Amali's blog: My top student-friendly recipes

Student life can be a tough life especially when you live in self-catered accommodation and have little time to cook because of essay deadlines coming up.

Quick, easy and cheap meals are a lifesaver and a time saver. Here are a few recipes that take very little time to make, require little attention and are very low cost. All you need are a few pantry staples and you are good to go! 

Pantry staples include:

• Salt and pepper
• Favourite herbs and spices eg: chilli powder, oregano, coriander
• Pasta
• Eggs
• Vegetables
• Pasta sauces
• Olive oil

Spaghetti bolognese

An old classic and a family favourite, Spaghetti bolognese is very quick to make and is delicious...

For the bolognese, simply brown the meat and add in a bolognese sauce and/or a can of tomatoes with the juice and leave to simmer until cooked. For a vegetarian and vegan option swap beef mince for Quorn mince or tofu. Boil the spaghetti. Pour the bolognese over the spaghetti. For extra flavour, grate on some cheese and sprinkle some oregano and chili flakes. Make enough for four portions to cut down on time spent on cooking. Keep the pasta and the sauce separately in tupperware in the fridge. Done!

Eggplant pizza

This one sounds a bit strange however, it is extremely filling and very easy to make...

Cut one eggplant lengthwise in 1cm thick slices. Lay them flat on a baking tray, sprinkle on some salt and olive oil. Spread on some tomato puree and then add on the toppings of your choice or whatever veggies you have leftover. Sprinkle on some cheese if desired and pop into the oven for 20-30 minutes until the eggplant is soft when poked with a fork. 

Pesto pasta

This is one of my favourite dishes because it takes 10 minutes to make and it is also very cheap!

Simply boil some pasta or gnocchi until cooked and add in some pesto sauce. To make the dish more nutritious add some spinach and kale if needed. Sprinkle some cheese on top while the pasta is hot. 

Herby scrambled egg

Eggs are one of the cheapest things you can buy and they are also very healthy and nutritious. Scrambled eggs are both delicious and very filling making them perfect for breakfast or a quick lunch...

Start by beating three eggs in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano and thyme. Chop some chorizo as well. Pour the eggs into a moderately hot, buttered pan with the chorizo and cook. Just before the eggs are completely cooked, add in a handful of salad leaves or kale and spinach and cook until the leaves have wilted. Eat immediately. 

Salad

Salads are extremely healthy but they are also extremely cheap and easy to make. Most supermarkets generally sell veggies very cheaply making this a low-cost meal...

To make the salad filling, my go-to veggies are broccoli, peppers, cabbage, salt and pepper chicken strips, spinach and lettuce. The cabbage and lettuce should be cut into strips or shredded so that it is easy to eat. Season with salt and pepper. To make the dressing mix some mustard, honey and olive oil and drizzle over the top. This can also be meal prepped in advance. 

Happy cooking!