5 easy family dinners for £25 - Cauliflower pizzettes, creamy salmon pasta, chicken and basil meatballs...

Monday: Chicken, courgette and basil meatballs

500g pack chicken mince
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
15g fresh basil, chopped
1 courgette, grated
1 tbsp vegetable oil
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 110g packs Mediterranean-inspired couscous

1. Put the chicken mince in a bowl with the onion, garlic, egg, half the basil and half the courgette. Season, mix well, then roll into 12 equal-sized meatballs.

2. Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 8-10 mins, turning carefully, until golden all over. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining courgette to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins, stirring, then tip in the tinned tomatoes; swirl 100ml water in the tin and add that too. Bring to a gentle simmer, return the meatballs to the pan, then partially cover and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 mins until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, tip both packs of couscous into a heatproof bowl and cover with 340ml boiling water. Cover, set aside for 5 mins, then fuff up with a fork. Serve with the meatballs, with the remaining basil scattered over.

Wednesday: Leek and bacon tortilla quiche

200g smoked bacon, roughly chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
½ tsp vegetable oil, for greasing
1 tortilla wrap
5 eggs, beaten
75ml milk
350g frozen fine green beans
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ lemon, juiced

1. Heat a lidded frying pan over a high heat and dry-fry the bacon for 6-8 mins until crispy and golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the leek and onion to the pan, reduce the heat to low-medium and fry in the bacon fat for 5-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until soft.

2. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C and place a baking sheet inside to heat up. Brush a deep 20cm round tin with oil, then line with the tortilla, pushing into the edges.

3. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl and stir in the milk, cooked bacon, leeks and onion; season, then pour into the tortilla-lined tin. Transfer to the oven on top of the hot baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until cooked through and set in the middle.

4. Meanwhile, boil the green beans to pack instructions. Drain, then stir through the garlic and lemon juice. Serve alongside the quiche.

Friday: Cauliflower pizzettes with sweetcorn and feta

240g pack caulifower forets
145g pack pizza base mix
40g plain four, plus extra for dusting
150g low-fat cottage cheese
1 lemon, zested and juiced
15g fresh fat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 red onion, chopped
325g tin sweetcorn, drained
100g Greek-style salad cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
250g pack sweet & crunchy salad

1. Tip the cauliflower florets into a food processor and blitz to breadcrumb-size pieces; tip into a bowl. Add the pizza base mix, flour and 100ml lukewarm water and mix to form a dough. Divide into 4, shape into balls and transfer to 2 lined baking sheets. Set aside, uncovered, to rise for 10 mins.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Blitz the cottage cheese, lemon zest and three-quarters of the parsley in a food processor to a smooth sauce; season and set aside.

3. Lightly flour a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to a 15cm round, then bake on the prepared baking sheets for 10 mins.

4. Divide the creamy lemon and parsley mixture between the pizzas and spread almost to the edge. Top with the red onion and three-quarters of the sweetcorn, then return to the oven for 10 mins. Scatter over the salad cheese and remaining parsley.

5. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil, season with pepper, then toss with the salad leaves and reserved sweetcorn. Serve alongside the pizzettes.