Quick Chinese Style Chicken
Skip the hassle of cooking rice the long way and add QuickCook rice to a saucepan of boiling water. Leave for 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. At the same time, in a frying pan add thinly chopped chicken and cook until browned. Add whatever veg you have to hand and add to the frying pan, in this instance we used thinly-chopped celery. Add your favourite Chinese-style sauce (or make one from chicken stock and soy sauce) and add to the frying pan. Drain the rice and you’re ready to serve.
125g Quick Cook Long Grain Rice
100g Chicken, thinly chopped
Chinese-style sauce (Can use Soy Sauce/Chicken Stock)
Left-over Vegetables
Price for a two-person portion: Approx £3
Healthy and Homely Bolognese
Fry the minced beef for 5-10 minutes until browned (alternatively microwave for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink) and stir in the tomato pasta sauce or crushed Chopped tomatoes. Leave for 15 minutes on a low heat to simmer. Whilst you wait, boil the kettle and pour boiling water into a saucepan, add in whatever pasta you have and leave to cook. Chop onions and fresh tomatoes and add to the pan, turning the heat up to cook the onion in the last few minutes. Alternatively add in any extra veg you have around and you’re done!
200g Pasta/ Spaghetti
200g Pasta Sauce (or Tinned Chopped Tomatoes)
Half an Onion, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped
200g Minced Beef (Vegetarian? Swap beef for more veg or quorn)
Salt (to season)
Cheese (optional)
Price for a two-person portion: Approx £4
Italian Potato and Tomato Soup
Warm yourself up this coming winter with a very simple soup. Add the vegetable stock and the chopped tomotaes to a large saucepan and leave for a few minutes to heat up. Add salt to season. Wash, peel and chop the potatoes then add to the pan. Add the tougher vegetables like carrots (chopped into small chunks) and leave the soup to cook for 20 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add fresh vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes, chopped thinly and leave for another 10-15 minutes. Check the potatoes have cooked through and leave on a low heat for 5-10 minutes. Although best eaten fresh, this soup is perfect to freeze and reheat on cold days.
Potatoes, peeled (look out for cheap salad potatoes)
1 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
1 litre of Vegetable stock
Carrots (tinned or fresh)
Fresh Vegetables, e.g. Tomatoes and Broccoli
Salt (optional)
Price for 4 portions: Approx. £3
Cheese on Toast with Garlic
This quick and tasty snack also works with frozen bread, just double the timings. Place the slices of toast on a baking tray under a hot grill and leave for 2 minutes. Take out, carefully flip the toast over and place back under the grill for 1 minute. Whilst you’re waiting grate some cheese and finely chop the cloves of garlic. Sprinkle the cheese and garlic evenly over the slices and put back under the grill for another 1-2 minutes and you’re done…just don’t forget those breath mints before your lecture!
White or Brown Bread
100g Grated Cheese
1 or 2 cloves of Garlic
Price for two slices: Approx £0.40
Halloumi Salad
Warm up oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. As you wait chop up the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and the halloumi into 1cm slices. Place the halloumi in the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes until its golden brown on one side, flip it and repeat the process. Arrange the lettuce leaves and the chopped salad on a plate, add the halloumi directly on top. Add dressing to taste if preferred.
80g Lettuce Leaves/ ½ Pre-bagged Salad
4 slices of Halloumi (Cheese)
Tomatoes, thinly sliced
Spring Onions/ Half a Red Onion, thinly sliced
¼ of a Cucumber
Price for a one person portion: Approx £3
Carbonara Twist
Boil a kettle to speed up the process and pour into a saucepan, add the pasta and leave to cook. Fry the chicken and bacon in the same frying pan until browned and crispy. Drain the pasta and put directly into the frying pan, add peas and form a sauce by stirring in cream cheese and a small amount of milk. Fold in grated cheese which should melt gently onto the pasta and voila! Your delicious and quick pasta is ready to be served.
200g Pasta
100g Chicken
1 or 2 rashers of Bacon
150g Grated Cheese
Cream Cheese
Milk
Peas
Price for a two-person portion: Approx £3