Cooking with limited kitchen facilities (uni accommodation)

NickiM

Hi,

I am currently in a catered residence at university. Food is ok, but sometimes isn't very satisfying, healthy or I get hungry before the next meal. I don't really have much in my room foodwise, only cookies, which my parents gave me. Often though I want something healthier and filling, but we have really limited cooking facilities as it is catered. We have a fridge, microwave and possibly a hot plate.

I know I could do sandwiches or something, but can anyone think of snacks which don't need much preparation and which aren't too expensive. Preferably things I could make which can last several days/won't go off in a while.

This question is probably stupid, but any ideas would be welcomed. I am not that keen on fruit, but will eat veg/salad.

Thanks.

bertiebots

I dont know if you have a toaster but beans on toast would be an obvious choice as its good for you and cheap! If you could get hold of those toaster bags you could also make cheese toasties etc (a sandwich toaster would be even better) If you have a frying pan a veg stir fry is really easy or omlettes. Jacket potatoes can be done in the microwave and you can have them with whatever you like ..you can also cook scrambled egg in the microwave!
I really cant think of much else because you would need more equipment but hope this helps some.

emilyx78

do you eat meat if so, I have a 3 meal mince menu my brother ues at university ??

If not I have some other fab, many meals from one recipes......

bambieyes

hi nickym

my cooker was tripping the electrics in my house and had to do without it for 3 weeks while waiting on new switch. had microvave and oven/grill with hotplate. i dont like microwaving food and prefer to eat fresh if i can.
heres what i made on limited cooking

pitta bread filled with cooked meats and salad
tuna pasta with peppers, spring onions, any other bits of salad bits left over
toasties
potatoes boiled in microwave (4 or 5 new potatoes in casserole dish and covered with lid. cooked on high for 15 mins. didnt try but suppose you could add some carrots and brocoli for last 7 mins or so. add some cold roast beef and gravy and passes as sunday lunch
scrambled egg in microwave

know it isnt much but hope it helps a little or inspires you to other ideas

good luck

squeaky

This thread should help:-

HELP!! Kitchen Help - cooking without a kitchen (merged)

NickiM

Thanks a lot everyone! I'll reply more in detail later.

And yes, I do eat meat

Dee140157

Is it worth investing in a small slow cooker llike this so that you can cook healthy and cheap vergetable soups, easy bologneses etc and then all they need is warming up in the slow cooker if you are peckish. Veg Soup will keep for a week in the fridge fairly easily.

mrjstacey

I teach my sixth form tutees a series of university survival lessons and they include 'cooking with a kettle', simple, tasty nutritious meals that can be constructed using just a kettle and which include ingredients that no-one can nick, largely because they won't know what to do with them.

The girls favourite is a moroccan couscous that is a doddle. Keeps for ages and is highly adaptable. The recipe goes something like this.

Make up the amount of couscous you'd like according to the pack but before you add the boiling water to it stir into the water 1 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of ginger. Stir the bizarre looking brown liquid into the couscous and then set a plate over the bowl and leave to stand for five minutes (or whatever your packet says)

When the time is up take the plate off, stir round to separate the grains and begin to make it your own. You can add virtually anything to it, I usually add a couple of teaspoons of mint sauce and then any other fresh mediterranean herbs I have kicking around, parsley, basil or coriander and then a selection of veg, tomatoes, spring onions, onion, cucumber, olives etc. You can also add nuts or indeed dried fruit, apricots are expecially good. Delicious, long lasting, very healthy and no-one will ever nick the basics of couscous, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and mint sauce. Unless you live with blokes of course.

NickiM

Thanks! The couscous sounds really nice.

It's not worth investing in a slow cooker at the moment as come September I will be living in a house with a brand spanking new kitchen

Chuzzle

Emilyx that sounds great can you post the details please?

emilyx78

ok so first you make a bolognaise, so fry a chopped onion and a clove of garlic add some mince beef an oxo cube and tin of toms and pinch of mixed herbs, cook some pasta, you have spag bol, keep the left of meat.
next day, you can make pasta sorento, cook some small pasta shells and mix in with some of the meat mix, then put in a oven proof dish if you have grill spoon over some white pasta sauce and grate some cheese over and grill until crunchy,

finally heat the mince and add a tin of baked beans, kidney beans and some chilli powder and a tin of pots if you like them ! and serve as a chilli or spoon into some tortilla wraps roll up grate some cheese and grill till crispy serve with salad or tortilla chips and salsa.

for chicken, buy some mini fillets or plain gougons as you shouldnt need to cut anything of these, cause they are so small they are normally very good,

so cut the chicken into bite size chunks, dry fry till cooked and then add
sliced garlic, and tin of toms for a really simple tasty dinner serve with noodles.

save the left over chicken in sauce and add chopped peppers, onions, a tin of toms simmer until veg is soft serve with a baked pot or baby pots as spanish chicken.

save the left over chicken in sauce and add some cooked chopped potatoes and any other veg you fancy, and curry powder to taste and some low fat nat yog (very cheap) to make a fab curry.

all really low fat and tasty, if you need any other recipes just ask !

hope these help xx:rotfl: