2011 Blogging Highlights

It’s New Years Eve and in true New Years fashion I’m going to do a little reflecting on my blogging adventure to date including the trials and tribulations, and of course, the best recipes so far!

I started the blog in April of this year. I had been following other people’s blogs for about 6 months prior and needed somewhere to document my own creations and experiments. Since then, I have connected with fellow bloggers on a whole new level and I’ve been even more creative than before!

Here are my 10 favourite recipes of 2011:

After Dinner Cupcakes

At Christmas we get through a mountain of After Eights and Matchmakers. Everyone loves a dark chocolate filled with mint after their dinner. So when we ran out, I though why not make an after dinner cupcake! A chocolate bun with peppermint icing and sprinkled candy cane on top!

By tweaking a standard cupcake recipe I was able to make these delicious after dinner cupcakes!

Turkey Supreme Leftovers!

I my house, it is not the turkey curry that reigns supreme the week after Christmas, but...Turkey Supreme!

The rest of the year this is my Mums go to dish when there's chicken in the fridge and she's been forced to cook, but it never tastes as good as it does when it is made with leftover turkey!

It is also a good dish to kick-start those healthy eating habits! Minus the butter in the roux, the rest of the dish is relatively low fat! Especially if you use skimmed milk to make the white sauce.

So if you're still looking for ways to finish off the last of that turkey, this is the recipe for you!

Ps. Don't be afraid to put the dark meat in, that just makes it taste EVEN better!!!

Christmas Cake

Christmas would not be complete without a Christmas Cake. Fact.

Everyone's Granny has their own recipe, yet more often than not people buy a shop bought cake. Even those members of my family who decorate their own cakes buy the fruitcake from a Supermarket first. Considering my Mum and Dad were famous for their Christmas Cakes before they had children, I couldn't understand why everyone avoided making their own. If my parents could make one every year without fail...why couldn't everyone else?

So, armed with a near-illegible copy of my parents old recipe, this year I decided to make my own cake.

I was pleasantly surprised with just how easy it is. Though...the proof is in the pudding as they say, and when you've never made a cake before, don't know what its consistency, colour, texture etc should be it's a scary thought offering it up to guests!

Fortunately for me it seems my first attempt was a success! (Though it was some what larger than anticipated and is now nicknamed the monster Christmas Cake.)

So, if I can do it, so can you! I urge all of you to make your own Christmas Cake this year! I have started my own tradition, so why not start your own too!!!

Here is my recipe, I am sure it will not fail you.

WARNING: This is highly boozy! (Though Delia assures me you can replace the brandy for orange juice for a more family friendly cake).

Mince Pies

Happy Christmas Eve fellow food lovers! Tis the season to be jolly...and eat lots of mince pies!

Every Christmas Eve I take part in two of my favourite food traditions! With my Dad, I get up super-early and go to the Butchers to get our Turkey and other meaty-trimmings, then in the afternoon/evening we make mince pies!

If you haven't made any yet, there is still time to make them before Santa comes! I know, normally I work 'til 5pm on Christmas Eve and still manage to get a batch in before we head off out to our annual Christmas party at a family friends. So if you've got an hour to spare follow the recipe below and you will have beautiful mince pies, better than any shop bought variety!

Here's the recipe...

Red and Green Velvet Rudolf Cupcakes!

A week ago I shared with you the long list of Christmas cooking that I would be embarking on in the run up to Christmas, somehow I’ve actually managed to start it!!!

It’s been so busy since I returned home for the holiday’s but on Sunday I made my red and green velvet Rudolf cupcakes! They were so popular at my Grandad’s birthday/post-Carol Service Party that I’ve had requests to make more!

Fortunately for me they are quick and easy, and unlike many recipes (The Humming Bird Bakery included) they don’t require any fancy ingredients – just store cupboard staples!

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Harissa spiced Lamb Steak with cous cous and moroccan veg.

I am absolutely terrible at going to the reduced section in supermarkets - when I see a bargain I simply can't resist it, so somehow (despite my normal tendency to shy away from meat, in particular lamb and beef) I found myself taking home two huge lamb steaks!

What on earth was I going to do with these?!

I do a delicious veggie tagine (even if I do say so myself) which you can find here, so I wanted to do something a little different, but still with a Moroccan edge, and I came up with this recipe!

The basic idea is that you have slow cooked veg and chickpeas inspired by a traditional tagine, lemon and coriander cous cous, with a big fat juicy harrisa spice lamb steak on top!

Sound good?

Well here's the recipe:

Sausage and Pasta Pieces

This is one of my favourite thrown together dishes! It really doesn't require much effort, nor any fancy or expensive ingredients! (Anchovies are optional!)

At just x£1.10 per portion its the perfect dish for any student!

Pricing (based on Asda basics range unless otherwise specified)

Sausages 21p, pasta 5p see my post on Mackerel and Cream Cheese Pasta for proof on just how cheap pasta is these days!, pasatta 25p, olives 19p, red onion 8p, yellow pepper 30p, garlic 2p

Total = £1.10

The only thing I would recommend, is using a pasta that has a big whole in the middle! For example large sea shells! This type of pasta is perfect for chunky sauces as the hollow of the pasta fills up with pieces of sausage and bits of veg - hence giving the dish the name Sausage and Pasta Pieces!

Here's the recipe I hope you enjoy!

Beef Chilli

Any students out there in need of a winter warmer? Then this chilli is for you! If you like it hot, turn up the heat and add more chilli, if you like it cool, why not serve with a dollop of sour cream?

You may notice that the recipe does not include kidney beans, and that instead I used borlotti beans. Personally I think these make the chilli even tastier and now I've started using them I certainly won't be going back!

After being blown away by just how delicious they were (and in anticipation of writing this post) I thought I'd do a little bit of research about them, and I found out that they are actually a variety of kidney bean! Who would've thought!!!

Their flavour is nutty and they have a creamy texture. Apparently they are more commonly used in Italian and Portuguese cusine, but they worked perfectly in this chilli!

Of course I won't be offended if you go back to the standard kidney bean! 

My favourite thing about this recipe however is not just how delicious the beans make it, but how versatile it is. I've already made suggestions for turning up (or down) the heat, but it can also be served in a variety of ways.

This Guy Fawkes Night a made dinner for my mum, dad, sister, boyfriend and house mate, and served this chilli inside warmed taco shells! I've never seen plates left so clean!!! Last night I served it with fluffy white rice, but tonight I will be having it with a jacket potato and salad!

Bear in mind if you are someone who lives on your own this will serve two. It's a brilliant dish for batch cooking and you can either leave some for the next day, alternatively it freezes really well.

Here's the recipe...

Stuffed Aubergines with Bechamel Sauce

This has to be one of my favourtie recipes! Pefect for sharing with someone special, this dish is quick and easy to make at the same time as being very very tasty.

Sometimes it can be hard when you look in your fridge/freezer to come up with new and interesting ideas. You see a bag of mince and shpeherds pie/spag bol/lasagne springs to mind. When you see an aubergine it screams curry or mousakka! This is a twist on a few of these recipes to create something new!

Mackerel and Cream Cheese Pasta

One of the main things that stops me being a vegetarian is that I would miss fish too much! Red meat I can do without, though it is nice for a treat once in a while, and chicken and turkey are just nice for a bit of variety, but fish...I definitely couldn't live without! I need my brain food!

Not so long a go a friend of mine introduced me to this dish - I don't know his exact recipe, and didn't have him around to ask so I thought I would experiment, luckily for me it was a success!

The pasta is hearty, cheese is creamy, brocolli is fresh, and mackerel salty which makes it the perfectly balanced dish!

What's more, the combination of cheap ingredients and the omega 3 (a.k.a. brain food) makes it brilliant for students!

Spicy Prawn Noodles

When I first started this blog, I posted a delicious vegetable stir fry! This is a fishy variation of! It is delicious, simple and super healthy!

I love cooking stir fry's so much because they taste so authentic, with the right ingredients you can create a Chinese dish that could have come straight out of a chinese restaurant!

Enjoy!

Hot Chilli Bangers with Caramelised Onions

Halloweens been and gone and Bonfire night is just round the corner so that can only mean one thing - the clocks have gone back, and the cold dark nights are drawing in!!!

The sweet and spicy marinade on these sausages will keep you warm and put a spring in your step, even when its dark and dingy outside!

If you're on a budget, why not serve these in hot dog buns on fireworks night to keep friends and family warm!

Pricing (based on Asda's own brand unless otherwise specified):

Sausages 21p, Onion 8p, Honey 10p, Tomato Puree 5p, Chilli 1p, Garlic 2p, Water FREE!

Total per serving =  47p

Halloween Cookie Creations!

Halloween is just one sleep away and I am fully prepared for my Halloween party!!! Well almost...aside making the blood punch...getting dressed up...and buying sweets for the trick or treaters...but that's not the point!

Pumpkin is carved, and the cookies are done!

I chose a really simple egg free sugar cookie recipe, and after buying some £1 Halloween cutters from wilkos was ready to quite literally roll out the dough and get cooking!

The icing was the fun part...I'm not going to lie! With a box of Silver Spoon Royal Icing Powder and by watching the tutorials by The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle you cannot go wrong!

Since following her blog for just under a month, I have become OBSESSED! And will be honing my icing skills over Christmas - if you know me personally...expect a jar of Christmas cookies when I see you around the festive season!

My favourite icing tip however came from this website: Karen's Cookies.net - all you need is an icing bag...and some cling film...trust me this little tip is a godsend if you hate washing out icing bags!

So without further a do, here are my cookies and sugar cookie recipe!

Brie and Tomato Home-made Gourmet Paninis!

The University of Nottingham's Library Cafe sells hot panini's for just under £3...thats right £3!!! What student in their right mind has £3 to spend on lunch?! Thats's before even factoring in a drink!

That's why...I decided to invest in my own panini baguettes.

My boyfriend's sister's husband...(I may eventually be able to say brother in law?), as far as I am concerned is the panini king, and he inspired me to start making my own (Thanks Russ :D)

So, I nipped to the shops this weekend to stock up on ingredients so that I could eat gourmet sandwhiches allonsgide all the rich students in the library knowing that my panini cost half the price!

One of these delicious sandwhiches will set you back just 93p!

Two Ways with Trout

I love, love, love when things I can’t normally afford to buy are on offer in the supermarket! I don’t know why people don’t make more of reduced sections!!!

At the beginning of the academic year, as I did my first big supermarket shop I stumbled across a pack of two trout fillets for just £1. That’s right £1, saving me around £3.50!!! So with their best before date coming to an end I wacked them straight in the freezer!

Now, as the reading is piling up, and tutorials are kicking in, I’ve been in desperate need for brain food and I got my trout out to defrost...now all I needed were two delicious trout recipes to cook up a storm!

Here are my two ways with trout:

Creamy Sausage Pasta

My life at the minute is HECTIC! In true law student style, the moutain of reading is piling up, and evening networking events with law firms have meant that I've barely stepped foot in my kitchen for the last two weeks, but last night as I sat watching cookery programme after cookery programme I knew I had to get back into the kicthen and cook a delicious student staple - creamy sausage pasta.

I developed this recipe in my first year of uni - as you probably know Total Yogurt (0% fat Greek yogurt) is one of my favourtie ingredients, good for you but super creamy, it can make any dish feel extremely naughty, without piling on the pounds.

This is just another recipe where that magic incredient makes all the difference!

By combining sausages, plenty of garlic, mushrooms and onion with salt, pepper and vegetable stock cube and that creamy yogurt you are left with a rich and creamy sauce that will rival any carbonara!

But the best thing about this dish isn't the taste...it's the price.

Based on Asda's own brand (unless otherwise specified)

Yogurt 44p, Sausages 26p, Mushrooms 24p, Onion 10p, Spaghetti 9p, Garlic 6p, Stock Cubes 6p

Total based on 2 portions: £1.25

Total for an individual portion: 63p

Here's how you cook it!

Blog Action Day #BAD11

Today is Blog Action Day! For those of you who don’t know, Blog Action Day has been running since 2007 and aims to unite bloggers by getting them to post about a single, important, global topic on the same day. You can register to participate at http://blogactionday.org/ or visit to just learn more about the day and read others posts.
This year the date has coincided with World Food day, and accordingly the topic chosen is food! The website suggests a whole range of topics including:

·         My favourite food

·         The famine in Africa

·         To be organic or not to be that is the question

·         Hunger and poverty

·         Best and worst food memory

·         Slow Food, Fast Food: what does it actually mean?

·         Malnutrition

·         Conflict over food: will new wars be about arable land

·         Is your hamburger hurting the environment

And many, many more!

I wanted to touch on the philosophical, political maybe ethical but none of the topic titles really jumped out at me until I saw ‘Strangest Thing You’ve Ever Eaten’ and it was decided. So here is my Blog Action Day post.

Caramel Cupcakes

After watching the first episode of The Great British Bake Off on demand at the weekend, I was overcome with the urge to bake! So, at 7 o clock in the evening, I got my sous chef (a.k.a Jonny my boyfriend) to join me in the kitchen to whip up a batch of cupcakes!

After a bit of rummaging in his mums cupboards (I'll replace the ingredients Mrs Moore I promise!) I stumbled across some soft brown sugar and decided to tweak my normal recipe and come up with something a little more grown up!

If you have a sweet tooth, these are the cakes for you! If you don't want your children to need fillings, I recommend keeping them all for yourselves!

Here's how you make these delicious cakes!

Oaty Apple Crumble

Autumn has finally arrived! The leaves are falling from the trees, wooly jumpers are being worn, and yummy warm soup is filling my tummy at lunchtimes! But, when I get home after a hard days work, and I've whipped up a dinner, there's just one more things that makes an Autumn day complete...Oaty Apple Crumble!

This isn't quite your traditional apple crumble, with the toppoing including porridge oats which makes it slightly crispier and more of a dense, gooey yummy crumble topping! Best served with a huge dollop of 0% fat 'Total' Yogurt for guilt free pleasure, or ice-cream if you're feeling naughty!

Here's my recipe:

Low Fat Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta Bake

Diets - lets be honest, they are restrictive, they're not the same as teaching yourself healthy eating habits, and on diets there are certain foods that are off limits including creamy, cheesey pasta bakes!

However, I have come up with a delicious alternative to normal creamy jars of pasta bake that mean when you're 'dieting' or trying to get back into healthy eating habits, you can still have a big bowl of comfort food and not feel the guilt!

My healthy eating saviour is 0% fat Greek yogurt (in case your wondering I use Total!), this is what gives the dish its distinct creaminess (you may have noticed it in my curries too!), so you may need to nip down to the supermarkets to get the ingredients but it will be WELL worth it! Trust me!

I'd also recommend either using wholewheat pasta or pasta with low dietary carbs like Dreamfields but its not essential!

Nottingham World Market

Today I popped into the City Centre for some rather tedious chores, but was soon confronted by a sea of marquees!

As I saw the little white tents I was filled with excitement! I'd completely forgotten about the number of markets held in Nottingham's Market Square over the autumn months - how I forgot I don't know...it is in the name after all!

Today was the World Market! According to the Nottingham website here for ONE DAY ONLY - sorry to those Nottingham readers who thought they might pop down tomorrow, you're a little too late!

So, how did The Nottingham World Market end up on this food blog?

[Burger Recipe] Turkey Burgers with Sweet Potato Wedges

 

UPDATED: 6th May 2013

I originally came up with this recipe in my third year at university. A new academic year gave me the chance to get even more experimental in the kitchen and with all the stresses that final year brings I was determined that I would keep my health and weight in check.

It was my sister who first suggested to me that I tried turkey mince in my cooking. At the time she was a member of slimming world and she still follows their ethos today. With a pack of mince in my fridge I wanted to come up with something a bit more exiting rather than using it in a spaghetti bolognaise.

Unfortunately it seems everyone now knows that turkey mince is much leaner than beef mince and it is rising and rising in popularity. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this also means the price has risen. Just a year ago a pack of turkey mince set me back just under £2. Today it will cost  you more like 3. Ironically if you want extra lean this costs you even more!!! Even though they’ve taken fat out! Work that one out.

That said it is popular for a reason and now that I’ve returned to my parents home whilst at law school I’ve managed to introduce it into their diets too.

They love this recipe so much I decided I would give the whole post a facelift. So here you’ll see new word (you’re reading them now...) and new photos. But I assure you the recipe remains the same!

So back to the recipe...

Because this burger is made with turkey mince instead of traditional beef mince it means you can experiment with flavours much more. Thai turkey burgers are popular all over the internet but this recipe is a little bit different.

These are inspired by the southern states of the USA. They have a smokey paprika flavour and are served with sweet potato wedges. BBQ sauce or mayonnaise wouldn’t feel out of place served as a condiment should you choose.

The subtle warmth that the paprika and cayenne brings means that the turkey mince is still very much the star so if you ever needed convincing to swap beef mince for turkey mince this is the recipe to try!

Banana and Choc-Chip Muffins

Both my housemate and I have had a rough couple of days with family in and out of hospital, and as a result I thought I would whip up a quick batch of something naughty but nice to cheer us up!

Banana and chocolate chip muffins – keep the chocolate as dark as you dare, and the banana will provide the perfect sweet balance to keep your taste buds excited.

Best served warm!

Toad in the hole!

First of all a quick applogy to those of you who have been visiting my blog in the last couple of days and have been dissapointed at the lack in posting - unfortunately I have had some bad news this week, and haven't been able to update as frequently as  I normally like to.

But, nevertheless, I'm back updating today with a brilliant comfort food recipe - Toad in the Hole!

My mum used to make this a lot when we were children. As soon as autumn dawned, and the leaves began to fall, out came her trusty toad in the hole recipe to keep us warm!

Therefore, this is my go to recipe when the weather begins to turn and the nights get darker!

It's such a simple recipe, and guarenteed to please!

Here's how you do it:

Aubergine and Pesto Bake

I learnt an interesting fact today while my dinner sat in the oven, the delicious smell of aubergine, tomato and pesto wafting through to my lounge – aubergines (also known as eggplant in America), are NOT a vegetable, in fact they are a berry!

People are often unsure of what to do with aubergines as they are notorious for acting as a sponge, and soaking up lots of oil making dishes with them in quite fatty. In this recipe however, the aubergines merely soak up the juices of the pesto and tomato making for a really flavoursome dish!


Enjoy!

Low-fat Apple Tea Cake

At the minute I have two culinary conundrums... Firstly, my apple tree is HEAVING! We can't catch them quick enough as they fall off the tree, secondly I have eaten far too indulgently over the last two months of being at home and am in desperate need of a few more healthy treats in my recipe file!

This recipe was my saviour! A tasty treat, but with a lot less fat than your average cake recipe!

(NB. This recipe was adapted from an original Weight Watchers recipe)
Enjoy!

Food Trend #4 - Miniature Pies

The latest food trend that is taking off over the pond is the Miniature Pie trend.

These pies may be sweet or savoury, and are becoming one of the most fashionable snacks, lunches and dinners! Pie shops are popping up all over America (and slowly in England – remember MyPie on the Apprentice, and here The Pie Shop in Covent Garden)

Some even offer ‘Pie Happy Hour!’

National Cupcake Week – celebrating with Lemon Meringue Cakes

It is National Cupcake week, and we are already two days in! But I have been busy baking away and have an exciting new recipe to bring you in celebration of National Cupcake Week – Lemon Meringue Cakes!

This recipe is inspired by one of my favourite desserts, the lemon meringue pie, but is cute and dainty, perfect to serve at tea parties for special guests.

Yorkshire Puddings!

It's a Sunday and that means one thing...roast dinner, with yorkshire puddings!

Now...I know this will be a shock to most...but I’m not actually a big fan of the roast dinner! I love all of its components, the mountains of veg, pools of gravy, and the succulent meat, but for some reason they’ve never been my favourite meal.

However, despite not being a roast dinner connoisseur,  I do know one thing – a good roast dinner can be made outstanding with the addition of one simple component, the Yorkshire Pudding!

What is even better, is that they are incredibly simple to make, and cheap! What more could a student want!

Freshers Foodie Tip #10 - Cut out the MEAT!

You may be a carnivore BUT meat is expensive, even if you buy the cheap and nasty veiny stuff – yuck!!! A veggie curry is just as nice as a chicken one, and is more authentic!

There are plenty of recipes on this site that you might want to try: 

• Lumaconi Alla Vodka
• Stuffed Butternut Squash with Cheese Muffins
• Garden Curry
• Spinach Lasagna Rolls
• Rice and Lentil Pilaf
• Spaghetti Puttanemma
• Lentil Lasagna
• Nepalese Curried Vegetables with Lentils
• Butternut Squash with Pine nut and Sage
• Veggie Tagine with Cous cous
• Veggie Stir Fry

You may not think a recipe missing meat will be nice, or fill you up, BUT you’d be COMPLETELY wrong.

Of course you can treat yourself every now and then! But don’t just live off cheap and nasty chicken. Get your protein from much cheaper sources - for example pulses!

Meatless Monday is huge in America, and is a brilliant place to start! Bring the next big food trend to your halls!

Freshers Foodie Tip #9 - Grow Your Own!

Want some FREE food? Then grow your own!

Freshers Foodie Tip #8 - The Freezer is Your Friend

Claim space in the freezer...if you haven’t already done it run and do it now! If you haven't moved into halls yet make it the first thing you do!

Freshers Foodie Tip #7 - Cook From Scratch

You can’t deny cooking from scratch is cheaper! Just check out the price of my pizza dough, at less than 11p, you couldn’t even have one slice of Domino’s for that much!

So start cooking from scratch for healthier, tastier and cheaper food. Follow this blog for almost daily updates of new scrummy food to try!

Freshers Foodie Tips #6 - Friends who cook together buy a house together in 2nd year!

Suggest one night of the weak where your whole flat cooks together to spread the cost!

Winter Warmer - Apple and Blackberry Pie!

This was originally inspired by Augusts Cultivate, Cook and Click Competition over at WeGrowOurOwn.co.uk. Unfortunately due to job interviews and assessment days, I completely lost track of time and forgot to submit it!

But, this is a really quick and easy recipe that I have discovered is PERFECT for freezing! That means that you can forage for blackberries, and collect apples from your tree as they fall, and prepare a delicious Winter Warmer, despite the fact its still August!

Freshers Foodie Tip #5 - Plan your meals!

We are half-way through my Top 10 Freshers Foodie Tips, and hopefully you're already feeling a bit more confident about heading off to uni!

Tip number 5 is to quite simply plan your meals.

This may sound boring, but there are a number of benefits!

Firstly, not only will this stop you going to the shops and buying EVERYTHING in sight because it all looks so yummy... (Supermarkets are cleverly designed to make you buy everything you don’t need)...but it will also prevent food waste! If you know you’re going to eat it, you know it’s not going to end up in the bin a month later once it’s gone mouldy at the back of the fridge!

For those of you who don't want to put on "The Freshers 7" (the number of lbs the average fresher puts on in their first term), then this will also stop you giving in an ordering take-aways. If you already have dinner planned, you can easily say no, when someone comes knocking with the pizza menu!!!

Fresher's Foodie Tip #4 - Economy Ranges

Economy/basics ranges are your friends!

Even as someone who LOVES food, and always tries to seek out the bets quality ingredients...in some instances, there is no reason why you shouldn't opt for economy! They really don’t taste any worse! It’s not the price it’s what you do with it that matters!!!

For example...

Nepalese Curried Vegetable with Lentils and Home-made Chapathis

A week ago, my family had an old friend come to stay. Her name is Aurelia, and when she was a child she came to stay with my family every year as an exchange student from France, in the hope that we would teach her some English! It’s a tradition my family has had for generations, her father staying with my grandparents when he was a child too!

I think it’s fair to say that in the time she’s spent with us she has taught us just as much as we’ve taught her!

When she came to stay this time round, she decided to teach me a new type of food – Nepalese. She visited Nepal for a couple of months and lived with a number of families eating their traditional food.

Below is our interpretation of the dishes she ate on her travel – as authentic as they can possibly be.

So here is Nepalese Curried Vegetables with Lentil and Home-made Chapathis! (aka chapattis, chapatis).

Chapathis are my new favourite thing to cook!  SO quick and easy, and good fun to make! (Though do not set your tea-towel on fire as I did!!!!!)

The London Cupcake Tour

Every summer my family and I take a trip round London! Normally we go to Oxford St, look round the shops, and do the sights like Buckingham Palace.

This year I decided we would do an alternative tour – The London Cupcake Tour! (As originally seen on An American Cupcake In London – Kerrycooks also recently took the tour and you can read her post here A-Cupcake-Tour-Of-London)

Our tour looked a little something like this:

Harrods Food Hall – Lola’s Cupcakes

Candy cakes

Ella’s Bakery

Primrose Bakery

Hummingbird Bakery

View The Kitchen Goddess (in training!)'s London Cupcake Tour in a larger map


Here are my reviews of each of the cupcakeries!

Freshers Foodie Tip #3 - Store cupboard essentials

One of the most important bits of advice is, on your first big shop it to stock up on the basics!

If you’re lucky enough to convince your rents to do your first big shop at uni (and even if you aren't), DON’T just put alcohol in the trolley (although essential), also make sure you do some bulk buying of store cupboard essentials, that way they’ll be in the back of your cupboard for the rest of term and it works out much cheaper in the long run!

Asian style salmon with cucumber and red onion dipping sauce and warm pak choy salad

This is a lovely fresh and vibrant healthy fish recipe. It’s perfect for eating al fresco in the summer sunshine!

For roughly 350 calories, you can enjoy it guilt free! I recommend flaking the succulent salmon and dipping in the cucumber and onion dipping sauce, or munching it with the warm pak choi salad! There are some many delicious flavours you won’t believe that it’s healthy!

Chop sticks are a must – a bowl of sticky rice is optional!

Freshers Food Tip #2 - Learn the basics

The second piece of advice that I have is quite simply, learn some basic cooking skills.

Burnt scrambled egg will cost you £15.52. 52p for the eggs you burnt. £15 for having to order dominoes because that was all you had left in the fridge!

Chopping your finger off while slicing onions will cost you £8. £4 for the taxi journey to the hospital, £4 for the taxi journey back! (Hopefully by the time you get home a house mate will have used the onions to cook you dinner though...otherwise add on an extra £15 for dominoes!)

You can see my Top 10 Tips for Beginngers here.

The tips include: what basic equipment you will need, heating oil, defrosting food safely, cooking pasta, dippy eggs, jacket potatoes, basic stir-fry, omlette, cheese sauce and gravy!

I hope they help!