Early morning pastries and their role in a newcomer gaining an extra 15 pounds, detailed here.
Studying abroad is an exciting journey, but it can also be a financial challenge. One student, faced with the high cost of living and limited food options in a foreign school cafeteria, found a creative solution to both nourish their body and ease their wallet - the morning glory muffin.
In an effort to save money, the student began eating more affordable options like carrot and bran muffins and Red Rose tea for sustenance. However, after a few years, they decided to take control of their diet and finances by baking their own, healthier muffins.
The morning glory muffins are a delightful blend of chopped apples, grated carrot, and sliced almonds or chopped walnuts, all wrapped up in an oat crumble topping made from rolled oats and brown sugar. This nutritious treat is not only delicious but also budget-friendly, as the student discovered when they saved over 10,000 shekels in the last year before moving to Canada.
The recipe for these muffins is adaptable, with the student adapting it from Cucina Nicolina's vegan strawberry muffins. The ingredients include water or unsweetened almond milk, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, wholewheat flour, buckwheat or spelt flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, a pinch of allspice or nutmeg, salt, and orange zest.
The muffins are baked at 400F for 20-25 minutes, and after cooling, they are served with a cup of good, strong sugarless tea. The morning glory muffins are not only a tasty solution to the financial strain of studying abroad but also a testament to the student's resourcefulness and determination to maintain a balanced diet and budget.
But the student's financial savvy didn't stop at the kitchen. They also implemented practical strategies to stretch their budget, such as sharing accommodation, cooking at home, using public transport, buying second-hand, and taking advantage of student discounts. These practices helped the student save significantly on their monthly expenses, allowing them to enjoy their university experience without unnecessary financial stress.
By prioritising essentials, using local resources, travelling smart, and minimising banking fees, the student was able to make informed choices that not only saved them money but also enriched their university experience. Their story serves as a reminder that with careful planning and smart spending, studying abroad can be both enriching and affordable.
The student's financial strategies extended beyond the kitchen, adopting tactics such as sharing accommodations, cooking at home, using public transportation, buying second-hand items, and utilizing student discounts to save on monthly expenses. This gluten-free vegan realized the benefits of healthy cooking and budgeting, baking their own morning glory muffins, a delectable, cost-effective treat made from ingredients like rolled oats, brown sugar, and chopped vegetables. These budgeting techniques, alongside their creative vegan cooking, allowed them to maintain a healthy lifestyle and nourish their body while studying abroad without causing undue financial stress. Furthermore, their adaptable morning glory muffin recipe, inspired by Cucina Nicolina's vegan strawberry muffins, is a testament to their resourcefulness, embracing the lifestyle of personal finance and food-and-drink within their limited means.
