5 easy family dinners for £25 - Red lentil soup, spicy sausage one-pot, cauliflower cheese pasta

Monday: Red lentil soup with chimichurri drizzle

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
500g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces
300g red lentils
1 vegetable stock pot, made up to 1ltr
1 lemon, juiced
150g baby spinach
30g pack fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped​
⅔ crusty loaf, sliced, to serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 6-8 mins until tender. Stir in the sweet potatoes, lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, topping up with water during cooking if you need to.

2. Blend with a stick blender until smooth, then season with black pepper and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in the spinach and keep over a low heat for 2 mins until the spinach is cooked. Add 100ml water if you prefer a thinner soup.

3. Meanwhile, stir the coriander, remaining 2 tbsp oil, the garlic, chilli and remaining lemon juice together with some seasoning and 1-2 tbsp water to make a drizzle. Divide the soup among bowls, spoon over the chimichurri drizzle, and serve with the crusty bread.

Wednesday: Spinach and feta chicken couscous

150g baby spinach, roughly chopped
100g feta, crumbled
4 chicken legs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped​
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée​
1 reduced-salt chicken stock cube, made up to 400ml
350g couscous

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Put the spinach in a heatproof bowl and pour over a kettleful of boiling water; leave for 1 min, then strain using a sieve. Press excess water out of the spinach with the back of a spoon, then finely chop and put in a bowl. Fold in the feta with some black pepper.

2. Score the chicken legs with 3-4 deep slashes through the skin. Press the spinach and feta into the scores and put on a shallow baking tray. Arrange any leftover mixture under the legs. Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and rub into the skin, season, then roast for 35-40 mins until crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a lidded, ovenproof frying pan and fry the onion for 8-10 mins until soft. Add the garlic, fry for 1 min, then add the chopped tomatoes, purée and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10-15 mins.

4. When the chicken is cooked, sprinkle the couscous into the tomato sauce and stir well. Place the chicken on top with any roasting juices. Cover with foil and bake for another 5-10 mins until the couscous is tender and most of the liquid absorbed.

Friday: Creamy tomato, tuna and spinach gnocchi bake

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped​
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée​
400g tin chopped tomatoes
500g pack gnocchi​
100g feta, crumbled
145g tin tuna in brine, drained
200g baby spinach, chopped
⅓ crusty bloomer, cut or torn into small pieces
20g Grana Padano, grated

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a shallow, flameproof casserole dish and fry the onion over a medium heat for 8 mins. Stir in the garlic, fry for 30 secs, then add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and 200ml water. Bubble for 10 mins or until thickened and reduced.

2. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi to the pack instructions. Drain, reserving 100ml cooking water.

3. Fold the feta, tuna, spinach, gnocchi and most of the reserved cooking water through the tomato sauce; season with black pepper. Add more cooking water to loosen if needed: the gnocchi will absorb some while baking. Scatter the bread over the dish followed by the cheese. Drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil, then bake for 15-20 mins until crispy, golden and bubbling.