5 easy family dinners for £25 - March

Monday: Mushroom and leek spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil
350g frozen leeks
380g mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp dried oregano
50g (2 slices) crusty white bloomer, blitzed into breadcrumbs
300g spaghetti
½ lemon, zested and juiced
10g fresh basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the leeks and fry for 5-6 mins until softened. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to medium-high and fry for 8-10 mins untuk golden and tender and any water has evaporated. Stir in the garlic and oregano; season and fry for 1 min more until the garlic is fragrant.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs over a medium heat for 3-4 mins, stirring frequently, until crunchy and golden. Season, transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. Cook the spaghetti to pack instructions; drain well. Stir into the mushrooms and leeks and toss well. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then scatter with the basil and crispy breadcrumbs to serve.

Wednesday: Prawn and leek pancakes with soy dipping sauce

250g plain flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
200g frozen leeks, defrosted and drained
200g frozen prawns, defrosted and drained
2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
For the salad and dipping sauce
1 carrot, peeled
1 cucumber
4 tbsp distilled vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1.5cm piece ginger (about 10g), peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
1 red chilli, finely chopped

1. To make the salad, peel the carrot and cucumber into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler, discarding the cucumber's seedy core. Put in a bowl and toss with 3 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt; set aside.

2. Whisk the flour, eggs and 250ml cold water with a pinch of salt to make a smooth batter. Fold in the leeks and prawns.

3. Heat a little oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, ladle ¼ of batter to the pan, tilt to spread into a 20cm wide, 5mm thick pancake. Cook for 2-3 mins until the base is golden and there's only a little bit of runny batter left in the centre. Flip (use 2 spatulas to help) and cook for 1-2 mins until golden and firm. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat to make 4 pancakes.

4. Meanwhile, mix 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp sugar with the ginger, soy and chilli in a small bowl. Drain the vinegar from the salad, then serve with the pancakes.

Friday: Crispy beef and broccoli stir-fry

2 tbsp vegetable oil
350g beef steak mince
250g pack dried egg noodles
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets, stem trimmed and finely diced
1 onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
2 tbsp distilled vinegar
2 tsp miso paste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1.5cm piece ginger (about 10g), peeled and finely grated
1 red chilli, finely sliced

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the beef mince and stir-fry for 6-8 mins, stirring constantly to break up the mince, until dark and crisp. Meanwhile, put the noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Leave to soak for 6-7 mins, then drain, reserving 5 tbsp of the water.

2. Transfer the crispy beef to a bowl. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the wok, add the broccoli and onion and fry for 5-6 mins until the broccoli is bright green and starting to turn tender. Mix the soy, vinegar, miso and reserved noodle water in a small bowl.

3. Add the garlic, ginger and most of the chilli to the wok and fry for 1 min until fragrant. Tip the noodles into the wok along with the sauce; cook for 30 secs more until the sauce is bubbling and thickened. Divide between 4 bowls and scatter with the remaining chilli to serve.