As we begin University, a lot of us are leaving home for the first time and the thought of cleaning, making your own bed (let’s be real here, we won’t do it) and COOKING for ourselves may be very daunting. Getting a take-away every day of the year sounds like a good idea. It really isn’t. Not for your pocket nor your health.
So if you’re looking to not eat chips, pizza and pot noodles for the majority of time you’ll be here at uni (I’d say all the time, but I love myself a cheeky slice of pizza every now and then), this is what you should be reading. Let Mama Amy teach you a thing or two about cooking.
Cabbage Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup rice (to cook) or one packet pre-cooked rice
1 cup water
1-2 eggs
3 leaves Chinese cabbage, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs (optional)
Method:
- Cook your rice as you would, I recommend cooking white rice with 1 cup rice and 1 cup water, in a rice cooker, if you don’t have one, just add more water and boil it in a pan over slow fire. Make sure to stir it occasionally if you don’t want it to stick to the pot.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add chopped onion and garlic and cook till slightly golden.
- Add in Chinese cabbage and then break egg into the pot (1-2 depending on how much egg you would like).
- Once cabbage appears to be a little wilted, where it seems to have reduced in size, add in cooked rice.
- Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and mixed herbs to taste and mix it up until rice is well coated, add additional soy sauce if desired.
Kidney Bean Pasta
250g pasta tricolore
400g chopped tomatoes or 1 can chopped tomatoes
240g kidney beans, drained from 1 can
100g water
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg (optional)
Method:
- Add the pasta, water, chopped tomatoes and kidney beans into a pan and boil for 10 minutes or until cooked.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- If you would like to fry an egg, then it’s up to you to eat it that way, otherwise, it’s good eaten on its own. Fabulous for lazy days.
Chocolate mug cake
Ingredients:
4 tbsp self-raising flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 medium egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil
A few drops vanilla or other essence
2 tbsp chocolate chips/nuts etc (optional)
Method:
- Use the largest mug you have to avoid it overflowing in the microwave.
- Add the flour, sugar and cocoa powder to the mug and mix.
- Add the egg to the mixture. Mix in as much as you can but don’t worry if there’s still dry mix left.
- Add all the other ingredients apart from the chocolate chips etc. (if you are adding) and mix until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and/or the nuts and mix well.
- Pop your mug in the microwave cook on high for 4-5 mins, or until it has stopped rising and is firm to the touch.
Overnight oats
Ingredients:
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup (heaping) rolled oats
⅔ cup unsweetened milk of choice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Method:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Spoon into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Close and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before eating
Whether you’re looking for a quick dinner, a quick breakfast or a quick dessert, there’s something here for everyone. You can have good hearty meals without breaking the bank. Just give these recipes a try and by the end of the year, you may very well have perfected these recipes and may have some tricks up your sleeves that you could use to surprise friends and family. Hope this helps! Bon apetit!
