Cutting back on carbs doesn’t have to mean cutting back on flavour – or blowing the budget.
This month’s Budget Bites serves up three quick, affordable recipes that put protein front and centre, with plenty of colour and crunch on the side.
Think garlicky, cumin-scented prawns piled high on fluffy cauliflower rice, ready in minutes and far more exciting than yet another omelette.
Or a Mediterranean-inspired baked fish, topped with a punchy olive, caper and sun-dried tomato crust, served on creamy butter bean mash – proof that beans can outshine potatoes when given half the chance.
And for something a little livelier, Korean-style chicken lettuce cups bring the sweet-sour-umami hit, finished with a cooling cucumber and avocado salad and a drizzle of tangy kimchi mayo.
Each dish is low on carbs, big on flavour and designed to be cooked without fuss – perfect for weeknights when energy and enthusiasm are in short supply. They’re also easy to scale up, so you can batch-cook for lunches or feed a crowd without spending more.
Shopping list
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cauliflower small
- 2 heads little gem lettuce
- 1 medium avocado
- 2 lemon
- 30g fresh parsley
- 30g fresh coriander
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 cod fillets, skinless
- 300g raw king prawns
- 60g unsalted butter
- 40g mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 60g kimchi
- 80g black olives
- 60g sun-dried tomatoes
- 10g capers
- 800g tinned butter beans
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp honey
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Garlic and cumin prawns with cauli rice
Juicy prawns are tossed in fragrant garlic and cumin, served over fluffy cauliflower rice for a low-carb, satisfying meal that doesn’t skimp on taste.
Ingredients:
1½ tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic
15g fresh parsley
30g fresh coriander
1 cauliflower small
300g raw king prawns
60g unsalted butter
1 lemon
Method:
1. Lightly crush 1½ tsp of cumin seeds on a chopping board with the bottom of a saucepan – or in a pestle and mortar, if you have one. Peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic and finely chop 15g of parsley and 30g of coriander.
2. Remove and discard any green leaves from 1 cauliflower, then shave the cauliflower from around the stalk in the middle. We won’t need the stalk for this recipe, but it’s great in soups and stocks. Mince the cauliflower on the board until it has a coarse, couscous-like texture.
3. Add the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl along with 10g of butter and ¾ of the parsley – we will use the rest later. Cover with cling film and microwave on full power for 4-5 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and piping hot. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.
4. Butterfly 300g of prawns by gently running a sharp knife along the back of the prawns so that they open up, then remove the black vein if your prawns have not already been de-veined.
5. Heat 50g of unsalted butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the cumin seeds and the garlic. Fry for 1 minute until sizzling.
6. Toss the prawns in and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until they’ve turned pink. Finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze in the juice. Season with salt and pepper, add in the coriander, then stir to combine.
7. Once the cauliflower rice is ready, fluff it with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Divide the cauliflower rice between plates, then spoon over the prawns along with plenty of the sauce. Scatter over the remaining parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Baked Mediterranean fish with butter bean mash
Perfectly baked herby fish with a zesty kick, served on creamy bean mash – who needs potatoes when beans do it better? Light, satisfying and delicious!
Ingredients:
80g black olives
60g sun-dried tomatoes
10g capers
2 cloves garlic
15g fresh parsley
1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cod fillets, skinless
800g tinned butter beans
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C – this will be for the cod later.
2. Add 80g of black olives, 60g of sundried tomatoes, 10g of capers, 2 cloves of garlic and 10g of parsley to a small bowl. Use a hand blender to mash the mixture until relatively smooth.
3. Squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
4. Arrange 2 cod fillets on a small baking tray and season with a pinch of salt. Top the fillets with the chopped mixture evenly and spread out.
5. Slowly bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the flesh flakes easily and is opaque white throughout. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.
6. Grab 2 400g tins of butter beans and drain 1, leaving the other undrained. Tip both 400g tins into a medium saucepan. Add a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
7. Place the beans over medium heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until they start to break up.
8. Once the beans have started to break up, take the pan off the heat and blitz until smooth with a stick blender. You can use a potato masher here if you don’t have one. Add a splash of water to loosen if necessary – we are looking for a mashed potato-like consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Divide the bean mash between plates and top with a fillet of fish. Tear over the remaining 5g of parsley and serve with a wedge of the remaining lemon.
Spiced chicken lettuce cups with kimchi mayo and cucumber salad
A perfect combo of fresh and bold. Juicy chicken in lettuce, topped with tangy kimchi mayo and a refreshing cucumber salad for a flavour-packed bite!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp light soy sauce
1½ tbsp honey
1 cucumber
1 medium avocado
2 tbsp gochujang
60g kimchi
40g mayonnaise
2 heads little gem lettuce
Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cut 4 chicken thighs into 2cm pieces.
2. Once the oil starts to shimmer and loosen, add the chicken and fry for 6-8 minutes, until cooked throughout and golden in places. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.
3. Add 2 tbsp of sesame seeds to a small frying pan over a medium heat. Toast gently for 3-4 minutes, until aromatic and just golden brown, then set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp of sesame oil, 1 tbsp of cider vinegar, ½ tbsp of honey, 1 tsp of soy sauce, and a crack of fresh ground pepper.
5. Slice 1 cucumber in half lengthways, then remove the seeds with a spoon and discard. Slice each half on a long bias into 1cm strips.
6. Use a small knife to cut 1 avocado in half lengthwise around the stone. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the stone, then use the spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin. Carefully slice into pieces the same size as the cucumber.
7. Add the cucumber, avocado and half of the toasted sesame seeds to the bowl and gently mix to coat in the dressing. Get on with the rest of the dish.
8. Drain 60g of kimchi into a sieve, then add it to a measuring jug with 40g of mayonnaise. Blend using a hand blender until smooth.
9. Once the chicken is ready, add 2 tbsp of gochujang, 1 tbsp of honey, and 2 tbsp of water to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until the glaze reduces and adheres to the chicken well.
10. Cut the two roots from 2 heads of gem lettuce and break them down into individual leaves. Arrange them on a serving plate.
11. Load the lettuce leaves with the chicken mix. Drizzle the kimchi mayo over the chicken and sprinkle it with the toasted sesame seeds. Divide the cucumber salad between the plates and dig in.
In response to the rising cost of living, we have teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick, designed to help cancel boring dinners, at sortedfood.com/sidekick.
