Cheap Winter recipes for the whole family

We know how it feels – it is dark, it is cold and when you get home after work all you want is a warm meal and some family time. We went out there are found some hearty winter recipes that can be made at less than £2 per portion so that you don’t have to worry about what to make for dinner.

Cheap and easy Winter recipes

Pork Chops and Oriental Slaw

Servings – 4

Price per serving – £1.60

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cooking oil
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, coarsely grated
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 4 thin pork chops (about 1 pound total)
  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
DIRECTIONS
  1. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
  2. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the cabbage, spring onions, and carrots and toss to combine. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, at least 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place the eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Coat in the eggs and then the bread crumbs, pressing gently to help them adhere.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the pork until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side; slice.
  5. Serve the pork with the rice and slaw and sprinkle with the coriander.

Hearty White Chicken Chili

Servings – 4

Price per serving – £1.75

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground or finely diced chicken (alternatively, you can use leftover chicken or turkey for this recipe)
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cans cannellini beans
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can sweetcorn
  • Diced chilies, salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Put a large pot over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then add the onions and garlic.
  2. Stir until the onions just start to become translucent, then add the chicken, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and optional jalapeños.
  3. Stirring regularly, cook until the chicken is cooked through (about five minutes if ground or finely diced), then add the remaining ingredients, wait for it to return to a boil and reduce the heat to medium.
  4. Let everything simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Serve with rice

Sweet potato, chickpea & spinach curry

Servings – 4

Price per serving £1.56

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice
  • olive oil
  • 2 red onions
  • Rogan josh sauce
  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • 3cm piece of ginger
  • 1 bunch of fresh coriander
  • 3 sweet potatoes
  • 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x 400 ml tin coconut milk
  • 400 g spinach

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
  2. Peel, finely slice and add the onion along with the curry paste, mix well, then cook for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and golden, stirring occasionally.
  3. Finely chop the chilli, then peel and finely grate the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and finely slice the stalks. Chop the sweet potatoes into 2cm chunks.
  4. Add the chilli, ginger, coriander stalks and sweet potato to the softened onion. Drain and tip in the chickpeas, then cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Roughly chop and add the fresh tomatoes (if using) or tip in the tinned tomatoes. Add 200ml of water and bring to the boil.
  6. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid, then cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sweet potato is cooked through and the sauce thickened.
  8. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
  9. Scatter over the coriander leaves, then serve with rice, if you like.

Molten Chocolate-Nutella Pudding Cakes

Servings – 6

Price per serving – £1.05

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 100g plain chocolate, finely chopped
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons Nutella

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 170ºC. Mist 6 ramekins with cooking spray. Place a roasting pan in oven; pour in 1/2 inch of hot water.
  2. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and baking powder.
  3. Combine chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl; cook on high, stirring once or twice, until almost melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
  4. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt until pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Spoon half of batter into ramekins. Drop 1 Tbsp. of Nutella into center of each. Cover with remaining batter.
  5. Transfer ramekins to roasting pan. Bake until cakes have risen and are cracked on top, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

*All pricing calculated assuming you already have the following items: Sunflower Oil, Salt, Pepper, Selection of dried herbs and spices – oregano, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, Stock cubes, Rice, Sugar, Soy Sauce, Flour, Bread Crumbs, Butter, Eggs, Milk, Garlic.

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