes 6 muffin cases or a small baking tin)

Ingredients:
1 small banana
2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter- this can be smooth or crunchy. As it is used to stick it all together, it may be worth adding a little extra (about 1/2 tbsp) if you are using crunchy though.
2 1/2 tbsp honey
small handful of sultanas or raisins
A generous cup of oats
1 tbsp milk (I used almond)
A pinch of baking powder

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180oC.
Mash the banana until there are no lumps and add to a small saucepan with the honey and peanut butter
Gently warm it so that it all becomes melty and runny, mix to combine.
In a bowl, pour the mixture over the oats and raisins
Add the milk and stir it all together so that the oats are covered and its all sticking together nicely.
Divide between 6 muffin cases or spread out in a small tin
Bake for 20-30 minutes until they turn a little golden on top and have absorbed all the liquid.
They are best left to cool completely before you cut them up - if you can wait that long.

***you can always substitute the raisins for other dried fruit or chocolate pieces if you are feeling like a treat!***

A New Type of Pot Noodle

A healthy pot noodle? Who'd have thought?
I have been seeing variations of homemade pot noodles recently and decided to jump on the bandwagon and create one too. 
It is such an easy lunch to have at uni and isn't too expensive either.
One of the best parts is that it is really easy to change up, adding different types of cooked meats, veg and noodles. 
Despite the photo, I used one of these to carry mine around in:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sistema-Soup-Mug-656-ml/dp/B005D6Y1OM
It is much lighter and durable than a glass jar. 

Miso is a really great base to use. I used the sachets as they have a longer shelf life than an opened jar. Alone, it is a really strong flavour so its perfect diluted. The salts and nutrients also make it quite a nice hangover cure by getting minerals back into your body. Chilli is also a great addition as the spice bumps up your metabolism. 

At £1.23 a portion, this is much cheaper than anything I could pick up on campus. 

Recipe (4 portions):
Ingredients
3/4 of a cabbage - 52p
a few handfuls beansprouts (about 200g) - 30p
4x wholegrain rice noodle nests - £1
150g tofu or meat equivalent - 50p
4x chillis - 47p
4x mushrooms - 15p
4x spring onions - 30p
miso paste (I used sachets 18g each)- £1.28
soy sauce - 4p

Method

• Cook the noodles and leave to cool
• Add to the bottom of your pot and add the miso and soy sauce.
• Pile all the other ingredients on top and put the lid on.
• Store in the fridge
• When you are ready to eat it, pour in hot water just below the top and leave it to stand for a couple of minutes.
• Give it a stir and enjoy. 

*** For an added kick add 1 tsp hot sauce ***

Ultra Filling Tomato Soup

This week's soup was good old tomato. But I added a little twist so that it was nicely thick and filling. This also meant that it packed in a bit of protein too. 

Health benefits of tomatoes:
Their antioxidant properties help fight off disease and their high beta-carotene helps to protect the skin against sun damage. Alongside this, tomatoes also contain vitamins A, C and K all good for eyesight and immunity. 

This soup is less than 40p per portion and is really easy to make!

Recipe (4 servings): 

Ingredients: 
2x 400g tin chopped tomatoes - 31p each
1 tsp bouillon stock - 6p 
400ml boiling water 
1 onion - 9p
oil (I use rapeseed)- 2p
400g tin haricot beans (or cannellini beans) - 60p
2 carrots - 15p
2 garlic cloves - 2p
1/2 tsp chilli flakes - 3p

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan 
• Chop up the onion and add to the pan
• Once it has turned transparent and soft, add the stock, tomatoes, beans, garlic, sliced carrots and chilli flakes. 
• Bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots have softened. 
• Blend and serve.

**Add a dollop of basil pesto to serve for a little more flavour**

Salmon fishcakes with sweet potato fries

I have been wanting to try sweet potato fries for so long and yesterday was the perfect opportunity. 

I wanted something different from rice to have with my salmon fishcakes and found a recipe that had sweet potato fries as an accompaniment. 

They are really easy to make and are a much healthier alternative to normal fries.

I served them with some greens. I recently discovered spring greens. From the same family as kale, and with a taste a little like cabbage, they are really affordable (59p per pack) and can be kept at ambient temperature which means they don't take up valuable fridge space. 

(Serves 1)- 96p

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato - 15p

1 frozen salmon fillet, defrosted - 75p

2 tbsp oil - 4p

1 tsp paprika - 2p

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200oC
• Scrub your sweet potato under the tap to get any mud off the skin
• Slice into wedges and scatter on a baking tray
• Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle on the paprika
• Put them in the oven for about 30 minutes or until they are golden and tender, give the tray a shake halfway through
• Whilst they are cooking,put the salmon fillet in a bowl and mash it with a fork. At this point you can throw in some spring onions or chilli to give it a little kick.
• Split the salmon mixture into two halves and heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan. 
• About 5 minutes before your fries are finished, split the salmon mixture into two halves and heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan. 
• Shape the salmon into patties and fry for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden on the outside and cooked in the middle.
• Serve with your favourite veg and the sweet potato fries.

Food Prep - Roasted Vegetables

I found myself in uni quite a lot this week. Rather than buying lots of expensive lunches at the union or taking a couple of chocolate bars in to suppress my hunger, I decided that meal prep was the best way. 
On Sunday I cut up lots of yummy vegetables, piled them into a big roasting tray and drizzled with a little oil. 
Roasted vegetables, not only have a lovely flavour and texture, they also are versatile and delicious cold. I often throw in which ever vegetables I have in the fridge or fit in with the rest of the week's meals. 
You can then just keep them in a bowl or tupperware box in the fridge and decant them each day. I normally combine it with some grain to keep me fuller for longer. I like to vary this, but normally stick to quinoa, rice or whole wheat couscous.  
The vegetables cost about 46p per portion.

Roasted veg (about 4 lunches):
2 x courgettes - 60p
125g mushrooms - 50p
1/2 onion- 5p
2 carrots - 15p
1 tomato - 10p
sweet potato - 15p
2 beetroots - 30p

Throw all the veg into a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil and bake for 20-30 minutes at 180-200oC. Give them a shake halfway through to ensure even roasting.

quinoa (50g uncooked) - 50p
couscous (50g uncooked)- 10p
rice (50g uncooked) - 7p

Admittedly, quinoa is quite a treat as it is quite pricey but it is really high in protein and high in complex carbohydrates which means feeling fuller for longer without the bloating. 

*** On some days I threw in some feta and basil pesto to add a little boost (credit goes to Mumma Mac for the idea) ***

Super healthy 2-ingredient pancakes

Its pancake day!!!

Which means.... Healthy pancakes!

When I typed in 'healthy pancakes' into google lots of fuddy duddy recipes came up asking for buckwheat flour, liquid stevia, egg whites etc. 
I almost gave up until I found this... 
http://www.thelondoner.me/2015/02/blue-banana-pancakes-grain-freebloat-free.html

Requiring just two ingredients bananas and eggs,its the perfect way to still enjoy pancakes on a budget, without ruining your diet.

I'm not going to lie to you and tell you they taste exactly like the ones you are used to. Because they don't. I too was a little apprehensive that they would taste like a weird banana omelette, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that they are just like a light fluffy pancake, slightly sweeter than a normal one, with a slight banana-ry tinge to the flavour.

Recipe (makes 4-5): 
Ingredients:
1 medium-large banana- the riper the better - 10p
2 eggs - 23p
a generous pinch of baking powder (optional)- it just makes it fluffier
butter or oil to grease the frying pan

Method:

• Mash the banana up until there are almost no lumps remaining
• Add the eggs and whisk up to combine and get lots of air into the mixture
• Add the baking powder at this point too if you are using it
• Heat up your frying pan on a medium heat
• Plop in a little butter or oil (I used butter) and heat through
• Add a generous tablespoon of the mixture to the frying pan and tip it to allow the mixture to spread
• Keep an eye on it at this point as it can burn easily
• When it starts to bubble on top, flip it over and cook the other side (about a minute or two each side)
• Put it on a plate, add your favourite pancake fillings (i had peanut butter and honey, and berries and honey) and enjoy! 

Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger soup

This soup was last week's lunch. I had a bit of a sweet potato themed week! 
I adapted this recipe from the Riverford Organic website found here:
http://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/view/recipe/sweet-potato-carrot-ginger-soup
The carrot and sweet potato make it quite sweet which is perfect to keep away the post-meal sugar cravings. The ginger quantity can easily be adjusted to personal preference depending on the amount of heat you want. 
Again, soup really is quite inexpensive and when homemade is super healthy! 
This soup cost about 25p per portion!

Health benefits of carrots:
I was always told as a child to eat my carrots and I would be able to see in the dark. Carrots are full of vitamin A which is known for maintaining good eyesight. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean night vision. Vitamin A is also great for skin, hair and nails.

Health benefits of ginger: 
ALthough I used ground ginger rather than root in this recipe, it still can have significant benefits to health. 
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and also antiviral. Its anti-inflammatory properties means that it effectively relieves aches and pains (perfect for post-exercise). Combined with antiviral, means that it should be your go to home remedy to fight colds and prevent them. 

Recipe (4 portions)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil (I use rapeseed): 2p
1 onion: 11p
400g carrots 21p
400g sweet potato: 44p
1 garlic clove: 1p
1 tsp ginger: 2p
1 litre vegetable stock (I use bouillon powder): 20p

Method: 

• Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and add the onion. 
• Once it has softened, and becomes almost transparent add the carrots, garlic and sweet potato
• After a couple of minutes add the stock and ginger and bring to the boil
• Turn down the heat to a simmer and let it bubble for about 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. 
• Take off the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.
• Blend until smooth and enjoy.

***I serve my soups with wholemeal toast or oatcakes***

Deliciously Ella's Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut Curry

A year ago today I went to India with the amazing charity Raleigh International. As I ate curry everyday there, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to introduce you to this beauty of a recipe. 

It is perfect for students as you can make a huge batch of it at the weekend to last you through the week. It is also freezable. 
For any spice-o-phobes out there don't worry, this curry is not at all spicey. It is just creamy and sweet and delicious AND super healthy.
At just 64p per portion its a no-brainer.

Health benefits of sweet potato:
Vitamin A for smooth skin, as well as healthy hair, teeth, bones and nails. It also is a complex carbohydrate, keeping you fuller for longer- essential on a student budget and good for your waistline too. 

Health benefits of lentils:
Full of protein, keeping sugar cravings at bay, whilst being essential for muscle repair and development.

Recipe (serves 5): 
Ingredients:
1 400g can chopped tomatoes - 33p
1 400g can coconut milk - 50p
1/2 tbsp cumin - 0.7p
1/2 tbsp turmeric - 0.7p
1/2 tbsp ground ginger - 0.7p
750g sweet potato - 82p
80g olives (approximate) - 80p
250g red lentils - 50p
150g brown rice - 23p

(serve with your favourite green veg- I had kale and broccoli)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180oC.
• Put the tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices in a large pan and bring to the boil
• Chop the sweet potatoes into rough cubes and add to the bubbling liquid along with the lentils and olives.
• Mix and take off the heat. Transfer to an lidded oven proof dish (I used a large, lidded, glass pyrex) and put in the oven.
• Cooking time is relatively flexible, but I would say no less than 40 minutes in the oven (the perfect amount of time to cook the rice). 
• Take out of the oven and serve.

Stir Fry

Stir fry is the perfect way to use up leftovers in the fridge.
It is also a really quick and easy dinner and is my go-to during exams.
I normally have meat, noodles and 3 or 4 types of vegetables.

This batch only cost £1.05 per person.

Recipe:
1/2 red pepper -15p
1 medium/large carrot - 5p
2-3 broccoli florets- 9p
handful of curly kale - 10p
75g rice noodles - 20p
1 tbsp sesame oil - 4p
1 tbsp soy sauce - 2p
chicken fillet (about 100g) - 40p






Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan or wok
• Add chicken and fry until it is white all over (5-7 mins) 
• Add vegetables and stir. When softened (5 mins), add the noodles. 
• Stir to combine and allow to heat through (2 mins) 
• Pile onto a plate, drizzle with soy sauce and enjoy :)

Adaptations can easily be made to this recipe. Sesame oil isn't essential, any cooking oil will work, I just really love the smell and the taste it gives, but it can be a little pricey. 

I used fresh rice noodles here, but tend to buy dried as they don't go off so quickly and are often cheaper. 

Butternut Squash Soup

Soup is such a healthy and cheap meal option. 
I often make a batch at the beginning of the week to see me through the next few days. It is perfect for taking into uni for lunch or to just heat up at home. 

This soup cost just 31p per portion! 

Health benefits of butternut squash:
Vitamin A: for healthy looking skin
Vitamin B, E and Omega 3s: healthy hair and scalp

Health benefits of onion:
Boost circulation, fight disease and detoxify

(Serves 3)
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash (peeled and chopped) - 69p
1 small onion - 5p
500ml vegetable stock - 15p
1/2 tsp chilli flakes - 3p
1 tbsp vegetable oil (rapeseed)- 2p

Method:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan
• Add chopped onion stirring occasionally until softened (2-3 mins) 
• Add squash and allow to soften (7ish mins)
• Add stock and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the squash is soft. 
• Add chilli flakes, stir and take off the heat.
• Allow to stand for a couple of minutes, then blend until smooth.

***Don't throw away the seeds! Roast them with a sprinkle of salt (150oC for 15 minutes shaking every 5) and sprinkle on top of the soup for an added crunch!***