5 easy family dinners for £25 - September week 4

Monday: Speedy mushroom spaghetti

1 tbsp olive oil
380g mushrooms, sliced
350g spaghetti
2 garlic cloves, crushed
125g baby spinach
½ lemon, zested and juiced
100g grated lighter mature cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Fry the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 10-12 mins until the water that comes off them evaporates and the mushrooms turn golden.

2. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for 9-10 mins until al dente. Drain, keeping a cupful of the water.

3. Stir the garlic into the mushrooms, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Tip in the drained spaghetti, spinach and lemon zest. Toss well, squeeze over the lemon juice and season with pepper. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta water and toss everything together to coat the pasta. Scatter over the grated cheese to serve.

Wednesday: Roasted veg and lentil salad bowl

1 cauliflower
2½ tbsp olive oil
400g sweet potatoes
2 x 390g tins green lentils, rinsed and drained
50g kale
200g low-fat Greek-style yogurt
15g fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
½ garlic clove, crushed
½ cucumber, coarsely grated
½ lemon, zested and juiced
2 spring onions, sliced

1. Heat the oven to gas 8, 220°C, fan 200°C. Remove and discard any bruised or damaged leaves from the cauliflower. Cut the larger leaves into bite-sized pieces and keep the smaller ones whole and tip into a bowl for later. Cut the cauliflower into florets and the stalk into 1cm cubes and toss on a baking tray with ½ tbsp oil and some seasoning. Roast at the top of the oven for 20-25 mins until crispy and charred, and the stalks are tender.

2. Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into wedges. Tip onto another baking tray with ½ tbsp oil. Season and toss well, then roast under the cauliflower for 20-25 mins until tender throughout and golden around the edges.

3. Put the kale into the cauliflower leaves bowl, and drizzle over ½ tbsp oil with some seasoning. Toss the kale and leaves until completely coated in the oil. When the cauliflower florets are cooked, transfer to a bowl, and tip the cauliflower leaves and the kale on the tray. Roast for 5-10 mins until the kale is crisp and cauli leaves are tender.

4. Whisk the yogurt, most of the mint, garlic, lemon zest and the cucumber, season with pepper.  Toss the lentils with pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil and lemon juice. Divide between 4 bowls, and top with the roasted cauliflower, sweet potato wedges, cauliflower leaves and crispy kale in piles on top. Add a spoon of the tzatziki, and scatter with the spring onions and remaining mint to serve.

Thursday: Sweet potato and spinach quesadillas

600g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
15g fresh coriander, finely chopped and a few whole leaves to serve
½ lemon, zested and juiced
125g baby spinach
2 spring onions, finely sliced
8 wholemeal tortilla wraps
80g grated lighter cheese 
250g bag sweet and crunchy salad
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Put the sweet potato chunks into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for 10 mins until tender. Drain well, then tip back into the pan and mash with some seasoning, the chopped coriander, lemon zest and half of the juice.

2. Pour a kettle of water over the spinach in a sieve in the sink to wilt it, leave to cool slightly, then squeeze any remaining liquid out and roughly chop. Stir the chopped spinach and spring onions into the sweet potato mash.

3. Spoon the sweet potato filling over 4 tortillas, going all the way to the edges, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Scatter over the cheese, and top with the remaining 4 tortillas, pressing down firmly.

4. Heat your largest frying pan over a medium-high heat and transfer one of the quesadillas to the pan. Dry fry for 2 mins until lightly golden and toasted, then flip and toast for another 2 mins on the other side until the cheese has melted and that side is golden too. Slide out the pan and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

5. Toss the salad with the olive oil and remaining lemon juice. Scatter the quesadillas with the coriander and serve with the salad.

Friday: Mediterranean tomato fish stew

1½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
600g cherry tomatoes
15g fresh basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stems finely chopped
2 packs boil in the bag brown rice
4 white fish fillets, defrosted
130g kale, to serve (optional)

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large ovenproof shallow casserole or frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 6-8 mins over a medium heat until softened, then stir in the garlic. Fry for another minute, then tip in the tomatoes, chopped basil stalks and 150ml water.

2. Turn up the heat to medium-high and simmer for 8-10 mins until the cherry tomatoes start breaking down. Lightly mash with a potato masher or the back of a spoon to break the tomatoes down further, release their juices and turn saucy. Season.

3. Meanwhile, lower the rice bags into a large pan of salted boiling water and cover. Simmer for 15-17 mins until the rice is tender. Lift the bags from the water and drain.

4. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper and season all over. Add a splash more water to the tomatoes if you need to, to make them saucy, and stir in most of the basil. Nestle the fish fillets into the tomato sauce. Half cover with a lid or a baking sheet and simmer on a low heat for 5-8 mins until the fish is cooked through and flaky when pressed. Scatter over the remaining basil to serve. Cut the rice bags open and serve alongside the fish stew.