Darina Allen: Three wholesome budget-friendly dinner recipes to feed your family

Let’s source the most nutrient-dense ingredients and see what we can do with those

Darina Allen's Autumn Black-eyed Bean, Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew

As costs soar, many busy Mums and Dads have the same dilemma: How to put delicious, nourishing, wholesome food on the table for the family, without ‘breaking the bank’.

Well, let’s concentrate on sourcing the most nutrient-dense ingredients and see what we can do with those.

Porridge oats are one of the most nutritious and least expensive grains, not just to make a steaming bowl of porridge (add any leftover to the ingredients for a soda bread) but also to make moreish flapjacks for school lunches.

Brown and white rice, also inexpensive, are the foundation of a myriad of sweet and savoury dishes and a base for so many proteins; a bowl of risotto will feed the family well and deliciously for just a few euros.

Wholegrain pasta is also inexpensive and a super way to stretch meals and has a low glycaemic index.

All are brilliant but the real secret weapon in terms of ‘bang for your buck’ are the pulses – peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils.

The variety is staggering: Flageolet, black-eyed, haricot, butter or lima, mung, adzuki, borlotti or cranberry and black beans... and then there’s chickpeas and carlin peas.

These pulses are widely available in local health food shops or even on supermarket shelves. If you really want to save money, buy them dry – they inevitably shelf-stable – soak them overnight in lots of water so they double in size. A few tins or jars of pre-cooked beans are super to have in the pantry for an emergency.

There’s virtually nothing you can’t do with them: soups, salads, stews, curries, purées... mix and match. They have a wide variety of flavours and are the cheapest form of protein; why don’t we eat more of them?

A few more nutritious thoughts.

Eggs also provide lots of protein, vitamin D and B12 at low cost.

Cabbage and root vegetables cost very little, keep for ages in a cool place and are super versatile.

Frozen spinach and peas still have a high percentage of their nutrients intact and lots of fibre in which so many are deficient.

Canned tomatoes are definitely worth the money, a brilliant basis for beans and provide lots of the antioxidant lycopene. And don’t forget potatoes are a wonder food with tons of vitamin C, iron, potassium and fibre.

Our food should be our medicine, so go out of your way to find chemical-free, organic food.

It may seem more costly initially but it’s better to pay the farmer or food producers to keep you healthy rather than the doctor or pharmacist to undo the damage.

Chilli con carne

recipe by:Darina Allen

My favourite recipe for chilli con carne. The accompaniments are a crucially important part of the enjoyment of the chilli con carne – they make it into a feast.

Servings

6

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 500-725g stewing beef (better than mince), cut into 1-2cm cubes

• extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 small green pepper, seeded, sliced

• Colorado Sauce (see recipe)

• 1 tbsp tomato concentrate (optional)

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 250g red kidney beans, cooked

• salt and brown sugar

• To serve

• Sour cream

• Cheddar cheese

• fresh coriander

• Tortilla chips (see recipe)

• Tomato and Coriander Salsa (see recipe)

• Avocado Sauce (optional – see recipe

Method

1. Trim the meat where necessary and brown it in olive oil.

2. Transfer to a casserole.

3. Brown the onion lightly in the same oil, add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for a minute or two and scrape on to the meat.

4. Add the green pepper, Colorado sauce and just enough water to cover the ingredients.

5. Cover tightly and leave to stew until cooked, keeping the heat low. Check the liquid occasionally.

6. By the end of the cooking time, it should have reduced to a brownish red thick sauce. If it reduces too soon because the lid of the pan is not a tight fit, or you had the heat too high, top it up with water.

7. Last of all.add the tomato if used, the cumin, the kidney beans if you are not serving them separately as a salad, with salt and brown sugar to taste.

8. Simmer for a further 15 minutes, put a blob of sour cream on top of the chilli con carne, sprinkle with grated cheese.

9. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with Tortilla Chips, Tomato and Coriander Salsa and optional Avocado Sauce.

These accompaniments really enhance the Chilli con carne. Tortilla chips make an excellent alternative to crisps; they will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. The Tomato and Coriander Salsa is best  in summer and early autumn when tomatoes are ripe and juicy. This sauce is ever present on Mexican tables to serve with all manner of dishes. Salsas of all kinds both fresh and cooked have now become a favourite accompaniment to everything from pan-grilled meat to a piece of sizzling fish.

Accompaniments for Chilli con carne

recipe by:Darina Allen

The Colorado sauce is a delicious sauce to use when making chilli con carne, rather than the chilli powder sold in small bottles. It can also be used as a marinating mixture.

Servings

6

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the Colorado Sauce

• 6-7 small, dried chillies, or 4-5 large fresh ones

• 1 large red pepper

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic

• Salt

• For the Avocado Sauce

• 2 ripe avocados

• 3-4 tbsp lime or lemon juice

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• sea salt

• 1 tbsp fresh coriander or flat parsley

• Scoop out the flesh from the avocados. Mash the flesh with a fork, add lime juice, olive oil, chopped coriander, salt and pepper to taste.

• For Tomato and Coriander Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

• 4 very ripe tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tbsp red or white onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• ½ - 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Jalapeno or Serrano

• 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

• Squeeze of fresh lime juice

• Salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

• For the Totopos - Tortilla Chips

•  6-8 tortillas

• Oil for deep frying

• 1 tsp salt

• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese - Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. For the Colorado Sauce

2. If the chillies are dried, soak them in a little water for an hour, then slit them and wash out the seeds.

3. Discard the stalks, do the same with the large pepper.

4. Purée with the other ingredients, using the soaking water if necessary to moisten the vegetables. If you use chillies, you might need a tablespoon or two of cold water. Season with salt.

5. You can keep this sauce in a covered container in the fridge for two days, or you can freeze it.

6. For the Avocado Sauce

7. Scoop out the flesh from the avocados.

8. Mash the flesh with a fork, add lime juice, olive oil, chopped coriander, salt and pepper to taste.

9. For Tomato and Coriander Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

10. Mix all the ingredients together. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar.

11. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

12. For the Totopos - Tortilla Chips

13. Cut the tortillas into eighths. Alternatively, corn tortillas can be cut into strips, 5 x 1cm, but this is not advisable for wheat flour tortillas, which break too easily.

14. Heat the oil to 200°C.

15. Fry the pieces until they are light brown, stir occasionally to ensure that all the tortillas brown evenly. Drain on absorbent paper, season and toss with the salt and Parmesan and/or cayenne if desired.

16. Serve cold on their own or with a dip such as Guacamole.

This next dish is delicious on its own, but equally good with a roast chicken or a few lamb chops. Eat with flatbreads or pilaff rice, if you prefer.

Autumn Black-eyed Bean, Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew

recipe by:Darina Allen

Recipe from One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books One of the very best vegetarian one-pot dishes. What’s not to like about black-eyed beans, chickpeas and pumpkin with lots of spices? Delicious on its own, but equally good with a roas

Servings

6

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 x 2.5cm cinnamon stick

• 150g onions, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

• 225g fresh mushrooms, sliced approx. 3mm thick

• 450g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut in 2cm cubes

• 400g fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground turmeric

• a pinch of sugar

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 225g dried black-eyed beans, strained

• 110g dried chickpeas, strained

• 1 tsp salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp chopped coriander

• For the Mint Yogurt

• 300ml natural yogurt

• 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

Method

1. Drain the chickpeas and black-eyed beans. Pop into two separate saucepans, cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and cook until tender, this can take anything from 30-60 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

2. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, put in the cumin seeds and the cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds, then add the onions and garlic. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the onion is just beginning to colour at the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms wilt, then add the pumpkin or squash, tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin and turmeric, a pinch of sugar and the cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat and tip in the drained beans and chickpeas. Add the salt and pepper, together with 2 of coriander. Pour in 150ml of the bean cooking liquid and 150ml of the chickpea liquid. Return to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. To make the mint yogurt

5. Combine the yogurt with the chopped mint in a bowl.

6. Remove the cinnamon stick from the pan before serving and sprinkle with the remaining coriander. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a dollop of the mint yogurt. Accompany with a good green salad and rice, if you wish.

Spiced Sweet Potato Cake

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

I have fond memories of living on roasted sweet potatoes in college. We thought we were fancy, cutting a slit in the still warm skin and adding a spoon of garlic butter. It was a sign we were having friends to dinner if we added coriander and chopped chil

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 25 mins

Cooking Time

 55 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 220g butter, soft

• 300g golden caster sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tsp powdered cinnamon

• 1 tsp mixed cake spice

• 1 tsp powdered ginger

• 300g self-raising flour

• 2 tsp bread soda

• 600g roasted and mashed

• sweet potatoes (about 4 small to medium)

• 240ml buttermilk

• For the icing

• 120g icing sugar

• 15 ml orange juice

• Zest of 1 orange

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Line a 9-inch round cake tin.

2. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

3. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in colour.

4. Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla and slowly add them to the butter mixture until combined.

5. Add in the mashed sweet potato and combine with a wooden spoon.

6. Sieve the spices with the flour and bread soda and add these to the mixture to form a batter.

7. Add in the buttermilk and combine.

8. Scoop the batter into the tin.

9. Place the tins into your oven and bake for 55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

10. Allow to cool in the tin until cool enough to handle, then place onto a wire rack to cool completely.

11. To make the icing, whisk the icing sugar, juice, cinnamon and zest until smooth.

12. Top the cake with the icing.