Cutting back on carbs doesn’t mean cutting back on flavor – or blowing the budget. This month’s Budget Bites (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/budget-bites) serves up three quick, affordable recipes (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/recipes) that put protein front and centre, with plenty of color and crunch on the side. Think garlicky, cumin-scented prawns (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/prawns) piled high on fluffy cauliflower rice, ready in minutes and far more exciting than yet another omelette. Or a Mediterranean (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/mediterranean)-inspired baked fish (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/fish), topped with a punchy olive, caper and sun-dried tomato crust, served on creamy butter bean mash – proof that beans can outshine potatoes when given half the chance. And for something a little livelier, Korean-style chicken lettuce cups bring the sweet-sour-umami hit, finished with a cooling cucumber and avocado salad and a drizzle of tangy kimchi mayo. Each dish is low on carbs, big on flavor and designed to be cooked without fuss – perfect for weeknights when energy and enthusiasm are in short supply. They’re also easy to scale up, so you can batch-cook for lunches or feed a crowd without spending more.
Dining and Cooking