Speedy, easy midweek meals that keep costs down
Pea pesto & prawn spaghetti
■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins
400g frozen peas, defrosted
150g garlic & herb soft cheese
1 lemon, zested and juiced, plus wedges to serve
1 garlic clove, chopped
300g spaghetti
190g small cooked prawns
1 Whizz 300g of the peas with the soft cheese, lemon zest and juice, and the garlic. Season, then set aside.
2 Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Add the remaining peas 2 mins before the pasta is cooked, then drain everything and return to the pan. Stir through the pea pesto and some seasoning. Divide between four plates and serve with the prawns and extra lemon wedges, if you like.
PER SERVING 512 kcals, fat 18g, saturates 10g, carbs 66g, sugars 6g, fibre 7g, protein 26g, salt 0.6g
PRAWN POWER
Prawns are packed with protein, keeping you fuller for longer. This recipe is also low in salt.
Five spice pork fillet with fried rice
■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 25 mins
420g pack pork fillet, trimmed and sliced into medallions
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cornflour
1 egg, beaten
225g cooked rice
200g frozen peas, defrosted
2 spring onions, sliced
1 Mix the pork medallions with the soy sauce and five-spice; leave to marinate for 5 mins. Heat a large non-stick pan, then fry the pork for 2-3 mins on each side until cooked through. Pour in 150ml boiling water with the honey and bubble for 2 mins. Mix the cornflour with a little water, stir into the sauce and cook until it thickens and is glossy.
2 Meanwhile, make the fried rice. Pour the egg into a non-stick frying pan to make an omelette, cooking for 2 mins on each side. Remove, roll up, and cut into thin strips. Add the rice to the pan with the peas and stir-fry for 3-5 mins until piping hot, then gently stir through the omelette with the spring onions and seasoning and cook for 1 min. Serve with the pork and a dash more soy sauce.
PER SERVING 319 kcals, fat 9g, saturates 3g, carbs 31g, sugars 8g, fibre 3g, protein 29g, salt 1.5g
Do the twist
Fried five-spice pork rice for 4
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add 500g pork mince and 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice and fry until browned. Tip in 225g cooked rice, 200g frozen peas, defrosted, 4 sliced spring onions and 1 egg omelette, made as above, and fry for 5 mins until piping hot. Season with 1 tbsp soy sauce and serve with hoisin sauce, if you like.
Cauliflower macaroni cheese
■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins
250g macaroni
1 head cauliflower, broken into pieces
25g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp English mustard powder
450ml milk
100g cheddar (
