Posts

Places to eat in Glasgow

Image
Glasgow is a fab student city, there are so many places to eat that don't break the bank! Here are some of my favourite restaurants to go on a budget... 1. Mozza A new pizza restaurant (run by the Toni Macaroni Group, so you know its gonna be good) recently opened on Renfield Street. Every Pizza is £5 before 5 o'clock! M y friends & I tried  Mozza recently, we highly recommend it! The service was fast, the atmosphere was relaxed and seemed like it would be lively at night (we went around 3pm) and most importantly the pizza was DELICOUS! They have a wide selection of toppings, so there is something for everyone, as well as many drinks. 2. BarBurrito  BarBurrito is one of my favourite places in Glasgow for Mexican food. They have many central locations (Queen St, Hope St & Gordon St) where you can pick up a yummy burrito, taco or margarita, to sit in or takeaway at a reasonable price.  Bar Burrito offer 20% s

Cooking for your friends

Image
Cooking for your friends can be a daunting task, but it doesn't need to be stressful or expensive! Here are some tips and recipes for pleasing the masses on a budget... Roast Dinner You can't go wrong with a British classic! My friends love roast chicken, which is perfect as its quick to prepare, and takes care of itself in the oven. All you need to do is add a few ingredients & cover with foil (remove for the last 30 mins). I usually go for a traditional combination of lemon, thyme & garlic, but you can try anything! Spices like garam masala with ginger & chillies adds some heat. Top tip: Aldi do a great roast in a bag chicken, no prep needed.  While your chicken is cooking (this usually takes 90-120 minutes) prepare your veg. I usually have roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips & broccoli. You can even buy prepared or frozen to save time. The last step is just to make the gravy. Simply combine juices from the roast, vegetable water, cornflour &

In a hurry?

Image
One of the hardest things about cooking at Uni is having the time! If you are a busy student, like me, here are some speedy recipes and tips on a budget... 1. Breakfast It can be easy to skip breakfast or grab something small, but don't scrimp on the most important meal of the day! My favourite breakfast to make, in advance, are overnight oats. These tasty oats are easy to prepare, and ready to eat in the morning. Base ingredients: rolled oats milk (cow's, almond, soya - enough to cover the oats) mashed banana honey You can portion it how you want (I usually make enough for 3 mornings). Then add any other flavours, I suggest: Cinnamon, blueberries, grated apple & ginger Strawberries & coconut milk Peanut butter & raspberries Top tip: buy frozen fruit - cheaper & lasts longer 2. Lunch Soup is always my go to quick lunch - cheap and easy to transport. You don't need many ingredients to make a tasty so

Balancing your Diet

Image
When you first move out it can be difficult to maintain a balanced diet. You don't have the constant "eat your vegetables" argument, and more importantly you don't have meals on the table. Here are some suggestions for eating a balanced diet on a budget...  Cook outside the box British meals are based on a one meat, two veg idea, however there are lots of different diets out there. I have tried a variety of diets and recipes inspired by lifestyle youtubers and documentaries.            One of the most expensive parts of my weekly shop, apart from alcohol, is meat! You'd be surprised how much money you can save by replacing meat with different ingredients. Pulses (lentils, beans) instead of mince. Chickpeas or potato substitutes for chicken, especially in curries. A dd extra vegetables to dishes like stir-fry and fajitas (I'd recommend mushrooms). Adapting and inventing new recipes keeps cooking interesting. Don't be afraid of trying

The Art of Student Shopping

Image
Hi Everyone, Welcome to my first blog post, hopefully many of you will be able to relate to the pressures of a student budget, but if not, I'm sure you can take away some useful cooking tips. I love eating and cooking, however making healthy, tasty meals comes at a cost! Since starting University, I have learnt to adapt my eating and shopping to keep within my student budget. Here are my first 2 tips for good food on a budget... 1. Shop Smart   O ne of the first harsh realities I discovered as a student was I couldn't afford my families weekly Sainsbury's shop. Students aren’t made of money, so my first advice is to locate your nearest cheaper supermarkets, like Aldi and Lidl. They offer non-branded products, for a fraction of the prices at bigger supermarkets.  At first, I was  sceptical about the quality and taste of some of the alternatives, being somewhat of a food snob, but I'm glad to say I have been pleasantly surprised! Another grea