Lentil and Carrot Stew

Here in Exeter, freshers' week is coming to an end and it's definitely been better the second time around. So, for any freshers reading this who have had a disappointing one - don't judge what's to come by it!

This recipe is delicious and full of good stuff to make you feel better about yourself after a week of heavy drinking (it's definitely been one of them). Lentils are packed full of protein and the sweet potato gives you healthy carbs. This is definitely one where it's worth peeling and cutting everything before you begin to avoid burning things. About half an hour preparation time is needed in total.

Ingredients: This serves 4-5 people or one for several days. Keep it in the big saucepan with a lid on it in the fridge (allowing it to completely cool first) and heat up portions in the microwave until piping hot. 

• 200g or 7oz of puy or green lentils. Check on the packet that they're ones you cook for 15-20 minutes as they can vary.
• 1 stock cube - vegetable or chicken.
• 100g or 4 oz (ish) of mushrooms finely chopped.
• 1-2 carrot(s) peeled and grated.
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (make sure it's just plain tomatoes in tomato juice, without added salt etc.)
• 1 onion, chopped.
• 1 pepper, chopped.
• Half to 1(depending on how big) sweet potato, peeled and cut into fairly small chunks.

Recipe:

• Place the lentils in a large pan (this is where the casserole dish comes in handy - see our Kitting out your Kitchen blog post for an example) and cover with cold water. Crumble in the stock cube and set over a medium-high heat to simmer. When it's boiling, set your timer to 20 minutes.

Crumble crumble

• Once you've done that, fry the onion, pepper and sweet potato in a dash of olive oil over a medium-high heat until the onion is soft.
• If at any point the lentils look like they're boiling dry, add some water from the kettle, but not too soon before adding the tomatoes because otherwise it'll be too wet.
• Add the mushrooms and fry until they're soft. 

Frying 

• Stir this mixture into the lentils and simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes and grated carrot.
• Now you season, season, season. Add a pinch of salt, a twist of pepper and a shake of dried herbs. If you've got any fresh herbs - chuck them in too. Taste it and adjust until it's just right. If you've got any tomato ketchup, a squeeze of that doesn't go amiss either.
• Cover, and cook for the remaining time on the timer. The lentils are done when they're tender but not mushy.

Done! 

I normally serve this with some boiled fresh veg such as celery, courgette and peas (chuck them in slightly salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes and the peas for 5 minutes) and some brown rice for extra carbs if I'm hungry/need it. It may not look so appetising after the first day as the lentils are brown by nature, but if you heat it up it's still perfectly good and tasty.

Complimentary Tune: Boom Clap - Charlie XCX

Tip of the day: Get a lamp/fairy lights for your room - believe me it can turn a horribly lit uni room into a warm and cosy-feeling space so easily. It makes all the difference in the world!

Nacho Naughtiness!

I’m putting this out there; I know this isn't healthy. But there are days (like today) when all you need is a solid load of fat and calories.

At our student pub there is a fantastically greasy version of this which leaves you feeling a lot queasier than when you started (especially on a hangover).

This (slightly) healthier, homemade option hits the spot perfectly and is easier and quicker to make than having to walk all the way to get to campus.

All you need is a large baking tray and your average oven so there can be no excuses of not having the right equipment.

We made our own guacamole as we had some very ripe avocados to get rid of, but you are equally welcome to be lazy and buy a store bought version. My housemate Naomi was in charge of the actual making of it today and, as hers was just as good as mine (if not better), I’ve included both of our recipes for it.

Ingredients

1-2 large packs of tortilla chips (depending on if/how many your sharing with)

1 pot sour cream or dip

1 pot salsa

A handful of jalapeno peppers (optional)

1 large block of cheddar

For Naomi’s guacamole:

2 avocados

(The juice of) 1 lime

Handful of cherry tomatoes

Decent seasoning of salt and pepper

For Claire’s guacamole

2 avocados

2-3 tbsp of sweet chilli sauce (add acc. to how spicy you want it)

2 large tomatoes

Decent seasoning of salt and pepper

Such colour #spottheshoe

Recipe

•  Line your baking tray with foil and scatter your tortilla chips so there is an even covering over it.
• Dollop on your salsa generously over the chips, remember even distribution is key for optimum results.
•  Grate as much cheese as you feel suits your current state of hangover (we used a good 300g)
• Bung that all in the oven (it should only take 5 mins) and get on making your chosen guacamole.
•  For both recipes: first, halve the avocados, remove their stones and get a largish spoon to relieve the fruit of its skin. You may have to peel off the skin yourself if it is too unripe to be removed with a spoon.
•  The key is to use the ripest avos you can find for easier mashing. Naomi recommends whisking it but if the avo is too hard for this use a fork to mash it all up.
• For Naomi’s recipe immediately add the lime juice to stop the guacamole from browning too much (I leave the stones in the mixture when not mixing as this has the same effect).
• Then chop up your tomatoes as small as possible (no-one likes a chunky guacamole) and wack them in with the avos
•  For both recipes season well with salt and pepper and stir all the ingredients together.
• You should be checking your nachos in the oven frequently whilst this is happening; they will be done once all the cheese is well melted.
• Again, dollop on your guacamole and sour cream all over the nachos. Feel free to add more cheese if the current levels of fat and carbs are not to your liking.
• Et voila! Perfect hangover cure! You can thank me afterwards.

So proud of our creation

Tip of the day: Our new fave snack is a frozen banana. Peel, chop up, and wack it in a bowl in the freezer. It should be done in a couple of hours and tastes like a mini sorbet. Delicious and nutritious!

Complimentary tune: All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor I know it's American. I know its annoying, but it's so damn catchy and the only thing that's playing in our house at the moment.

---C

Veggie Frittata

It's been a while! The end of summer always gets a bit hectic - making sure you see all the friends and family you can before you go to uni. Anyway, here's a recipe that will you set you up nicely for a day of fresher's. Frittatas are similar to omelettes, but this one is made in the oven as it uses roasted vegetables - I've taken inspiration from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Veg Everyday book here.

Eggs are cheap and valuable sources of protein. Try and buy free-range if you can, think of the poor chicken!

We're now moving on to autumn and winter vegetables - sticking with the old seasonal veg, so basically use whatever you have in your fridge at the time. Sticking with the general rule of the harder the raw veg, the longer it will need to roast. In this case, cut the harder ones up smaller so they roast more quickly.

Ingredients: This will serve two or three people, or one then cold for lunch another day!

• 300g (roughly) of vegetables - root veg are probably better in this case, so sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, potatoes,. Courgettes and peppers will also work as will celery, but don't cut them up so small. The others should be cut into roughly 2-3cm cubes as an idea.
• 1/2 an onion - red is probably nicer here, also cut into slices/cubes.
• 3 dessert spoons of olive oil
• A handful of herbs if you have them - fresh parsley, thyme, chives etc.
• 3-4 eggs more if you end up having more vegetables.
• About 10-15g of hard cheese (parmesan, cheddar etc), grated.

All that colourful veg

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (Gas 5).
• Prepare your veg - peel the carrots, parsnip etc. cut the skin off the butternut squash, chop and chunk it all!
• Place them in a roasting dish - baking tray, glass or ceramic dish - whatever you have that fits all the veg so they're in roughly one layer.

Couldn't rotate it - but you get the even-layered veg idea...

• Toss them in olive oil and season well with salt and pepper then roast in the oven for 40 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through and adding mushrooms if you fancy.
• 30 minutes in, if you want to serve your frittata with roasted tomatoes (a good combination I promise), place two in a small dish and drizzle a little oil over them. Cut a slit in the top of each and place some fresh basil on top. Bung them in the oven and they'll be done at the same time as everything else. 
• When the veg is nearly done, beat the eggs, chopped herbs and more salt and pepper in a bowl and when the 40 minutes is up (or the veg is soft and looks done), pour the mixture into the roasting dish and wiggle until it's all evenly distributed. 

Whisky whisky (check out that colour coordination)

• Scatter the grated cheese on top, and put it back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the egg is set and it's looking golden brown round the edges. With 5 minutes to go, put some peas on to boil if you fancy - add some green to the plate!

Scattering cheese after pouring in egg

You could eat this with a chunk of wholemeal bread, or put potatoes in it for carbs. You could also have it with jacket potato. The beauty of a frittata, is that you can eat it cold the next day for lunch - just put it in the fridge wrapped in clingfilm when it's completely cool.

The finished thing in all its puffy golden glory - yum yum.

Complimentary Tune: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos (I know it's old but I love it)

Tip of the day: Fresher's week is coming up for a lot of people, and if you're moving in to new accommodation and meeting new flatmates - one of the most important tips I can give you is prop your door open and get to know your flatmates and talk to them. They might end up being your best friends or they might not, but either way you'll appreciate having people to go out with and do stuff during the day in freshers week before you meet other people in your clubs or course.

---K