Eat healthily for less

Eating well needn’t cost you more. With a few clever tweaks, celebrity chef Phil Vickery has made these family favourites even more nutritious, just as delicious and purse-friendly, too!

Phil Vickery takes family favourites and makes them more nutritious

Sweet potato & refried bean tacos

Having just returned from Mexico, I had to have a recipe for refried beans somewhere. I love the texture and flavour they add to a dish. In fact, I sometimes have them with fried eggs and avocado for breakfast. You can make your own refried beans, but that can take quite a long time, so I normally buy canned. ‘I’ve cooked on TV for the best part of 25 years,’ says Phil. ‘I’ve never had a problem using low-cost prepared ingredients – name a chef who doesn’t use frozen peas or ketchup! Although I will never compromise on flavour, I’ll look for ways to save money and make cooking easier. Here, with my latest book, Save Money Good Diet, I’ve tried to cook everyday meals more healthily and for less money. I’ve cut down calories, salt, fat, oil and sugar, and sought to reduce meat or fish protein, as we don’t need as much as we think and it’s cheaper to use alternatives. These aren’t diet recipes; they let you cook and enjoy food with a nod to being healthier and prudent.’

SERVES 4 PREP 30min, plus pickling COOK 20min

FOR THE ONION

• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

• 6tbsp cider vinegar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE SWEET POTATO

• 4tbsp any oil

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• ¼tsp dried red chilli flakes

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 small sweet potatoes (approx 400g), peeled and finely chopped

• ½ × 10g vegetable stock cube

• 4tbsp chopped fresh coriander TO SERVE

• 4 large wheat tortillas

• 200g refried beans (canned is fine), warmed

• Finely shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

• 1 small ripe avocado, finely chopped

• 75g reduced-fat crème fraîche

1 Put the red onion in a bowl, then add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and leave for 20min.

2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat, then add the onion, chilli and garlic and fry for 2-3min, or until they take on a little colour.

3 Add the sweet potatoes, stock cube and 50ml of water and bring to the boil. Cover and boil for 12-15min, or until the sweet potato is soft, then uncover to allow the moisture to escape. Remove from the heat, season well with salt and pepper, then fold through the coriander.

4 Lay out the tortillas and spread with a little of the warm refried beans.

Add a little lettuce, then top with the sweet potato mix. Top with chopped avocado, a dot of crème fraîche and some drained pickled onions. PER SERVING: CALS 542; FAT 23G; SAT FAT 6G; CARBS 65G

‘A colourful veggie feast for the eyes’