Delicious dinner recipes that won’t break the bank

With the cooler months around the corner and cost of living pressures making us all think twice about spending, cooking delicious and nutritious meals for yourself and the family that won’t break the bank has never been more important. With some careful planning and a little creativity, you’ll be surprised what you can whip up. Here are a few recipes to get you started. You can adjust the servings to fit your household size.
 
Chicken & veggie stir-fry
Stir-fries are a great way to use up leftover veggies and create a nutritious meal. To make a veggie stir-fry, start by chopping up your favourite vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, capsicum, onions, and mushrooms. Heat up some oil in a wok (we love the flavour of sesame oil) and throw in sliced up chicken thigh or chicken breast. Around 100-200g of chicken per person is generally enough. After a few minutes, throw in the veggies and cook until they are tender. Add a sauce made of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a little bit of honey. While the stir fry is cooking, prepare noodles of your choice according to their instructions and either top with the stir-fry mix or stir through in the wok.
 
Sweet potato and black bean tacos
Tacos are a family favourite, and these sweet potato and black bean tacos are a healthy and budget-friendly twist. Start by roasting diced sweet potatoes (1 small-medium sized sweet potato per person) with a little bit of olive oil and salt in the oven at 220°C for about 20-25 minutes. Heat up some canned black beans on the stove with cumin and chili powder or a Mexican spice mix from the supermarket (1 can of black beans is generally enough for 3-4 people). Assemble the tacos with the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and your favourite taco toppings like shredded cheese, lettuce, avocado and salsa.
 
Cheese kransky pasta
One packet of pasta goes a long way in feeding hungry bellies. To make this one-pan-wonder, begin by boiling ¾ of a pot full of water. Add a pinch of salt and wait until you see bubbles to add your pasta. In the meantime, slice up 4 cheese kransky sausages and throw into a large deep pan on medium to high heat. Toss until you see the cheese soften slightly. Then add 1 cup of peas, a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, sliced red onion, a few crushed garlic cloves, and your choice of dried or fresh herbs (we like the spaghetti Bolognese herb mix). Cook until the peas and onion look ready then throw in the strained cooked pasta and stir through. If you like, add a little bit of olive oil, grated cheese, and salt and pepper to season.