5 easy family dinners for £25 - Cauliflower cheese pasta bake, sausage and gnocchi traybake, baked potatoes with chicken chilli...

Monday: Baked potatoes with speedy chicken chilli

4-pack baking potatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds
500g pack 5% fat chicken mince
1 yellow pepper, cut into 5mm chunks
50g red lentils, rinsed
500g jar mild chilli sauce
50g mature grated Cheddar
10g fresh coriander, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then microwave for 10 mins or until tender. Transfer to a tray, rub all over with 1 tbsp oil, then bake for 10 mins or until crisp and tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, cover and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally. Mix through the garlic and cumin, cook for 1 min, then add the chicken mince. Cook, uncovered, for 5-8 mins, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon, until opaque, lightly golden and the cooking juices have evaporated.

3. Stir in the pepper, lentils, chilli sauce and 250ml water. Cover and cook for 15 mins, stirring often, until the lentils are soft.

4. Cut a deep cross in each potato and fll with the chicken chilli. Top with the grated cheese and coriander to serve.

Wednesday: Spiced carrot and lentil soup with cheesy pesto toasties

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely crushed
2 tbsp cumin seeds
900g carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed and cut into 1cm rounds
150g red lentils, rinsed
1 reduced-salt vegetable stock cube, crumbled
½ lemon, juiced
2 tbsp green pesto
8 slices wholemeal bread
80g mature grated Cheddar
10g fresh coriander, finely chopped

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, cover and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and 1 tbsp cumin seeds, cook for 1 min, then add the carrots, lentils, stock cube and 1.5ltrs boiling water. Bring to the boil, cover, then simmer for 25-30 mins until the carrots and lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice, then blend until smooth, adding a splash more water, if you like.

2. Meanwhile, toast the remaining 1 tbsp cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 1-2 mins until fragrant. Set aside.

3. Spread the pesto over 4 slices of bread and top with the grated cheese. Sandwich with a second slice of bread. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan; fry the toasties, in batches, for 3-4 mins each side, pressing down with a spatula, until toasted and the cheese has melted. Cut into quarters.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter with the toasted cumin seeds and coriander, and serve alongside the toasties.

Friday: Spiced red lentil burgers with potato wedges

1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ lemon, juiced
250g red lentils, rinsed
3 large potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, scrubbed and grated
1 courgette, trimmed and grated
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds
10g fresh coriander, half finely chopped
100g wholemeal bread, blitzed to crumbs
4 white batch rolls, halved
130g pack shredded iceberg lettuce

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Toss the red onion with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Set aside to pickle for 30 mins, then drain any excess liquid.

2. Meanwhile, cook the lentils in a lidded saucepan with 700ml water for 15 mins, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface and stirring occasionally, or until the lentils are very soft. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes with 1 tbsp oil, then bake for 30-35 mins, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and courgette for 15 mins. Stir through the garlic and cumin, cook for 1 min more, then add the lentils and cook for 5 mins, stirring frequently, until the mixture resembles a thick paste. Tip into a bowl and mix with the finely chopped coriander and breadcrumbs.

5. Once cool enough to handle, shape the mix into 4 patties. Wipe the frying pan; heat the remaining oil over a medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3-4 mins each side until golden.

6. Fill the rolls with the lettuce, lentil burgers, pickled red onion and remaining coriander; serve with the wedges.