Super-saving September #5 - Recipes 1-4, Bolognese, Lasagne, Cottage Pie and Chilli

Recipe 1 - Bolognese base.

• 2kg mince (pork is often cheaper than beef, so if you don't mind pork you can cut costs there)
• 3-4 good handfuls of red lentils
• Either 4 cartons of chopped tomatoes or 1 bottle of passata and 1 carton of chopped tomatoes
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 onions, diced
• Herbs of your choice
• 1 stock cube
• Seasoning

Throw all the ingredients into a large slow cooker (or an enormous pan on the hob - requires keeping an eye on though). Split into four when it's cooked. Serve the first portion with pasta.

Decide which of the other recipes above you're going to be eating that week (if any) and put any portions not going to be used over the next few days into the freezer. When you're ready, move on to making the following.



Cottage Pie

• Aubergine
• Courgette
• Mashed potatoes

Slice however much aubergine and courgette you fancy and layer with the bolognese sauce. Top with mashed  potatoes and serve with salad.

Lasagne

• Lasagne sheets
• Any remaining courgette and aubergine
• White sauce. 

Layer up the bolognese with some lasagne sheets, veg and white sauce. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Chilli

• Can of kidney beans
• 2-3 avocados
• Soured cream
• Garlic 
• Chipotle chilli paste/chipotle tobasco sauce/chillis (all of the above)
• cocoa powder
• tumeric
• cinammon
• natural yogurt
• a squeeze of lemon juice to taste

Mix everything apart from the soured cream, lemon juice, natural yogurt and avocados into the bolognese sauce. Mash the avocados with natural yogurt and garlic to make guacamole. Serve on a bed of rice with a dollop of your homemade guacamole and some soured cream.

Enjoy!