A chef left unable to work during the pandemic has gone viral by sharing recipes to create delicious family dinners at just £1 per portion.
Lorri Quaye, who previously cooked for music megastar Stormzy, began sharing cost effective solutions on TikTok and has been heaped with praise from those who have been struggling financially during Covid-19.
The 29-year-old from Croydon, London, began sharing recipes for her £5 classic meals, but viewers challenged her to try and whittle down the price to a quid, Manchester Evening News reports.
And the results were a huge hit, with high-end looking dishes - including beetroot lemon spaghetti and tomato tortellini - that wouldn't look out of place in a restaurant.
Lorri, who picks up all the ingredients from the budget ranges in Lidl, Aldi and Tesco, says the key to cutting costs is to buy vegetables individually in the exact quantity you require to reduce food waste.
The collection of £1 per serving recipes have now been made into an e-book titled 'Pound Plate', which she also sells for just £1.
Lorri said: "The reason I started was to give people different and practical food. With everything that's been going on I thought it was fitting to create affordable meals.
"Everyone seemed to be getting into new hobbies during the start of lockdown and food is something I'm just passionate about.
"I've always loved to cook and grew up in a house with women always cooking all the time.
"With my recipes not only are they value for money, but you get in a lot of your five-a-day. Some of them don't even come up to the full £1 so if you wanted to pop a carrot in, pop one in. They are vegetarian dishes and 90 per cent vegan.
"I've had people get in touch telling me that they've lost their job or they are struggling financially and they've really found my recipes helpful.
"I also wanted to address the issue we have globally about reducing our plastic intake where possible. For these recipes you don't need to buy a whole bag of onions, only to use half and sling them away.
"Most supermarkets sell vegetables singularly. This cuts down on waste, cost and plastic. It's a winner really.
@nabob @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @roz @margaret.s @homebaker @harryflatters @Tanith @andym.aat @Bill Obermeyer @renatew5😺🐶 @Flossy 🧁🧁🧁🧁 @Flotson and any one interested
When we have a goose for Christmas, all the 'innards' are included. They are 'Chef's perks'. Liver, gizard, neck etc. We place them on the roasting rack and after 15 minutes or so, they are removed. A nice snack whilst awaiting Christmas dinner.
Chicken livers, pan fried in butter for 3 minutes, and then flame in brandy and add some cream. Nice on toast.
I thought it was more around the stomach area @Tanith, unless I got the wrong name of it.
In general, I find that stews, casseroled things and other 'cooked in liquid' type recipes are better after a day or two, or even frozen and reheated. This is because the mixture has time to allow the flavours to permeate the mixture. 'Dry' cooked foods such as roasts and delicate items such as fish are better cooked and eaten.
The problem with all those recipes are that they tend to be directed towards groups of people or families rather than individuals. Also, they are 'cooked' items rather than salads and cold summery foods. Unfortuately, due to wanting salads in the summer, they tend, these days, to be quite expensive, especially since lots of different items are required.
Yes you're right there @Tanith, I remember the days in Italy, the butcher would just give us the odd liver or kidney. And I also remember the days kidneys were quite cheap, now nearly £1 or just over. I tell you what's hard to find is chicken gizzard, have you ever had it @Tanith
If you NEED meat, then, in order to reduce the overall cost, it would need to be strong flavoured cuts. Liver or kidneys. Of course you could always buy sausages (reduced to 20p). I have noticed that the price of pig's trotters have increased.
More than 30 years ago, there was a TV programme that included 'cooking on a budget'. Aimed at students. Very little meat included. Seasonal food items were often 'found'. What I seem to remember was that very strong flavours were used so that little was required; so strong or blue cheese, pheasant rather than chicken, honey rather than sugar.
I could have done with Knowledge like that when bringing up my son in the old days @harryflatters @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @nabob @roz @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @margaret.s @Tanith , even if things were cheaper then
Well you can get a bag of pasta for 29p and a jar of ready made sauce for 39p in tesco if not worried about brands. So thats a quick, cheap meat free dish for less than £1.00. And Ebook is elettronic book, so it's an online thing, you can download either for free or a fee [@Happygirl]
Just had a look on Amazon. It doesn't seem to be available as an e book. The paperback is a fiver (10 recipes)
@Happygirl certainly does look good, wonder how you get her e-book
I must say it does look good and so pleased another good story has come out of the Pandemic too.
All the cooking tips we can get will help as I remember how hard and what a struggle it was at times when I was younger when there wasn't much money about ( there still isn't much money about ).
I wonder if she does meat meals, will have to look into it further.
Well Done.
Variety is the spice of life.