Category Archives: Meal Planning

I’m sharing another one of my frugal and budget go-to recipes that help keep my grocery bill as low as possible, and my belly full.

I love this recipe because its under $10 in total to make and is the perfect winter warmer. It’s a simple dish with simple flavours that warm you up from the inside. We regularly have this on our meal planner.

I also love this recipe because I can get everything from Aldi without any other supermarket trips.  

If you would like to see all of my frugal and budget friendly recipes click here.

Ingredients 

• 500gm Aldi Pork Sausages (or sausage of choice)  
• ½ tablespoon of Aldi Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or other choice of oil) 
• 1 large onion sliced  
• 100ml water 
• 250ml Gravy – I use 3 Tablespoons of Aldi Traditional Gravy Mix made with 250mls of boiling water (or you can use 250ml of your own desired gravy) 
• 750-1kg of mashed potato as desired (I make this in my Thermomix at the same time as making this dish to save time and I use the recipe from the Everyday Cookbook) 
• 2 cups of steamed vegetables of your choice (I love peas and beans with this dish, and I use frozen to save money) 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Place whole sausages into the oven on a baking paper lined tray for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Whilst the sausages are cooking you can make the onion gravy base. To do this heat the oil in a large fry pan on high heat (Note: Make sure the fry pan is capable of holding the sausages, onions and gravy).
4. Then add the onions and cook until browned.
5. Add 100mls to the onions then turn down the heat to low. Use a spatula to scrape as much of the cooked-on onions from the bottom of the frypan and combine.
6. Then add the gravy to the frypan and mix well with the onions.
7. Once the sausages are cooked through use a knife (or my favourite a pair of food grade shears/ scissors) to cut up the sausages and add to the onion and gravy mix in the frypan.
8. Then allow the mixture to get to a nice simmer before serving with the steamed vegetables and mashed potato.

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I’m sharing another one of my frugal and budget friendly recipes this week.

Everyone loves good pasta (right….) and if you haven’t got your own go to pasta sauce recipe give this one a whirl. It’s super easy but super tasty and it’s a recipe that the whole family will enjoy. You can make it vegetarian or add your own mince (I’ve tried both). I’ve also included two cooking methods for those with or without a Thermomix.

If you would like to see all of my frugal and budget friendly recipes click here.

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp Aldi Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 large diced brown onion 
• 1 tsp Aldi Minced Garlic 
• 1 tbsp Mixed Herbs 
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (or BBQ if you don’t have) 
• 1 Aldi Vegetable Stock Cube 
• 2x 400gm cans of Aldi Diced Tomatoes 
• 500gm of cooked pasta of choice (Note: I cook this at the same time as the sauce) 

Optional 500gm your mince of choice and/or Parmesan Cheese

Method (No Thermomix) 

1. Heat up the oil in a large saucepan on high heat. 
2. Add the onion and brown lightly.  
3. Add the minced garlic, herbs and Worcestershire sauce. 
4. If adding mince add it at this step, use a spatula to break up the mince, and then cook until the mince is browned.  
5. Then turn down the heat to a medium simmer, add the diced tomatoes, the stock cube and stir regularly for 15 minutes.  
6. In this time your sauce should now be a lovely and rich sauce, and ready to pour over your cooked pasta.
7. Top with parmesan cheese as desired.  

Method (Thermomix) 

1. Add onion and garlic and chop 3 SEC – SPEED 5
2. Add mixed herbs and oil and cook 2 MIN – 100 DEGREES – REVERSE – SPEED 1
3. Add the stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, two cans of tomatoes to the Thermomix bowl.
4. Then insert the Thermomix Basket into the Thermomix Bowl and add the mince to the basket (skip this step if not using mince).
5. Cook 10 MIN – VAROMA – REVERSE – SPEED 1.5.
6. Use the spatula to break up the mince in the Thermomix Basket and then cook for a further 15 MIN – VAROMA – REVERSE – SPEED 2.
7. Tip mince from the Thermomix Basket into the Thermomix Bowl and cook for 5 MIN – VAROMA – REVERSE – SLOWEST SPEED.
8. Serve on cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese as desired.

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I’m sharing another one of my budget go-to recipes this week.

Its an easy weeknight dinner recipe that the kids will love (and so will you). It’s also super cost-effective and it’s often a weekly meal on our meal planner.  

You can also adjust the portions to fit your family and preferences, or add / remove items for your own substitutions. It’s a very forgiving recipe.

If you would like to see all of my budget recipes click here.

Ingredients 

• 350gm Basmati Rice (I don’t buy rice at Aldi. It’s much cheaper to buy in bulk either at Coles/Woolworths when they have a ½ price sale or at an Indian/ international grocer) 
• 1 diced Aldi Chicken Breast fillet  
• 1 tablespoon of Aldi Vegetable Oil 
• 2 tablespoons of Aldi Teriyaki Sauce   
• 1 cup of steamed Aldi Frozen Tri-mix Vegetable Mix (Corn, Peas and Carrot) 
• 150gms of Aldi Shredded Ham (Note: it comes in a two pack, so I just use one pack) 
• 2 eggs lightly beaten (Optional) 
• Salt and Pepper 
• Crispy fried onions (Optional: You’ll find these at your local Indian or international grocer. They are also available at Woolworths/Coles but can be more expensive)  
• Soy sauce, Kewpie, and other condiments as desired. 

Method 

1. Cook your Basmati Rice as per your preference (Note: If possible, cook this the day before and keep in the fridge overnight. If you can’t do this that’s okay and it comes out awesome anyway).  
2. Heat up the vegetable oil in a wok on medium heat.  
3. Then add the diced chicken fillet and cook until the outside is brown.  
4. Add the Teriyaki Sauce and make sure the chicken is well coated in it.  
5. Add the drained steamed vegetable mix and mix together.  
6. Then turn the wok to a lower temperature whilst you cook the egg mixture. I typically use a fry pan and will fry into one pancake looking egg. Once its cooked I will slice up and set aside.  
7. Once the egg is cooked and set aside add your rice to the wok and turn the heat back to medium.  
8. Then stir or fold everything in the wok together, and make sure everything is well coated and combined. 
9. Cook until the rice is heated through, and check to ensure your chicken is cooked through. 
10. Then turn off the wok and add your egg and crispy onions on top to serve. I like to serve directly from the wok, but that’s up to you. 

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I’m sharing one of my budget go-to recipes this week.

I have been using this recipe for about 4 years in my Thermomix (maybe more). You could also use a mixer with a dough hook to make this recipe (no need to have a Thermomix).

My kids love these, and it’s an easy lunch when you don’t have a lot in the cupboards/fridge. I purchased my flour from Costco in bulk a few years ago and it’s still going strong (12.5kgs of it). I estimate the main cost of this recipe is the fillings you use.

I’ve written this recipe so you can make the scroll base dough and then add your own fillings. My favourites are Ham and Cheese, and Vegemite and Cheese. You could also do cinnamon scrolls or spinach and feta (you can be as inventive as you want).

If you would like to see all of my previous budget recipe posts click here.

Ingredients for the Scroll Base 

• 1 ¼ Cups of warm water 
• 2 tsp instant yeast (Note: I keep mine in the freezer mine and it lasts forever. I’ve had mine for about 2 years no joke) 
• 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil 
• 3 cups of plain (all purpose) flour 
• 2 tsp salt

Customisable Filling

Feel free to be inventive and make your own flavours

• 200gms Ham 
• 1 ½ cups of grated cheese 
• Tomato or BBQ Sauce (I use both as a pizza sauce on the dough, but this is up to you)

Method 

1. Add all ingredients to the thermomix bowl.  
2. Mix 5 SEC – SPEED 5 (Thermomix setting or equivalent settings in your mixer with dough hook).  
3. Then scrape down the sides.  
4. Then change the setting to dough. Then 60 SEC – KNEADING (Thermomix settings or equivalent setting in your mixer with dough hook). 
5. Then get the dough out of the thermomix bowl and shape into a ball (that’s all tucked in on itself).  
6. Then place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with compostable gladwrap (or other sustainable wrap), and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes to rise (prove).  
7. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (fan forced).  
8. Once it has doubled place the dough on a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out in a rectangle shape that is 1cm thick.  
9. Then spread your customisable ingredients on the dough.  
10. Then carefully roll the dough into a log and cut the log up into 3cm slices.  
11. Place the scroll slices on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  

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