I do prepare a lot of ingredients beforehand - chopping and grating vegetables, sauces, etc .. basically anything that can be frozen. Because everything is on a meal plan, I can just take out all the ingredients to thaw overnight without having to spend ages pondering over what to make.
These went just over the R20.00/ meal budget (only by a few rand, I promise)
Bacon, mushroom and cream pasta
- 1 packet of bacon bits cost me about R30.00, I used 1/3
- 1 250ml tub of cream cost about R10.00 (I think it was just under, but still)
- Fried some chopped onion, bacon bits and chopped mushroom together, added the cream and cooked for a bit. Served with spaghetti.
Crumbed and stuffed chicken breasts with butternut mash and roast potatoes
- Mashed the butternut with some maple syrup and brown sugar
- Roasted 2 potatoes with some rosemary
- Chicken breasts were stuffed with some zucchini butter and grated carrot, crumbed with breadcrumbs, Parmesan and finely chopped almonds
- Link to recipe for zucchini butter: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-jennie-cooks-zucchini-b-121770
R20 almost exactly
Butternut and Bolognese Cannelloni
- Made the Bolognese sauce with mince, 1/2 can of tinned tomato, 1/2 can of tomato puree and 1/2 packet of tomato paste, and I added some butternut (which I had boiled first). This actually made enough for 2 meals, so I froze half the mince mixture).
- Stuffed into the cannelloni and topped with a white sauce (which I made from a packet sauce) and some grated cheese.
Breakfast for Dinner
- Used my muffin pan to make breakfast cups and baked french toast. It was delicious.
R10.00 - R20.00 per meal
Chicken and pineapple skewers with roast potatoes
- I basted the chicken and pineapple in sweet-chilli sauce and skewered them because everything tastes better on a skewer.
Boboti and Rice
- The Boboti sauce was made from a packet sauce
Satay chicken on skewers, with oven chips and onion rings
- The Satay sauce was made from a packet sauce
- Oven chips and onion rings were part of the grocery budget
Spaghetti Bolognese
- Mince, 1/2 can of tinned tomato, 1/2 can of tomato puree and 1/2 packet of tomato past2
- Served with spaghetti
Roast chicken, roast potatoes and roast vegetables
- Pretty much a staple food in my house. Each week I used a different vegetable - whatever I had in the house
Chicken casserole with rice
- Another staple in my house. I used different things to make the casserole sauce - sometimes a packet of soup, sometimes some chutney and mayo. Add some chopped vegetables (whatever I add) and potato.
Less than R10.00
Fried chicken strips with oven chips and onion rings, in a pita or with baked potato
- Yet another staple in my house, because this can be paired with almost any side dish and cooked with just about any marinade
- Fried up the chicken strips with some onion, grated carrot, green pepper etc, with whatever marinades or sauces I had in the fridge.
- Perfect for a Friday
Mexican rice
- By far the cheapest meal I made
- Link to recipe: http://damndelicious.net/2014/08/27/one-pot-mexican-rice-casserole/
- I made everything in one pot. It was enough for 2 meals, so I froze half.
Inspiration for Next Month's Meal Plan
Here are some things that didn't make it onto the menu in October, but I am planning for November. I can't vouch for how easy they are to cook, or how easily they fit into the budget, but it's always nice to have some inspiration.
Korean Beef: http://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/
Asian Beef with Mushrooms & Snow Peas: http://juliasalbum.com/2014/09/asian-beef-with-snow-peas/
Sweet & Sour Chicken - no real recipe as yet, just an idea formulating in my mind
Something with Quinoa - I have only made it once and I think its time to try again - maybe this: http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/09/one-pan-mexican-quinoa/
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