The Start Menu » Budget Meals http://thestartmenu.com One recipe a week, make it and give us your feedback Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:01:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Quick easy Pesto Pasta with or without chicken http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/107/quick-easy-pesto-pasta-with-or-without-chicken/ http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/107/quick-easy-pesto-pasta-with-or-without-chicken/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:58:27 +0000 admin http://thestartmenu.com/?p=107

Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts (optional)
  • 1500gm packet pasta
  • 2T Finely chopped basil
  • 1 Cup blueberries
  • Any vegetables, eggplant, beans, etc you want
  • 2 T crushed/chopped fine Garlic oil Sprinkle of cheese (parmesan works best)

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta
  2. Mix Equal amounts of basil and garlic with oil. I find food processor is great here!
  3. Put mixture with the pasta, feel free to add more/less depending on taste.
  4. Add any vegetables into it here if you have any. Sliced eggplant is great, as is carrot, zucchini, mushrooms etc
  5. Sprinkle cheese over the top
  6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes whilst you brown/cook the chicken.
  7. Brown/cook Chicken in a frying pan. You can slice it or leave it whole.
  8. Stir the Blueberries into the pasta
  9. Serve with chicken on the side, or mixed in if you sliced it (up to you!)
]]> http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/107/quick-easy-pesto-pasta-with-or-without-chicken/feed/ 2 Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/104/spicy-lemon-pepper-pasta-with-broccoli/ http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/104/spicy-lemon-pepper-pasta-with-broccoli/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:29:22 +0000 admin http://thestartmenu.com/?p=104

Found at this lovely website with wonderful creations http://veganyumyum.com/2008/01/spicy-lemon-pepper-pasta-with-broccoli/ . Worth checking out if you ever get the time.

Ingredients

  • Dried Fettucini, enough for one
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Broccoli Florets
  • 1/4 Cup Sliced Sundried Tomatoes (oil packed)
  • 1/2 tsp Hot Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice, or more to taste
  • 1-2 Pinches Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper, Lemon Zest to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the Pasta in well-salted water
  2. Chop the broccoli florets in to small pieces (about the size of a nickel).
  3. Slice the sundried tomatoes.
  4. When pasta is nearly finished cooking, heat a wok over medium-high heat until it’s quite hot.
  5. Add oil and broccoli and toss to coat, adding more oil a little at a time if needed.
  6. After 1-2 minutes, add tomatoes and pepper flakes.
  7. Let cook undisturbed for another two minutes, then toss.
  8. Repeat this process until broccoli and tomatoes have some color on them, and the broccoli is bright green and becoming tender.
  9. Drain pasta very well and add to the wok, adding just enough oil to coat the pasta (if needed).
  10. Add lemon juice and salt and taste, adjusting if necessary.
  11. Plate and grind fresh black pepper over the top, adding lemon zest if desired.
  12. Serve immediately

This also makes a nice room-temperature pasta salad, so it’d be great for picnics, work lunches, or potlucks.

]]> http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/104/spicy-lemon-pepper-pasta-with-broccoli/feed/ 1 Dont Judge Me – Quick easy pasta dish http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/easy-budget-meals/83/dont-judge-me-quick-easy-pasta-dish/ http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/easy-budget-meals/83/dont-judge-me-quick-easy-pasta-dish/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:15:54 +0000 admin http://thestartmenu.com/?p=83

Recipe: Dont Judge me

Ingredients

  • 500g bag of uncooked pasta
  • 750gm Bag mixed vegetables
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 3-5T balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

  1. Put the Pasta in a large pot with hot water, bring to the boil and then switch off and let them sit (basically just cook it, but leave it in the water to stay warm)
  2. Boil the vegetables until well cooked.
  3. Put the cooked vegetables into a blender or food processor until its a puree (this is the ‘sauce’)
  4. Mix the Balsamic Vinegar with the vegetables
  5. Mix in the grated cheese whilst its still hot, if its not you may need to reheat in microwave.
  6. Combined Pasta and sauce together and serve with a little grated cheese on top.

Quick Notes

Feel free to use any other herbs and spices to taste, by default this is a fairly blandish recipe, thats filling, healthy, cheap, and the kids love it. Its called ‘Dont Judge me’ because it looks green and yuck to the kids, and yet tastes yum. (its very similar to Jonos Lunch)

]]> http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/easy-budget-meals/83/dont-judge-me-quick-easy-pasta-dish/feed/ 0 Jonos Lunch (quick easy pasta) http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/22/jonos-lunch-quick-easy-pasta/ http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/22/jonos-lunch-quick-easy-pasta/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:58:44 +0000 admin http://thestartmenu.com/?p=22

Summary: This recipe originates as something derived from my boss ‘jono’ who used to bring in pasta for lunch most days. This is a quick easy recipe the kids love to eat both hot and cold. It goes along side most other dishes, and is easily customizable.

Ingredients

  • 1 Packet of Pasta (500gm packet)
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (440gm)
  • 1 Tablespoon of sugar (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1/2 cup Grated cheese/Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Cook the packet of pasta boiling it.
  2. When cooked, mix in the can of chopped tomatoes, sugar, and cumin.
  3. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
  4. Microwave for 3-5 minutes until heated through, and cheese is melted.
This meal is primarily pasta with a vague tomato/cheese/herb taste.
Also tastes great with Chilli if you like it hot, and/or Meatballs or chunks of meat,
The sugar isn’t needed if you use pre-flavoured tomatoes of any kind.

Cooking time (duration): 2

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet (other): Reduced fat

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: lunch

My rating: 4.0 stars
****

]]> http://thestartmenu.com/recipe/evening-meals/22/jonos-lunch-quick-easy-pasta/feed/ 5