Quality food isn’t determined by how expensive or exotic it is. What matters is the quality of ingredients, nutrients and levels of hygiene involved. . If you love cooking, opt for meals that are comforting and fulfilling.
Even if quality ingredients are expensive, you can always find more affordable options that are just as delicious and easy to cook.
Here are some budget-friendly recipes to get you started!
1. Homemade Mac And Cheese:
Ingredients:
• 227 gms macaroni
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 227 gm block sharp cheddar, shredded
Preparation:
1. Boil the macaroni for about 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Drain the macaroni in a colander.
2. Now place the butter, flour, and onion powder in a medium-sized pot. Whisk it and heat over medium until the butter is melted and the entire mixture begins to bubble. Continue whisking during bubbling and then cook for one minute.
3. After the butter and flour roux are cooked, whisk them in the milk. Continue cooking and whisking under medium heat until the milk begins to gently simmer. There will come a point when it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream or gravy.
4. Turn off the burner and season the white sauce with salt and hot sauce.
5. Add the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time. Whisk until completely melted before you add more.
6. Continue the process until all the cheese has melted into the sauce and blended well. Tip: If you notice the sauce has become too cold to melt the cheese, place it back over low heat and continue melting. But be mindful as too much heating can cause it to break and become grainy.
7. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir until everything is mixed well. Your pasta is ready to be served.
2. Creamy Tomato And Spinach Pasta:
Ingredients:
• 227 gm penne pasta
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 425 gm diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 57 gm cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 113 gm fresh spinach
Preparation:
1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to boil until it turns tender (7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
2. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add them along with olive oil to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions have turned soft and translucent. This should take around 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the same skillet. Stir until combined properly. Add the tomato paste and half a cup of water to the skillet. Stir until the tomato paste has mixed into the sauce.
4. Lower the heat and add the cream cheese to the skillet, cutting it into pieces. Add the tomato sauce and stir until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is absolutely creamy.
5. Add parmesan and stir until it melts into the sauce.
6. Now, add fresh spinach and gently stir until it has wilted. This shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes.
7. Finally, add the pasta and stir until it is well-coated in the creamy tomato sauce.
Add salt and pepper as per requirement and serve warm.
3. Spinach And Feta Grilled Cheese Sandwich:
Ingredients:
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 113 grams frozen chopped spinach
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 4 slices bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 28 gm feta
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
Preparation:
1. In a skillet, add olive oil and minced garlic.
2. Sauté over medium heat for about one minute and add the frozen spinach, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue sautéing over medium heat until most of the moisture has evaporated.
3. Add butter to each of the bread slices. Flip the buttered side of the bread to facing down.
4. Divide the shredded mozzarella equally between the two bread slices and top each slice with the crumbled feta.
5. Divide the cooked spinach between the two sandwiches, then top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
6. Topped each sandwich with the second slice of bread, buttered side facing up.
7. Heat the skillet over medium-low. Cooked the sandwiches on each side until they are golden brown, crispy and warm.
4. Cilantro Lime Rice:
Ingredients:
• 2 cups long grain white rice (uncooked)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 lime
• 2 tbsp olive oil
Preparation:
1. Rinse the rice in cool water and drain well.
2. Add the rice and chicken broth to a sauce pot, placing a lid on top. Heat on high without stirring or removing the lid.
3. Once it reaches an absolute boiling point, reduce heat to low. Let the rice simmer for 15 minutes, again without stirring or removing the lid. Turn off the heat and let the pot rest for an additional five minutes. Remove the lid and fluff up the rice with a spoon.
4. In the meanwhile, juice the lime, and finely chop the cilantro. Add 3 tbsp of lime juice, ½ tsp of the lime zest, and 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro in a bowl along with olive oil and stir to combine them well.
5. Sprinkle the cilantro lime mixture over the rice, and gently combine.
6. Be mindful to not stir the rice with force, as it cause the dish to become sticky and lumpy.
7. Adjust lime and salt as per taste before finally serving.
5. Cucumber Sandwiches:
Ingredients:
12 slices white bread
227 gm cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 green onion, sliced
1 large cucumber
Preparation:
1. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, lay out the bread slices and freeze for at least one hour. This makes sandwich slicing easier.
2. To prepare the dilly cream cheese dip, add the cream cheese, dried dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and sliced green onion to a bowl. Whip all the ingredients together until evenly blended and the cream cheese feels soft.
3. You can either peel the cucumbers or leave the peel on. Slice the cucumbers thinly and evenly.
4. Take just two slices of bread from the freezer at a time. Spread 1.5 tbsp cream cheese over each slice from edge to edge. Layer the cucumber slices over one piece of bread, then top with the second slice. The cream cheese side should face the cucumbers.
5. Properly slice the crusts off the bread and cut the sandwich into either two or four pieces (Tip: Four small pieces can be great for finger food or party appetisers). Repeat the process until all the sandwiches have been prepared. The leftover cucumber slices can be used to garnish the sandwiches.