Category Archives: Recipes

Cheap & Easy, Main dishes, Recipes, Vegan on a Budget

Mushy Pea Dahl

Approximate cost of ingredients less than £1 as long as you use the oil and flavourings in this and other dishes regularly.

Ingredients

• 1 small white onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

• 1 can of mushy peas

• 1/2 to 1tsp curry powder to taste

• Oil

• Salt, black pepper, vinegar to taste.

Method

• Place a tablespoon of oil in the saucepan.

• Add the onion (diced), garlic clove (crushed), and fry on low heat for around 10 minutes until they are transparent.

• Add in the curry powder and seasoning. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add teaspoons of water if necessary.

• Add the tinned mushy peas. Mix and add more water a spoon at a time to achieve the right consistency.

• Let it simmer on low heat for around 15 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Turn off the heat and let it rest and further cook with the lid on for around 30 minutes.

• Serve with rice and veg / veg curry.

Cheap & Easy, Recipes, Side dishes, Vegan on a Budget

Air Fryer Spicy Potatoes

Serves 2

Photo of a grill tray containing air-fried potatoes

Approximate cost of ingredients less than £1 as long as you use the oil and flavourings in this and other dishes regularly.

Ingredients

• 350 grams (g) potatoes

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) dried oregano

• 1 tsp garlic granules (or 2 crushed/chopped garlic cloves)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili flakes

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp olive oil (cheaper oil will do!)

Method

• Peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes.

• Wash them and put them in a mixing bowl, along with the spices and olive oil and mix well.

• Add them in the air-fryer and cook for 25-28 minutes at 180°C. Turn them half way through.

You can also cook this dish in an oven. Just amend the cooking time to 35 minutes approximately.

This recipe is based on one by Natlicious Food (https://natliciousfood.com/). You can view the original recipe at https://natliciousfood.com/recipes/spicy-air-fryer-potatoes.

Potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrates, making them a good energy provider. Potatoes are also rich in dietary fibre. This helps to maintain digestive health and can aid in lowering cholesterol levels. They contain a variety of vitamins and minerals including high levels of vitamin C (important for immune system function, skin health, and iron absorption) and significant amounts of potassium. Potassium can help regulate blood pressure. Potatoes also provide vitamin B6, a vitamin crucial for brain function and mood regulation.

Cheap & Easy, Recipes, Starters and soups, Vegan on a Budget

Tomato, bean and greens soup

Serves 4.

Approximate cost of ingredients £1.70. 

Could also be cooked in a microwave oven.

Ingredients

•1x 400g tin of tomatoes

•1x 400g tin of beans(any beans or chickpeas)

•1 large onion chopped

•2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or minced

•2 large handfuls of roughly chopped greens( Kale, Chard, Cabbage or Spinach)

•1 vegetable stock cube

•400ml (14 fluid ounces) of water

•Teaspoon of oil

•Salt and pepper to taste

Method

•Chop onion into roughly 1cm pieces

•Finely chop garlic

•Soften onions in oil on a medium heat for around 5 mins in a pan stirring occasionally

•Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes stirring occasionally

•Add remaining ingredients. Swill out the empty tin of tomatoes with some of the water into the pan

•Bring to the boil then simmer on low for 10-15 minutes

•Add salt and pepper to your own taste

Cheap & Easy, Main dishes, Recipes, Vegan on a Budget

Red Lentil Dahl

Serves 2

Approximate cost of ingredients 75p for basic recipe without tinned tomatoes or coconut milk as long as you use the oil and flavourings in this and other dishes regularly.

Ingredients 

  • 1 onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 mug red lentils
  • Heaped teaspoon curry powder
  • Other spices to taste e.g. extra chilli, ginger
  • Half teaspoon salt
  • Half teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil or margarine

Method

  • Chop onion finely. Fry on a low to medium heat for 5 mins or until the onion is transparent – do not brown. 
  • Add the crushed garlic, salt, pepper and spices and fry for 1 more minute, being careful not to brown. Turn down heat or add a teaspoon of water if necessary. 
  • Add lentils, and stir for 2 or 3 minutes. 
  • Add 3 mugs water (or stock, tinned tomatoes or coconut milk), stir, and slowly bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to just above minimum and cover, stirring every 3 minutes for 20 minutes. 
  • If the dahl does not thicken, continue to cook on low. If it is too thick, add more water. 
  • Liquidise if wanted. 
  • Serve with rice or roti, and curry or steamed vegetables.
Cheap & Easy, Recipes, Sauces and condiments, Vegan on a Budget

Easy Blender Mayo

The quantities here are suitable for making coleslaw accompanying a meal for 4 people.

One of the ingredients in this recipe is the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas. It’s commonly obtained from the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas and called aquafaba. Of course, you can make it yourself as a co-product of cooking chick peas from scratch (the cheapest way of preparing them).

Ingredients 

  • 65 ml of aquafaba
  • 1½ teaspoons of mustard powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice
  • 200 ml of vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar

Electric hand-held blender method

  • Place all ingredients in a bowl.
  • Blend with an electric hand-held blender until you have the consistency you want.

Save money: the hand-whisk method

  • A hand whisk can be used instead of an electric blender.  
  • Except oil, place all other ingredients in a bowl.
  • Whisk all ingredients whilst slowly pouring in the oil.
  • Continue whisking until you have the consistency you want.
Cheap & Easy, Recipes, Side dishes, Vegan on a Budget

Air-fryer Swede

Serves 2

Approximate cost of ingredients less than £1 as long as you use the oil and flavourings in this and other dishes regularly.

Swede is packed with vitamin C, E, K and B6 as well as being a good source of manganese, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, carotene and fibre. Its high beta-carotene content helps the body absorb vitamin C more effectively too.

Ingredients

  • 350 grams (g) swede
  • 1 teaspoon (tsp) dried oregano (optional)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil

Method

  • Peel and cut the swede into small cubes.
  • Place in a mixing bowl along with the oil, salt, pepper and optional herbs and spices
  • Mix well.
  • Spread the coated swede in the air-fryer trays.
  • Cook for 25-30 minutes at 200°C. Turn them half way through.

You can also cook this dish in an oven. Just amend the cooking time to 35 minutes approximately.  Potatoes can be used in this recipe too.