Mother-of-five Jas McPhee started her ‘How to Feed a Family of 6 for Under $20’ Facebook page after cooking a simple lamb curry one night that her children devoured. It cost less than the price of one takeaway meal. Since then she's shared daily instalments of delicious recipes costing less than $20 and has attracted tens of thousands of Facebook followers.

This cookbook brings together Jas' most popular recipes with her fail-safe tips for saving money by shopping smart and cooking creatively. Jas shows you how to create low-cost, great-tasting meals the whole family will love. You'll save money, eat better and have fun in the process!

SAMPLE RECIPE

Jas's Chicken Laksa
This laksa, full of interesting flavours, is a favourite in our house. You can also add chopped nuts and bean sprouts to the garnish for extra crunch.

Serves 6
2 tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
5cm piece ginger, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
1 cup chicken stock
1kg boneless chicken breast, diced
400ml can coconut cream
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped (optional)
2×250g packets vermicelli noodles
1 carrot, grated
1 spring onion, chopped

1. Heat pan to a medium heat and add oil.
2. Add garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime or lemon juice, turmeric, cumin and stock. Cook for 2 minutes to release the flavours.
3. Add chicken to pan. Bring to boil and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
4. Add coconut cream and simmer for 3–4 minutes until sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.
5. Add coriander (reserving some for garnish) and chilli (if using).
6. Pour boiling water to cover noodles and leave for 3 minutes or until tender.
7. Divide vermicelli among bowls. Spoon a generous amount of Laksa sauce on top.
8. Place a small handful of carrot, spring onion and coriander on top for a bit of extra freshness.

Author Biography

South Auckland New Zealand mother and internet sensation Jas McPhee launched her popular Facebook page ‘How to Feed a Family of 6 for Under $20’ in February 2013. Within six months she had 60,000 followers. Every day Jas shares a delicious recipe that will feed at least six people and cost less than $20 to make. Jas combines her life-long interest in cooking with lessons learnt during a tough financial period in her life, and shows people how to prepare wholesome meals by shopping for bargains, buying in season and cooking creatively.