Frugal Blogger Eats

Easy low cost family recipes

Recipes

The best marmite roast potatoes

In my opinion the best part of a roast dinner is the roast potatoes. With their soft fluffy insides and tasty crispy outsides they are my ultimate winter comfort. These marmite roast potatoes deliver on both those things and are a firm favourite with everyone in our house.

Marmite roast potatoes

Marmite roast potatoes

A good traditional roast dinner is our weekly go to meal. We try to have a different meat each week such as roast chicken or beef. Vegetables are often what’s currently in season, from kale and swede and carrot mash to parsnips, carrots, peas or broccoli. But the best part of it all is definitely the roast potatoes!

My family inhale these roast potatoes like I’ve never seen before. In fact my son who previously wouldn’t touch roast potatoes (he went through a phase as children do) can’t get enough of these. These were the potatoes that turned his mind around to like roast potatoes yet again.

If you’re a fan of marmite then you will go crazy for these potatoes. Not a fan of marmite? Well I really do recommend you try these anyway. They don’t taste like marmite once roasted to be honest. More like a very meaty potato without the meat juices or extra fats. They taste very much like potatoes that have been cooked in beef juices around a roast beef joint.

Due to the fact they contain no animal juices or fats these potatoes just so happen to be vegan as well. They’re also relatively low fat too if that’s your thing. As we are using the marmite for flavour we need less oil to coat the potatoes. Things can get a bit sticky during cooking but I would suggest a good oil spray in between turns.

Why not try a fruit crumble for dessert while you have the oven on.

Yield: 4-8

Marmite roast potatoes

Marmite roast potatoes

These roast potatoes are a great option if your vegan or trying to cut back on animal fats.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for parboiling, optional)
  • 1 heaped teaspoon marmite
  • 1 tablespoon oil (I use rapeseed oil)

Instructions

  1. Peel your potatoes. Or if you prefer to leave the skins on just give them a good wash. Cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces and pop them in a large saucepan.
  2. Cover potatoes with water and add the teaspoon of salt. I know a teaspoon of salt seems like a lot but you will be draining it off once parboiled.
  3. When the potatoes are soft but not falling apart drain them and let them steam dry for a minute or two while you get your tray ready.
  4. Add the oil and marmite to a baking dish or roasting tray and swirl it around to cover the bottom.
  5. Pour your potatoes into the tray and give them a good toss in the marmite oil mixture. If you're not so confident with tossing then just move them around with a spoon or some tongs.
  6. Roast in the oven at around 200 degrees for 1 hour. Take the potatoes out half way through the cooking time and give them a jiggle around. Spray with a little more oil if needed.
  7. When the potatoes are golden and crispy they should be perfectly done.

Notes

Cooking times and temperatures can differ depedning on your oven.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 150Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 592mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 3g

Slow cooker roast chicken

My family and I love a Roast chicken on a Sunday, we all look forward to our weekly roast dinners. But having our oven on during the warmer months makes our kitchen and house unbearably hot! So this slow cooker roast chicken is ideal for summer.

Slow cooker roast chicken

Slow cooker roast chicken

When you cook for a family you realise that it’s not always easy to please everyone with every meal. But our weekly roast dinners are the kind of meal that everyone eats and loves. Through the winter we enjoy marmite roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, lashings of gravy and a huge variety of veg with each roast dinner. It’s usually followed by some kind of desert such as a fruit crumble. The chicken or whatever leftover meat we have is then used up in various recipes through the week. Cooking meat this way is definitely more cost effective than buying chicken breasts for meals such as curry.

However through the summer we find that cooking a big roast dinner just isn’t doable every week. Having the oven on makes our kitchen ridiculously hot, we don’t always really fancy a hot meal and cooking in 25+ degree temperatures just isn’t fun! So this slow cooker roast chicken is the ideal summer roast dinner recipe. We team ours with a delicious new potato salad and either vegetables or salad depending on what we fancy.

The best thing about this recipe is that it is super easy. It’s got that set it and forget it mentality about it. You simply pop your chicken in for the set amount of time, turn on the slow cooker and 4-6 hours later you go back to it and its turned into all kinds of deliciousness. No slaving away in the kitchen getting hot and sweaty. No stress, no drama and no fuss. Just beautiful chicken that the whole family will love.

Slow cooker roast chicken

Slow cooker roast chicken

My family and I love a Roast chicken on a Sunday, we all look forward to our weekly roast dinners. But having our oven on during the warmer months makes our kitchen and house unbearably hot! So this slow cooker roast chicken is ideal for summer.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Chicken
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs (optional)
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. The first thing you will need to do is to ensure that your chicken fits in your slow cooker. It doesn't matter if its a tight fit as long as the lid goes on so heat doesn't escape.
  2. You can sprinkle your chicken with herbs if you wish, you could even pop in a few garlic cloves if you fancy it. Then season with some salt and pepper.
  3. Pop on the lid and cook the chicken on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Always check the chicken is fully cooked before you eat it. Either use a thermometer (it needs to be at 75 degrees or over) or check the juices run clear not pink.
  4. When your time is up you'll need to remove the chicken from the slow cooker. This can sometimes be tricky as slow cooked meat is often a lot more tender than oven cooked. I use a cobination of fork and tongs but often leave a wing or two in the slow cooker.
  5. You can let your chicken rest as you usually would but I tend to carve it straight away.

Notes

Leftover chicken is great for things like currys or sandwiches. Just ensure you cool the chicken down safely and reheat it properly.

Category: Dinner

Slow cooker jacket potatoes

Jacket potatoes have to be one of the easiest to make yet very filling meals I can think of. When cooked to perfection, the soft fluffy potato insides just warms me up on cold days. On warmer days its something to look forward to after coming in from out in the garden. These slow cooker jacket potatoes deliver a great texture with a delicious taste without having to have the oven on.

Slow cooker jacket potatoes

Slow cooker jacket potatoes

A simple, easy jacket spud is sometimes all I fancy after a busy day but I begrudge putting the oven on just for a couple of potatoes. But when you pop them in the slow cooker which usually uses less electricity its not so bad. I don’t believe that my slow cooker only uses the same amount of electricity as a lightbulb. However it is certainly cheaper to run than having the big oven on for a few hours.

When I’m feeling mentally drained after work and school runs I look forward to coming home to a ready made tea. Slow cooker jacket potatoes definitely offer that. I simply pull them out, pop them on plates and serve with beans, cheese, tuna mayo or sometimes just a massive dollop of butter to melt in.

I love using my slow cooker for a lot of our meals as it tends to be easier and I don’t have to worry about dinner later on in the day when I’m tired. Cooking foods like jacket potatoes and roast chicken in the slow cooker also means the oven doesn’t need to be on. This is great for hot summer days when we fancy a decent filling meal but don’t want the house to be crazy hot. On occasions I will make homemade bbq baked beans to go on top of our jacket potatoes but usually its just a side salad.

Yield: 4 jacket potatoes

Slow cooker jacket potatoes

Slow cooker jacket potatoes

These slow cooker jacket potatoes deliver a great texture with a delicious taste without having to have the oven on for hours on end.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 potatoes (large enough for baking)
  • A little oil
  • A pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Wash your potatoes and dry them thoroughly.
  2. Either stab the potato with a fork all over or cut a cross onto the top of each potato.
  3. Rub a small amount of oil onto each potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the potatoes into the slow cooker. If you are cooking for more than 4 people then you can build the potatoes up to the amount you need.
  5. Turn your slow cooker on high for 6 hours or low for 4 hours.
  6. When the slow cooker is done cooking remove your hot potatoes and serve as you wish.

Notes

These baked potatoes don't have the crispy skins you may be used to from oven baked potatoes. You can either pop them in the oven to crisp up a bit for half an hour or just enjoy the slightly different texture of these potatoes skins as they are.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 192Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 36mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 4gSugar 2gProtein 4g

Vegetable crumble recipe

If you love a fruit crumble, with it’s almost pie like taste without the pastry making. Well a vegetable crumble is just as delicious and is a great way to use up any leftover veggies you have lying around in your fridge. It goes great as a side dish to a roast dinner or by itself for a smaller meal. This is the vegetable crumble recipe I tend to use when we have odd ends of veg around the kitchen that need eating up.

Vegetable crumble recipe

Vegetable crumble recipe

At first, the thought of a vegetable crumble didn’t sound appetising to me however when I tried it I fell in love. It tasted very much like a deconstructed pie. We had it in place of the meat for a roast dinner on one of our low grocery budget months. It’s a great way to use up the random bits of veg you have around the fridge and kitchen. I tend to go for a carrot, parsnip and courgette mix if possible. Maybe with a bit of bell pepper throw in too. But in reality any veg works. Broccoli, swede, sweet potatoes, peas, celery, onion, aubergine, literally anything goes. If it’s in the fridge pop it in to see what flavour combinations you can come up with.

For the crumble topping again, any herbs or spices will work. I usually go for dried mixed herbs as that’s usually easiest to hand and cheapest. I plan to make this with fresh herbs as soon as our little herb plants have grown to full size. Its always fun to see what flavour pairings I can come up with.

If you’re a fan of a fruit crumble too then you should check out this fruit crumble recipe.

Vegetable crumble really is an open recipe so don’t be afraid to experiment with it.

Vegetable Crumble Recipe

Vegetable crumble recipe

This vegetable crumble recipe is the ultimate leftover veg recipe. Please experiment with whatever you have in and needs eating.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 50g butter/vegan spread
  • 1-2tsp dried herbs of choice
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 400g Chopped mixed vegetables (frozen, fresh or tinned all work here)

Instructions

  1. Tip your flour and butter into a bowl and rub between your fingers to create a crumble breadcrumb like texture.
  2. Stir the dried herbs through the crumble topping and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir again.
  3. Grab an oven dish and pop your veg in. Spread the vegetables out until evenly spaced.
  4. Salt and pepper your veg to season. Then sprinkle over your crumble topping until evenly covered.

Notes

This vegetable crumble works really well as a side dish but equally as a main dish by itself with some gravy.

Please experiment with flavours and vegetables here. You could use a bit of spice if you fancy it or go for a mediteranean vipe.

This recipe can very easily become vegan by using dairy free spread instead of butter.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 215Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 27mgSodium 186mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 4g
Category: Side dishes

Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

Nothing much else beats the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house. Freshly baked bread is also pretty tasty too not to mention much healthier than its shop bought equivalent. There are less additives in homemade bread and you may be surprised to learn that you only need 2 store cupboard ingredients. So here is a very easy homemade bread recipe which will make you a delicious loaf of bread.

easy homemade bread recipe

Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

There are lots of myths around homemade bread, such as it’s time consuming and you need lots of fancy ingredients. But the truth is if you’re organised it needn’t take up your whole day. Yes you do need to prove it a couple of times and yes the kneading can take 10 minutes. But in all honesty the more you make bread the quicker you will get at the process. You can do other things while the bread is rising which means the bread may take a couple of hours to make but you’re not in the kitchen with it the entire time.

A lot of people think that you need proper bread flour to make bread but in actual fact regular plain flour works too. It’s may not be as ‘good’ as when you use bread flour but I’ve never tasted a difference. Neither has anyone I’ve fed it to. You could experiment with other flours as you see fit. The truth is bread baking (and cooking in general) is all about experimenting and finding out what works and what doesn’t. There is no right or wrong way with cooking it’s all just trial and error.

Here is my easy simple bread recipe which you can use to experiment with as you please.

Easy homemade Bread

easy homemade bread recipe

Here is my easy homemade bread recipe. It's a great basic recipe which can be experimented with as you please.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g Flour (You can use plain or strong flour here)
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 175ml water (adjust to suit the flour your using some need more some need less)

Instructions

  1. Pop your flour and yeast into a bowl and give it a stir.
  2. Add enough water to create a soft dough. Some flours need more water than others. If you end up putting too much water in just add a little more flour until you have the correct consistency.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a good 10 minutes. This can take some time if you have never done it before. The idea is to move and stretch the bread as much as possible. You will get better at this the more times you make bread. This process stretches the gluten and helps the bread rise.
  4. You know when to stop kneading when the dough is springy to touch. If you gently press on the dough it should spring right back.
  5. At this stage we need to prove the dough. Pop it in a lightly oiled bowl for 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Ideally you need to leave the dough in a warmish draught free place.
  6. After proving the dough we need to knock the dough back. We do this by giving the dough a good punch and knocking all of the air out of the dough.
  7. We can now shape the dough and place it on a baking tray or in a loaf tin. You can get as creative as you like here by making different shapes or loafs of bread. You could create a plait or just a simple loaf shape.
  8. Prove the dough for the final time until doubled in size. This will take around 30-45 minutes.
  9. Once you have done the final prove you can now bake the bread at 180c for around 35 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Category: Breads

Short of time? You may also like these easy homemade flatbreads.

Simple fruit crumble recipe with any fruit

Fruit crumble is a family favourite loved for generations and its also one of the quickest simplest desserts around. I’ve left this recipe open to use up any fruit you may have in. Our favourites include rhubarb, apple and blackberry and summer fruit crumble. Here is a simple fruit crumble recipe for when you fancy dessert without too much hassle.

simple fruit crumble recipe

Simple fruit crumble recipe

I’ve left this recipe open to using any fruit you may have because lets be honest we all know crumble is a great way to use up fruit that’s on the way out. Squishy strawberry’s .. chuck them in, battered up apple.. yep that too! You could also omit the sugar in the crumble topping and replace with a teaspoon of herbs and create a vegetable crumble with veggies that look past their best too. The crumble possibilities are endless.

My family and I especially love the blackberry season where we can pick free blackberries and use them to make crumble. My mum grows delicious rhubarb which always gets made into dessert. We also use the bags of frozen fruit from the supermarket on occasions too. Although I’ve never tried it I can imagine tinned fruit would work just as well. Anyway crumble is one of those comforting desserts that can be made in a jiffy. Without too much effort you know it has at least some goodness in making it perfect for lazy days.

Here is my super simple fruit crumble recipe. If you like the sound of vegetable crumble then this recipe here is fantastic. Vegetable crumble is almost like a vegetable pie without the fuss. Teamed with a bit of gravy it offers a warm comforting meal.

Yield: 4

Simple fruit crumble recipe

simple fruit crumble recipe

Made with any fruit you have in the house this simple fruit crumble recipe is delicious and comforting. You could serve with custard, cream or ice cream depending on your mood.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 50g butter or margarine (use vegan spread if vegan)
  • 50g sugar
  • 400g fruit (frozen, fresh or tinned)
  • Additional 50g sugar for the fruit (use more or less to taste)

Instructions

  1. Pop the butter or maragrine and flour into a bowl and rub between fingers to create a crumble texture. You want the crumble to be fairly fine but a few big lumps is no big deal.
  2. Add the sugar to the crumble mixture and give a good stir up with a wooden spoon.
  3. Grab yourself a baking dish and tip your fruit into the bottom of it. If using frozen fruit don't worry about defrosting, but do add 5 or 10 minutes onto the cooking time to ensure it has had time to defrost and cook through. We like our crumbles with a sharper taste so we dont tend to add to much sugar. If you prefer sweeter crumbles you can add a little more to taste. Level out your fruit and sugar mix into the bottom of the baking dish.
  4. Spoon the crumble topping onto the fruit layer and level out the topping so its nice and even. Be careful here not to disturb the fruit too much.
  5. Bake the crumble at 180c for around 30-40 minutes depending on if your fruit was frozen or fresh.
  6. The fruit should be bubbling and the crumble topping a delicous golden colour. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving (the fruit will be like molten lava straight out of the oven).
  7. Serve while still warm with custard, cream or ice cream.

Notes

This recipe can very easily be made vegan by using vegan spread in place of butter.

When using rhubarb I often start the cooking process in a saucepan on the hob before placing into the bottom of the dish to give it a head start.

This recipe is a great way to use up bits of fruit lying around. Don't be afraid to experiment with different mixes. Apple and blackberry is a classic, but gooseberry and blackberrys work well as does any mixed berry concoction.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 361Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 27mgSodium 83mgCarbohydrates 65gFiber 4gSugar 39gProtein 4g
Cuisine: dessert / Category: desserts

Easy Homemade Oven Chips Recipe healthy and delicious

I get regular cravings for random types of food. I don’t restrict my diet as such but I do try to make as much as possible from scratch. This is both to save money and to keep healthy. Chips are one of my regular cravings, I love all kinds of chips but usually it’s the big fat squidgey ones from my local chippy that I crave. So I set out to make the best Homemade Oven Chips that were both healthy and delicious.

homemade oven chips

Easy Homemade Oven Chips Recipe healthy and delicious

We don’t have an air fryer (although I may invest at some point) and we don’t have a deep fat fryer. But I feel I have perfected the art of cooking delicious chips in the oven with no fancy equipment. Although a pizza tray is very handy if you have one as it helps the air circulate around the chips while cooking making them chip like on all sides.

Can chips be healthy?

Chips are a well loved takeaway food, from children to adults people just love them. However chips aren’t always seen as particularly healthy. They’re usually deep fried and full of fat (and deliciousness). The alternative is to reach for the slightly healthier frozen oven chips. But these aren’t always the cheapest to buy and during the current lockdown its not as simple as popping down to the shops whenever you fancy.

Making homemade chips from a potato and a bit of cooking oil is much healthier than the other options. When making this recipe you’ll only be using 1 tablespoon of oil or you could use a cooking oil spray instead. Anyway in my opinion a healthy diet is one that isn’t restricted and provides everything in moderation (As my mum used to say).

My family and myself love these homemade oven chips and we always have a few potatoes on hand to make them.

Yield: 4 portions

Easy Homemade Oven Chips Recipe

homemade oven chips

We don't have an air fryer (although I may invest at some point) and we don't have a deep fat fryer. But I feel I have perfected the art of cooking delicious chips in the oven with no fancy equipment. Although a pizza tray is very handy if you have one as it helps the air circulate around the chips while cooking making them chip like on all sides.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 4 Potatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon cooking oil (I used rapeseed but you can use your favourite) or a good few sprays of frylight.
  • (Optional) sprinkling of garlic powder (gives an added depth of flavour).
  • (Optional) A handful of flour to help crisps up the chips.
  • (Optional) 1 tsp salt for the water.

Instructions

  1. Wash your potatoes and slice them evenly into chip shapes. Don't peel them theres no need. Pop the raw chips into a saucepan with the salt and cover with water. Bring to the boil and switch them off to par boil them. If you end up over cooking at this stage then don't worry. I once put what almost looked like mash of my baking tray and it still came out surprisingly good!
  2. Drain your potatoes and return to the saucepan, sprinkle over the four and garlic powder if using. Give the potatoes a little shake to distribute the flour. Pour over your oil or give it a few sprays of frylight. Give the chips another toss about to distrbulte the oil.
  3. Pour the chips out onto a lightly greased or non stick pizza tray or baking tray. Stick them in the oven at around 200 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Turn halfway through cooking (gently) and return to the oven for the remainder of the time.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 290Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 676mgCarbohydrates 56gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 7g

Easy flatbread recipe cheap, delicious and healthy

This delicious flatbread recipe is so quick and easy to make you’ll wonder why you never made them before!

Delicious easy flatbread recipe

We love making homemade kebabs with these flatbreads! Not only does it save us so much money by saving us from a takeaway, they’re also healthier too. We can use up anything we have leftover in the fridge or freezer to add to them. This recipe uses no yeast and you should have most of the ingredients already in your kitchen.

I actually made these flatbreads yesterday and I made a double batch to use the leftovers as mini pizzas and sandwich wraps. We can’t get enough of them!

Yield: 8

Easy flatbreads

Easy flatbreads

This delicious flatbread recipe is so quick and easy to make you'll wonder why you never made them before!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of self-raising flour (I used brown for added fibre)
  • Pinch of salt for flavour (optional)
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup of yogurt (I used soya yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons of oil 
  • Plain flour for dusting your surface

Instructions

    1. Mix all the ingredients together with a dough hook. If you don't have a dough hook just use a spoon until it forms a ball then use your hands to knead the dough until it's soft and pliable. The dough should be soft but not sticky, if it's sticky add some more flour.
    2. Pop your dough on a floured surface and cut into 8 sections. Roll each of these sections into a ball. One at a time roll out the balls of dough to around 5mm deep.
    3. Heat a frying pan to medium high and place a flatbread in the pan. It should only take between 1 and 2 minutes for the flatbread to start developing little bubbles on top. Flip over the flatbread and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side. Pop it on a plate, cover with a clean towel and continue with the rest of the flatbreads.
    4. These flatbreads taste so good still warm but will also be great the following day.

Notes

*You could also use 2 cups of plain flour mixed with 1 tablespoon of baking powder if you don't have self-raising.

*If you don't have yogurt you could try milk (or dairy free milk) instead.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 203Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 395mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 5g
© Morgan M Woods
Category: Dinner,