Flavour-packed weeknight dinners a cinch with mince

If Sarah Pound has a packet of mince in the fridge, she knows she's going to get a healthy, delicious dinner on the table in no time. Isn't that what we all want?

"Mince is a real superhero of weeknight dinners," she says. "It's affordable, quick to cook and so versatile.

"There's all the classics like bolognese, burgers, chilli con carne and meatloaf which we all know but what I've tried to do in my book is jazz it up a bit, show people different ways of using different kinds of mince."

Try a Thai larb, using chicken mince; or a beef, cherry tomato and haloumi bake; maybe some spicy pork noodles.

Pound is the founder of Wholesome by Sarah, an online community gaining followers by the day. A nutritionist by training, she was running a catering business in Melbourne which she had to close down, so she bought herself a camera and started sharing easy, affordable recipes online, alongside tips and meal-planning ideas. It was an instant success.

She's just published her first book Wholesome by Sarah, which is full of flavour-packed recipes for every night of the week.

The mother of two, with another on the way, is all about making life easier for busy families, helping them save money and time, but never forgetting it's all about flavour.

"I grew up with a love for cooking and food but I recognise that not everyone did, so I'm all about making it accessible for readers who are coming at it from different angles," she says.

"Since I started the Instagram account and building the community, I've discovered some people are quite intimidated by the kitchen.

"I want to help people get over that."

Her biggest tip for saving money and time is meal planning.

"Being able to plan out your meals for the week is the best way to keep costs down and keep yourself a little organised," she says.

"People often shiver when they hear the words 'meal planning', but honestly it will make your life so much easier.

"Put aside one hour a week to sit down and plan your family meals. If doing it for the whole week scares you, just plan for the next three nights.

"And get the kids involved, the whole family, it can make everyone feel more empowered and more enthusiastic about mealtimes."

It's important to her that she eases some of the societal pressure parents feel when it comes to feeding their children.

"Dinnertime shouldn't be seen as a battleground, or a place where people are judged for their choices," she says.

She's not a trained chef.

"You don't need to be to understand what you're doing in the kitchen. I've acquired my cooking skills and knowledge over years of practice. And although the idea of creating nutritious and delicious dishes might seem a little daunting to you now, I do believe that anyone is capable of becoming a great home cook, if the desire is there.

"You'll surprise yourself in no time."

Ingredients

Mash:

Method

1. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the beef mince and, using a wooden spoon to break it up, cook for five minutes until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Remove to a large bowl and set aside.

2. Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan over low heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, flour and tomato paste, increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until well incorporated.

3. Return the beef mince to the pan and stir well. Pour in the red wine, if using, bring to the boil and simmer for three to four minutes until reduced slightly. Add the beef stock, worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for 45 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the meat. If there is still a lot of liquid after 30 minutes, increase the heat slightly for the remaining 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then season well.

4. Meanwhile, make the mash. Place the potato in a large saucepan of salted cold water, bring to the boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and return the potato to the pan to steam-dry for a few minutes. Mash well, then mix in the milk, butter and three-quarters of the cheese. Season with the nutmeg and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Last bit! Preheat the oven to 220C (fan-forced).

6. Spoon the meat base into a large baking dish (about 20cm x 30cm). Dollop on the mash to cover - you want it to look rustic, not smooth - and run a fork over the top to create some texture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese, then bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Slow cooker variation

1. Brown the beef mince in batches following the first step above. Tip it into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, tomato paste, wine (if using), beef stock, worcestershire sauce, herbs and some seasoning. Cover with the lid and cook on high for six to eight hours. Make the mash, then spoon the meat base into a baking dish, top with the mash and bake as above.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients

Sauce:

Method

1. First up, the sauce. Place all the ingredients, adding as much or as little chilli paste as you like, in a small bowl or jug and mix well. Set aside.

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the udon noodles and cook for eight to nine minutes (they will finish cooking in the stir-fry). Drain and set aside.

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan over very high heat for 30 seconds. Add the capsicum, broccoli and snow peas and stir-fry for two minutes. Remove and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute for one to two minutes (keeping the onion moving so it doesn't burn). Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for one to two minutes. Tip the pork mince into the pan and use a wooden spoon to break it up into smaller pieces. Add one tablespoon of the sauce and continue to stir-fry the pork for another minute until it is nicely browned. Return the veggies to the pan, then add the rest of the sauce and the noodles. Toss everything together. Add the bean shoots, if desired, and serve.

Tip: This recipe needs to be cooked at very high heat; you won't get the same result if the heat isn't turned up enough. If the ingredients start to catch on the bottom of the pan at any point, you can add one to two tablespoons of water to stop them from burning.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for three minutes until softened. Add the lamb mince and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces, for five minutes until browned.

2. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir well to combine. Stir in the tomatoes and cinnamon, season generously with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced.

3. Add the eggplant and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 minutes until heated through.

4. The finishing touches. Crumble the feta over the moussaka, top with the mint leaves and serve in the centre of the table.

Tip: Not everyone likes the taste of jarred eggplant, but I find it's a great solution to make the meal easier and faster to cook. If you prefer, you can simply chop an eggplant, place it on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then roast it at 180C (fan-forced) for 25 minutes. Stir the roasted eggplant into the sauce just before the feta is crumbled on.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Tabbouleh:

Tahini-lemon yoghurt:

Method

1. Prep the kofta. Combine the beef mince, onion, garlic, ground spices, currants and mint in a large bowl. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together until incorporated. Shape the mixture into small oval-shaped kofta or meatballs. Set aside.

2. Now on to the tabbouleh. Place the bulgur in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Set aside for 10-15 minutes until the bulgur is softened. Drain well.

3. Bring the tabbouleh together. Place the bulgur, mint, parsley, tomato, cucumber and spring onion in a large bowl. Dress with the lemon juice and olive oil. Toss everything together until well combined.

4. Next, the tahini-lemon yoghurt. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Heat a chargrill pan over medium-high heat or a barbecue grill to medium-hot. Add the kofta and cook for six to eight minutes, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through and nicely browned on all sides.

6. Time to dish up. Serve the beef kofta with the tabbouleh and a dollop of tahini-lemon yoghurt. Enjoy wrapped in warm pita bread, if desired.

Serves 4.