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Surviving as a student: Spinach & mushroom pasta

Welcome to the latest Food and drink forum project! As university approaches for many of us are probably thinking about food and starting to have a bit more independence, or it might be that you're already at university or another stage but also want to try and cook a bit more - if so, this should help with that too.

Each week we'll be posting a new thread with a sample recipe to try, between now and the end of September. These can be adapted as you like to suit your taste and needs, but the object is that they're all quick, cheap and fairly easy to make after a long day. You can then report back how you got on with pictures, descriptions, etc.

We're going to need some suggestions of things to make so post any you think of here! This week's recipe is spinach and mushroom pasta :yum:

Ingredients:
- Pasta
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- White onion
- Spinach
- Cream cheese (I use Boursin, but there are cheaper options)

Optional: Peas, babycorn

Method:
- Put pasta in a saucepan, and add boiling water. Leave this to cook for 10 - 12 minutes if it's dry pasta, and check the packet for exact directions.
- Chop the onion, mushrooms, and garlic, and add them to another saucepan with a little oil, and fry them until the mushrooms turn a nice brown colour.
- Put the cooked onion, mushrooms, and garlic into a bowl and place to one side, to save on an extra saucepan for the next step.
- Add the cream cheese to the now empty saucepan, and put in on a low heat, stirring the cheese until it melts down into liquidy sauce; it may still be quite thick, so don't worry if it is!
- Once the cheese is done leave it on the heat, and add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic, and stir. Then add the spinach, stirring thoroughly until it's heated through, allowing for around 3 - 5 minutes for the spinach to cook.
- Drain the pasta, and put it back into the saucepan. Add the cheese sauce mix, and stir it through the pasta.
- The spinach and mushroom pasta is now ready, so serve and enjoy!

Optional: I usually make double portions of this and put one aside to reheat the next day. It tastes just as nice for lunch or dinner the following day, and just needs a 2 minute zap in the microwave.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

furryface12

I feel like this is a mix of just about everything I can't actually eat :redface:

might try adapting it some point but without onion, garlic, spinach and possibly cheese feel like it might get a bit unrecognisable :tongue:

Reply 2

shadowdweller

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by furryface12

I feel like this is a mix of just about everything I can't actually eat :redface:

might try adapting it some point but without onion, garlic, spinach and possibly cheese feel like it might get a bit unrecognisable :tongue:

Oh no! I'll try an post a furry friendly one soon, are there any other foods you can't have? :redface:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

furryface12

Original post by shadowdweller

Oh no! I'll try an post a furry friendly one soon, are there any other foods you can't have? :redface:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Anything spicy is the main one :redface:

it's mostly that and onion/garlic, spinach just seems to be the exception in trying to kill me :lol:

I'm awkward, sorry :colondollar:

Reply 4

shadowdweller

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by furryface12

Anything spicy is the main one :redface:

it's mostly that and onion/garlic, spinach just seems to be the exception in trying to kill me :lol:

I'm awkward, sorry :colondollar:

Ah man, I love onion and garlic, so a lot of my recipes have that in! :getmecoat:

How about risotto? :smile:

Reply 5

furryface12

Original post by shadowdweller

Ah man, I love onion and garlic, so a lot of my recipes have that in! :getmecoat:

How about risotto? :smile:

So do I

that said, I can eat garlic oil which is a decent enough replacement, and peppers and things work *reasonably* well instead of onion in most stuff so yeah :smile:

Ooh risotto is a good shout! Might add that to my list of meals-to-have-at-uni, never think of it for some reason

Reply 6

shadowdweller

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by furryface12

So do I

that said, I can eat garlic oil which is a decent enough replacement, and peppers and things work *reasonably* well instead of onion in most stuff so yeah :smile:

Ooh risotto is a good shout! Might add that to my list of meals-to-have-at-uni, never think of it for some reason

Ooo okay, that's a bit of an improvement, at least! Glad you have something to replace them :tongue:

I'll pop a recipe up at some point :colone:

Reply 7

CheeseIsVeg

Original post by shadowdweller

Ooo okay, that's a bit of an improvement, at least! Glad you have something to replace them :tongue:

I'll pop a recipe up at some point :colone:

Need to try this recipe!!!!!
Thanks so much for it shadow :woo:

Reply 8

shadowdweller

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by CheeseIsVeg

Need to try this recipe!!!!!
Thanks so much for it shadow :woo:

Glad you like it! Let us know how it goes? :biggrin:

Reply 9

CheeseIsVeg

Original post by shadowdweller

Glad you like it! Let us know how it goes? :biggrin:

I shall

and share a few of my own !

Reply 10

shadowdweller

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by CheeseIsVeg

I shall

and share a few of my own !

PRSOM!

Reply 11

CheeseIsVeg

Original post by shadowdweller

Bumping this thread Shadow! Think some recipes in here could be helpful!
Here is my Bolognese one:

2 tablespoons of oil

5 rashers of bacon cut finely

2 onions, peeled and diced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

450g minced beef

1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)

2 tablespoons of tomato puree

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

2 tablespoons of red wine

150ml of chicken stock

salt and pepper

Takes about an hour to cook

Oven: 180 degrees, 350 F, Gas Mark 4

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the bacon until golden. Add the onions, garlic and carrot and allow to cook gently for 4 minutes, then put into a saucepan (not on the heat yet). Brown the beef on a brisk heat and allow to brown, add the tomatoes, allow to heat through and put into the saucepan. Mix the puree, herbs, oregano and wine with the stock and pour into the frying pan to heat and remove any meat juice left behind. Season well and pour over the meat and simmer for 45 minutes on top of the hob or 1 hour in the oven. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf. Serve with cooked pasta, drain well and serve with grated cheese.