Slimming World on a Shoestring

A healthy take on a takeaway classic (this is based on the Slimming World Fakeaway recipe, with some tweaks for budget and taste). Ingredients: 400g lean pork mince (< 5% fat) - €2, ALDI Rice noodles - €0.89, ALDI 2x pak choi - €1.79, Tesco Coriander - €0.99 Store cupboard staples: two cloves garlic, 1 small onion, 1 cm root ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, vegetable stock, one egg, two carrots Total: €5.67, aside from store cupboard staples (serves 4, so €1.42 per serving) Method: Spray a frying pan with low calorie spray and fry the mince. When the mince is cooked through, add chopped onion, garlic and ginger, along with 1 tsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 5 tbsp vegetable stock. Turn the heat down and cook for 5 minutes. Add two chopped pak choi and two grated carrots and cook until the vegetables are tender. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain the noodles, add to the frying pan and mix. Crack an egg over the mixture, stir through

A delicious, heart warming beef lasagne that serves four. Ingredients: 500g lean beef mince (< 5% fat) - €3, ALDI Chestnut mushrooms - €0.79, ALDI Passata - €0.49, ALDI Fat free natural yoghurt - €0.55, ALDI Lasagne sheets - €0.49, ALDI (I used gluten free ones which are a bit pricier) 160g low fat cheddar cheese - €1.79, ALDI Store cupboard staples: one onion, two cloves garlic, beef stock cube, one egg, nutmeg, basil Total: €7.11, aside from store cupboard staples (serves 4, so €1.78 per serving) Method: Spray a frying pan with low calorie spray and fry the mince. When the beef is cooked through, add chopped onion and follow with garlic and mushrooms. Turn the heat down and add passata and crumble in a beef stock cube. In a separate bowl, mix the yoghurt and one egg and add a sprinkle of nutmeg. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C for fan assisted oven) and spray dish with low calorie cooking spray. Spoon one third of the mince mixture into the dish, cover w

A chicken dish that tastes like more! This recipe make five portions and, aside from cupboard staples, comes in at under €2 per portion. Note: these cupboard staples can be bought in bulk (and ideally when on offer!) to keep costs low - then they can be added to dishes without significantly increasing the cost per portion. I'll have a post on my key cupboard staples in the next few weeks! Ingredients: 700g chicken strips - €5.98, ALDI (I bought the chicken mini fillets) 500g jasmine rice - €1, Lidl (a 1kg bag cost €1.99) - any rice will work 500g green beans - €0.42, Lidl (a 1kg bag of frozen beans cost €0.84, fresh beans may be more expensive) 4 tbsp honey 4 tbsp soy sauce (I use tamari soy sauce) 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar Total: €7.40 (this has five servings, and works out at €1.48 each). Method: Cook the rice in a pan of boiling water (according to instructions). Mix the honey, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Spray a frying pan with low calorie s

These two ingredient pancakes make for a tasty breakfast, they take less than 10 minutes and couldn't be easier to make. They're also very budget friendly (depending on the fruit you chose to top them with!) Ingredients: 1 banana 2 eggs Whatever fruit you have on hand to top The total cost will vary depending on the price you can get bananas and eggs for, and what fruit you chose for your topping, but can be made for less than €1 per portion. Directions: Mash the banana and whisk in two eggs. Spray a frying pan with low calorie spray and once the pan is hot, ladle the mixture into the pan (this mixture should make three - four pancakes). Fry until golden and flip. Repeat on the other side and serve with chopped fruit. Prep time: < 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Syns: 5 syns (from the mashed banana) * personally I don't count theses syns - mashed or pureed fruit is synned because it reduces its filling power and people eat more than

A delicious, creamy smoked bacon tagliatelle that feeds four, takes 10 minutes and costs less than €2 per portion. Ingredients: 250g gluten free tagliatelle - €1.19, Tesco 170g garlic and herb Philadelphia light - €1.27, Tesco Smoked bacon medallions, 1 pack (200g or 7 medallions) chopped into bite-size pieces - €1.35, Lidl Mixed leaves - €1.29, Lidl Cherry tomatoes - €1.49, Lidl Total: €7.35 (as this has four servings, that works out at €1.84 each). Method: Cook the tagliatelle in a pan of boiling water (according to instructions). Spray a frying pan with low calorie spray and fry the bacon. Add the Philadelphia to the pan and heat through. Add the cooked and drained pasta and mix. Serve with mixed leaves and tomato salad. Preparation time: < 5 minutes Cooking time: 10-15 minutes Syns: 3.5 per serving (approx) - t he Philadelphia can be used as part of your Healthy Extra B, which would make this completely free.

A hearty, filling egg fried rice and a great way to use up leftovers. The ingredients below made five meals, and only takes 15 minutes to make. This dish works out at just over €1 per portion, so it's a great budget friendly option. Ingredients: 400g jasmine rice - €0.80, Lidl (a 1kg bag cost €1.99) - any rice will work 350g diced chicken - €2.59, Lidl 500g green beans - €0.42, Lidl (a 1kg bag of frozen beans cost €0.84, fresh beans may be more expensive) 1 courgette - €1.49, Lidl (I had a packet of courgetti that I needed to use up, you can get a single courgette for cheaper) 1 egg (I had eggs on hand, but can be purchased very cheaply if bought in bulk) Soy sauce (again, I had this on hand - soy sauce is a cupboard staple for me)  Total: €5.30 (as this has five servings, that works out at €1.06 each ) Method: Cook the rice in a pan of boiling water (according to instructions). Spray a frying pan with low calorie spray and fry the diced chicken (I like to add a