Food and Recipes, Freshers and Settling In, Money, Only in Worcester, Social Life, Student Life, Top Tips, Uncategorized
by Lauren Reid

QUICK AND EASY HEALTHY STUDENT MEALS

Looking for some quick and easy meals to make whilst at uni? Oh and of course, they need to be healthy? Hopefully some of these ideas will give you a little inspiration for some tasty meals. I am no cooking expert, but I definitely have my favourite meals

1) The budget saving.. Mexican pulled chicken & beans recipe

What you need:

  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
  • 3 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1 large onion finely sliced
  • 2 x 400g cans black beans, drained
  • 400g cans kidney beans drained
  • Handful parsley
  • Coriander or mint, roughly chopped
  • small iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • ½ cucumber, diced
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Large bag of tortilla chips, to serve
  • Lime

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 180C. Add chipotle paste to 2 chicken thighs. Add the rest of the chicken thighs into a large bowl with the garlic, tomatoes, onion and add some seasoning of your choice. Stir everything to combine then tip into a large roasting tin or any tin. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
  2. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and add all the beans and stir it into the tomato mixture around the chicken. Put the tin back into the oven, uncovered for around 20 minutes until the chicken is tender.
  3. Mix the herbs and lettuce with the cucumber. Shred the chicken and mix it all together to create a super yummy delicious mexican pulled chicken.

2) Minced up Jacket Potatoes

Now I love a good ol’ jacket potato, but what is a jacket potato without some good stuff in it? That’s right, a rubbish jacket potato. So, I give you.. The Fully Loaded Jacket Potato! 

What you need:

  • 2x Baked potatoes (or however many potatoes you need!)
  • 300g of beef mince or turkey mince
  • 1 crushed garlic clove and some onions
  • 350ml of Passata
  • Paprika/chilli (You can pop some mixed herbs in here too if you have some handy)
  • Hint of cheese.. go on!
  • 1/2 of an onion

Method:

  1. Use a fork to prick the baked potatoes and bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 200C oven
  2. To make the chilli, heat a pan with a little bit of oil, add the onion and garlic, your spices and some seasoning and cook for 5 minutes until it is soft.
  3. Add in the mince and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon. When it is cooked through, add the passata to the pan and reduce to simmer and cook for another 10 minutes until the liquid in the pan is reduced.
  4. Cut open the jacket potato and spoon the chilli in, add a hint of cheese and VOILA fully loaded jacket potatoes!

Another quick easy healthy student meal you can make is a good old chicken caesar salad. If you want to use stuff up from your fridge before going out and doing another shop then you can make a big stir fry or salad. It’s best to always use up stuff in your fridge or freezer before going out to shop again – waste not want not! 

What are your favourite cheap eats?

Lauren xx