112. Recipes // Speedy Chilli

If you're anything like me, the last week or so before payday is an absolute financial nightmare. Sound familiar? Despite promising I'll be sensible, track my spending and not go overboard each payday, within two weeks I'm scraping the barrel for pennies. 

Today's post is inspired by that feeling. All too often when we're skint we'll neglect our basic nutritional needs and instead of cooking up a dish containing veggies, carbohydrates and protein (because we all know how expensive meat is these days!) we'll opt for beans on toast or a frozen £1 pizza from Iceland, because it's cheap and cooking something more nutritious would be too expensive.

I try to avoid this as much as possible and I think I've found a quick, easy, nutritious and cheap dish that can be used for either lunch or dinner; it will go perfectly with pasta or in a salad as a packed lunch, or served with rice or even a jacket potato for your evening meal.

Ingredients (for 2)

1 x packet of Tesco's Meat Free Bolognese Mix (£1.75)

200g of Iceland sliced cooked chicken breast (£1.25 - sold as £2.50/400g)

2 x jalapeno peppers (sliced, £1 for large jar - only need 1/10)

1 tsp hot tobasco sauce

1 tbsp cajun spices

1/2 tbsp olive oil

Coriander (to serve)

Method

1. Heat your oil and add the bag of frozen meat free bolognese mix

2. When the bolognese mix has melted slightly, add the sliced chicken

3. Stir in the spices, jalapenos and tobasco sauce

4. Continue to stir on a low heat for 5-10 minutes

5. Serve with your side-dish of choice, sprinkle with coriander if desired.

If you're a veggie, simply leave out the chicken and you could enjoy this spicy dish too. 

As you can see, so long as you already had the spices and 'cupboard essentials' such as oil, this dish could cost you as little as £1.75 each (CHEAPER THAN A GREGGS SANDWICH!) if served with rice.

Are you going to try this recipe? 

Do you have any cheap and easy, healthy recipes?