Feed The Starving Student
~Sponspered Content~
Recently, I made a decision. I am stopping eating meat, kind of... It all started with my boyfriend. He started cutting out meat, he said that it made him feel sluggish and he just didn't feel good after eating them. He decided that he wanted to only eat meat once a week, which then turned into once every two weeks and so on.
Now, at the time, I said I wasn't going to join him. I would carry on eating meat, whilst he did his own thing. However, I cook for my boyfriend a lot. I love cooking and most of the time, he is my guinea pig for all of my random, experimental meals. And I wasn't going to start making two different dinners a day, so I ended up not eating meat a lot of the time.
Eventually, it just became a normal thing for me. I haven't eaten meat in three weeks. Three whole weeks. And I truly haven't missed it. Preparing meat makes me anxious, I am always worried I am going to give someone food poisoning or that I am not going to cook it right. Plus, it makes my belly feel really heavy (is that just me?) So anyway, I have started my vegetarian journey. I am still currently very much on the fence about it. At this moment, this is what I am struggling with:
- Do I want to keep eating fish? (I love Sushi & Salmon)
- If I stop eating meat altogether will it make feel sick if I decide to start eating meat again?
- How do I need to change my diet in order to replace the protein I will be missing out on?
So, this is where I am currently at with my veggie journey, but I will keep you updated!
Anyway, let's get into the actual post.
So, yes, this post is sponsored by Quorn, which I am VERY excited about. Quorn is one of the main reasons I decided to actually start trying to be a vegetarian. My older sister was a veggie for many years when I was growing up and I knew she found it hard to keep a good amount of protein in her diet. This was a massive concern of mine. However, with products like Quorn, it's a lot simpler now to stop eating meat because there are so many alternatives.
Anyway, with this post, I have decided to share my cheap, student-friendly, meat-free meal that won't heart your wallet or your belly.
Okay, let's get into the recipe. I want to say this is a veggie take on Bolognese.
What you will need ingredients wise:
- Pasta (I am not going to measurements, treat yourself, put in loads of pasta)
- 1 bag of Quorn Mince!
- Mushrooms (Or not, if you hate them.)
- 1 Pepper (I like the red ones but it's up to you!)
- 1 Onion
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- Oil
- Some Cheese!
- Bolognese sauce
Let's Cook!
- Boil a kettle and pour boiled water in a saucepan with your pasta, salt the water to make it boil faster.
- Chop the onion, pepper, mushrooms and whatever other vegetables you have.
- Grab a big frying pan and put some oil in it (I always use spray fry-light!)
- Crush your clove of garlic and put it in the pan.
- Next, put in your chopped onion and Quorn mince.
- Let it cook for a while, Quorn mince has to be cooked from frozen, which is super helpful as it cuts out all of the defrosting time of meat mince. When you are cooking it in a saucepan, make sure it is cooked through and there is no ice left on the mince.
- Add your chopping mushrooms and peppers, plus your other vegetables.
- Once the mushrooms are browning and the pepper is softened, pour on your Bolognese sauce and let it boil with your mince and veggies.
- Drain your pasta and put it in a bowl.
- Finally, take your Quorn dish and put it on top of your pasta.
- Bon Appetit
- (Add cheese if you want, I always do)
Personally, this is yummy! Thank you, Quorn for sponsoring this post. I will keep you updated on my part-time veggie journey.
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*This post is sponsored but all comments and opinions are my own.
Are you ready for a delicious post? A simple and easy solution to your baking problems? Okay, for me, when I get stressed, I like to bake or cook. But that doesn't mean I am any good at it. Sometimes, everyone needs a little help and although I can (just about) cook cupcakes on my own when I saw these little bottles of 'Classic Kitchen's Muffins in a bottle', I got really excited and I just had to try it!
So, I found these at The Range, but I think you can pretty much buy them anywhere or the equivalent. I was sceptical at first, will these really work? How has making 8 muffins only going to cost me £1? But let me tell you, this was a super-easy, idiot-proof way of making cakes!
As you can see, the majority of the ingredients that you will need to makes these muffins are actually squashed into these little glass jars (pictured below). Inside is, chocolate chips, sugar, and flour but all the correct measurements so it saves so much washing up of scales and sieves. All you have to add is a splash of milk, some melted butter and an egg, whisk it up and put it in the oven for 25 minutes then boom...You have eight adorable muffins!
I don't know if this sounds like magic to anyone else that isn't me, but I was super excited to see that this worked! Also, just by the way, this post is not sponsored in any way, I am just super in love with these little jars of goodness! 
So overall, I was so so impressed with these and you should expect some of these as Christmas gifts because I think they would be the sweetest presents. But also, if you are really bad at baking in general then these are a super good idea. They don't ever go off so you can store them in your cupboard for a long period of time and they are so so cheap. I don't think there is another, cheaper way to make muffins ever. Honestly, I am so impressed, I would highly recommend.
I have been going on a little journey recently, trying to work out what the best stuff to put on my face is and what is best to put inside my body. It all started a couple of months ago when I made the choice to switch out all my makeup with cruelty-free products. I am a meat eater and yes, I do enjoy cheese, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't explore into some more 'vegan' products.
This week, I got sent a box by The Goodness Project (yes this post is sponsored) to try out some of their products. So for all my vegan students or even just people who want to try out something a little different, this post is for you.
Who are they?
They are a subscription box which has a selection of all the best vegan and gluten-free products around the world. I am not personally a vegan, but I always open to trying food that is better for me (especially sweet things). You can personalise your own box, which means you can pick and choose all your favourites to go into one package. So if there is anything that I really liked from this box, that you are thinking 'oh that doesn't sound like something I would like to eat', don't worry about it.
The Goodness Project will also deliver this box right to your door as well, which means that you will no longer need to go to the shops. As a student, I find it hard to even think about planning what I am going to have for dinner, let alone, going to the shops regularly. So having a box that will magically appear at your door is literally the best thing ever!
Is it too early to be talking about Christmas? Because, they also offer an excellent selection of Christmas gift for all your friends and family who are vegan, gluten-free or just health conscious. This is a gift someone will genuinely appreciate. Finding good food at normal food chains like Sainsbury or Lidls which is vegan, gluten-free and affordable is a really hard task. So having a well-priced and a good selection of these foods is such a great gift this Christmas.
Now you get a lot in this box so I won't be discussing all of the products. However, I will be looking at a few of my favourite because I have tried some items from here that I will definitely be incorporating into my daily meal/snack routine.
Okay, this is all the things that came in the box:
- Gordon's Gin & Tonic
- Active Nuts
- Plantforce Synergy Protein pack
- So Free vegan chocolate
- Organica Coconut bar
- The Primal Pantry Hazelnut and Cocoa
- Deliciously Ella - Raspberry and Peanut butter energy balls
- Red Lentil Fusilli Organic
Gordon's Gin and Tonic
Gin is something that has blown up this year. And something that is definitely on students mind during university (especially first year) is the number of calories in certain alcohols. For example, in one pint of Stella Artois, there are 227 calories. That is equivalent to a couple of slices of bread AND it has little to no nutritional value. Of course, I am not saying that beer is a no-go. Drink as much beer as you would like. However, if you want to switch it up for a more low-cal drink (that will probably get you drunker faster, talking to you Freshers), then this drink is a great buy.
So Free Chocolate
Okay, I am not a vegan. Therefore, I have never had to look for vegan chocolate. However, I know from a few of my vegan-y friends that finding good chocolate that they can eat is really difficult in mainstream food shops. However, The Goodness Project include one of these chocolate bars in almost all their boxes. And coming from a regular chocolate eater - this is such a good product. I ate this bar of chocolate alongside a cup of tea and I loved it. Also, you cannot tell the difference between this and a bar of dairy milk!
Organica Golden Coconut delight bar
Okay, so I really loved this coconut bar! But, I definitely feel this isn't for everyone. This Golden Coconut delight bar reminded me of a vegan Bounty bar, which is something not everyone would like. However, I found it delicious and it actually was, dare I say it, my favourite thing from this box.
Red Lentil Fusilli Organic
I loved this product. Pasta is a win for everyone, no matter if you are a vegan, a vegetarian or a meat eater like me. Pasta is that type of food that you can serve at any time and someone will be up for eating it. This red lentil pasta was lovely. I know this sounds weird, but the red colour made the meal look really fun. It wasn't just me, eating pasta for the third time this week. It looked more gourmet if you will. Plus, it was really tasty.
Deliciously Ella - Peanut butter and Raspberry energy balls
These again, aren't for everyone. But again, I loved them. Peanut butter has to be, hands down, one of my favourite foods. But I understand that not everyone likes it. However, these made such a good snack for me to carry around and personally, I found them very tasty.
Thank you so much, for reading this post. I really enjoyed trying all of these different foods this week. And for as a student, this box was super helpful. So tell all your vegan and non-vegan friends about it!
Pick up your own Goodness Project box here!
*This post is sponsored but all opinions are my own.
Sunday, 23 September 2018
#3 FTSS- Bafflingly Brilliant Battered Fish and Chips
Yes, before I cooked fish and chips the other day, I had never tackled cooking any type of fish. But this week, I am partnering with Gousto so I had the chance to basically be guided through cooking some Basa Fish! This post is sponsored by Gousto and I am super excited about writing for them! I genuinely have loved and still love cooking with their products! What is Gousto?
Gousto is a company where you can order a book full of ingredients and recipes that you can cook throughout the week. You get four recipes in one box (of your choice) and you subscribe monthly, however you are able to skip any box you don't want and change up any meals you don't fancy that week! So all around it's a good investment. As a student, actually finding time to go food shopping and even spending your money effectively can be tricky, but honestly, Gousto is such a good idea. I ordered a box of four recipes, so you will definitely be seeing those this week, and one of them was a Crispy Fish and Chips with Lemony Mayo!
So let's get into it!
Every Gousto meal is made for two people and has enough ingredients to feed them. For example, with this recipe, there were two Basa fillets.
What you will need:
- 1 Large British Free-Range Egg
- 3 dollops of Mayo
- 80g of Sugar Snap Peas
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tsp dried dill (optional)
- 30g of Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 x Basa Fillets
- 400g Potatoes
To me, that doesn't look like a lot of ingredients for this amazing dish and also, you don't even have to shop for them! Gousto will literally drop this box off at your doorstep and it will be full of all the ingredients you need! It is so so simple! They will give you every single thing that will be listed and then some. There is a part of this recipe where you need a sprinkle of flour and in your massive Gousto box, they will have provided you with a tiny bag of flour for this one step, how amazing?
Recipe Time!
Chips
1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees/425f/Gas Mark 7
2. Cut the potatoes (leaving the skins on) into the thinnest chips you can.
3. Place down some foil on a baking tray, place your homemade chips on them and add a helpful dose of oil, salt and pepper.
4. Let them cook until they are golden brown (25-30 mins)
Fish
5. Once the chips are nearly all cooked, grab a paper towel and dab your two Basa (fish) fillets to dry them out a little.
6. Add a small handful of flour onto a plate and a large pinch of Salt and pepper.
7. Crack a large egg into a bowl and beat it with a fork
8. Add the Panko breadcrumbs to another plate
9. Coat the fish fillets in the flour, then dip them into the beaten egg and finally press them into the breadcrumbs.
10. Make sure the breadcrumbs are evenly spread across the fish.
11. Heat a pan with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil and once the oil has heated a little, add the breaded fish and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Vegetables
12. Meanwhile, Slice the Sugar snap peas into halves
13. Grab a saucepan, fill it with water and heat for 3-4 until soft and tender. Then drain the excess water.
Mayo
14. Combine the mayo with the dried dill and add a squeeze of lemon into the sauce.
15. Add a pinch of salt for taste.
16. Serve hot and enjoy!
I have already really really enjoyed working with Gousto, they are a super amazing company that is really good for poor students who miss their mums cooking. It is like having a guide that shows you through very simple steps on how to make fantastic meals for you and your friends. Thank you Gousto! And keep your eyes peeled for upcoming posts featuring them as I have ordered so much from this week!
A Perfect Pasta Bake
Happy Friday! Today, I want to talk about a meal that I make often. If I am going away for a while, I tend to make this meal and put it in the fridge for my housemates. If I have had a long day at university and I want something quick and yummy, I will tend to make this meal. If there is hardly anything for dinner in the house, I will tend to make this meal.
I love making pasta bakes because I can just bung everything in a big dish, cook it up and serve it.
I love making pasta bakes because I can just bung everything in a big dish, cook it up and serve it.
What you will need:
- A large, pyrex dish
- A bowl of grated cheese
- A few serving of Pasta
- Some chopped up veg (I used peas and peppers for mine)
- A pasta bake sauce
How to make it:
- Pour the servings of pasta into the glass pyrex dish and dump the sauce.
- Fill the jar which the sauce came in, up with water and pour that over the pasta as well.
- Smooth the sauce over the pasta and make sure it's covering most of it.
- Put it in the oven (Gas Mark 6) for around 15 minutes.
- Take the bake out of the oven and stir it, then put it back in for another 5 minutes.
- Take it out once again and stir in peppers or whatever veg you have chosen.
- Cover the top in cheese and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
- Boil the peas in a separate pot. (This step is solely for frozen peas or other frozen vegetables you might be using. As a student, I tend not to buy a lot of fresh vegs and just putting in the bake in the oven, it won't cook properly)
- Take the pasta bake out and mix in the peas or whatever vegetables you have chosen.
- Enjoy!
That's it! One full meal that you and your housemates can enjoy for cheap. In the wintery cold nights, when it's too expensive to have the heating on all the time, I find that this meal is a really good choice.
I hope this series is helping you feed your belly easily and cheaply! Keep tuned every Friday for more helpful tips!
A Blissful Breakfast
Welcome to my new series! I will be posting a quick and cheap meal idea or recipe every Friday for all my students or just people who are in a rush! Being a student and feeding yourself can be difficult. Whether that be because of time or just that buy fresh and healthy food is really expensive. I find breakfast really difficult, as it's usually before my lectures and I don't give myself tonnes of time to eat as I value sleep too much.
Are you in a rush in the morning? Does your breakfast suffer because you don't physically have time to make food before running out the door? Well hopefully, I have a solution.
So here is not one...but two things I prepare for my quick and cheap breakfast.
First: A Tropical Smoothie
I know what you are thinking...a smoothie? I don't have time to chop fruit and blend up a smoothie in the morning. And also, there is no way I have the money for a bunch of tropical fruit. But hear me out...
What you need to make this:
- One portion of tropical fruit mix - You can pick these up for £1.99 from Lidl or £2.30
- Half a glass of water
- A few teaspoons of Honey
The total price of snack - £2-3
Why would I have a smoothie in the morning?
Second: Peanut Butter and Apple
I have been told this is a weird combination and snack, but let me tell you if you like peanut butter and need a good, healthy snack for the morning than apple dipped in peanut butter is what you have been looking for.
What you need to make this:
What you need to make this:
- One, sliced apple 59p-£1.60
- A dollop of Peanut butter 99p-£2.99
Paired with the fruity smoothie, this light but energy full breakfast covers at least three of your five a day and helps you towards a more productive morning. I only have a small breakfast as I find it hard to eat so early in the morning, however, if this doesn't appear filling enough for you then you could always add a breakfast bar or a slice of toast as well.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first post in my new series! Stay tuned every Friday for cheap and easy meals and ideas!
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