This recipe has been a favourite an a go-to when trying to eat on a budget. The fresh produce is affordable and easily accessible from any local grocery store. The serving sizes are generous and can be split into 5-6 servings for leftovers. The texture of the aubergine gives this pasta dish a meaty feel and you wouldn’t know it’s vegetarian! It has so much flavour and will satisfy your pasta cravings without the crazy calories.

I came across this recipe on the NYT Cooking app, looking for a different cookie from the typical choc chip. This recipe is really simple and straight forward. The dough comes together within 20-30 mins, then with a little rest time in the fridge (or overnight is best), these can be made and baked all in quick couple of hours! The perfect lil snack.

This recipe for for Mafalda pasta with roasted Butternut in warm yogurt sauce is by Ottolenghi and taken from his book ‘Flavour’ p151. This recipe comes together surprisingly quickly and with very affordable ingredients. A great idea for lunch or dinner on a budget or for a group. The yogurt as opposed to cream, makes for a lighter but still creamy sauce.

This recipe for Braised Short Ribs is perfect for the colder winter weather and goes so well with crunchy toasted sourdough slices to soak up the sauce. Given the cook time in the oven is only 3-3.5 hrs, the meat is so tender and slides off the bone with ease. This recipe comes together quickly and with little effort, mainly in the beginning when starting the base of the sauce.

This simple fruit tart is the first recipe in Alison Romans new book ‘Sweet Enough’. It’s surprisingly simple yet so delicious. You would think a dessert like this would require more effort and skill but it really doesn’t. Added bonus, the recipe for the vanilla custard filling will make enough for the tart filling + two extra pots to enjoy on their own.

This slow-roasted lamb recipe requires little effort and ingredients to start. However it does require time and attention. I assure you the pay-off is well worth it though. The finished product is a crispy salty skin and juicy tender meat. The perfect texture combo to then add into the ‘Moroccan Lamb Salad’ recipe or will feed 4-6 along with a side dish. Adjust the spices based on the weight of the lamb shoulder.

This recipe calls for the ‘Moroccan Spiced Roasted Lamb’, shredded and scattered through rocket with barley raisins and a simple garlic yoghurt. Once the lamb is cooked, the assembly takes little effort and ingredients This is such a tasty lunch or dinner idea to serve up for guests or even as meal prep for the week. The crispy salty lamb skin and juicy tender meat is the perfect texture combo and the will feed 4-6. Adjust the spices based on the weight of the lamb you plan to cook.

Alison Roman recently posted this recipe ahead of her new book launch - Sweet Enough. This recipe is simple and easy to follow. All the ingredients are staples in most kitchens, with the exception of fresh berries and buttermilk. This comes together so quickly and the pay-off is delicious and just sweet enough!

This curry recipe is by Nigella and is a tasty option to feed 4-6. The curry base comes together easily in a food processor (or NutriBullet) and once you add the tomato, liquid and veg then you can walk away and leave to simmer for 30 mins, no need to check it for this time. It’s convenient, cheap, and soooo tasty.

This Paella recipe is fairly quick and easy. The pay-off and serving size makes it perfect for serving a family and is great for meal prep. The seafood can be substituted for more chicken & chorizo if preferred.

I came across this recipe on the NYT Cooking app. This pasta recipe is quick and easy, perfect for a late night meal or if your just short on time. This pasta can come together in 30 minutes. If you opt for the version with pumpkin you only need 50 mins extra time for the pumpkin and chickpeas in the oven, but very little effort on prep. The payoff is worth it and if your cooking for one you will have leftovers for days.

I came across this recipe on Instagram, which led me to the NYT Cooking app. This brownie recipe is simple and straight-forward. Minimal ingredients and few steps required which makes it perfect if you want to level up from the box brownies, but don’t want to go that little extra amount of effort for the ‘Rick Katz’s Brownies for Julia Child’.

This recipe for Spicy, Braised Short Ribs by Alison Roman is fairly inexpensive for the servings you get out of it. It is a bit of a project though. AR recommends seasoning the ribs a day ahead, if possible. Once browned and combined with the potatoes and spices there's little effort involved to put this together. I found that short ribs are not common and had to visit a couple of supermarkets and butchers to find them here in the suburbs of Melbourne. The final product is delicious tender, fall of the bone ribs and work perfectly for a Sunday family dinner.

This recipe for Scrolls was originally taken from NYT cooking app. After making the dough several times (or 10) I have learned how the slightest alterations as well as environment temperature can affect the doughs final product. Depending on what filling you are craving, you can tweak what you add to the dough and icing. I recommend not going overboard with the filling as this will make it difficult to roll and cut without it pouring out. You also want to avoid this so that the dough cooks through in the given timeframe.

This recipe for Crispy Potato Kugel is by Alison Roman and can be found on the NT Cooking App or on the YouTube video of Passover. This recipe calls for minimum ingredients and requires very few steps to put together. A tasty, hearty side to any main course or great on it's own as a snack.

This Lamb Shank recipe is from the online store for Gewürzhaus. The expensive part is the protein. Approximately $35 for 4 large lamb shanks. If your looking for a treat, this recipe is quick and requires only a few steps. I made this for dinner for two, plus meal prep for 2 days.

This crumble recipe is by Tieghan from her blog - Half-baked Harvest. Her recipe is made with Peaches and fresh Blackberries, however depending what is in season you can switch out the fruit for other stone fruit such as apples, like I have here. Just use enough fruit to fill whichever pie dish you choose to use. If making an apple crumble I use about 4 apples, sliced. This crumble is another dessert that goes so well with vanilla bean ice-cream. Quick to whip up and bake for a family dinner or to enjoy alone.

This recipe for Sticky Cinnamon Buns is by Alison Roman and published in her weekly newsletter. She also cooks this on her YouTube channel - Home Movies. As AR states, this recipe is a Project, and required some time (24 hours) of preparation. I often have sugar free maple syrup in my pantry, and for this recipe I did not buy traditional syrup, as the buns already have plenty of sugar throughout. The end result is well worth the wait and preparation. You may even find the dough prep and rolling somewhat satisfying.

This recipe for Black Pudding Meatballs is by Nigella and is found in her book - Cook, Eat, Repeat - pages 122 - 125. This recipe could be served alongside pasta but I chose to toast slices of sourdough in olive oil on a grill. The bread soaks up the sauce nicely and adds a lovely crunch. Such a hearty meal, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. The heat can be adjusted by adding less chili flaked. Nigella's recipe calls for 1/4 tsp but i added 1/2 or a little more. I also chose to use 200 g black pudding, but Nigella suggest 250 g.

This recipe for Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce is by Nigella and is found in her book - Cook, Eat, Repeat - pages 164 - 167. The prep and assembly is much like any roast chicken. Once you have done this a few times it becomes pretty easy, as long as you don't mind getting your hands buttery. The final product is succulent, juicy chicken with crispy skin and a delicious sauce to top. I serve with crispy roast potatoes and a light salad.