Seven healthy and delicious recipes on a budget

It’s the start of the new year, which means a lot of us are likely setting new goals, wanting to eat a little healthier and feel more organised.

However, the cost of living crisis sadly didn’t stay in 2022, so we’re all finding ways to make our money go further. I’ve created seven super easy recipes that will tick all the boxes for being great value for money, filling, nutritious and high in protein.

They’re designed for the whole family to enjoy, some are suitable for freezing and some don’t require a microwave, so they are perfect for on the go, or if you don’t have access to one in your office!

All of the food used in the below recipes cost under £35 and will feed 2-4 people (shopping in a budget friendly supermarket). Check out this reel Link opens in a new window with all seven recipes. Enjoy!

1. Spanish chicken orzo

Makes 4 large portions

(Suitable for freezing)

Price: £6.44 - £1.61 per portion

Ingredients:

• 8 x skinless & boneless chicken thighs
• 300g orzo
• 2 x red peppers
• 2 x garlic cloves
• 1 x large white onion
• 720ml passata
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
• 1 x can of butter beans
• Olives of your choice
• Half a lemon
• Fresh parsley
• Optional: chopped chorizo

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, drizzle a little olive oil.

2. Fry your chicken thighs until nice and brown each side for 2-3 mins. Remove from the pan to a plate.

3. Finely chop the onion, peppers and garlic and fry in the pan with the chicken juices for a couple minutes.

4. Add in 1 tbsp of smoked paprika and your tomato purée, stir for a few seconds.

5. Pour in your passata, stir and reduce to a simmer.

6. Add in your orzo, drained can of butter beans, stir, then pop back in your chicken thighs, push them down to the bottle of the pan so they are covered as much as possible in the sauce. Add the lid and simmer for 10 mins but occasionally stir inbetween the chicken thighs so the orzo doesn’t stick.

7. After the 10 mins, remove the lid, fluff up the orzo some more, add salt and pepper, lemon juice and scatter your olives, continue to simmer for a further minute. Ensure the chicken is properly cooked before serving.

8. Serve in bowls with fresh parsley.

2. Halloumi wraps

Makes 4 wraps

Price: £5.44 - £1.36 per wrap

Ingredients:

• Halloumi
• Black beans
• 1 x red onion
• 2 x red peppers
• 1 tbsp per wrap of sour cream
• Quarter avocado per wrap
• 4 x grilled wraps
• Fresh coriander
• Smoked paprika

Method:

1. In a griddle pan or air fryer, fry your chopped red peppers and onion and set aside.

2. Fry your halloumi in a little fry light and sprinkle over some smoked paprika.

3. Assemble your wraps with everything and enjoy.

3. Overnight oats

Makes 2 portions

Price: £2 - £1.00 per portion

Ingredients:

• Oats
• Half a protein pudding
• Handful of fresh raspberries
• Quarter of a banana
• Handful of hazelnuts
• 50ml milk of choice

Method:

1. In a Tupperware jar, pour in your oats.

2. Pour in 50ml of milk and half a protein pudding, stir.

3. Top with your fruit and nuts, leave overnight.

Tip: dried fruits also work so well. You can add honey, protein powders, Nutella, jams - whatever you might have in your cupboard - too.

4. Salmon pasta

Makes 4 portions

Price: £7.80 - £1.95 per portion (less if swapping the salmon for chicken)

Ingredients:

• 2 x salmon fillets or chicken
• Half a bag of penne
• Half a bag of spinach
• Vine tomatoes
• Half a jar of pesto
• Half a tub of cream cheese

Method:

1. Grill/bake or air fry your salmon or chicken and vine tomatoes.

2. Pop your pasta in to boil whilst that’s cooking.

3. Drain the pasta and pop back into a large saucepan.

4. Add in pesto, cream cheese, salt, pepper, spinach and stir on the heat until the spinach wilts.

5. Add in your flaked salmon or chicken pieces and juicy vine tomatoes.

5. Egg muffins

Makes 12 mini omelettes

Price: £5.28 - 44p per mini omelette.

Ingredients:

• 6 x eggs
• Half a block of feta cheese
• 6 x rashers of turkey bacon
• Half a punnet of baby tomatoes
• Quarter bag of spinach

Method:

1. Set your oven at 200°C.

2. Spray some fry light into a muffin tray (or you can line with the bacon).

3. Whisk your eggs in a jug, season well.

4. Chop the veg and cheese into small chunks.

5. Pour the egg mix evenly into each section of your tray, then drop in the chopped veg, cheese and bacon (if you're not using it to line your muffin tray). You can mix this up with whatever you have – how about adding chilli flakes for a kick?

6. Bake for 20 mins, I sometimes like to take them out halfway and sprinkle more cheese on top. Allow to rest then remove from the tray carefully.

7. Enjoy cold or reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.

6. Pea soup

Makes 4 large portions

(Suitable for freezing)

Price: £2.88 - 72p per portion

Ingredients:

• Bag of frozen peas
• 1 x onion
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 2 x cloves of garlic
• 75g goats cheese
• 125g spinach
• Walnuts
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 pints of chicken stock

Method:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat until the butter melts. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.

2. Add the garlic and cook for a further few minutes.

3. Stir in the peas and spinach and add 2 pints of chicken stock.

4. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until very tender, about 2 mins.

5. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or hand blender until smooth. Add in salt and lots of black pepper.

6. In a separate bowl, blend together the goats cheese, some olive oil and a little water until smooth and pourable.

7. Drizzle over the soups, crush over some walnuts and enjoy.

7. Sweet potato curry

Makes 4 portions

(Suitable for freezing)

Price: £3.76 - 94p per portion (without rice)

Ingredients:

• 1 x large sweet potato
• 1 x can of coconut milk
• 200g red lentils
• 1 x tsp turmeric
• 3 x heaped tsp of mild curry powder
• 1 x onion
• 2 x garlic cloves
• 125g spinach
• 500ml veg stock
• 2 x tbsp tomato purée
• Paneer or Tofu

Method:

1. Finely chop your onions and garlic. And chop the sweet potato and paneer/tofu into small chunks.

2. In a large pan, drizzle some oil and fry your sweet potato chunks for 4 mins.

3. Add in your onion and garlic for a further 3-4 mins on a medium heat.

4. Add in your tomato purée and stir in rinsed lentils to the pan and stir for around 20 seconds on a low heat.

5. Add in the curry powder and the turmeric, stir, then pour in the coconut milk.

6. Reduce to a simmer, add in stock and simmer for 10 mins, stirring regularly ensuring the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

7. Now stir in the spinach and as much paneer or tofu as you’d like and simmer for a further 3 mins.

8. You may want to add an additional 100ml of water, depends on your desired consistency.

9. Serve on its own or with coconut rice.