The 5-ingredient recipes you need to add to your weekly rotation.

Given today's cozzie livs — 'cost of living' for the uninitiated, or just for those who don't work in the Mamamia office and aren't hearing it 12 times a day — we're in the era of trying to keep our wallets and tummies both happy and full.

We've all had to cut or scrimp on plenty of our own 'little treats' that get us through the long work week in order to make our budgets go further. I've actively had to downgrade takeaway to just being a sometimes-friend, rather than one I drain my savings on when it's only *checks phone* Tuesday. 

Cooking tasty and nourishing homemade meals doesn't have to break the bank (or require 17 artisan ingredients), so the saving grace of LiveLighter's stack of healthy recipes for me has been just how easy they are to make, with as little fuss (and funds) as possible. 

Save your coins and add these 6 super quick recipes to your weekly rotation, all made with only 5 (!!!) ingredients.

1. Fake Baked Loaded Sweet Potatoes

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Prep time: 10 min.

Cooking time: 12 min.

Serves: 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
• 300 g cooked or BBQ chicken breast, sliced or shredded
• 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Optional: 1 cup basil leaves
• Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Scrub skins and cut any blemishes off sweet potatoes. Use a fork to prick sweet potatoes at least a dozen times each.

2. Place sweet potatoes onto a plate under a microwave-safe cover and microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes, turn over and cook a further 5 minutes until softened and cooked in the centre. Be careful when turning over the sweet potato - steam will burn!

3. Carefully cut potatoes in half lengthways and place each on a serving plate open-faced. Sprinkle halves with cheese then layer on chicken and tomatoes. Microwave for another 2 minutes if desired.

4. Top with torn basil leaves and black pepper and serve.

Variation:

Top with other salad ingredients such as baby spinach leaves, microwaved sliced red onion, canned corn kernels or beans, sliced red capsicum, mushrooms or spring onions. Add drained artichokes, olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted pepper strips or other chargrilled vegetables. Top with dried chilli flakes or chopped red chilli for some heat. Replace basil with fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle yoghurt with ground cumin or paprika for a Mexican-style flavour.

2. Raisin Toast with Fruit Ricotta Topping

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Prep time: 5 min.

Cooking time: 1 min.

Serves: 2.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices raisin toast or fruit bread
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 banana, sliced
• 125 g strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 tsp honey or strawberry jam, optional

Method:

1. Toast the slices of fruit bread.

2. Mix ricotta with honey or jam (depending on what you're using) in a small bowl.

3. Spread toast with ricotta mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon.

4. Layer banana and strawberries on top of toast and serve.

3. Quick Pesto Pasta Salad

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Prep time: 5 min.

Cooking time: 15 min.

Serves: 4.

Ingredients:

• 250 g high-fibre or wholegrain pasta
• 3 tbs basil pesto
• 500 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 x 400 g can artichokes, drained and chopped
• 120 g rocket or baby spinach

Method:

1. Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to the boil, add pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes or according to packet instructions.

2. Drain well and add to serving bowl and mix through pesto while pasta is warm.

3. Add remaining salad ingredients, toss until well combined. Serve immediately or enjoy cold the next day.

Variation:

Other Mediterranean ingredients that work well in this salad include chargrilled eggplant, roast capsicum, sundried tomatoes, olives and shredded basil.

4. Toasted Breakfast Bars

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Prep time: 5 min.

Cooking time: 45 min.

Serves: 8.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/3 cups untoasted muesli
• 2/3 cup bran sticks (eg. Kellogg's All-Bran cereal)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan forced). Line base and sides of a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

2. Mash bananas and vanilla in a medium bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.

3. Spoon mixture into prepared tin, smoothing the surface to an even thickness. Bake for 20 minutes until golden, remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces then return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes to crisp up. Once cool to touch, allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Before serving, place in a toaster to reheat and crisp up.

5. Fastest Fried Rice

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Prep time: 1 min.

Cooking time: 9 min.

Serves: 2.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp oil
• 250 g pouch microwave brown rice (or leftover rice)
• 2 cups frozen peas, carrots and corn
• 1 tbs salt-reduced soy sauce
• 4 eggs
• Chilli flakes or hot sauce, to taste

Method:

1. In a large wok or frypan, heat oil and fry rice, stirring often, until hot.

2. Add the frozen veggies and cook, stirring, until defrosted.

3. Add sauces and mix well.

4. Push rice and veggies over to one side of the pan and crack the eggs into the free space. Break the eggs up a bit, turn the heat down and cover wok with a lid.

5. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until eggs are almost cooked to your liking (they will keep cooking a little in the hot rice).

6. Mix eggs into rice and veggies and serve with extra chilli sauce, if desired.

Variation:

Use whatever fresh or frozen vegies you have on hand. Tinned corn (kernels or spears), Asian greens and finely diced capsicum and zucchini all cook quickly. You can even use a bag of ready-made coleslaw! 

Peanuts or ready-cooked tofu, prawns or chicken, are all good swaps for the eggs.

Try replacing some of the soy sauce with hoisin, oyster sauce or kecap manis for a flavour twist.

6. Peach & Rosemary Iced Tea

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Prep time: 12 min + 2 hours chilling.

Cooking time: 0 min.

Serves: 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups hot tap water
• 4 black tea bags
• 4 tsp sugar
• 1 1/3 cups canned peaches in natural juice, drained, sliced
• 4 sprigs rosemary

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to a heat-proof jug.

2. Squash the peaches a bit with a fork and jiggle the tea bag.

3. Brew this mixture for 10 minutes, then remove tea bag and put jug in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

4. To serve, divide peaches, tea and rosemary between glasses (straining optional).

Search LiveLighter's healthy recipes for inspiration for your next meal.

Feature Image: LiveLighter.