FOUR meal ideas! #meatmatters sponsored by Simply Beef & Lamb.

When BritMums accepted me on board the #meatmatters challenge (sponsored by Simply Beef and Lamb) to do a recipe for beef or lamb which could be cooked in under 30 minutes I decided to share with you my ideas! I wasn’t required to do four dishes but I enjoy cooking and a challenge.

Everyone cooks differently and the meals I’ve done are using both fresh and frozen vegetables as I find pre-cut items save time as well as prolonging the life of the vegetables so there’s no waste! I also had in tinned vegetables for ease of use.

My recipes and methods probably sound interesting but the result are tasty, healthy and easy to do! I wanted to show ideas on how to cook for a family on a budget using the meats suggested plus adding all the extra sneaky vegetables in! You’ll find I’ve also made suggestions on if some children are fussy so they can add their own items and enjoy it that way – for example on the meatballs on one dish I removed the sauce and added a corn on the cob and I also did both brown rice and brown noodles.

I’m happy with the results.

I was given £10 for Tesco towards meat and I’ve seen some fantastic ideas out there, for more inspiration check out the Simply Beef and Lamb Website.

THE FOUR MEALS I’VE DONE ARE:

Steak with Asparagus and butternut squash ‘chips’.

Lamb Tagine with Asparagus and butternut squash chips.

Mince tacos with yoghurt and extra veg!

Meatballs homemade sauce and hidden veg!

STEAK WITH ASPARAGUS AND COUS COUS

 

METHOD

(Easy peasy dish I didn’t need to follow a recipe for but this is what I did)

1. Cut ends of asparagus and put into a steamer for 3 minutes til soft.

2. Pre-done cut crinkle cut butternut squash put in the oven for 2o minutes, season according to taste.

4. Put Steak in a hot pan – season with pepper – I like them rare.

5. Use any sauces for your own preference.

BOOM done.

WHERE TO BUY ITEMS FROM/COST

The steak was from Tesco £2.85.

Asparagus is about 89p from Aldi.

Butternut squash chips co-cop range from £1.50 depending on offer.

Co-op Beetroot houmous £1.20

TIME IT TAKES

Under 20 minutes – so quick to do.

Check out Jamie Olivers tips on how he cooks the perfect steak.

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LAMB TAGINE

(I had altered a recipe from AllRecipes just to speed up time and it actually worked out but everyone has different tastes!)

 

 

Ingredients 
Serves: 4 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1kg (2 1/4 lb) diced lamb
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• Half bag of frozen casserole mix.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated root ginger
• 1 lemon, zested
• 400ml (14 oz) chicken stock
• 3 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Quarter of a bag of dried Apricots
• Small packet of raisins.
• Half tin chickpeas.

1. Place diced lamb in a dish, toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and set aside (Was recommended to refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight but I didn’t do that based on time)
2. Mix in the dish together turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, himalayan salt, ginger, saffron and coriander – mix well. 
3. Add easy ‘cheat’ frozen packet mix to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add lamb mix and brown a weeny bit.
5. Stir in the fresh garlic and root ginger and half tin of chickpeas.
6. Stir in the lemon zest, chicken stock, tomato puree and honey.
7. Chop up Apricots and add in raisins.
8. Move mixture back into the dish and add tinfoil over the top to keep the moisture in then add to the oven at 180.
9. If the consistency of the tagine is too thin, you can thicken it with a mixture of cornflour and water during the last 5 minutes.
10. Pre-seasoned packet of cous cous, pour boiling water in according to packet.
11. Add plain yoghurt/lemon for personal taste.

 

WHERE TO BUY ITEMS FROM/COST

Casserole mix from Tesco £1

Seasoning about £1 per tub.

Honey from Aldi £5

Lamb from Tesco £4.

Cous cous you can buy anywhere like health food stores but I got a cheat packet from Asda about 50p to a £1.

Yoghurt you can buy a small pot from about 50p.

Lemons a packet of 5 for a £1 any supermarket.

Apricots any health food store/supermarket £1.

TIME IT TAKES

 (Longer than 30 minutes but it’s an idea to try anyway! I cheated with the prep on the frozen veg and I have no shame for it)

Preparation – 15 min and to cook is 2 1/2 hours.

 

 

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MINCE TACOS AND EXTRA VEG

 

Ingredients 
Serves: 4 

• 500g beef mince
• Tinned tomatoes
• Red kidney beans
• Over a handful  pre-cut frozen onions
• Over a handful pre-cut frozen peppers.
• El del paso taco seasoning (you can get kits or separate)
• Hard Taco shell.
• Corn on the cob.
• Cheese for garnish
• Plain yoghurt for garnish.
• Cucumber for garnish.

 

METHOD

1. Add mince to pan and brown – drain excess fat.
2. Use frozen chopped up onions and peppers add to pan.
3. Add tinned tomatoes.
4. Stir in water and seasoning mix; heat to boiling.
5. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. 
6. Use a whole tin of red kidney beans.
7. Stir well.
8. Use as taco filling. 
9. Add sides such as houmous, plain yoghurt, extra veg, salsa, cheese, guacamole – create your masterpiece!! (Refrigerate leftovers.
10. ENJOY

 

WHERE TO BUY ITEMS FROM/COST

The beef mince was from Tesco £2.97 and I halved the packet.

Taco boxes in Tesco cost from £1.85 to £3.50 but you can find bargains anyway (where I live there’s a bargain shop called Heron)

Red kidney beans 32p Aldi.

Tinned tomatoes 30p Aldi.

Frozen onion and peppers were both averagely £1 from Aldi

TIME IT TAKES

Under half an hour.

 

 

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MEATBALLS WITH HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE HIDDEN VEG!

 

Ingredients for meatballs
Serves: 3

• 500g beef mince
• Half a packet pre-cut frozen onions
• Small amount pre-cut frozen peppers.
• 1 teaspoon Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Coriander
• Pinch Himalayan salt.
• Half slice brown bread.
• One egg.
• Half a carrot.
• Noodles/Brown rice.
• Lemon and herb for garnish.

 

METHOD for meatballs

1. Add mince into a bowl and mush up with your hands.
2. Throw in the frozen vegetables (I find it sticks easier)
3. Crack in the egg.
4. Mix well using your hands!
5. Add in the seasoning and the bread crumbs.
6. Form into balls of your size requirements.
7. Add to a tray where the excess fat can drain off while cooking.

FOR THE SAUCE

1. Open up a Passata packet and add to a oven friendly pottery dish.
2. Grate some carrot to mix into the passata.
3. Small spoonful of sugar to reduce acidity.
4. Handful of onions and mix well.
5. Sprinkle of herbs.
6. Cook in oven separate to the meatballs for about 20 minutes on 180.

For the last 10 minutes add in the meatballs into the sauce and let cook together for a nice colour.

 

WHERE TO BUY ITEMS FROM/COST

The beef mince was from Tesco £2.97 and I halved the packet.

Passata sauces you can get from Supermarket from 50p to a £1.

Bag of carrots are about 45p Aldi.

Bag of onions are £1 but you can freeze whatever you don’t use.

Bag of sugar cost 50p to a £1 from any supermarket.

TIME IT TAKES

Preparation for both sauce and meat – 20 minutes. Under half an hour to cook.

 

 

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FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE ON MY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE CLICK HERE

 

FOR INSTAGRAM ON JUST THE COOKING COOKING PART ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/tv/BvcDfJ8lZGA/

 

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BLOG POST AND FOUND THE CHEAT IDEAS USEFUL!