Quick meals for 1 or 2 - BEYOND BAKED BEANS - Cheap healthy food for students and singles

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Guy's spaghetti with tuna, tomatoes and capers Mar 3, 2010: Guy and his girlfriend Claire got the inspiration for this simple pasta dish from a trip to Venice but it's equally good for a student kitchen

What to do with a pack of peppered smoked mackerel Feb 3, 2010: Two smart ideas from Sig on what to do with this cheap, healthy fish that can help boost your mood and your brainpower.

Quick, spicy lentils Jan 18, 2010: The problem with lentils is that they’re boringly brown. But that’s their only defect. Otherwise they’re tasty, cheap*, warming and healthy - in other words perfect student food for this time of year. They also go really well with other budget foods such as bacon, sausages and pork chops - or with greens or rice if you’re a veggie. Here’s how to rustle up a batch

Welsh rabbit leeks Nov 25, 2009: My adaptation of a great idea from cookery writer and top London chef Mark Hix - pouring a Welsh rarebit over cooked leeks

How to jazz up baked beans Nov 10, 2009: Despite the title of this website and books I've nothing against baked beans! They’re a good wholesome food which provides protein, fibre and some useful minerals like iron. But you could occasionally ring the changes . . .

How to cook pasta like an Italian Nov 8, 2009: Pasta is so much a part of our diets that it’s easy to take it for granted and never question whether the way you cook it could be improved. But a couple of days in Tuscany this week have reminded me that the Italians treat it in a very different way from us. And one that makes it easier and quicker to make.

Apple and cinnamon porridge Oct 14, 2009: Now that the weather's getting a bit nippy it's worth switching from cereal to porridge. Here's an extra tasty version with apple.

Stir-fried winter veg with ginger Oct 7, 2009: A really cheap meal I made this week with some reduced veg from the Co-op which proves you don’t have to have special stir fry veg to make a stir fry (but don't skip the ginger!) You can see what I did with the rest of the veg on my blog

Best-ever cheese on toast Sep 30, 2009: Gooey cheese, unsoggy toast. What's not to like? And no need for a grill . . .

Mixed bean and crumbly white cheese salad Sep 28, 2009: This week is British Cheese Week so we're going to be going overboard on cheese recipes and buying tips (sorry, vegans!) This is a really easy salad that makes a quick lunch or supper for two. Use a white, crumbly British cheese like Caerphilly or Wensleydale which are great for salads

Charlie's chilli chicken noodles Sep 21, 2009: An easy, tasty chiicken noodle recipe from regular contributor Charlie Edmunds - the winning entry in last year's Not-Pot-Noodle challenge!

Spaghetti marinara Jul 6, 2009: With tomatoes in season, July is the perfect time to make your pasta sauces from fresh tomatoes rather than tinned ones. It gives an entirely different flavour - much fresher and lighter. It also combines well with seafood like prawns or those mixed bags of chilled or frozen seafood you can now find in most supermarkets. Result - the classic spaghetti marinara.

Parsee-style eggs with potatoes, spinach and cumin May 23, 2009: This is possibly the best egg recipe in the world. It comes from one of my favourite Indian chefs Cyrus Todiwala who runs a London restaurant called Cafe Spice Namaste. I’ve added spinach because I like it and it’s a good way of sneaking it into your diet but leave it out if you prefer

Quick and easy mushroom stir fry Apr 29, 2009: This is one of those recipes that got thrown together from what I had available in the kitchen. I'm experimenting with a new veg box and there were mushrooms, sprouting seeds and a small bag of fresh spinach leaves that needed using quickly. I can't say it was the most aesthetically pleasing recipe I've ever made - mushrooms always seem to end up a dirty brown - but it was very, very tasty, cheap and healthy!

Original Superfoods Salad Apr 24, 2009: I had a similar salad to this at a good value veggie restaurant in Soho called Mildred's this week and it reminded me how delicious this sort of big crunchy salad can be. This one comes from the Guardian's food columnist Allegra McEvedy whose Leon restaurants are also a great place to go for a healthy lunch. It comes from the Fairtrade Everyday Cookbook