5 easy family dinners for £25 - Paneer curry, barley risotto, cauliflower taco...

Monday: Thai green noodle bowls

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
200g jar Thai green curry paste
400ml tin light coconut milk
90g kale
190g mushrooms, sliced
250g pack wholewheat noodles
450g frozen broccoli florets
10g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins. Add the curry paste and cook for 2-3 mins, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

2. Stir in the coconut milk. Add 600ml boiling water, the kale and mushrooms. Return to the boil, then cover and simmer for 7 mins, stirring occasionally. Season and remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, boil the noodles for 6-7 mins until tender. Remove with tongs, then add to the broth. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 mins until tender. Cut into smaller florets, if you like. Ladle the broth into bowls and top with the broccoli, coriander and spring onions to serve.

Wednesday: Spiced cauliflower and chickpea taco

1 cauliflower (about 500g), cut into small florets, leaves shredded
3 tbsp olive oil
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp garam masala
10g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
500g sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthways into thin wedges
250g pack cherry tomatoes, quartered
35g sundried tomatoes (drained weight), finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely chopped
8 pack mini tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C and put 2 large baking trays inside to heat up.

2. Put the cauliflower florets on a hot baking tray, drizzle with ½ tbsp oil and toss to coat. Roast for 15 mins. Add the chickpeas, cauliflower leaves and garam masala, then drizzle with another ½ tbsp oil. Toss to coat, then roast for another 20-25 mins until tender and lightly browned. Season and stir in the coriander.

3. Meanwhile, put the sweet potatoes on the second hot tray, season with pepper, then toss with 1 tbsp oil. Arrange so the wedges are skin-side down, then roast for 20-25 mins, tossing halfway through, until tender and golden.

4. Meanwhile, mix the cherry and sundried tomatoes, spring onions and 1 tbsp oil in a bowl to make a salsa and set aside. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven for the last 5 mins of cooking. Transfer everything to the table and let everyone assemble their own.

Friday: Sweet potato and lentil 'lasagne'

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
150g pearl barley, rinsed well
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
190g mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
390g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed
15g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
100g Greek-style salad cheese
125g pack mozzarella

1. Simmer the sweet potato slices in a large pan of water for 5 mins. Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer to a plate, then set aside. Add the pearl barley to the pan of water and simmer for 35-40 mins until just tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 mins until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to high and cook for 5-7 mins until browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 mins. Stir in the cooked barley, lentils and half the parsley; season.

3. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Spoon half the lentil ragu into a baking dish (ours was 24 x 16cm), then top with half the sweet potato. Spoon the remaining ragu on top, then add the remaining sweet potato in an even layer.

4. Crumble over the salad cheese and tear over the mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden, then scatter with the remaining parsley to serve.