Budget-friendly recipes » under €2

 Just made the green pasta for dinner—super yummy! Great with a sprinkling of Follow Your Heart Parmesan on top, too. :) 

Some notes for people who are wanting to make this dish: 

-Using fresh spinach instead of frozen which works great (I chopped it up a lil bit then pressed into measuring cup to get similar amount.. and then some more because I love spinach!)

Today were making some more delicious recipes and all of them are under 2 euros per serving. So were back at making some budget-friendly meals in today’s. And just like last time all of the recipes that were gonna be making come out to be under 2 euros per serving, which is about Two US dollars per serving, and every recipe makes four servings in total so you can either enjoy it with the whole family or you can batch make it and store it in the fridge to enjoy his lunch or dinner throughout the week. 

And, I just want to disclaimer this again that all of the prices were going to be sharing is based on what we were able to find at our own local grocery store here in the Netherlands. But we totally understand and recognize that prices might be either more or less, depending on the country that you live in or which store you do your grocery shopping at. But more than anything, were just kind of hoping that these recipes give you some Ideas an inspiration on things that you can try yourself at home. And a brief.

Thank you as well to audible for partnering with us on today’s video. But were gonna chat more about them at the end for now. Let’s get started on making some delicious recipes. For the first recipe, were gonna be making this quick and creamy green leek and pea pasta, Which will take about 20 minutes to whip together. We’re gonna begin by doing some chopping. So first, were gonna thinly slice four cloves of garlic and thinly slice two stalks of green onions next, We’re gonna use one large leek. 

I remember the first time I used this I was pretty intimidated by it because I didn’t know how to prepare it, but it’s pretty straightforward. We just want to cut off the base and the green part That’s at the top of the leek because it’s too fibrous to eat, But if you want you can keep these pop them in the freezer. They’re still really flavorful. So they make for a good stock. Then what I like to do is slice my leek in half lengthwise, and then Wash it underneath some water just to get rid of the sand and mud that tends to get caught in between the layers. Then we can thinly slice it.

But if you don’t have any leaks at home, you can just feel free to use an onion or two here instead. Next were going to Remove the seeds from one jalapeno and then we can finally chop this one up as well before moving on to a head of broccoli. and for the broccoli, I’m first going to remove The stem and cut away the fibrous outside and then we can chop up the stem into small bite-sized pieces. We don’t have to waste any of the broccoli here. 

We can use it all were then gonna add this to a bowl along with All the other veggies that we just cut up and moving over to the stove, we’re gonna heat a large pot on high heat added about a tablespoon of olive oil and then when it’s hot, we’re going to add everything that we just chopped all at once into the pot along with a teaspoon of salt and then give this All a mix we want to add the salt at this stage cuz it helps to draw the water out of the veggies, So they caramelize faster. Were now gonna cook this for about five minutes or so or until the leeks get kind of transparent and lightly golden. While that’s cooking away, I’m gonna cut the head of broccoli into small little bite-sized florets and then returning to the leeks we can now add in about 100 grams of frozen spinach and then I’m also gonna add in a cup and a half of frozen peas.

Along with half of a teaspoon of dried basil a quarter teaspoon of dried oregano and a quarter teaspoon of optional dried mint. Then were gonna mix this and let it cook for about five to six minutes. While the spinach and peas are thawing out in the pot. We are going to cook some pasta here, I’m using 400 grams of fusilli pasta that were just gonna cook according to the package instructions. And then in the last couple minutes of the pasta cooking we can add in the broccoli florets. Before we drain the pasta and first gonna steal about half of a cup of the water that the pasta has been cooking in and Transfer it over to the veggie pot and then we can go ahead and drain the pasta and broccoli. Now were gonna make the pasta sauce creamy using this 250 milliliter. Carton of a soy-based Cooking cream, but if you don’t have this at your local grocery store, You can just add in a can of coconut milk instead. Now, it’s up to you at this point. If you want to leave the pasta sauce chunky like this. It does taste incredible, but what I like to do is actually just use an immersion blender to blitz up about half of the sauce so that it becomes Part smooth and part chunky and then we can add the pasta and broccoli to the sauce and toss everything to coat.

Once we’ve taken the pan off the heat I highly recommend adding the juice from about half of a lemon before serving this one up. Once its served up feel free to garnish it with some more lemon wedges on the side and I like to put some fresh basil leaves on top. Altogether This recipe makes about four large servings or about six smaller ones. and if you’re left with any extras just pack it up to enjoy in the days that follow the grand total for this recipe is one euro and 52 cents per serving and if you choose to include the optional garnish at the end the total will come to one euro and 69 cents per serving for the next recipe. 

We’re making a barbecue cauliflower pizza with a homemade pizza dough. So to start off with making the dough to a large bowl. We’re gonna add in two and a half cups plus two tablespoons of self-rising flour along with a cup of lukewarm water two tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt. Then were gonna mix this all together first with a spoon and then get in there with your hands. We’re gonna need this until were left with a smooth firm dough.

and if you find that it’s still a little bit too wet you can add a teaspoon of additional flour at a time until. You find that you can start to knead it. Once we’ve formed a little ball out of the dough, We can place a kitchen towel over it and let it sit and rest for about 20 minutes. Well, that’s resting were gonna make the barbecued cauliflower. So for this were gonna need half of a head of cauliflower that we can cut up into small little bite-size pieces. Before Transferring it to a baking tray. Then to a bowl We’re going to add in three-quarters of a cup of barbecue sauce and about half a teaspoon each of Garlic powder and onion powder and once we’ve given it a mix were going to pour half of the sauce over top of the cauliflower Florets and then mix this together until it’s all very well coated. 

Then we can pop these in the oven at 430 Fahrenheit or 220 Celsius for about 20 minutes giving it a stir at least once halfway. So while the cauliflower bakes away were going to make a pizza sauce. Even if you’re not planning on making this particular recipe try out the pizza sauce sometime any time you’re making a homemade pizza. It’s one of my new favorites. It’s really easy to make so to a small bowl. We’re gonna add 3/4 of a cup of hummus, I’m using a store-bought spicy hummus for this along with 1/3 of a cup of tomato paste a teaspoon each of dried Oregano and dried basil and half a teaspoon each of dried thyme and salt and just a little bit of freshly cracked black pepper.

Then we can give this a mix until its smooth and creamy now we can move on to rolling out our dough so first, We’re going to lightly flour our surface before we transfer our dough onto it and then divide the dough into two. Using one of the halves. We’re going to start rolling. I’m going to roll this out until it’s a rectangle. That’s about 25 by 35 centimeters or about the size of my baking dish and feel free to keep Sprinkling on some flour as needed onto the surface your rolling pin or the top of the dough just to prevent it from sticking, and then whenever you’re ready we can Gently transfer it to a parchment lined baking tray. if you’d like You can work your fingers around the edges just to give it a little pinch and create a thin crust of sorts. Were now gonna repeat this with the second half of the pizza dough because we’re gonna be making two pizzas in total. Next we can divide that hummus and tomato pizza sauce over top of both pizza bases.

we just want to spread it out until were left with a nice even layer and By now the cauliflower should also be done baking. So once we remove it from the oven, We’re gonna pour over the remaining barbecue sauce and then toss this to coat then we want to divide and distribute those BBQ cauliflower florets.

Over both of the pizzas and whenever you’re ready, feel free to pop the pizzas back in the oven. We’re gonna let this cook for about 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden. Stopping once at the halfway point just to swap the positioning of the trays in the oven while our pizzas bake. We’re gonna whip together a very speedy garlic yogurt sauce. so to a bowl were gonna add in 3/4 of a cup of Unsweetened plant-based yogurt plus two cloves of crushed garlic and a quarter teaspoon of salt and mix this together. And I’m also going to thinly slice one stalk of green onion. When the pizzas are done We can remove them from the oven and when you’re ready to enjoy it we want to drizzle over top that

Garlic and yogurt sauce and then sprinkle over top some of the sliced scallions. these pizzas are packed full of so much flavor from the hummus and tomato sauce as the base to the Barbecue sauce that’s on the roasted cauliflower to the garlicky yogurt Drizzle that’s on top. The total price for this recipe comes to just one euro and 62 cents per serving. For the final recipe were whipping up our take on one of Spain’s most famous dishes the paella. so first We’re gonna begin by preparing the veggies starting with two cloves of garlic that were gonna finely mince.

One medium onion that were gonna chop up. one red bell pepper that were going to thinly slice. And here I’m going to reserve a few slices of it that were going to use later for garnish. And finally, we can dice up two medium tomatoes. To a large pan on medium-high heat were gonna add in a tablespoon of olive oil and when it’s hot, We’re gonna add in the garlic and onion along with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. We’re gonna cook this for about two to three minutes or until the onions become translucent and then we can add in spices. So whenever you’re ready, were going to add in a teaspoon each of sweet smoked paprika and dried thyme and half a teaspoon each of ground cumin, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper. We’re gonna give this a stir and cook it for about 30 to 60 seconds. We just want to toast those spices a bit and next we can add in the bell peppers and tomatoes, cooking this for another couple minutes before we add in the rice. So for the rice, I’m gonna be using one and a half cups of the Spanish Paella rice We just found this at our local grocery store.

But if you can’t find that at yours you could also use Arborio rice Which is often used to make risottos or any other short grain rice that you can find. And then I’m actually not going to wash It once I’ve measured it out. I’m just gonna add it straight to the pan and were gonna toast this for a minute or two before we add the liquid. For the liquid I’m gonna add two vegetable bouillon cubes to a jug along with a liter of boiling water and then I’m gonna give It a mix so that the cubes dissolve you could alternatively use vegetable stock here if you’d prefer. And then were going to pour the liquid over the rice and Once the liquid has been added in we actually don’t want to stir it anymore. Traditionally paella calls fo saffron, which is one of the most expensive spices in the world by weight. So given that it’s a two euro meal video. We are gonna keep it out for now. But if you do happen to have the spice at home, Feel free to add in a little pinch just a few threads or so. Its already gonna be enough to color the dish really nicely and give it a little bit of added flavor.

But if you don’t have it leave this one out. well bring the rice to a gentle boil for a minute or two and then we can reduce the heat down to a gentle simmer. We’re gonna let this sit and cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked through. while the rice cooks away, We’re going to pour some boiling water over a cup of frozen peas just to thaw it out and then I’m going to also Grab a cup and a half of marinated artichoke hearts out of a jar that I’m then going to cut up into small bite-sized pieces. Coming back to the stove once all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, We can give it a little taste test. Try to go for the rice that’s on the outermost part of the pan. If you find that it is tender but still a little bit firm then its cooked. but if its feeling a little uncooked, feel free to add a little splash of warm broth or hot water and let it sit to cook for a few more minutes until all of The rice is tender and cooked through.

When it is cooked through we can add in half of the chopped up artichokes and half of the thawed green peas. We’re gonna stir this gently Into the rice and then were gonna add the other half of the artichoke hearts and the peas to the top along with those bell pepper slices that we’ve reserved and then were gonna remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid and then we want to let it sit and rest for about ten minutes.

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This resting period makes all the difference in taste and texture. So try not to skip it. After the ten minutes are up, You’re ready to serve the rice generously into some bowls. We garnished ours with a sprinkle of chopped up chives. But chopped parsley works equally well here too and I highly recommend serving it together with some lemon wedges. The creaminess of the rice together with the freshness from the marinated artichoke hearts and tomatoes and then the warmth from the spices makes this dish incredibly comforting and delicious the total price for this recipe comes to one euro and 52 cents per serving and if you include the optional garnishes the total comes to one euro and eighty cents per serving. I think that’s a wrap on the two euro meals that we wanted to share in today’s video. 

But we have considered turning this into a little bit of a series. So if you think you’re interested in more budget-friendly videos like this one, Let us know in the comments below along with any other suggestions you might have. Well see you down there and thank you again to audible for partnering with us on today’s video. I have been absorbing audiobooks since I finished university. So it’s been about five years or so now and I feel like it’s just such a reliable place that I can go to anytime I want to learn something new from an expert in any particular field right now. I’m listening to this audio book. It’s called out of your mind and by Alan Watts who is a spiritual teacher and a philosopher of sorts.

You’ve probably already heard the guys voice because it’s iconic. Sometimes they put it in songs and in videos because it’s so inspirational. So this particular audiobook is a collection of twelve of his recorded lectures and in it, he shares

different ways that we can look at the universe and our place in it. And I always think he just does such an incredible job at making you feel like you’re exactly where you need to be, whether that’s spiritually physically or in any other sense.

So it’s really refreshing. If you want to give it a listen, you can get it for free or any other audio book of your choosing plus a 30-day free membership by visiting audible.com forward slash pick up limes. And right now audible is giving its current members unlimited access to the entire audible originals monthly selection, So if you want to learn more check out the link in the description box below, but I think that’s it for today, I hope you guys enjoyed the video. Thanks a lot for watching Pick Up Limes signing off.