5 easy family dinners for £25 gluten-free special

Monday: Singapore-style noodles

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large or 2 medium mixed peppers, deseeded and sliced
1 onion, sliced
260g frozen broccoli
½ Savoy cabbage, cored and finely shredded
100g green beans, trimmed and halved
2 carrots, peeled then peeled into ribbons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded, ½ finely chopped, ½ finely sliced
2 x 300g packs Singapore noodles

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan or wok over a high heat; stir-fry the peppers and onion for 3-4 mins until lightly golden and tender. Add the broccoli, cabbage, green beans and 100ml water. Stir, letting the cabbage steam-cook for 4-5 mins until the greens are tender and the water has evaporated.

2. Stir in the carrots, garlic and chopped chilli, then fry for 1 min until fragrant. Add the noodles and a pinch of salt; cook for 3-4 mins until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the noodles start to stick to the pan. Serve with the sliced chilli for an extra kick.

Tuesday: Creamy meatballs with butter bean mash

2 tbsp olive oil
12-pack Meat & Veg beef meatballs
300g closed-cup mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 vegetable stock pot, made up to 200ml
½ Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained
100ml half-fat crème fraîche, plus 2 tbsp
10g fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ lemon, juiced

1. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the meatballs for 5-6 mins until golden brown all over; transfer to a plate. Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan and fry the mushrooms and onion for 6-8 mins until softened and any liquid has gone. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Tip the meatballs back in with any resting juices and add the stock. Simmer over a medium heat for 2-3 mins until the meatballs are cooked through and the stock has reduced slightly.

2. Meanwhile, put the cabbage in a lidded saucepan with 200ml water; bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and leave over a low heat for 6-8 mins until tender. Put the butter beans in another saucepan, cover with water and simmer over a medium heat for 5-6 mins until piping hot.

3. Stir 100ml crème fraîche and half the parsley into the meatballs; season well. Simmer for another 3-4 mins until the sauce has slightly thickened. Drain the butter beans, reserving 100ml water, and mash well. Stir in the 2 tbsp crème fraîche and enough reserved water to make a creamy mash.

4. Whisk the remaining ½ tbsp oil with the lemon juice; season with black pepper. Drain the cabbage and tip into a serving bowl. Drizzle over the lemon dressing and toss to coat. Serve the meatballs over the mash, with the cabbage alongside. Scatter with the remaining parsley.

Wednesday: Mackerel and red lentil fusilli with creamy pepper sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 red peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g red lentil fusilli
150ml 50% less fat crème fraîche
2 x 125g tins mackerel in tomato sauce
10g fresh basil, leaves picked

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the peppers and onion with a pinch of salt for 6-8 mins until tender. Stir in the garlic, fry for 1 min, then tip in the tomatoes with half a can of water (200ml). Simmer for 10 mins until the sauce thickens slightly.

2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta to pack instructions. Drain well, reserving 100ml cooking water.

3. Add the crème fraîche and mackerel to the tomato sauce and warm through for 2 mins, breaking up any large pieces of mackerel with a spoon; season. Fold in the pasta and toss to coat in the sauce, adding a little of the reserved water to loosen if you need. Scatter with the basil leaves to serve.

Thursday: Quick herby green risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g arborio risotto rice
1 vegetable stock pot, made up to 1ltr
320g frozen broccoli
320g frozen peas
50g grated pecorino
10g fresh parsley, finely chopped
15g fresh basil, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested

1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or shallow flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the leek for 5 mins until tender. Stir in the garlic and fry for 1 min. Add the rice and stir continuously, coating the rice in the oil and leek, for 3-4 mins until the grains start to look transparent.

2. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until it’s absorbed before adding more. Keep adding stock until the grains are just tender with a little bite in the middle: this will take 10-12 mins. You may not need all the stock.

3. Stir in the broccoli, peas and pecorino, then stir for another 4-5 mins until the greens have defrosted and are piping hot. Add a ladleful more stock as needed. Season well and stir in the parsley, basil, and lemon zest to serve.

Friday: Piri-piri fish, sweet potato and broccoli traybake

1kg sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
4 tbsp olive oil
520g pack frozen white fi sh fi llets, defrosted
2 tbsp piri-piri seasoning
320g frozen broccoli
120g green beans, trimmed
150g frozen peas
150g low-fat natural yogurt
10g fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 red chilli, sliced

1. Heat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Toss the potato wedges in a large shallow roasting tin with 2 tbsp oil; season and spread out. Roast for 15 mins until starting to soften.

2. Meanwhile, pat the fi sh dry with kitchen paper and season well on both sides. Mix the piri-piri seasoning with 2 tbsp oil.

3. Turn the wedges over, then scatter in the broccoli, green beans and peas. Roast for 10 mins, then add the fi sh fillets. Drizzle everything with the spiced oil, rubbing into the fillets, then roast for 8-10 mins until the fi sh is cooked through. Mix the yogurt with the parsley and a crack of black pepper, then serve alongside the traybake with the chilli slices for those who like a more of a kick.

Shopping list

1 lemon
30g pack fresh basil
30g pack fresh flat-leaf parsley
60g pack red chillies
1 garlic bulb
1 leek
2 carrots
1 Savoy cabbage
1kg pack Redmere Farms onions
600g pack Nightingale Farms mixed peppers
300g pack closed-cup mushrooms
220g pack Redmere Farms green beans
1kg pack sweet potatoes
2 x 300g packs Singapore-style rice noodles
50g pack grated pecorino
300ml pot 50% less fat crème fraîche
500g pot Creamfi elds low-fat natural yogurt
12-pack Meat & Veg beef meatballs
4-pack vegetable stock pots
50g jar piri-piri seasoning
400g tin Grower’s Harvest chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins butter beans
250g pack red lentil fusilli
500g pack arborio risotto rice
2 x 125g tins mackerel in tomato sauce
900g pack Grower’s Harvest frozen peas
900g pack frozen broccoli florets
520g pack Bay Fishmongers frozen white fish fillets

+From your storecupboard:

olive oil, vegetable oil

*Based on a family of four. Total cost is based on online prices at the time of publishing and is subject to change. Dependent on product availability, total basket price online may change due to substitutions.