5 Easy Recipes for StudentsBy Adam Hassanali
Being a student comes with a lot of pressure. You need to perform well at school, often work part-time, manage your finances, and take care of your health. The latter also comes with the need for the right diet and cooking for yourself. So, here are five easy recipes for students that cost little, take almost no time to prepare, and taste delicious. Enjoy!
1. Chicken noodle salad
This salad can be the perfect boxed lunch or super easy dinner for you and your friends. So, the bare minimum for this salad is lime, veggies of your choice, rice noodles, and, of course, chicken (you may get a cooked chicken at the store to save some time). Start by cooking the noodles. Just follow the recipe on the package and don’t forget to put them in the cold water once they are done. Adding some oil afterwards will also prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Next, shred the chicken and chop your vegetables. Cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots, and celery work well here. Add some chilli and mint to the salad for an extra kick and flavour. Put your noodles and chicken together. Mix in the salad or add it on the side. Squeeze in half of the lime into the bowl. Your chicken noodle salad is ready!
2. Vegan Tofu Burgers
Who says that vegetarian burgers can’t be delicious? Serve this tofu burger to your friends, and we guarantee they won’t notice the difference to their favourite beef burger. However, the tofu will be much lighter in fat and richer in calcium. Overall, such burgers will be very light, so you won’t feel stuffed afterwards. So, to cook your vegan/vegetarian burgers, you need to purchase buns, tofu, a mix of spices of your choice, greek (vegan) yoghurt, some pickles, and fresh veggies.
Start by pressing down tofu for about 15-30 minutes to squeeze any excess liquids. Next, break down tofu by hand or in a processor. Add spices of your liking, for example, smoked paprika, garlic/onion powder, coriander, etc. Form big patties and fry them up in a pan on both sides till brown. Finish them up in an oven for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, start working on your coleslaw. Thinly chop your preferred veggies and greens. Add some greek yoghurt and lime juice to the mix. Assemble the burgers once your tofu buns are ready. You can use any additional condiments and make a tomato sauce.
3. Classic tomato spaghetti
Classic tomato pasta is probably one of those dishes that any student can make on the first try. In fact, it’s one of the simplest yet nutritious and mouth-watering dishes you can make in less than half an hour. So, to start, you will need some pasta of your choice (a classic choice of spaghetti is always welcome), tinned tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a little bit of olive oil. That’s it! Of course, you can experiment and add other products to your liking into the sauce or on the side. However, the classic recipe doesn’t require anything else than these five ingredients.
So, to start, get a pot with water on the stove. Drop your pasta in when the water starts to boil. Let it slightly simmer, but don’t let any big bubbling. While you wait for your water, start the sauce. Add some olive oil into the pan, followed by thinly chopped garlic. If you have fresh basil leaves, add them too. Just drop them whole, so they infuse their flavour into the oil. You can get them out later. Next, add the tomatoes once the garlic starts to turn yellow. Mix all the ingredients and let them simmer to reduce the liquids. Once the sauce is ready, put your pasta in the pan and give it a good swirl. You are done! Grate some cheese on top of it when serving.
4. Tuna fish cakes
There is nothing more simple and delicious than easy tuna fish cakes. All you need is canned tuna, potatoes, mayo, and some parsley. You can also use breadcrumbs and eggs for breading if you want. Start by boiling and mashing the potatoes. Once the potatoes are nice and smooth, add the drained tuna, chopped parsley (or other greens like chives), and about two tablespoons of mayo. Form small patties, dip them in eggs and breadcrumbs before frying.
5. Lentil soup
Lentils are a great product. They are super cheap, full of nutrients, including proteins, and very versatile. Hence, lentils can be a great choice for students. Besides, they are super easy to cook. Take this lentil soup, for example. You will need only several ingredients, such as red lentils, chicken broth, and carrots. Next, roast your carrots in some oil and spices of your choice in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add lentils to the mixture and roast them for a minute or two before adding the broth (use 1:3 proportions). Once everything is soft and cooked, use a blender to create a smooth, silky texture. Add some coconut cream or greek yoghurt when serving.
And for those of you who dont fancy cooking…
6. Burger
Deliveroo is fuelling students with the Boost Burger, a first of its kind nutrient-packed burger inspired by the student-saviour dissolvable vitamin C tablets. Created in partnership with registered nutritionist, Jenna Hope, the burger is available on Deliveroo for 99p, fuelling students with the ultimate takeaway and hangover cure to help them get through Freshers Week . Students in London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester can get their hands on the burger from 17th-23rd September when they sign up for Deliveroo Students. Deliveroo Students is also FREE to sign up too! You just need a uni email and then you get free delivery on all orders and offers on restaurants.