Bernadine Lawrence - How to Feed Your Family for £5 a Day

To me mam, Agnes, whose Apple and Cheddar Cheese Pie will always be an inspiration to me .

CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

DEDICATION To me mam, Agnes, whose Apple and Cheddar Cheese Pie will always be an inspiration to me .

INTRODUCTION

MEASURING GUIDE

STORE CUPBOARD

TINNED FOOD

DRY FOOD

SPICES / CONDIMENTS

JARS / BOTTLES

FRIDGE

HINTS, TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

ON BUYING VEGETABLES

ON COOKING VEGETABLES

ON FAN OVENS

A NOTE ABOUT SHOPPING

TIPS FOR BUYING FOR ONE OR TWO

A TYPICAL WEEKLY SHOPPING LIST

BREAKFASTS

PERFECT CREAMY PORRIDGE

TOASTED OATS WITH RAISINS, BANANAS AND STRAWBERRIES

GOLDEN APRICOT GRANOLA

PEANUT BUTTER AND DATE GRANOLA

POPCORN FOR BREAKFAST

FRUIT AND NUT BREAKFAST TRAIL MIX

HONEY POLENTA

BREAKFAST CORNCAKE STACK

GRILLED BANANA SPLIT

GOLDEN BANANA FRITTERS

HEALTHY HONEY-YOGHURT SUNDAE

FRUITY PANCAKES

LIGHT MEALS AND SNACKS

WARMING CHEESY RICE BAKE

CRISPY POTATO FRITTERS

SLICED POTATOES AND CRISPY BACON IN RICH WHITE SAUCE

STUFFED POTATOES

CORN ON THE COB

SPICY WINTER BEAN STEW

FILLED OMELETTES

FARMHOUSE CHEESE AND POTATO CAKES

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SMOKED SALMON

SAVOURY BREAD AND CHEESE PUDDING

SAVOURY PANCAKES

BAKED CHICKEN OR FLAKED FISH AND MUSHROOM PANCAKE CANNELLONI

SAUTÉED MUSHROOM, ONION AND BEANSPROUT PANCAKES

SWEETCORN AND CUP MUSHROOM PANCAKES

CREAM CHEESE AND WILTED SPINACH PANCAKES

TOAST AND SANDWICHES

WELSH RAREBIT

GOURMET SARDINES ON TOAST

SANDWICH SUGGESTIONS

SOUPS AND STOCK

STOCK

CHICKEN STOCK

HAM STOCK

TOMATO BOUILLON

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

MINESTRONE

HEARTY LEEK AND RED SPLIT LENTIL SOUP

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

MACKEREL AND MUSHROOM CHOWDER

ROAST CHICKEN AND CHUNKY VEGETABLE SOUP

MAIN MEALS

VEGETARIAN

CHEESY SWEET POTATO AND BEAN BAKE

LAYERED RED SPLIT LENTIL, SPINACH AND POTATO CASSEROLE

HEALTHY BLACK-EYED BEANBURGERS

AUTUMNAL BLACK-EYED BEAN STEW WITH DUMPLINGS

CHEDDAR AND SAUTÉED ONION QUICHE

ONE-POT PEA AND POTATO CURRY

WHOLEMEAL CREAM CHEESE AND VINE TOMATO PIZZA

SPAGHETTI NEAPOLITAN

ROOT VEGETABLE PIE

WILTED SPINACH, POTATO AND SWEETCORN PIE

POTATO, CHEDDAR AND ONION TART WITH SPRING GREENS

SAUTÉED ONION, TOMATO AND RED SPLIT LENTIL TART

RUSTIC KIDNEY BEAN, GREEN PEPPER AND MUSHROOM GOULASH

RED SPLIT LENTIL AND CHEESE LOAF

SPINACH PASTIES WITH CREAM CHEESE AND MASH

RED PEPPER RISOTTO

TOFU STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLI, CARROT AND GINGER

SAUTÉED VEGETABLES

FISH AND SEAFOOD

MACKEREL IN ZESTY LEMON SAUCE

CRISPY FISH FILLETS

LAYERED FISH BAKE WITH A CRUNCHY PARMESAN TOPPING

TRADITIONAL FISH AND SWEETCORN PIE

MUSHROOM-STUFFED MACKEREL

CRUNCHY OAT-COATED HERRING

FRAGRANT COCONUT FISH

HOMEMADE FISHCAKES

SPICY BATTERED MACKEREL

SWEET POTATO, CORIANDER AND CHILLI FISHCAKES

BAKED MACKEREL WITH LEMON AND MUSTARD

SPICY PRAWN RICE WITH FRIED TOMATOES

CHILLI PRAWNS IN COCONUT CREAM

FISH AND VEGETABLE STIR-FRY WITH DRY CIDER

MEAT AND POULTRY

HONEY-ROAST CHICKEN

CARIBBEAN SPICED LAMB SHANKS

SLOW-ROAST SHOULDER OF PORK WITH APPLE

GRAVY

SLOW BEEF AND ONION STEW

KIDNEY AND BACON PILAFF

MAMA’S PAN CHICKEN

LEMON HONEY LAMB SHOULDER WITH POTATOES AND FRESH THYME

STICKY SPARE RIB CHOPS

CREOLE CORN-CRUST CHICKEN

CHICKEN MACARONI

PORK AND BEANS

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

HAM AND MUSHROOM WHOLEWHEAT SPAGHETTI IN TOMATO SAUCE

CHICKEN-FRIED RICE

RICH CHICKEN AND MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY

SLOW LAMB HOT POT

CHICKEN AND SWEETCORN PIE

LAMB BOLOGNESE

LIVER AND BACON CASSEROLE

STREAKY BACON AND POTATO PIE

SALADS

CRISP GREEN SALAD

DECADENT WINTER SLAW

VIBRANT CARROT, RAISIN AND RICE SALAD

THE ORIGINAL POTATO SALAD

SWEET POTATO SALAD WITH A LEMON HONEY DRESSING

CRUNCHY RED BEAN AND GREEN PEPPER SALAD

CURRIED RICE SALAD

MARINATED MACKEREL WITH FRESH GREENS AND A ZINGY MUSTARD DRESSING

CHICKEN AND SPRING ONION SALAD WITH A YOGHURT AND LIME DRESSING

DESSERTS

BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

HONEY RICE PUDDING

APPLE AND RHUBARB CRUMBLE

APPLE AND BLACKBERRY PIE

BAKED APPLES

EVE’S PUDDING

TREACLE TART

WHOLEFRUIT CAKE

BLACK TREACLE FLAPJACKS

WHOLEMEAL SULTANA SCONES

PEANUT BUTTER, OAT AND RAISIN COOKIES

MAMA’S SWEET POTATO PIE

POTATO CHEESECAKE

BASIC ESSENTIALS

BARGAIN BREAD

HONEY-MILK TOAST

HEIDI BREAKFAST

RAISIN BREAD

BERNIE’S EASY BREAD

PASTRY

WHOLEMEAL PASTRY

WHOLEMEAL FLAN PASTRY

CRUMBLY PASTRY (FOR PIES AND PASTIES)

PIE CASE AND LID

PASTIES

SWEET WHOLEMEAL SHORTCRUST PASTRY

BUTTER DUMPLINGS

CHAPATIS OR FLATBREAD

POLENTA PASTRY

JACKET POTATOES

ROAST POTATOES

NEW POTATOES WITH DILL

BUTTERY MASH

CHUNKY OVEN CHIPS

BROWN RICE

PERFECT BROWN RICE

RED KIDNEY BEANS

BLACK-EYED BEANS

RED SPLIT LENTILS

BATTERS FOR PUDDINGS AND PANCAKES

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

PANCAKES

COATING BATTER

APPLE FRITTERS

SAUCES

BASIC BÉCHAMEL SOUP BASE

BASIC BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

CHEESE SAUCE

PARSLEY SAUCE

CREOLE BROWN SAUCE

TOMATO SAUCE

MINT SAUCE

APPLE SAUCE

EGG PREPARATIONS

OMELETTE

HOMEMADE YOGHURT

CAST-IRON FRYING PAN WITH LID

BERNIE’S GOOD BUDGET GUIDE

BERNIE’S TOP SHOPPING TIPS

A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING

SEASONAL FOOD CALENDAR

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

USES FOR LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS

HEALTHY EATING GUIDE

MORE TOP TIPS

WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER

WEEK ONE

WEEK TWO

WEEK THREE

WEEK FOUR

FOOTNOTES

LIST OF RECIPES

COPYRIGHT

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

INTRODUCTION

‘ Ten years ago I had to dismiss my chauffeur and sell my Bentley after a failed business venture. Often it is the loss of a status symbol which causes shame and a feeling of worthlessness. But it can mean the start of a new venture in life, the beginning of self-discovery where you find you have to get your priorities sorted out and when hidden strengths and talents start to emerge out of necessity. Necessity is the mother of invention. Business failure can sometimes be a blessing in disguise .

I was used to spending £150 a week on food, drawing up outside restaurants, buying lots of take-aways and my bread from specialist food shops. After my income dropped dramatically I had to learn very quickly how to manage on a pittance. I was fearful of the future and dreaded those quarterly bills. I just did not see how I could possibly manage, and at first couldn’t — I was sinking quickly into debt and even running out of food at the end of the week .

In order to manage I allowed myself just £4 a day to feed my family and buy household goods. I started cooking and experimenting with ingredients, trying to reproduce many of the meals I had enjoyed in vegetarian restaurants, and found I could produce delicious meals which were nutritionally excellent and cost very little. So we were eating a superior diet at minimum cost, and as the number of my recipes grew we found we were actually eating better than before …’