WILLOW-RUBY VAN DER BERG
Many people are complaining about this holiday because it cannot really qualify as one, owing to the fact that most people have tests and assignments due for the first week of the second term. So, it’s more work than play. To make matters worse, it falls during the last week of the month, so many of us are quite broke.
However, there is no need to fall into a pit of despair, as food will always make everything better. Here are three of my favourite budget-friendly recipes to help you through your studies.
Build-a-Pizza
Budget: +- R100 / Serves 4 / Cooking time: 30 minutes
One of my friend’s moms showed me this recipe because it’s cheap and easy to make. Needless to say, I absolutely love it.
Crust:
250g self-raising flour
125ml milk
2 eggs
60ml oil
*Optional to add mixed herbs for an extra flavour
For the toppings I usually just use enough mozzarella to cover the whole pizza, but when my budget allows it I like to add 50ml of sundried tomato pesto as a base. For the rest, I just see what I have in my fridge that I could use, as I am usually too lazy to go to the supermarket. However, my favourite combination is red onions, olives and mushrooms.
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Mix the ingredients until it is smooth and poor it into a baking pan that is covered with baking paper (mixture is runny).
Add your base and toppings and bake for more or less 30 minutes until it is golden brown.
You’re welcome.
1, 2, Ramen
Budget: +-R50 / Serves 1
I grew up eating 2-minute noodles on a daily basis, but my mom was never a fan of this habit and she always hoped that I would stop eating it at some stage. However, as they say, old habits die hard. So, in my second year at university my mother gave me this recipe to make the meal a little bit more balanced. For this recipe you’ll only need one jar and a packet of 2-minute noodles to make the tastiest Ramen.
Ingredients:
1/2 packet of raw 2-minute noodles
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1 grated carrot
100g shredded spinach
100g mushrooms
200g cooked chicken (shredded)
200ml hot broth or hot water
*Just note: the bigger the jar, the more ingredients you can add.
Method:
Fill your jar with the 2-minute noodles, chicken, carrots, spinach, mushrooms and soy sauce and store it in your fridge until you are ready to eat it.
Once you’re ready to serve it, pour in the hot broth or hot water. Let it stand for 2-5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Rice Krispie Treats
My brother got married earlier this year and they had a Rice Krispie wedding cake. Thanks to that, I’ve been eating Rice Krispie treats on a weekly basis. During the term I just bought them at Pulp, but once I got home I had to fend for myself. I found this recipe on Pinterest and the best thing about it is that you can make these treats hassle-free in the microwave. Don’t worry, carbs don’t count during recess.
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon butter
8 Large marshmallows or 250g mini marshmallows
1 cup Rice Krispie cereal
Method:
Place the butter and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave.
Add the Rice Krispie cereal and stir.
Transfer the mixture to a small lightly buttered dish and gently press it down with the back of a spoon until it is even. Let it cool down and then you can chow your study-troubles away.
