Who says saving the planet and your pocket can’t be delicious? With just a handful of pantry pals and a short shopping list, these easy-peasy meals for four come in under R250 — proof that good food doesn’t have to break the bank!

Bang bang chicken salad  

Crunchy, punchy and spicy in all the right places. What we call bang for your buck! 

Serves 4  

Ingredients

3 (760g) bone-in chicken breasts  

1/3  cup sriracha sauce 

½  cup sweet chilli sauce  

Salt and milled pepper  

1 Tbsp olive oil  

6 cups water  

1 tsp salt 

 1 cup pearl barley  

200g green beans, blanched  

2 carrots, washed and cut into thin strips  

1 cup shredded red or green cabbage  

¼  cup mayonnaise  

1 Tbsp honey  

2 limes  

Method

1. Remove the bone from the chicken and cube the breasts into 2cm cubes. (See Cook’s Tip.) 
2. Combine the chicken with half of the sriracha and sweet chilli sauces. Season. 
3. Heat a pan with olive oil and fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes or until cooked and golden. 
4. Bring a pot with the water and salt to the boil. Add barley and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and rinse under cold water to cook.
5. To assemble, toss together chicken, barley, green beans, carrots and cabbage.  
6. Mix the remaining sriracha and sweet chilli sauce with the mayo, honey and zest and juice of 1 lime.
7. Drizzle the bang bang sauce over the salad and serve with lime wedges.  

Cooks tip: Reserve the chicken bones and roast to make a home-made chicken stock or soup. If the chicken breasts have skin, leave it on or remove and crisp up on the side for an extra crunch.  

Also read: Spring chicken dishes for delicious dinners

Roasted cauliflower in green split pea sauce  

Cauli gets saucy in this green glow-up that’s thrifty and thrilling.

Serves 4  

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil  

1 onion, chopped 

 2 cloves garlic, minced 

 1 cup (200g) green split peas  

2 cups vegetable stock  

1 can (400ml) coconut milk  

1 lemon, zested and juiced  

Handful parsley, chopped  

1 Tbsp curry powder 

 2 tsp cumin seeds  

2 cauliflower heads, cut into florets  

Salt and milled pepper  

2 cups cooked brown rice, to serve  

Handful micro leaves, to garnish  

Method

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Sauté onion for 5-8 minutes.  
2. Add garlic and split peas, and stir well.  
3. Add stock and coconut milk, lower heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the split peas are tender.  
4. Once cooked, remove from heat. Season. 
5. Add lemon zest, a squeeze of juice and some parsley. 
6. For the spiced cauliflower, combine 1 Tbsp of olive oil, curry powder and cumin seeds with cauliflower and toss to combine. Season well. 
7. Cook the cauliflower in the air fryer on 180°C for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked and crisp. 
8. Serve the split pea sauce on a bed of brown rice topped with the spiced cauliflower. 
9. Sprinkle with parsley, micro leaves and milled black pepper.

Cook’s note: After frying the pork, check the doneness. If you’d like it more cooked, it’s best to finish in the air fryer or oven at 160°C for a few minutes, as continuing to fry it may burn the crumbs. 

Also read: 5 cauliflower recipes to brighten your meat-free Monday 

Sweet & sour pork stir-fry  

Sticky, tangy, and wallet-happy — this stir-fry means serious business.

Serves 4  

Ingredients

350-400g pork rib-eye or neck steaks, cut into 2cm-thick strips  

Salt and milled pepper  

2/3  cup flour  

1 egg, beaten  

2 cups breadcrumbs  

2 cups canola oil, for shallow frying  

2 Tbsp olive oil  

1 onion, thinly sliced  

4 carrots, cut into strips  

1 green pepper, thinly sliced  

4 cloves garlic, minced  

4cm ginger, peeled and grated 

¾  cup soy sauce  

½  cup sweet chilli sauce or sweet and sour sauce  

½  packet (2 bunches) egg noodles, cooked according to packet’s instructions  

Handful coriander  

Lemon wedges, to serve  

Method

1. Season pork well. To crumb the pork, dust the strips in flour, shake off excess, cover in beaten egg followed by breadcrumbs. 
2. Heat canola oil and fry the pork for about 8-10 minutes, turning regularly. Drain on kitchen towel. (See Cook’s Note.) 
3. For the stir-fry, heat olive oil in a large pan or wok thenstir-fryonion and carrots for 4 minutes. Add green pepper and stir-fry another 4 minutes.  
4. Add garlic and ginger then fry for 2 minutes. 
5. Add soy sauce and sweet chilli. 
6. Toss egg noodles through stir-fry and serve topped with crumbed pork. 
7. Serve the stir-fry sprinkled with coriander and lemon wedges on the side. 

Also read: 4 tasty ways with pork chops 

Mixed bean taco bowls 

A fiesta of flavour on a budget — beans never looked so bold!

Serves 4  

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil  

1 onion, thinly sliced  

2 carrots, diced 

 3 cloves garlic, minced  

1 can (400g) four bean mix, drained  

1 can (410g) chakalaka  

Salt and milled pepper  

4 soft flour tortillas  

100g Cheddar  

H2 For the salsa  

2 tomatoes, finely diced 

½  red onion, finely diced 

Handful coriander, chopped  

1 Tbsp olive oil  

¼  cup plain yoghurt  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat then sauté onion and carrot for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute. 
3. Add beans and chakalaka. Once heated through, remove from heat. Season. 
4. Toast tortillas in a dry pan or over an open flame for about 30 seconds per side. 
5. 5. Place the tortilla into a 12-cm ovenproof ceramic bowl, creating a tortilla bowl shape. Place each individual bowl with the tortilla into the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, still in the ceramic bowl. 
6. Fill the tortilla bowls with the bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Pop back into the oven until cheese is melted. 
7. For the salsa, combine tomatoes, onion,corianderand olive oil. Season.  
8. Serve the tacos with salsa and a dollop of yoghurt.

Smoked mussel baked rice 

A smoky surprise meets comfort in one golden-baked bite. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, thinly sliced 

3 celery sticks, sliced 

2 carrots, diced 

2 cups long grain white rice 

3 cups chicken stock 

Salt and milled pepper 

1-2 cans smoked mussels 

1 cup frozen garden peas 

1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges 

Handful parsley, chopped 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Heat olive oil in a deep28cm ovenproof pan and fry onion, celery and carrots for 10-12 minutes or until tender. 
3. Add rice and stock. Season and mix. 
4. Place the pan in the oven and allow to cook for about 25 minutes. 
5. Add mussels with oil and peas. Stir gently and return to the oven for another 12-15 minutes. 
6. Once cooked, sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley.
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cooks tip: Don’t have an ovenproof pan? No worries! Simply fry in any pan and transfer mixture to a 25-cm deep baking dish before popping it into the oven. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May 

Photography by: Donna Lewis 

Also read: Pasta nero with fresh mussels