Clean eating your way through the week for under $60AUD

Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy and balanced meals does not have to break your budget each week. With a bit of planning and a little budgeting, you can be eating clean, wholesome and delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

The following recipes are going to show you that you can create delicious and clean easy meals in the kitchen for under a $60 a week budget, and we’re splurging! Perfect for students or professionals with a busy lifestyle and funds to keep on saving, because let’s be honest, every female needs a new pair of heels or a cute dress for Saturday night!

The following recipes are optional and can be broken down into a few simple steps. Remember creating simple and easy meals based around the same or similar ingredients will help you keep your grocery bill down and allow you to cook healthy and simple meals.

Breakfast Ideas

Sweet or savoury breakfast? No worries at all! We’ve got you covered!

Blueberry Porridge

Blueberry porridge is such a nice treat, especially for warm winter mornings. Depending on what is in your fridge, you can always substitute the blueberries for strawberries or raspberries.

Serves 1 large serve

Approx. $2.20 AUD per batch - $2.20 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

½ cup blueberries, frozen

1 cup oats

2 cups water

1 tbsp. maple syrup or honey

Garnish Ideas (optional)

Small handful of fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

1 banana, chopped

1 tbsp. nuts of any kind

1 tbsp. desiccated coconut

Directions

On a low to medium heat, place oats, blueberries, water and maple syrup in a saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for around 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye out for burning the base of the ingredients in the saucepan.
Once cooked, place mixture straight into a bowl and top with garnish ideas! Enjoy!

Low Carb Breakky Bowl

Packed full of sautéed vegetables and the protein hit of 1 egg, this delicious and clean breakfast is sure not to disappoint!

Serves 1

Approx. $1.65 AUD per batch - $1.65 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

Small handful baby tomatoes, halved

Small handful kale or kalettes (mix between kale and brussel sprouts, they taste amazing!)

Small handful mushrooms, halved

Small handful spinach

1 egg

Salt and pepper to season

2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil

Directions

Place a large fry pan onto the stove and heat to a medium temperature.
Once heated, add coconut oil or ghee and add in all vegetables first. You can keep them separate or mix them all together.
Once vegetables are cooked, add them to a serving bowl or plate and fry the egg.
Once the egg is fried, place into the bowl on top of the veggies and season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!

Lunch Ideas

Salads are always best to plan ahead at the start of the week, that way your will use your most perishable items at the beginning of the week and have no food wastage. You can also add in some tuna, salmon or chicken and turn these salads into simple dinner meals as well!

Brown rice veggie bowl w/t beans, tomatoes, roast pumpkin, lettuce, purple onion and avocado + side of balsamic vinegar.

One of my most favourite clean and delicious salad recipes!

Serves 1 large serve

Approx. $4.60 AUD per batch - $4.60 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

100g brown rice, cooked as per packet instructions

½ cup green beans, frozen

¼ cup baby tomatoes, chopped

½ cup butternut pumpkin, diced

1 cup lettuce/spinach or rocket

¼ purple onion, sliced

¼ avocado, diced

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (depending on taste)

2 tbsp. coconut oil

Salt and pepper to season

Optional – 2 tbsp. cottage cheese

Roast Pumpkin Directions

Preheat the oven to 210°C or 410°F.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place diced pumpkin pieces on the tray.
Drizzle with coconut oil and season with salt and cracked pepper.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the pieces at a 15-minute interval.
Allow time for cooling.

Green Beans Directions

While the pumpkin is roasting, place green beans into a small saucepan on medium heat and bring to the boil.
Reduce to low heat for 5 minutes.
Cool and set aside.

Constructing the Salad

On a large plate add rice as the foundation of the salad.
Add lettuce, beans, sliced onion, tomatoes, avocado and pumpkin.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Enjoy!

Rocket + chicken salad w/t tomatoes, purple onion, walnuts and cottage cheese + side of balsamic vinegar.

Serves 1 large serve

Approx. $5.50 AUD per batch - $5.50 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

1 medium size chicken breast

Seasoning of any kind (my favourite is Master Foods Seasonal)

1 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

2 large handfuls rocket

1 cup baby tomatoes, diced

¼ purple onion, diced

Small handful walnuts or pepitas

3 tbsp. cottage cheese

Roast Chicken Breast Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C or 356°F.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper and place chicken breast on the tray.
Season chicken breast with sesame seeds and seasonal powder and place tray in the oven for 20 -25 minutes. To check if the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, cut the piece in half.

Constructing the Salad

On a large plate add the rocket as the foundation of the salad.
Add sliced chicken breast and top with baby tomatoes, purple onion, walnuts and cottage cheese.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

Miso + Veggie on the Go Soup Jar

Miso soup has become my go-to snack to help cure hunger cravings! Packed in a jar, it is also great for on the go lunchbox ideas and travelling meals and only requires boiling water.

Serves 1

Approx. $2.75 AUD per batch - $2.75 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

2 tbsp. miso paste (store bought)

1/4 cup shallots, sliced

1/2 carrot, finely sliced or grated

1 small baby bok choy, sliced

3 tbsp. green peas, frozen

500ml boiling water

Optional – pinch of chilli flakes

Directions

Prep all the fresh ingredients together first.
Add miso paste to the base of the jar. Now you can start layering the other ingredients.
Add in peas, sliced bok choy, carrot and shallots.
Place the lid on tight and keep in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
To cook, simply add boiling water to the jar and thoroughly stir. Allow the soup to stand for ten minutes with the lid to steam the vegetables before eating.
Enjoy!

Thai Green Curry + Rice Vermicelli Noodles on the Go Soup Jar

On the go soups in jars have become my go-to snack, especially over winter!

Serves 1

Approx. $3.50 AUD per batch - $3.50 AUD per serve

*Please keep in mind when buying groceries, you will have plenty of raw ingredients left to make this throughout the week and bring the batch and serve price down even further!

Ingredients

1 x baby bok choy

6 x snow peas

50g red capsicum, finely sliced

1 tbsp. green curry paste (store bought)

1tsp. coconut milk powder

½ tsp. chicken stock powder

50g rice vermicelli noodles

500ml boiling water

Optional – pinch of chilli flakes

Directions

Prep all the fresh ingredients together first.
Add green curry paste to the base of the jar. Add in chicken stock and coconut milk powder. Now you can start layering the other ingredients.
Add in snow peas, sliced bok choy, capsicum and rice vermicelli noodles
Place the lid on tight and keep in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
To cook, simply add boiling water to the jar and thoroughly stir. Allow the soup to stand for ten minutes with the lid to steam the vegetables before eating.
Enjoy!

Dinner Ideas

Japanese Obento Bowl

This recipe came about from my serious sushi obsession. Recently I have tried my best to keep my eating out expenses very low and have found this dish simple and easy to create at home.

Serves 2

Approx. $10 AUD per batch - $5 AUD per serve

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice, cooked as per directions on packet

1/2 small green cabbage, sliced

1 bunch broccolini, ends removed

1 avocado, sliced

1 portion chicken breast, leave whole to retain moisture

2 tbsp. cashews, crushed

1 lime wedge

1 tbsp. ghee

1 tbsp. soy sauce

Seasoning for chicken (I like Master Foods seasonal brand)

Salt and pepper to season

Optional - all-purpose seasoning for chicken breast

Directions

Cook the rice as per directions on packet.
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius and prepare a baking tray with baking paper.
Sprinkle chicken breast with seasonal and place in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the centre is tender and cooked throughout.
Prepare a saucepan with hot water and bring to the boil.
Cut broccolini ends and place in the water to cook for around 10 minutes until tender.
Prepare another saucepan on a low to medium heat and add in the ghee and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until cabbage is thoroughly cooked. In this step, it is best to keep a close eye on the cabbage as it can burn if let to long without stirring.
Once the chicken is cooked, slice into tender strips and drain broccolini of water.
You're now ready to construct your bowl!

Constructing the Obento Bowl

Add rice into the bowl as the base. Add chicken, cabbage, broccolini and avocado to the outer sides of the bowl.
Add a drizzle of soy sauce in the middle and top with a lime wedge and crushed cashews!
Enjoy!

Tip – If your feeing naughty, add some sushi mayo (kewpie!)