Healthy but cheap dinner ideas

[rayofsunshine]

any idea please, we have the same junk every week and would like to try didnt ideas now, but am on a budget.

baked potatoes with tuna and salad. my dh loves it.

Casserole - can be really cheap and made with left overs, and healthy and hearty Yummy with Yorkshire pudding or crusty bread.

spag bol?
stirfry.
sweet n sour with naan bread.
stew...

sorry to jump in on this thread, but can someone give me a really easy recipe for a beef stew please without a packet mix. Do you add gravy and what spices???? thanks, I'm not a natural in the kitchen!!

anyone???

pesto pasta
omelettes
tuna pasta

bubble and squek after a roast, I always make sure I do lots of extra veg, cabbage and potatoes and carrots.

Pasta is very cheap. Mix with pesto and toasted pine nuts. Or make spaghetti and mix with olive oil, butter, lemon juice and bacon bits, then top woth parmesan cheese.

Rice is too, one packet makes loads. You can add lots of herbs and spices and a vinagrette with veggies and then some boiled eggs -msound syuk but is realy tasty!

MJ

Make gravy up, add onions and mushrooms, and a good dollop of horseradish sauce. put beef in and oven it just like a packet sauce.

My beef casserole is mad eup as I go along and depending what is in house (also bearing in mind I make a veggie one along side it). I brown off the meat, throw in some onions. Then add some chopped root veggies (potato, carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, butternut squash, swede, etc). Then I add some stock, made from stock cubes. I splash in some Henderson's Relish (like Worctershire sauce). Throw in suitable some herbs. Simmer on hob together for about 20 minutes to get it cooking. I then transfer it into a low oven and cook for about 1.5-2 hours - so that the beef (which can be cheaper cuts as cooking so long) goes really soft and melts in the mouth. I also somtiemes add mushrooms.

Cans of chickpeas can be as little as 20p. Use them to m ake felafel.

Noodles and stirfry meat. Makes a little go a long way.

Home made soup is surprisingly easy and can be very cheap if you use seasonal vegetables or those from the 'reduced to clear' section.

got a falafal recipe handy?

mixed bean chili
yum!

Drain a can of chickpeas, whizz them up or mash them with a fork. If you have a blender, whizz some onion too or chop finely. Then add some garlic, salt, and chilli/cumin/corriander (whatever you have in the cupboards) . If you use chickpeas from a can they can be quite wet, so add a little flour to bind. If you can get hold of chickpea flour (chana) it's a lot better. Wet your hands and form into balls (it's very sticky) then fry in a little oil.

The whole thing takes me 20 minutes from opening the can to serving them up.

Shepherds pie, cauliflower cheese, curry, soup. Soups are really easy and you can make them with anything and put them in the freezer.

Also if you live near a farmers market or near a farm buy your fruit and veg from there. Its much cheeper, fresher and your helping small businesses.

Sausage, beans and mash - Decent sausages arn't that much more expensive.