Sarah Butler: Homemade food that supports healthier eating and removes last-minute cooking decisions

Sarah Butler sausage rolls wx170126

This week I’m sharing two of my latest favourite recipes with you. These two have been on repeat this January and bring smiles every time!

I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

The Chuck-it-in chicken curry brings comfort back to the table with minimal prep and almost no hands-on time. Ingredients go straight into the oven, flavours deepen while you get on with family life, and the result feels like a slow-cooked favourite. 

Creamy, gently spiced and adaptable, it suits grown-ups and children. This curry freezes beautifully, making it ideal for batch cooking at weekends, so healthy dinners are ready when time is short. A portion pulled from the freezer means fewer takeaways, less stress at tea time and more evenings spent together!

The Pork and stuffing sausage rolls make busy weeks more snack organised. A simple homemade stuffing adds flavour and comfort, while ready-made puff pastry keeps prep quick and achievable. 

Perfect for lunch boxes, after-school snacks or easy family dinners with chips and salad. Fill the freezer once and enjoy quick wins all week long. 

Having homemade food ready to go saves money, supports healthier eating and removes last-minute cooking decisions. Simple recipes like this help families feel back in control, well fed and relaxed around food again.

Give these a try this week and watch those dinner plates come back polished and lots of happy bellies.

Chuck It In Chicken Curry

recipe by:Sarah Butler

This curry is the ultimate low-effort, high-reward dinner. Everything is simply added to two oven dishes, roasted until fragrant, then blended into a rich, creamy curry that tastes like it has been simmering all day. The chicken stays beautifully tender t

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• In the chicken dish

• 4 chicken breasts 

• 3 tbsp natural yogurt

• 2 tbsp tikka masala spice mix

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated

• 3 garlic cloves, grated

• Salt and pepper

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 3 lemon slices plus a squeeze of lemon juice

• In the vegetable dish

• 1 red pepper, cubed

• 1 yellow pepper, cubed

• 1 orange pepper, cubed

• 1 red onion, roughly chopped

• 1 white onion, roughly chopped

• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 chilli, diced

• 6-8 cherry tomatoes, left whole

• 2 tbsp tandoori masala spice mix, or medium curry powder or garam masala

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• Extra virgin olive oil

• To finish

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 4 tbsp fresh cream, plus extra to finish

• 2 tbsp almond flour

• Handful fresh coriander

• Extra cumin seeds

• Flaked almonds, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Add all of the chicken dish ingredients to a metal oven dish and turn the chicken until fully coated.

2. Cover tightly with foil.

3. Add all of the vegetables to a second oven dish along with the spices, cumin seeds and olive oil. Toss well to coat and cover with foil.

4. Place both dishes in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

5. Pour the cooking juices from the chicken dish into a deep jug. Add the roasted vegetables, their juices and the tomato purée, then blend until completely smooth.

6. Transfer the sauce to a large pan, add the chicken and stir in the cream, almond flour, coriander and extra cumin seeds. Serve straight away, or cover and slow cook at 140°C/ 120°C fan/ gas mark 1 for one hour for extra tender chicken.

7. Finish with a little more cream if needed and scatter over flaked almonds before serving.

Sarah’s secret: Freeze your ginger so you always have to handy to make recipes like this one! Just zest from frozen.

Pork and Stuffing Sausage Rolls

recipe by:Sarah Butler

These sausage rolls are the ultimate comfort snack and guaranteed to keep everyone happy. Packed with herby homemade stuffing and juicy pork sausage meat, then wrapped in buttery puff pastry, they are simple and wonderfully tasty. Perfect for parties, buf

Servings

18

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 20g butter

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• Half a small white onion, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, diced<br>80g breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp mixed fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme and parsley

• 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry

• 12 pork sausages, about 350g

• 1 egg, beaten

• Sesame or poppy seeds, optional

Method

1. Start by making the stuffing. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat.

2. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Stir in the breadcrumbs and herbs and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

3. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.

5. Remove the sausage meat from the skins and place it in a bowl. Lightly mix with a fork.

6. Lay out the puff pastry and gently roll it to stretch it slightly. Spoon or pipe the sausage meat into three long, even strips across the pastry. Brush egg wash between each strip, then spoon the stuffing over the sausage meat.

7. Cut the pastry into three long strips and roll each one up tightly, sealing the edges underneath. Brush the tops with more egg wash, then cut into rolls around two inches long. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if using.

8. Place the rolls on a baking tray, leaving space between them, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crisp.

Sarah's secrets: Cooked sausage rolls will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Allow them to cool completely before storing and do not leave at room temperature for more than two hours. Both cooked and uncooked sausage rolls can be frozen for up to three months. To reheat cooked rolls, defrost at room temperature for about an hour, then warm in a hot oven for five minutes. To cook from frozen, bake straight from the freezer, adding an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.