It’s easy to become uninspired in the kitchen in the colder months. Your go-to produce might be out of season, which leaves you unable to make your usual recipes. Plus, students live busy lives, and it’s always easier to just use a delivery app when you’re hungry. However, the cost of doing this can catch up to you over time. Cooking with what’s in season is not only good for you, but it’s also good for the environment, since those items don’t need to be transported from a different climate to get to your kitchen. Here are some fantastic seasonal meals for students to make in February to get you reinspired.
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Turnip Hotpot
One great seasonal meal for students to make is a turnip hotpot. Hotpots are great for students, since it’s a whole meal in one dish, which keeps things simple and minimises cleanup. Chop up two large turnips, two onions and two carrots. Start by browning your onions in some olive oil, and then the carrots and swede. Add three cups of your choice of stock, then loosen the veg from the pan. Season with bay leaves, pepper and rosemary. Then, let it simmer for an hour.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Butternut squash is in season in February, and its flavour provides the perfect basis for a risotto. Start by heating up six cups of chicken or vegetable broth. In a separate pan, saute two cloves of chopped garlic in two tablespoons of butter. Then, add a diced onion and your chopped up squash. Cook until the onion is clear, and then mix in two cups of arborio rice. After the rice has been toasted for about two minutes, add half a cup of white wine. Then, when the wine is mostly absorbed, start gradually adding your broth one cup at a time, adding each cup only when the last has been absorbed by the rice. Once all of the broth is absorbed and the rice is cooked, stir in 3/4 cup of shredded or grated parmesan cheese and serve.
Cauliflower Macaroni And Cheese
Another vegetable in season for February is cauliflower, which is absolutely delectable in this mac and cheese recipe. Start by chopping a head of cauliflower into florets and boil them in a pot for 10 minutes. Drain, set aside, and then boil 2 cups of macaroni pasta until cooked. Next, melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan and then whisk in two tablespoons of flour and two teaspoons of mustard. Gradually add two cups of milk to the sauce, then add your drained pasta and cauliflower. Top with a cup of cheddar cheese and cook for an additional two minutes.
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