With the potential ‘Janu-worry’ woes on our minds, we’ve compiled a quick list of simple ideas on how to stretch your budget, even with those few weeks of school holiday left.   

Prep, planning, perfect  

Planning your weekly meals is the best way to ensure you stick within your budget range and avoid the outcome of mindlessly adding groceries to your cart that you don’t need. Log the groceries that you need on a physical or mobile shopping list and tick through them as you go. This way, you won’t forget anything and can spend more money on other important things.  

Also read: How to meal-plan like a boss

Money on the table  

It’s easy to swipe and tap cards, but keeping tabs on money spent can be difficult. Because you don’t physically see the money going out of your account, you might not realise just how fast you’re spending it. Plan ahead to draw the cash you’ve budgeted for food and stick to the amount. Keep your slips once you’ve paid and make a note in a special receipt book of how much you have le to spend. This gives you a clear idea of what you have left.  

Mental maths  

Adding the grocery prices to your phone calculator as you shop will help you to make sure that you don’t lose track of how much you’ve placed in your cart. Make sure that you only buy what you planned for – sometimes it’s easy to be swayed by flash sales of ingredients that you’d never usually purchase.  

Bulk buy  

Buying in bulk is still the way to go for saving cash. If there are sales on fresher produce (like meat) then they can still be bought and frozen until needed. It may feel like a bit of a big financial ask in the moment, but doing this consistently helps in the long run because you’ll end up in shops less. Take a few extra seconds to compare prices of the same product – you may even save a few rands when opting for a no-name or less expensive brand.  

Go DIY  

Although it might seem tempting, try to cut back on buying pre-cut veggies and staples, as these are usually marked up. While it’s true that some extra time is needed for prepping whole butternut, beetroot or onions, you’ll benefit from having fresher produce to use as you need it. 

Words by: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg 
Photographs: Shuttershock 

Also read: Time-Saving And Budget-Friendly Family Meals

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Forget the pang of multiple pots and pans, and keep it simple and delicious with these one-pot wonders. Not sure about where to start? Here are some of our yummy one-pot meals. (Cleaning up afterwards will be a breeze, too!) 

One pot chicken dinner

Serves 4 | Cooking time 40 minutes  

Ingredients 

1 kg chicken drumsticks & thighs
6 carrots, halved and peeled (keep the skins)
6 beetroots, quartered
4 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 cup white wine

Method 

1. Brown chicken pieces in some olive oil. Add carrots, beetroots, thyme, garlic and paprika. Fry on low for 10 minutes.
2. Add wine. Place the lid on the pot, leaving it open a crack. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve over couscous with a green salad.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto/HMimages.co.za

One-pot Mediterranean chicken with couscous

Serves 4 | Cooking time 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

4 large chicken breasts
2 tbsp za’atar or dukkah spice
2–4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup pitted green olives
Handful dried apricots
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup couscous
2–3 wheels feta cheese, chopped to serve
Chives, chopped to serve

Method 

1. Coat the chicken in the spice.
2. Preheat a pan with oil on a high heat, then add the chicken. Allow to brown for 3 minutes on each side. Add the green olives, apricots and season.
3. Prepare the stock, add it into the pan with the couscous. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 3 minutes to steam. Serve with feta and fresh chives.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Lamb potjie with roosterkoek

Serves 4 | Cooking time 2hr 10 minutes | Proofing time 1hr 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For the lamb potjie
1 kg lamb neck, cubed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
¼ cup flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup red wine
1 cube beef stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
½ bulb garlic, cloves intact
350g baby onions, peeled
225g baby carrots
4 celery stalks, chopped
250g mushrooms, halved

For the roosterkoek
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
10g packet instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

For the green harissa
2 green peppers, deseeded and quartered
2 green chillies
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup fresh coriander
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar or honey

Method 

For the potjie
1. Season the lamb with ground coriander, cumin and paprika, then dust each piece in flour until well coated.
2. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and brown the lamb in batches, until golden all over.
3. Transfer all the lamb and juices to a heated potjie pot and add the red wine, stock cube, soy sauce, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and enough boiling water to just cover the meat.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour or until the lamb is tender.
5. Add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms, and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

For the roosterkoek
1. Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix yeast, sugar and water in a separate bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix until combined. Knead for 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and allow to proof in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Place the dough balls on an oiled baking tray and allow to rise again for about 20 minutes.
4. Place the dough balls between an oiled braai grid and cook them over low coals for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are all cooked through.

For the green harissa
1. Preheat the oven grill.
2. Place the peppers, cut-side down, and the chillies on a baking tray and pierce a few holes in the chillies so that they don’t explode. Grill until blackened and blistered. Remove from the oven, wrap in foil and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Peel the peppers and chillies, then remove the seeds from the chillies. Place the peeled peppers, chillies and remaining ingredients in a blender and blend to form a paste.
4. Drizzle each serving of potjie with green harissa and serve with roosterkoek on the side.

Quick tip: Cut down on prep time by using store-bought  bread dough for your roosterkoek, available at most supermarkets.

Recipe & Styling: Marizka Du Toit
Photography: Jurie Senekal

The post Budget-Friendly One-Pot Wonders appeared first on MyKitchen.

Take the humble ham sandwich to the next level by turning it into a kota. Just add some spicy pickles, eggs, a few other ingredients, and you’re good to go!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
For the spicy pickles
3 radishes, sliced
2 small cucumbers, sliced lengthwise
1 carrot, peeled into long shavings
1 jalapeño, sliced
1 red chilli, sliced
100 ml white wine vinegar
20 ml olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
Salt and black pepper
For the kota
Vegetable oil, to fry
4 eggs
4 hamburger rolls
Butter, for rolls
1 butter lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
150g cooked ham
1 red onion, peeled and sliced

METHOD
For the pickles
1. Place the radishes, carrot, cucumber and chillies in a bowl. Mix the vinegar, oil and sugar in a separate bowl and season. Pour over the vegetables and leave to pickle for 15 minutes.
For the kota
1. Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Fry the eggs for 5 minutes, until the whites are well cooked and the yolks are still slightly runny.
2. Slice and butter the rolls. Fill each roll with lettuce, tomato, ham, egg, pickles and red onion. Season.

South African’s are no stranger to a good burger, but how about taking a tip from New York and trying these delicious bagel breakfast burgers?

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When cooked to crispy perfection, nothing quite beats potato skins. Top them with shredded chicken and a herbed Greek yoghurt for a winning meal.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME ± 40 mins

INGREDIENTS
3 potatoes, baked
½ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
400g chicken breasts
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
Flour, for dusting
75 ml Greek yoghurt
1 spring onion, sliced, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp chopped parsley

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 100°C.
2. Slice open the baked potatoes and spoon out the flesh, leaving only a shell. Cut into wedges, brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium heat and fry the chicken breasts for 5 minutes, until golden. Add the butter, cumin and half the lemon juice, and toss to coat. Season. Remove from the pan and shred with two forks.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a pot over high heat. Dust the onion slices in flour, and season. Shallow-fry in the hot oil until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel.
5. For the tangy dip, mix together the yoghurt, spring onion, parsley and the rest of the lemon juice in a bowl, and season.
6. Garnish the chicken with spring onion and serve with potato skins, crispy onions and dip.

Quick tip: Use the leftover potato for mash!

Our Chicken carnitas and cauli-rice burrito bowl is not for the faint hearted, but all the prep effort will be more than worth it. Trust us.

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Scraps leftover in your jar, that can’t be reached by your knife? Don’t panic! There are other ways to use up the remainders! Here’s how:

PEANUT BUTTER
PB hot chocolate: Add warm milk (not scalding), a spoonful of cocoa and a little sugar. Screw the lid back on, shake hard and drink up! Or make overnight oats: Add oats, yoghurt, a splash of milk, vanilla essence and a bit of honey, close the lid and shake. Pop in the fridge overnight

MAYONNAISE
Salad dressing, coming right up! Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp mustard and a pinch each of sugar, salt and pepper. Close the lid and shake, shake, shake.

MUSTARD
Home-made chicken cook-in sauce? Yes, please! Simply add honey, vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt to your mustard jar. Give it a shake, then pour the sauce over some chicken pieces

PESTO
This one is obvious. Just add a splash of olive oil, swirl it all around and drizzle over your sarmie.

HONEY
Diluting is the secret. Add as much hot water as there is honey, screw the lid back on and shake. You’ll have created a honey syrup that you can use to flavour tea, lemonade or cocktails. Store in the fridge for later use.

Words: Staff writer  
Photography: Unsplash 

These awesome baking hacks will ensure that you never make any failed cakes, egg-shell cookies or burnt scones ever again!

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Are you ready to get a little crafty and save some cash at the end of the month? Then here are 5 tricks to help you save cash in the kitchen!

1. Size counts
You might think you’re saving time by placing that tiny little pot on the largest plate on your stove, but what you are really doing is unnecessarily using extra electricity. So, instead of being a creature of habit, rather use big pots on the big plates and keep the smaller plates for the teeny-tiny pots and pans.

2. Double up
If you’re already going to the trouble of making lasagne or Bolognese, it’s just as easy to double up on the ingredients and make an extra batch to pop in the freezer. This way, you can save money by buying in bulk. Bonus points for using half mince/half lentils to stretch your favourite meaty dishes.

3. Put a lid on it!
When you can, put a lid on your pot – it’ll keep the heat in and speed things up. If the lid is tight-fitting, even better! Pop it on and turn the heat down, creating a slow-cooker effect. Result: more electricity saved!

4. Get frozen
We all know foods such as fruits, vegetables and meat can be frozen. But what about some of your other pantry staples? You can freeze everyday items such as bread, wraps, milk, cheese, ham and other cold meats, nuts and even flour. This way, nothing will ever go to waste.

5. Meat-free week
Take meat-free Monday one step further by going veggie for a week every month. This will save you some money, if you stick to economical beans and lentils for protein, plus get you thinking outside the meaty box, forcing you to be more creative with your cooking.

Need a quick and easy way to get all your nutrients in for the week without splurging on cash? Here are some tips on how to meal-plan, like a boss – thank us later!

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