Starting a business where both partners are totally invested both energetically and financially, we’ve had to make some changes when it comes to food shopping and healthy cooking. The question that sparked this post however was “do you still cook dinner when you finish work at 730 or 8 o’clock?” The answer is yes. Like most things worth doing, our ability to shop for food on a budget and make up healthy meals fast comes from experience and practice!
Here are 3 budget friendly dinners that you can whip up in 30 minutes:
DILEMMA: No meat and minimal veg left in the fridge.
ANSWER: Pantry Curry
Serves 4 (or 2 with lunch the next day)
Ingredients:
- 2 big tablespoons Korma curry paste or 1 heaped Tbsp curry powder +/- dash of ground cumin, turmeric
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic crushed / finely sliced
- 1-2 chopped leftover veg: carrot, sweet potato, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, sliver beet or add frozen peas.
- Tin chickpeas
- Tin lentils
- Tin coconut cream
- Optional: Jasmine rice or pack small pappadum
- Extra virgin olive oil / coconut oil / ghee for cooking
Heat some oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat and sweat the onions and garlic. Then add your veg, all chopped into small pieces so that it will cook quickly and evenly. Stir constantly for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add your curry flavour (paste/spices) and stir coating all of the veg. Crack the tins of chickpeas and lentils just enough that you can run some water into the tin and rinse without losing everything down the sink. Tip in the chickpeas, lentils and coconut cream and combine everything. Bring to a light boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes. If making rice you can get the water on to boil. If preparing pappadum then place a shallow pan on a medium heat and add some coconut oil or ghee. The pappadum only need a quick fry to crisp up on both sides then remove them to a plate to cool.
Estimated cost per serve: $3.70
DILEMMA: Friday night. We want takeaway!
ANSWER: Nachos
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 250g beef mince
- 1/2 jar passata
- 1/2 packet taco seasoning or good dash of each of paprika, chilli, cumin, salt and pepper
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1/2 carrot grated
- 1/2 zucchini grated
- 1 bag plain corn chips
- Grated cheese
- Optional extras: 1/2 tin corn kernels, 1/2 tin kidney beans, 2 chopped tomatoes, top with avocado/guacamole, sour cream, spring onions, coriander
Pop the oven on to 160-180 degrees C. Place a frying pan on medium-high heat and cook the veg for a few minutes stirring constantly until soft and starting to colour. Add the beef mince and taco seasoning, stirring until the meat is brown. Add the passata and simmer for another few minutes. Pour your corn chips (1/2-1 bag) into a large oven proof dish and top with the meat mixture spreading it around. Sprinkle with grated cheese and pop it into the oven for 5-10 minutes until your cheese is melted and golden.
Estimated cost per serve: $4.20
DILEMMA: Shopping with pennies this week.
ANSWER: Bangers and Mash
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- Sausages (look for better quality sausages on special and freeze for later)
- 2-4 large potatoes chopped into cubes
- Large 1/4 cabbage sliced / chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – one peeled whole, one thinly sliced or crushed
- Butter
- 1 cup Chicken or vegetable stock or stock powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dried rosemary (optional)
Place the oven on 180 and get the sausages in. Half fill a sauce pan with cold water and get the potatoes in to boil with a sprinkle of salt and one whole peeled garlic clove. Place another saucepan on a medium-high heat with some oil then add the cabbage and remaining garlic. Stir constantly and once it starts to soften add a good tablespoon of butter and the Worcestershire sauce. After a couple of minutes stirring, carefully pour in the cup of hot stock and pop the lid on for 5 minutes. Check and turn your sausages. Once your potatoes can be easily poked open with a knife drain them with a colander and put them back in the pan. Add a tbsp butter, a lug of olive oil, a small dash of dried rosemary, some salt and pepper and mash the potatoes and garlic clove until well combined and creamy. Remove the lid from the cabbage and place over the mashed potatoes. Check the cabbage and cook a little longer if needed. Once the sausages are done add a drizzle of olive oil to your cabbage before serving.
Estimated cost per serve: $3.65
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