For those who are limited on their store cupboard stocks or just want to make wholesome but budget meals, please see the recipes below which give some ideas, albeit with interchangeable ingredients where necessary.
Garlic Naans (12)
60ml warm water, 1 tbs sugar, 1 sachet (7g) active dry yeast, 180ml warm milk, 190g plain yogurt, 500g plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 110g melted butter, 4 cloves minced garlic, fresh coriander
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water and let sit until very foamy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl and create a well in the centre.
Whisk in the warm milk and plain yogurt into the yeast mixture until well-combined. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough is formed, then turn out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with a damp tea towel. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead briefly into a sausage shape and cut the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
Heat a large, heavy bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Roll each dough ball out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough lightly with butter and place dry side onto a very hot frying pan. Cook until large bubbles form on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden, about 1-2 more minutes. Stack the cooked flat bread on a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm as you cook the rest.
When all the naans are cooked, add the minced garlic to the remaining melted butter. Loosely cover and microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. Brush the warm naan with the garlic butter (scooping out some of the garlic to sit on top) and sprinkle generously with coriander. Serve warm. Delicious!
8 fishcakes for under £1 
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tin drained sardines (in oil),
- 4-5 medium potatoes boiled and mashed (no milk or butter),
- 1 spring onion, 2 tsp horseradish sauce,
- 1 tsp dried parsley,
- 1 large dash lemon juice,
- 2 tbs plain flour and salt and pepper to taste
Peel and chop potatoes into equal sized pieces. Bring to the boil and simmer until cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool.
Drain the sardines into a small pot. Add the sardines, parsley, horseradish sauce and lemon juice into a bowl and mash.
Add potatoes to the fish mixture and mix well. Take a tablespoon of fish mixture, mould into a ball and flatten slightly,
Place flour on a small plate with salt and pepper, dip each fishcake into the flour and put on a plate then into the fridge, covered, to firm up until ready to fry.
Fry 3 or 4 at a time in a large frying pan over medium heat with a little of the sardine oil until browned on both sides and drain on kitchen paper.
i saved uncooked fishcakes in the fridge for two days. Take care not to break the fishcakes as they are fragile until browned.
I made 8 small fishcakes which cost around 12p each
3 meals for 4-6 for around £8 – that’s 12- 18 portions!
These meals contain a total of 20+ portions of vegetables (see numbers in bold). Serving the Chilli with coleslaw, the cottage pie with baked beans or extra veg and the spaghetti bolognese with salad all add to your 5 a day.
- BASE
- 750g minced pork and beef (or other), 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 medium onions (3) – chopped small, 4 garlic cloves chopped small, 1 tin chopped tomatoes (4), 1 tbs tomato puree, (1) 1 bay leaf
- CHILLI CON CARNE
- Tin kidney beans or chickpeas (2)
- 1 red pepper (chopped) (2)
- 1 tsp chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
- Rice
- COTTAGE PIE
- 1 beef stock cube
- handful of frozen peas or tin (1 or 2)
- 2 carrots, grated (2)
- 300g white potatoes (4-5 medium)
- 1 sweet potato (1)
- Few drops of Worcester sauce
- 1tsp mixed herbs or parsley
- SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
- 1 tsp Oregano
- a few mushrooms (1)
- half a tub of passata (2)
- 1 tbs tomato puree (1)
- Pack of spaghetti
MAKE THE BASE
Put the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry onions until soft and transparent, not brown, then add the garlic for 1 minute
Add all the mince and fry until brown, stirring frequently and breaking down lumps
Add the bay leaf and tin of tomatoes with puree, a grind of black pepper and cook for another 10 minutes
Divide into 3 saucepans equally
COTTAGE PIE
Peel the potatoes, chop into equal sized chunks and boil in a pan of water with salt if required until cooked. Include a sweet potato or two to add to your 5 a day count. Mash with a little milk and butter or olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Crumble a beef stock cube into the first pan with a little water and add herbs, then add the Worcester sauce and stir well
Add the carrots and simmer, covered for 15 minutes
Add the peas and turn off the heat. Drain after a couple of mins
Place the meat and vegetables in a dish approximately 20 x 30. Add the cooled mash on top and level with a fork. Oven cook for 20 minutes on 180 degrees fan or until the topping has browned. It should be piping hot in the middle
BOLOGNESE SAUCE
Add passata and oregano to second pan plus another tbs tomato puree with a handful of sliced mushrooms and simmer, covered on low for 15 minutes
Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions, drain. Serve hot
CHILLI CON CARNE
Add the chilli powder to the third pan and simmer, covered for 15 minutes, adding the tin of kidney beans or chickpeas 5 minutes before the end then turn off the heat
Cook the rice and serve hot
These dishes will provide 4 large portions or 6 smaller portions each and you can freeze individual portions until you need them.
I made at least 12 large portions which cost around 66p each. 18 smaller portions cost 45p each.
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