5 easy family dinners for £25 – Spinach and meatball lasagne, Pea and mozzarella frittata, Thai coconut fish with rice

Monday: Spinach and meatball lasagne

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 x 395g tins meatballs in tomato sauce
250g bag baby spinach
50g plain flour
400ml semi-skimmed UHT milk
300g lasagne sheets
210g ball mozzarella, drained and sliced

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion and carrot for 6-8 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic, fry for 1 min, then stir in the meatballs in tomato sauce, 200ml water and the spinach (add in batches and stir if you need to); season. Simmer for 5 mins to wilt the spinach.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the flour with a splash of milk to make a smooth paste in a small bowl, then add to a pan with the remaining milk. Cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins, stirring continuously, until the sauce is the thickness of double cream and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.

3. Lower the lasagne sheets (one at a time to prevent sticking), into a large pan of boiling water over a high heat. Cook for 4-5 mins until soft enough to bend; drain.

4. Spoon ⅓ of the meatball mix into a baking dish, about 30 x 20cm, then add a spoon of the white sauce over the top. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets, using about 1⁄3 of them. Repeat the layers twice more, then top with the remaining white sauce and the mozzarella. Bake for 25-30 mins on a large baking tray until golden, bubbling, and cooked through.

Wednesday: Sticky hoisin wings with bashed cucumber salad

1kg chicken wings
120g sachet hoisin & garlic sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cucumber
½ tsp sugar (any kind)
½ lime, juiced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
300g long grain rice, washed
10g fresh coriander, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Tip the chicken wings into a baking dish and arrange in a single layer, then pour over the hoisin sauce and add the garlic. Stir well, then bake for 35-40 mins, mixing everything together a few times during cooking, until the wings are sticky, golden and glazed.

2. Meanwhile, halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Cut in half lengthways again to make 4 long, thin strips. Use the flat of the knife and press down onto each piece and bash with the palm of your hand, to create lots of cracks and edges, then cut into chunky bite-sized pieces. Tip the ‘bashed’ cucumber into a bowl, season with a little salt, the sugar, lime juice and spring onions. Leave to marinate as the wings are cooking.

3. Cook the rice to pack instructions. Scatter the coriander over the sticky hoisin wings and serve alongside the rice and bashed cucumber salad.

Friday: Thai coconut fish with rice

300g frozen peas
½ sweetheart cabbage, finely shredded, thick core removed
4 frozen white fish fillets
400g tin light coconut milk, stirred
50g pot Thai green curry paste
300g long grain rice, washed
10g fresh coriander leaves picked
½ lime, cut into 4 wedges

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Cut 4 pieces of baking paper into 30cm squares, then put on top of 4 similar-sized pieces of foil.

2. Divide the peas and cabbage into the middle of each square in a small pile, then place a frozen fish fillet on top of each. Pour 1 tbsp coconut milk over each fish parcel and spoon over each an equal amount of curry paste. Bring the sides of the paper up over the top of the parcels, and fold or scrunch a few times to seal the fish and veg in, crimping the foil sides as needed. Transfer to a large baking tray in a single layer then bake for 35-40 mins until the fish is cooked through and flaky, and the greens are tender.

3. About 10 mins before the parcels are ready, tip the rice into a lidded saucepan with the remaining coconut milk, 300ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 8-10 mins until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff up with a fork.

4. Unwrap the fish parcels, mixing the vegetables with the sauce in the parcels, and serve with the coconut rice, coriander and lime wedges for squeezing over.