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Need some quick, nutritious meals to get you through the exam period? Try these easy-to-make recipes.
With final assessments coming up, time is short and students can neglect homemade meals.
Students may reach for something convenient, such as processed packaged food and takeaways, to get them through long days of studying.
But food can affect brain functioning, as research shows.
A study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience pointed to how specific nutrients can affect both cognitive processes and emotions. In short: what you eat can affect your learning capabilities, including memory and information retention, as well impact energy levels and mood.
More recent research published in Clinical Nutrition Espen compared the effects of an ultra-processed diet against a fresh food diet.
Eating highly processed foods can make people feel lethargic and increase feelings of stress and anxiety, the study revealed.
In contrast, a diet of minimally processed and fresh foods can improve mood, boost energy and improve thinking capabilities.
That’s why it’s important to try and maintain a balanced diet, especially during the stressful period of final assessments.
A simple way to help ensure a balanced diet is to make meals at home.
Not only should recipes be delicious, but they should also be quick, easy, cost-effective and stress-free.
If you’re stuck on what to cook, try these easy-to-make recipes below!
Easy homemade pita bread is great for a snack with dip or a lunch wrap. These are best eaten freshly made.
Ingredients:
1 cup natural Greek yogurt
1 cup self-raising flour
Oil
Instructions:
Combine flour and yogurt in a large bowl, mix until combined.
Shape the dough into a ball and divide into four portions.
Roll each portion of dough into a circle using a rolling pin.
Preheat a pan on medium heat and add a little bit of oil.
Cook the pita for a few minutes on each side or until golden.
A great addition to wraps, meals or just as a dip.
Ingredients:
1 cup natural Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried mint
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Simple! Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix.
This recipe comes from Emily English (@emthenutritionist) on TikTok.
If you're craving something sweet but don’t want the sugar crash that comes with it, this healthy chocolate mousse is the answer.
Ingredients:
100g dark chocolate
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp honey
300g silken tofu
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Place dark chocolate into a small bowl and melt in the microwave until fully melted.
Put tofu, cocoa powder, honey, salt and melted chocolate into a blender and blend until smooth.
Place in glasses and put in the fridge.
Let it set in the fridge for 3 hours then enjoy!
A warm comforting meal, great for cooler days.
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 heaped tsp chicken stock
¼ cup long grain rice
¼ cup mixed frozen vegetables
Salt to taste
Pepper (optional)
Instructions:
Put water and chicken stock into a small pot over medium heat.
Bring it to the boil, then add vegetables and rice.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
Quick, healthy lunch or dinner that can be ready in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
60g vermicelli noodles
¼ tsp sesame oil
3 tsp light soy sauce
3 tsp dark soy sauce
Chilli flakes to taste
¼ tsp garlic
½ tsp ginger
½ cup water
90 grams sliced beef
1 carrot
½ tsp corn flour
Instructions:
Boil kettle.
Put vermicelli noodles in a bowl, pour over boiling water until submerged and cook for 2 minutes.
Strain and leave it on the side.
To a small pot on low heat, put sesame oil, light and dark soy sauce, garlic, ginger and water.
Shred carrot and add it to the pot.
Add sliced beef, and cook until brown.
Once the meat is cooked add cornflour to thicken and cook for 2 minutes.
Add vermicelli noodles to the pot and mix with the sauce.
Add to the serving bowl and enjoy.
A one-pot wonder that takes 10 minutes to prep, and the oven does all the work. Pairs perfectly with homemade pita and tzatziki, above. Serves five.
Ingredients:
1kg chicken thighs
1 capsicum
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
Seasoning:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Chop chicken thigh, capsicum, eggplant and zucchini into bite size pieces and place onto a baking tray.
Add olive oil sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper to the chicken and vegetables.
Mix everything together.
Place into the oven and cook for 50 minutes.
Once finished cooking add extra salt to taste.
Not the cheapest meal on the list, but filled with good, healthy fats that help benefit your brain functioning. Serves four.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
5 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup cashews
1 cup parsley
¾ cup basil
Salt to taste
Pasta
Instructions:
Put olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, almonds, cashews, parsley, basil and salt into a food processor and blend until it looks like a paste.
Cook a packet of pasta as per instructions on the packet.
Just before draining take out 1 cup pasta water out and leave it on the side for later.
Strain the pasta.
Then add the pasta, the paste and pasta water into a pot and mix together.
Serve with extra olive oil on top and enjoy.
