Cost of living got you down? Me too! But lucky for us, McKenzie’s Foods has put together some DELICIOUS budget recipes that will cost you less than $5 a serve. BONUS!

Whether you’re looking for a hearty soup or a filling brekky, McKenzie’s range of recipes under $5 a serve are perfect for any occasion. 

Budget Recipes under $5 a serve

Did you know legumes & grains generally double, sometimes even triple in output once cooked? It’s no wonder these little superstars are perfect for stretching out a meal for the all-important mid-week leftovers.

1 cup dried lentil = 2.5 cups of cooked lentils
1 cup dried beans = 2.5 cups cooked beans
1 cup dried peas = 2 cups cooked peas
1 cup dried barley = 3 cups cooked barley

Potato, Pea & Leek Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup McKenzie’s Australian Dried Peas
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large leek, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 800g potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1L chicken stock
  • 1 tsp McKenzie’s Australian Natural Sea Salt
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • Cream, to serve
  • Chives, to serve

Method:

Step 1: Prepare and cook dried peas according to on-pack instructions. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3: Increase heat and add potatoes. Stir to coat. Add stock, salt and 2 cups water. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add prepared and cooked peas and turn off heat.

Step 4: To prepare prosciutto, preheat oven to 200°C. Place slices on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover slices with a similar size tray to prevent curling. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisped. Cool and crumble into shards.

Step 5: Puree soup with a stick blender until smooth. Serve with a drizzle of cream and sprinkle with prosciutto and chopped fresh chives.

Super Protein Bolognese

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 250g beef mince
  • 250g pork mince
  • 1 tbs tomato paste
  • 400g can diced tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups water or stock
  • ½ cup McKenzie’s Australian
  • Red Split Lentils
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • Penne pasta, cooked to pack
  • directions for serving
  • Basil and parmesan, for serving

Method:

  1. Before cooking, follow on-pack instructions to rinse and pick over uncooked lentils.
  2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add onion and garlic, cooking for several minutes until tender. Add the beef and pork mince, cooking until well seared.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes, stock, uncooked lentils and thyme. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until lentils are tender. Stir in vinegar and season to taste.
  4. Serve bolognese over cooked pasta, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and scatter with some basil and parmesan.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Recipe here

Chorizo Sausage & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup McKenzie’s Lentil Soup Mix
  • 400g chorizo flavoured sausages
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 celery stick, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/2 red capsicum, diced
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1-2 sprigs thyme
  • to taste McKenzie’s Australian Natural Sea Salt Large Grinder
  • to taste McKenzie’s Whole Black Peppercorn Large Grinder
  • Sour cream, for serving

Method:

Step 1: Prepare Lentil Soup Mix according to on-pack preparation instructions.

Step 2: Squeeze meat from the sausages and break into 2-3 cm portions. Heat half of the oil in a large pot and add sausages, cooking until golden. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Remove excess fat from pan.

Step 3: Add remaining oil to pan with the onion, celery, carrot, capsicum and garlic, cooking until onion is tender.

Step 4: Return sausages to pot along with the stock, lentils, tomatoes and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender. Season to taste and serve with sour cream.

Baked Eggs & Beans

Ingredients:

  • 375g McKenzie’s Red Kidney Beans
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 red capsicum, cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1kg tomatoes, chopped coarsley
  • 2 tbs coriander, chopped
  • 6 eggs
  • 100g feta, crumbled
  • 1/3 cup fresh coriander, extra

Method:

Step 1: Before cooking, follow on-pack instructions to rinse and pick over uncooked beans. Cook beans according to on pack instructions.

Step 2: Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion and capsicum, stirring for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cumin, cook, stirring until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and cooked beans and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes so the sauce starts to reduce down. Season to taste. Stir in coriander.

Step 3: Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Place a 1 litre (4 cup) ovenproof dish in the oven while pre-heating.

Step 4: Pour hot tomato mixture into hot dish. Make six indents in the mixture. Break eggs into a cup one at a time and slide each egg into an indent. Sprinkle with chilli. Bake for 8 minutes or until the whites of eggs are set and egg yolks are just beginning to set.

Step 5: Serve topped with feta and extra coriander.

Lentil & Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup McKenzie’s Australian Whole Green Lentils
  • 1/2 cup McKenzie’s Australian Red Split Lentils
  • 1 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tbs Clive Of India Authentic Curry Powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 200g baby spinach
  • 1 lemon, juice of
  • 1 coriander, chopped

Method:

Step 1: Before cooking, follow on-pack instructions to rinse and pick over uncooked lentils.

Step 2: In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat oil and sauté onion for 4-5 minutes without browning. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3: Add the curry powder, cumin and pepper and stir to coat onions. Add the uncooked Whole Green Lentils, milk and stock. Stir and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding more liquid if the mixture looks dry.

Step 4: After 15 minutes, add the uncooked Red Split Lentils and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring and adding more liquid if necessary.

Step 5: Fold in the spinach, lemon juice and chopped coriander. Heat through and serve with rice and naan bread.

Recipes thanks to McKenzie’s food

Budget friendly recipes – MamaMag

25 ways with mince – MamaMag