Caitriona Redmond: 15-minute noodles for less than €1

Fried noodles

Here we are at the start of the month with less than 4 weeks to go until the kids go back to school. I’ve been chipping away at the school costs since the schools finished earlier this summer but there always seems to be something else to be added to the list or new to pay for.

This year I remembered to check all the bags for food at the end of June. I have been caught out before and found things growing in the bottom of a school bag that possibly would have qualified for a new type of life form. The lunchboxes and backpacks have been pressed into use weekly though - they are not just for school days. There have been some questionable lunch combinations that wouldn’t normally make it to school but the kids have been fed and watered no matter what they’ve been up to.

Take this as your little reminder to check those schoolbags if you haven’t already. There is nothing quite like the stress of getting stuck into crevices with an old toothbrush and a bottle of bleach the day before school starts.

My €1 per portion meal this week is low on energy and high on flavour. It’s a simple gathering of ingredients that are easy to pick up in any supermarket. I shopped in Tesco and the list was longer than usual but everything fitted into my tight budget. I’m feeding four adults for 79c per portion. The entire shop comes to €4.79 but there’s a pair of eggs, over ¾ of a bag of frozen peas, half a bundle of scallions, and some garlic left over for another meal. The best part is the entire meal should take about 15 minutes from start to finish.

As we grow our own food I’ve become an expert at using and making the most out of the fruits and vegetables we produce which is a very handy skill to have when looking at the discount areas in supermarkets!

Tomato season is in full swing and as it continues you may be able to pick up tomatoes that are slightly past their best and on the squishy side with bright yellow stickers. It’s equally possible that you might have some soft tomatoes on your counter or the back of the fridge. I make this sauce weekly through the summer and pop it into the freezer to use in meals all year around.

Noodles with Crispy Fried Egg

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond

Use whatever tired vegetables you have in this quick and easy meal

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, chopped €0.49

• 3 scallions, chopped €0.69

• 150g frozen peas €0.64

• 250g fine egg noodles €0.99

• 2 cloves of garlic chopped €0.39

• 4 medium eggs  €1.59

Method

1. Take a large bowl and fill it with all of the ingredients excluding the eggs. Boil a kettle of water and pour the hot water over the ingredients. Cover the bowl and set to one side.

2. Place a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Crack in each egg and fry until crispy on the bottom and cooked on top. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Once the eggs are cooked, lift the lid off the bowl with the noodles and strain the contents. Portion out the noodle mixture into bowls and place an egg on top of each bowl.

4. Seasoning/Condiment Additions (suggested): 1 teaspoon sesame oil with 1 teaspoon soy sauce or fish sauce. Sweet chilli sauce. Make the most of whatever you have in the press.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond

Top pizzas, stir into pasta or use as a base for casseroles - this is a kitchen workhorse

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 1kg tomatoes chopped 

• 3 cloves garlic (or more), peeled 

• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 

• Salt and pepper 

• Pinch sugar to taste 

Method

1. Place all the ingredients into a heavy oven-proof dish and stir. Roast in the oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven, vent it slightly, and leave the dish to cool to room temperature. The ingredients will continue cooking in the residual heat.

2. Once cool, blitz with a little water until you get a smooth sauce which is perfect for adding to tomato-based dishes.

While research was published this week suggesting that Irish consumers may spend more than necessary to qualify for special offers, we all know thrifty shoppers will rarely deviate from their grocery budget.

Be loyal to your budget and not the supermarket.

When in the shops watch out for yellow stickers which mark a price reduction. This can often be because a product is near its expiry date but for fresh fruit and vegetables it could be because they have become a little tired, sad, or squishy (just like me after the past 2 years). Pick up your yellow sticker food and either cook as soon as you get home to prolong the shelf life or pop it into the freezer until you’re ready to cook.

Dunnes Stores ‘Buy 3 for €10’ BBQ meat offer is continuing and I am stocking up on the free-range boneless chicken thighs at every opportunity.

Chicken thighs are perfect for long slow cooks like curries. 

Other items I have been buying include the fresh beef and pork mince tray which is perfect for meatballs and lasagne.

A six-pack of kiwis is 79c this week in Aldi. Once peeled and chopped kiwis make for super ice cubes due to their high water content and are perfect in Summery drinks.

Tesco’s range of ‘clubcard only’ prices are increasing each week so make sure you have your clubcard app on the phone or have your card somewhere on your person when visiting to make the most of the special offers in store. I find the app handy because it’s also installed on my husband’s phone so we both top up the card and benefit from the offers and points on the one account.