5 Cheap Recipes to Keep you Going When You're Broke
- Apr 17, 2022
- 6 min read
Whether you are a struggling student, young adult, or Vanlifer, we all need a pick-me-up meal for when times get tough.
"A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe."
Are you ready to dive into some delicious, afforable meals? Okay, let's go.
Recipes on a Budget
It's never easy, deciding what to eat every night. That's just one of the reasons i've compiled this list of my most beloved dishes you can throw together from things around the house (and maybe a few extra things...). Having recipes like these commited to memory can definitly come in handy in a bind, I know it's very easy to think theres a plus sign after that huge black-lettered list of doom, but there very often isn't so without any more waffle (no pun intended), heres' my list:
Fritata
This gem is truly loved by my family and I learnt to make this as a little girl helping my dad in the magnolia kitchen with contrating rusty red tiles, billows of steam curling away from the oven and creating a haze through the once colourful room, now pastel-ish and threatenting to induce that horrible beepbeepbeepbeepbeep that makes every human jump so high they nearly leave their skin behind. Mmm good memories with good food, and the smell always takes me back...
Ingrediants
1/2 White onion
2 Cloves garlic, crushed (or to taste)
This is the best bit, use whatever Veg you have left around!
I recommend:
Peppers (My favourites red)
Spinach
Brocoli
Tomatoes
Meat (optional- but a little ham or salami can bring out a delicious flavour!)
Cheese (again optional but would definitly recommend)
And, rather, most importantly; Eggs! The amount is kind of up to you really, if they're all going to go off, why not use them all?! Just know you might be eating Frittata for a week! I recommend around 5.
Now, the thing that's gonna give our Frittata that lovely thickness is all the veg! So definitly don't be shy when chucking that in.
Method
Wash up and prep are the veg, you always want to be prepared before you start.
Grab a bowl, and your eggs and beat them gently with a fork.
Grab that seasoning that's probably hiding at the back of your cabinet (not for long) and go crazy! Add salt, black pepper, oregano, italian seasoning, onion granules, basil, a little smoked or sweet paprika, whatever you have back there, give it a go! (Unless it says like cumin or 5 spice, but i'm hoping you know better than that..)
Add all that lovely veg to the bowl and mix gently (also add meat here if you're using it)
Add the cheese, and now, this can be parmasan, cheddar, cottage cheese, whatever you have, just know, each one adds a different flavour.
Now tip into your tin or dish (needs high walls) and bake for about 40 mins until it rises and you can prick it like a cake and theres no residue on the stick.
It bakes just as well in an airfryer, and in a pinch and no oven, I have made it work in a frying pan alone and a lid.
Keeps for up to five days!
Bon appetit chefs :)
Pesto Pasta
Sometimes, just absolutely nothing seems appetising to me. I can make so many nice things but not one of them gives me the urge to jump up and start cooking, you know? Well this is my lazy dish through and through, I will always come back to this dish, and usually make so much that I eat it cold for lunch the next day.. and maybe a few days after that... It's just so good!!
Who doesn't love an easy 6 ingrediant dish?
Ingrediants
Frusili pasta or just the pasta you have in the cubboard
Pesto
Whatever veg you have around, literally everything works!
Smoked Salmon, smoked Mackrel, most fish work in this dish too (choose to taste- optional)
1/2 fresh lemon
Method
Melt butter into a stock pot
Add boiling water
Add pasta
Add lemon, salt and pepper to the water
Place the lid and let cook
Once aldente, or just undercooked, drain most of the water, leaving just a little with the pasta
Set to the side and heat frying pan with butter and/or oil
Add pasta and remaining water (should be very little water)
Add pesto
Add the veg straight to the pan for more of a crunch, or consider pre-boiling or steaming a little to aid the cooking process.
Add fish if applicable
Stir and let sit for 5-10 mins on a low/med tempertaure
Add seasoning, more salt, pepper, basil and oregano
Squeeze any leftover lemon over the top (optional)
Plate and enjoy!
Can keep for up to a week depending on fish-y-ness :)
Bon appetit chefs!
Chicken Curry
This is another one I learnt from my dad. A nice warm chicken curry can start a little fire in you even on the coldest of nights, in the coldest of places! It's all about what you add! Now, I understand not everyone is as cooking mad as I am and probably doesn't have Cardamom pods in the cubboard, if you have a curry pack somewhere in there, I suppose you'll still be making food at the end of the day.... Alright i'm sorry, i'll climb down off my extraordinally tall chefs hat and just say, there is no shame in how you cook, it doesn't matter how lazy or extra you go, what matters is the result, and your enjoyment, so, let's get started shall we?
Ingrediants
1/2 White onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
You know the drill by now, dredge up that veg!
Rice
Boneless chicken
Method
As per usual chefs, make sure everything is prepped before hand, and if you didn't buy diced chicken, cut it into bite-sized chunks now.
Add onion and garlic to heated stock-pot, let brown
Add chicken
Spice that baby up! Salt, pepper and a little cumin or paprika on there
Now we want to cover the chicken about half way with boiling water
Add 2 chicken stock
ADD. THAT. VEEEEGGGGG. (Obviously to be read in a game show host voice)
Spice, spice, spiceeeee. You're going to want, if you have it, cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods, fennel seeds, tumeric, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, maybe some oregano because you know we love our girl, some hot chilli powder, maybe some chilli flakes, remember, only you know how much spice you can take so keep tasting it as you go along, and lemon. Ooo baby, you want your kitchen smelling like india, but probably not as powerful.
Put the lid on and watch that masterpiece simmer, you want it on a medium heat, and keep stirring every so often to make sure it's not sticking.
Once that beauty has reduced into a nice thick sauce, go ahead and start your rice, if it's looking a little watery, try adding some flour (trust me, it's used in a bunch of things for thickening purposes like ghoulash)
Add salt and lemon to that rice water
Plate as you like it :)
Pro-tip, if it's a little too hot, add some natural yoghurt, it's gorgeous! Mhmhmhm
Keeps for about 4-5 days.
Bon appetit chefs!
Sheet Pans and Stirfry's
I do like to try and do dishes that don't use ovens as I know many are without them, but sometimes they are unavoidable. If you don't own an oven and haven't thought about alternatives, I really suggest an airfryer, especially for low-fat cooking, but it just gives the best results for absolutly everything! Cake? Extra fluffy. Salmon- Sooo flakey. Burgers? Moist and still thick and juicy, there is nothing the airfryer cannot reign over! And if I hadn't sold you one yet, go on amazon and check out how cheap they are, you'll never look back!
But let's get back to Sheet Pans. They are amazing for so many reasons, you can use up every little thing in the house, roast it on a tray, pour a little sauce or seasoning over the top, maybe add a little salad, and BAM, you have yourself a graceful little light meal.
But, if you're strapped for space too, and it's only the hob handy, that's where a Stir Fry comes in.
Ingrediants
A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
Method
For a Sheet Pan, slightly butter and oil tray, put everything together -you know, your similar flavours like chicken and all the veg in the house or beef and all the veg in the house, it's all excellent together :)
Grill or cook, and serve, you could even have it for lunch with wraps or pitta bread.
For StirFry, add ingrediants to wok or frying pan, stir, stir, stir, add seasoning and soy sauce
Serve when cooked
Bon appetit chefs - we do love an easy one (or two (: )
The one thing you shoud never have to stress about is how to make a good meal out of what looks like nothing, get some easy recipes under your belt and watch yourself become a kitchen ninja!
Till next time chefs.
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