Super cheap batch cooking with TVP

TVP (or textured vegetable protein) is about £2 for a big bag from Holland & Barratt. It replaces minced beef (or other meat) in cooking. £2 of minced beef will make about 2 portions. £2 of TVP makes 28!!!!

Basic recipe (for 4 portions):

TVP
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
Tinned tomatoes

extras:
carrots
celery
courgettes
kidney beans
lentils
spices
herbs


Soak 50g TVP in 150ml water for about 10 mins.

Chop and gently cook 1 onion & 2 cloves of garlic. with a bit of salt and pepper.  If you want to squeeze some veg in, now is the time to add a finely chopped carrot and 2 celery sticks. Then add the mince and a tin of chopped tomatoes.  It's that simple.

Now you can turn it into all sorts of things. To make it a bit 'meatier', add an OXO cube, a teaspoon of marmite or some dark sauce such as Worcestershire, Soy or Tamarind.

If you add a tin of red kidney beans, some chilli powder and serve it with rice, you have Chilli.

Add peas and carrots (or any other veg), cover in mashed potato and cook in the oven until golden, it's cottage pie.

Herb it up with some oregano and serve it with spaghetti and you have bolognese.

Layer your bolognese with white sauce, cheese and pasta sheets and it's suddenly a lasagna.

Cook it with diced potatoes, swedes or turnips and wrap it in pastry and it's a pasty.

You can add pretty much any spices or herbs to change the seasoning and then bulk it out with different veg or pulses and completely change the meal.

Vitamin Wheat

This is fast, adaptable and good for using bits of veg up. Quantities here are for 2-3 meals.

2 mugs of bulgar wheat or couscous (or cooked rice)
1 small onion
1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced
A handful of chopped dried fruit (optional but things like cranberries, apricots, sultanas...)
About 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 apple, chopped
A slosh of cider (or water)

Other things you can add:
1 courgette, diced
1 pepper, diced
2 sticks of celery, chopped
3 handfuls Quorn chunks
a bit of cubed feta
Chickpeas

Dressing:
a glug of olive oil
juice of a lemon
handful of chopped parsley
half tsp cinnamon
half tsp cumin
half tsp sumac (optional)
half tsp advieh (optional)
chopped mint (optional)

Put the bulgar or couscous in a bowl and pour over boiling water until it is about a cm over the grains and cover with a plate for about 5-10 mins. If you are using dried fruit, add this too. Or cook the rice.

Meanwhile, cook the onions in a little oil until translucent. Add the quern here if using.

Add the garlic and other veg, a slosh of cider, and cook for about 10 mins or until they have softened and the veg (and quorn) has gone goldenish.

Tip it all into a big bowl with the grains and (add the feta now if using) and add the dressing stuff.  Stir it all up and cover for 5 mins then serve.

You can leave leftovers to go cold and have it for lunch the next day.

Dhal and Rice

This is super easy.  And takes very little time. My recipe may not be wildly accurate or authentic but it does the job.


1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
a thumb sized bit of fresh ginger, minced
2 mugfuls of red lentils
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 chilly, finely chopped (optional)

Rice


Cook the onions slowly in a bit of oil on a medium to low heat until really soft but not burnt.

Add the garlic and spices and stir well.  Add the tomatoes.

Rinse and add the lentils and cover with water so that the lentils are about an inch under the water.

Cook some rice (however you do it and depending on the type of rice)

Cook the dhal until the lentils have broken down and absorbed the water, stirring from time to time and adding more water if needed. It takes about 20 minutes. Add the chilli in near the end if you are using it.

Serve over the rice. It's really good with some yoghurt and chopped coriander if you have some.