Fajitas

Fajitas

This week, I have decided to go back to Mexican cuisine for everyone's favourite,  fajitas! Fajita's are simple and easy to prepare and like my previous blogs, are easy to adapt for a range of diets and preferences.  Because of this, fajitas are a great dish to cook for others as they have a variety of toppings which guests can add as they please meaning its a winner for even the fussy eaters! 

I went with the classic chicken fajitas and have included the recipe below however feel free to substitute the chicken for extra veg or another meat of your preference.  This week I purchased the ingredients at Tesco as they have a club card offer on chicken breasts.  All of the ingredients cost around £8 (not including the toppings) and serves 4 which comes out to £2 a serving. 

In the quesadilla recipe, some people in the comments had asked about which specific seasoning to use for the chicken.  For this dish I used the ‘Smoky’ chicken mix from Tesco's own brand.  While the branded mixes are still good, I actually find Tesco's own to be better and cheaper. 

Ingredients 

For the mix: 

• 3 bell peppers 

• 2 onions 

• 950g chicken breast 

• 50g chicken seasoning mix (store-bought or pre-made) 

Optional toppings: 

• Salsa 

• Guacamole 

• Sour cream 

• Grated cheddar cheese 

• Jalapeños 

 

Method 

1. 1. Prepare the chicken: 

Chop the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and rub with the chicken seasoning. 

Let the seasoned chicken rest in the fridge while you prepare the vegetables. 

2. 2. Prepare the vegetables: 

Chop the bell peppers into small pieces and slice the onions. 

3. 3. Cook the chicken and vegetables: 

Heat olive oil in separate pans over medium heat. 

Fry the chicken until crispy on the outside and fully cooked through (white in the middle). 

In another pan, fry the onions and peppers for about 10 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. 

4. 4. Serve: 

Serve the chicken and vegetable mixture with tortillas and your choice of toppings. 

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All about Pasta

 

All about Pasta

 

Pasta is one of the best dishes for any student to learn as there are many different recipes and variations that can be made.  Pasta also keeps relatively well meaning it is a great meal to cook in bulk and then keep for the rest of the week.  The recipe that I have cooked this week is a simple tomato pasta sauce with added meatballs.  I find this tomato sauce to be a great beginner sauce as it is quick and easy to cook but can be easily expanded to cook other dishes as desired. 

 

 

An advantage of this recipe is that on its own it is vegan however additional ingredients such as meatballs or sausage mince can be added at a later stage making it the perfect dish if you are cooking for others with a mix of diets.  Once you have given the recipe a try, have a look for more pasta recipes and let me know what you cook!

 

The cost for the ingredients was around £4 (not including cost of meatballs) meaning that it is only around a pound a portion!  I got my ingredients from Lidl as they have the value for money for tinned goods as well as fresh vegetables.

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 large white onion (chopped) 

• 3 cloves garlic (crushed) 

• 2 tins chopped tomatoes 

• 1 tsp salt 

• 1 tsp sugar 

• ½ tsp oregano 

• 1 ½ tsp tomato puree 

• 24 meatballs (optional) 

• ½ glass red wine (optional) 

• 400g pasta (spaghetti, penne, etc.) 

• Parmesan (for serving) 

• Fresh basil (for serving) 

 

Method: 

1. Fry the meatballs in a large pan until browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a separate dish

2. In the same pan, fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic for about 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown and soften. 

3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, salt, sugar, oregano, wine, and tomato puree. Let the sauce simmer for 7-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional seasoning if preferred.

4. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain when done. 

5. Add the cooked meatballs back into the sauce, and let them simmer for a few more minutes until they are heated through. 

6. Add the cooked pasta into the sauce, ensuring it’s well coated. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of basil leaves. 

 

 

 

 

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The Secrets of Quesadillas

 

Quesadillas are one of my favourite quick dishes for one main reason.  They are a great way to use up leftover ingredients as there is no wrong answers when it comes to.  From breakfast themed meals to late night snacks there is always a different way to make quesadillas.  For this post I have used my own recipe (Below) for a classic chicken and pepper quesadilla.  The recipe is quick and easy to follow and is perfect for a fridge clearing meal when you can’t get to the shops!   

Another reason that quesadillas are one of my favourite quick meals is that like a curry, it is super easy to add in your own twist or take ingredients out you aren’t keen on also giving the option to make the recipe vegetarian or vegan.

 

The ingredients for this recipe cost me £5 from Aldi and the recipe makes enough for 3 quesadillas bringing the cost of each meal to £1.67. Ready to try the recipe now?  Head out and get your ingredients and let me know what variations you manage to come up with yourself! 

 Ingredients:

 

• 1 large chicken breast 

• 1 red pepper (diced) 

• Chicken seasoning pack of choice (store bought or home made) 

• 50g of cheese (grated) 

• 1/2 diced onion (Red or white) 

 

Method:

 

1. Chop the chicken into small chunks and season in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate to marinate. 

2. Fry the onions and pepper in a pan for about 5 minutes, or until softened and cooked through. 

3. Cook the chicken in the same pan until fully cooked, then break it into smaller chunks. 

4. Assemble the quesadilla: Place a tortilla in the frying pan over low heat. Add a layer of cheese, followed by the cooked onions, chicken, and peppers. Let the tortilla cook until slightly crispy. 

5. Top with another tortilla, then use a spatula to flip the quesadilla carefully. 

6. Cook the second tortilla to the same level of crispness as the first. Remove from the pan and cut into slices, like you would with a pizza. 

 

 

 

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Curry for Beginners

Introduction to Curry

When it comes to healthy and affordable meals, few dishes can match the versatility of curry. From quick and simple recipes with just a few ingredients to more complex dishes bursting with flavour, there’s a curry for every occasion. One of my favourite aspects of cooking curry is how easily you can adapt the recipe to suit your personal tastes simply by adjusting the amount of herbs and spices used. 

The curry I’d like to showcase is a vegan aubergine and tomato based curry. I know some may be skeptical about a vegan dish, but I encourage you to keep an open mind. Vegan and vegetarian options can be delicious and are a great way to explore different new flavours while maintaining a healthy and budget friendly diet.

About the recipe:

This particular recipe is from BBC Good Food and takes about an hour to prepare. It’s straightforward to follow and uses ingredients you may already have on hand. I sourced my ingredients from Lidl, where I find a great selection of affordable herbs, spices, chopped tomatoes, and coconut milk. 

The recipe involves basic cooking techniques like roasting and slicing, making it ideal for beginner cooks. The most challenging part is ensuring you don’t burn the spices and onions. Although this dish is already a crowd pleaser, I suggest adding a few extras like curry leaves and chilli flakes to enhance its spice and depth.   

The cost of the ingredients came out to £5.27 (Rice and bread not included) and with the whole curry containing four servings, the price per serving is only £1.32 making this curry very good bang for your buck!  

Recipe: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roasted-aubergine-tomato-curry

Next steps:

If you have enjoyed cooking this curry then I would highly recommend checking out the above mentioned BBC Good food for other easy to cook curries.  When learning to cook, I found this as a great tool to find new simple recipes to learn new cooking skills and expand my recipe list.

 

 

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