Quick, simple and cheap

Exam season is stressful, and we know it can be hard to find motivation to cook a healthy meal after a day of lectures and studying - takeaways can seem very appealing at times like this, so we've put together 3 quick, healthy and most importantly, cheap recipes for exams.

One-pan sausage pasta 🍝

Serves 2-3 (easy meal prep)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive/vegetable oil
• 4 pork sausages
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp hot-smoked paprika (normal works too)
• a pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 400g tin chopped/plum tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 450ml chicken stock (can use cubed stock too)
• 175g rigatoni or penne pasta
• 2 tbsp soft cheese (or use double creme/créme fraiche)
• 2 tbsp parmesan
• basil

Method

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Then pinch in pieces of the sausage and fry until browned all over, breaking the sausage into smaller pieces as you fry.
2. Add the garlic, paprika and chilli flakes, and cook for two minutes.
3. Tip in the tomatoes, tomato purée and stock, and bring to a simmer.
4. Stir in the pasta, put on a lid and cook on a gentle simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring now and again.
5. When the pasta is almost cooked, stir in the cheese (leave some parmesan to sprinkle on top) and basil, and leave to sit off the heat for 2 minutes.
6. Serve in bowls and sprinkle the extra parmesan on top, if you like.

Baked sweet potato with feta cream and crisp chorizo🍠

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes (washed)
• 100ml soured cream
• 50g feta
• 4 slices from a jar of jalapeños (chopped), optional
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 chorizo sausage (chopped/diced)

Method

1. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then place them in the microwave for 6 minutes, or until tender.
2. While the potatoes are in the microwave, mash the soured cream and feta in a bowl. Once mashed, stir in the jalapeños and coriander.
3. Fry the chorizo in a frying pan until crisp.
4. Split the potatoes and divide the feta cream between them. Sprinkle over the crisp chorizo and serve.

Halloumi Fajitas 🌯

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive/vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 tsp mild chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 250g block halloumi
• 4 small soft tortillas
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 4 tbsp soured cream
• a handful of coriander

Method 

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and fry the onion and pepper until softened, starting to brown at the edges.
2. Add the spices and toss, cooking for a couple of minutes. Then pop into a bowl and wipe the pan clean.
3. Cut the halloumi into slim, finger-shaped pieces. Put in the hot pan and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.
4. Add the veg back into the pan and toss everything together. Serve in warm tortillas with baby spinach, soured cream and coriander leaves.

Studying and sitting exams can be a stressful time, but with the right food and fuel, it can be so much better. If you need more of a boost, why not try our super smoothie recipes?