PEANUT GINGER CHICKEN WINGS: frugal, easy-peasy, dairy free, prep ahead

Crispy chicken wings with peanut ginger sauce...

Packed with enticing flavour, these Peanut Ginger Chicken Wings are a real change from standard flavours and will fast become a favourite

Peanut butter sauces for protein, plant or animal, are a dime a dozen but this one - adapted from Eating Well - really is special.  It has unusual layers of appeal with flavours that manage to be both intense (but not horribly so) and satisfying.

Chicken wings are a wonderful source of cheap protein and with food prices ever-rising are essdential in some weekly budgets.   You can get get about 20 good sized high welfare wings ones for under £2 (750g/26oz).  Depending where you shop, they can be wonderfully meaty, succulent and tender; all have that  finger-licking 'yum' quality.  

Chicken wings are not just cheap, they're popular, particularly if you marinade them for a few hours or overnight.  

This blog has several sensational recipes, from simple to sophisticated, nearly all low-fat and dairy free.  Recipes for favourite  BBQ style, lemon-pepper, Oriental & lemon & garlic wings here  (post includes how best to cook them).

67 cooked the peanut ginger wings in an air fryer ; an oven will also do.  

If you're on a diet, serve with wedges of iceberg lettuce in a light yoghurt-mayo dressing (bottom of  page).  Otherwise, serve on or with cooked white or brown rice with easy cook veg alonside easy-cook veg. (500g pkt mixed carrot, cauliflower & broccoli £2.40 at M&S this week).

Other good protein for this recipe includes chicken breasts cut in thick slices across the grain OR chicken thighs or drums (carefully) slashed to the bone.  Pork steaks or ribs,  air-fried or oven-baked, emerge dripping with flavour.  Vegans and vegetarians can use your favourite brand of firm tofu, hopefully one easily digested.  (67 is still looking!!).

Cost:£2.50'ish (2/2025)

Feeds:3-4

Ingred:

Marinade 

3 tbsp water

1.5 tbsp peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

2 tsp vinegar, rice or apple or white wine

1/2 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce

1/2 tbsp fresh peeled grated ginger

1 tbsp Maple syrup

1.5 medium cloves garlic grated (opt) 

500g-750/7oz-26oz chicken wings or choice of protein

1.5 tsp Olive Oil 

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp parsley/ chives/coriander

Sauce

leftover marinade 

1-2 tablespoons stock or water

Lettuce cups or boats OR brown or white rice

Garnish: 

one medium avocado (opt)

lime wedges

finely sliced green of spring onions

Method:

CHICKEN WINGS: THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALL SNACK: includes instructions for beginner cooks

FOOTIE SEASON EASY-PEASY CHICKEN WINGS

(Apologies for the typeface variations; trying to fix)

Buffalo wings which fly in the frugal healthy eating stakes

updated 2/25; 1st posted 2015/16

SPICY HOT WINGS for ravenous students/sports fans: details below
'They sit very nicely; full-flavoured & nicely charcoaled.  Well cooked; I'm not a fan of pink chicken!'  

Chicken wings have a bad reputation (some say they are too bony and tough) but treated properly they are a healthy low-fat pleasure and a god-send for busy, budget conscious cooks.

They are also an absolutely winner when it comes to frugal footie treats, with 750g of good-sized wings currently at around £1.80 (including M&S Higher Welfare).  Organic obviously cost more but are still budget friendly.  

Part 1 of this post contains 3 recommended recipes: One, the traditional hot & saucy; one with a sensational lemon-pepper coating and one, braised in an Asian sauce for the adventurous

Part 2: includes recommended sauces marinades for wings

PART 1: Recommended

SPICY STICKY HOT WINGS (photo above): 

First posted in 2016, this is adult fare; the heat won't blow your head off but could bring tears to the eyes of children. (A kids' version is included).  Whether served as as a sports snack or as light supper with baked potato or rice and salad, these sticky, spicy wings will become a hot (sorry!)  favourite.  

LEMON PEPPER WINGS: 

Baked with a crispy juicy shell, the flesh is unbelievably tender & succulent; kids and seniors love 'em...

'Perfect crispy skin & juicy tender flesh; marinaded o'night 

  'super-easy, flesh v. tender;'extra special', spritz of lemon adds sparkle' 

 

EXOTIC BRAISED ASIAN WINGS: 

Not a run-of-the-mill wing, with sensational Oriental flavours.  Low-fat, sugar & salt.  

Easy, make-ahead, portable, even eaten cold, splendid
'Even cold, great Chinese flavours with a lovely amount of garlic!' 

40 years ago in Hong Kong, a bakery just off the Central District was renowned for its braised spiced chicken wings.  They were snapped up by foreigners and Chinese alike and many were eaten before leaving the shop!

PART 2: Simple marinaded wings

EQUIPMENT: 

Oven: baking trays: low sides, lined with greaseproof paper or foil to save washing up, and with baking rack on top (so fat drips away, reducing cholesterol).  Preheat oven.

Air-Fryer: Depending on size of air-fryer, be prepared to bake in batches.  Line base of air-fryer with foil or paper liners to save washing up. 

Cooking wings: Start with wings upside down (ie top down), bake 7-8 mins depending on size (they continue cooking while the tops brown); turn over so wings are right side up (ie top up), bake a further 10-15 mins until dark brown and crisping at the edges. 

Large wings may need an extra 10 or so mins; or they can be divided into drums and winglets with cooking time reduced.

Naked wings: roast 7'ish minutes top side down, in a pre-heated oven or air fryer 180c/350F to crisp up the skin and release fat.  Remove from oven/air fryer; turn over so tops are uppermost; bake a further 10-17 mins until skin is crisp & golden; lightly season with salt & pepper; serve with lemon or lime wedges and any dipping sauce

Sauced wings: as with naked wings but once wings are turned top side up, brush liberally with sauce on both sides;  bake a further 15-20 minutes, basting again at least twice, until brown with crisping edges.  

Marinaded wings: pour raw wings and marinade in a sealable plastic bag smooshing wings into sauce; refrigerate at least four hours or overnight,  turning the bag once or twice; when ready to bake, drain but keep marinade.  In a preheated oven or air fryer set to  180c/350F, layer wings topside down, bake 7 mins; turn wings over so tops are facing upwards; brush liberally with sauce on both sides and bake a further 15-20 minutes,brushing generously at least twice, or until glossy brown.  

  

SAUCES  (for 12'ish chicken wings/one 750g/ 26oz packet) 

Note: If you like, separate wings into drumlets & flats; these will cook faster and double the number of pieces

1. BBQ Sauce (for naked wings)

Mix together: 
     1/2 mug tomato sauce (your own or own-label spicy brands)   
      1.5 tbsp molasses or black sugar (preferred) or brown sugar
      2 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce (regular will do in a pinch)
      1-2 dashes tobasco sauce, to taste
       (opt)  one small reconstituted chipotle chilli, pureed

(Reserve a scant 2/3  sauce for dipping).
Bake wings naked upside down 10 mins or until fat is released; brush sauce liberally on both sides; turn wings top side up, bake 15-20mins mins, brushing generously again at least twice; serve with extra sauce

2.  LEMON & ROSEMARY MARINADE (best for prepping overnight)

Mix together: 
     1.5 lemons, juice and zest
     60 ml/1/4 cup olive oil 
     2-3 cloves garlic, grated (opt but recommended) OR infuse garlic in olive oil
     2 tsp fresh finely chopped rosemary or 1/3 tsp dried rosemary
     a little water

Mix first four ingredients; pour over wings in a non-metal flattish dish; stir well. If wings are not covered with liquid, add water to cover.  Clingfilm,  refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.  Bake wirh marinade 35-45 mins in an air fryer OR oven preheated to 180c/350F until wings are cooked through.  If cooking in oven, place on a baking rack so fat can drip through.  Cool to serve alongside lots of serviettes.

3.  SHERRY, SOY & GINGER

     80 ml/1/3 cup medium sherry/white wine/white grape juice
     80ml/1/3 cup lower-salt soy sauce 
     1 tablespoon grated garlic (opt)
     1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
     1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Mix well; marinade no more than 30 minutes

After marinading: 2-3 tablespoon sesame seeds

Spread out drained marinaded wings in an air fryer or a wire rack in an oven tray,  leaving a little space in between.  Bake 25 mins at 180c/350F;  generously sprinkle sesame seeds over top of wings OR press top of wings onto a plate lined with sesame seeds.  Return to oven for another 10-15 mins. 

Tips:

• See: Healthier football snacks: low fat/salt & sugar for lower-guilt footie treats 
• lining baking trays with greaseproof paper/foil makes washing up easier
• newer models of air fryers cook very quickly; reduce timings by at least 5 mins and check 3/4 way through cooking

Please post a Comment on the box below

                                    

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

CHINESE (?!) EGG SALAD: wallet-friendly, easy-peasy indulgence, dairy free opt, dip or sandwich filling,

 A YUMMY UNUSUAL TWIST ON CHOPPED EGG SALAD...

No 67 is not kidding! There is an Asian style egg-mayo

The Blogger first tasted this egg salad in a North London Jewish cafe and was blown away.  It was the way the yolks were treated -- more of a sauce than an equal partner in a combo.  Very very tasty and more-ish!

Imagine the surprise when this dish popped up in Apple News+  listed as My Chinese Mum's Egg Salad.  Further surprise came on discovering a similar recipe  very popular in Japan.

Whatever...67 created something new and the result really is wonderful, reflecting Asia's love of savoury and (slight) sweetness.   The Egg Salad has only 5 basic ingredients...though you can zhuz it up with the addition of garnishes like olives.

It is best on any soft bread or rolls - white or wholemeal, regular or toasted - but Challah loaf (rich, yellow and breaded) is perfect. 

You can get version of this in Jewish and other delis; 67's is wallet-friendly by comparison.  

The sweetness is a must.

Cost: £1.75'ish (1/25)

Makes: 2 sandos but recipe doubles easily

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs

2 tb regular or dairy-free mayo or salad cream (Kewpie, a sweetish American brand and good old' Hellman's are both recommended)

1 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 tsp water or stock

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt & pepper

finely sliced green of a spring onion (opt)

Method:

Turkish Pide with an Easier Life twist (Updated): kidult food, prep ahead, low-fat, dairy-free, option for spelt flour

Pide is a low-cost staple in Turkey, a pizza-like bread covered with a layer of spiced minced meat and vegetables

updated 2025; original 2016

Weeknight treat, wallet-friendly fun family fare

In Turkey, the dough and filling are raw when the pide goes into the oven, giving crispy sides and a soft base for the meaty filling.

67 however prefers a crispy base, and in order to make life easier for cook on weeknights, pre-cooked a low-fat filling.  On the day needed, the bread boat - which takes only 15 mins prep - is flash-baked to prevent a soggy bottom.  

Minced lamb is the traditional filling but releases a great deal of fat and is rather expensive in the UK.

67 used beef instead, draining off fat to reduce cholesterol.  Minced turkey or chicken can also be used but the spices will need to be increased by 1/8.  

Vegetarians/vegans can replace meat with a favourite veggie mince OR if you don't have gut issues, crumbled firm tofu, fresh or out of a carton.  Increase spices by 1/8; test by frying a little of the filling and adjust seasoning accordingly.

Serve with crispy lettuce leaves and chunks of cucumber.

Cost: £4.50'ish (2/25)
Feeds: 3-4

Ingred:   

Filling:

Chocolate Cream Valentine Hearts: a wallet-friendly indulgence

Don't forget WELCOME TO THE BLOG (nav bar above)

with the latest supermarket bargains and news

These lovely crisp biscuits stuffed with chocolate cream and a splodge of rich jam are the perfect treat for a birthday or Valentine's Day.  Or both at the same time!

 This first test of these biscuts needs a bit of work; the dough needs to be thicker for one thing!  But the taste and texture?  Magnificent!

The shortbread hearts are a variation of the splendid budget bottom-of-the-barrel shortbread which needs only four inexpensive ingredients.  

With just a few clever additions, they look and taste like artisan baking and won't break the bank.

If you can find tear-shaped valentine cookie cutters, well and good (the blog's came from you-know-who a couple of years ago) but really any heart-shaped cutter or, indeed, any shape cutter will do.

Like all shortbreads, the biscuits are easy-peasy; an older child could handle it without problems.  

The cream filling - which is made the day before needed - might require a  little more attention but even if the result looks a bit sloppy, it won't affect the delicious-ness.  

The amount multiples easily.

Cost: £1.76'ish (2/24)

Makes: 10 or more biscuits, depending on size of cutter

Ingredients:

 Biscuits: 

100gm/3.5oz soft salted butter

            40gm/oz white sugar 

        1/2 tsp vanilla

     

         120gm/5oz white flour 

         20gm/3/4oz good cocoa

 Chocolate Mocha Ganache Filling:

     4 oz/115gm white or dark (baking) chocolate drops (online) or a chopped up bar of baking chocolate (67 likes M&S) 
    90 ml double cream 

 a few tablespoons of good strawberry or raspberry jam

     

BISCUIT Method: 

1. Using electric beaters, whip butter until structure breaks down (a few seconds); beat in sugar until pale & fluffy - a few minutes; blend in vanilla 
2. Add flour gradually; beat until clumps of dough form; gather them together into a ball; clingfilm, refrigerate at least 1 hour (OR freeze; when ready to bake, defrost overnight) 
3. Preheat oven to 170c/325f
4. Roll out dough between two pieces of greaseproof paper lightly scattered with cocoa powder, to the thickness of a one-pound coin. 
5. Cut out biscuits with a cookie cutter dipped in flour, saving scraps.  
6. Lift the cookies onto the cooking tray with a lightly floured palette knife.  Re-roll scraps and repeat. 
7. Cut a small heart or other shape in the centre of half the biscuits; the plain biscuits will be the bottom half of a cookie sandwich; the cookies with a heart cut-out will be the top.
   
   
   
8. Bake 10 mins or until brown at the edges; cool completely   
9. Just before serving, take a bottom biscuit and pipe or spoon a line of filling (method below) close to but not touching the outer edge 
10. Drop a scant 1/3 tsp of strawberry jam in the centre; cover with a top biscuit; lighrtly squash 

Method for Filling (prepare the day before needed):

1. If using a chocolate bar, chop finely; set aside
2. Heat cream in a small heavy bottomed saucepan; when tiny bubbles appear at the outer edge of the pot and steam starts rising, it is ready (don't let it boil).
3. Take off the heat; add chocolate in 3 stages, whisking each time until the previous addition has melted before adding the next
4. Pour into a heatproof bowl & clingfilm. Cool; beat  with electric beaters until thick and soft textured refrigerate at least a couple of hours
5. Take out of fridge; spread or pipe onto biscuit base

Comments:

'Beautiful and amazing; they look so elegant. 

Tips:

• dairy butter gives best flavour but margarine or vegan butter will do

Please leave a comment in the box below



This recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be used commercially without the author's written permission.

Fruit 'n Nut Flapjacks: frugal, with a winning difference opt for dairy free

These flapjacks are based on the popular Primrose's Frugal Flapjacks but with gloriously nutty and colourfully fruit additions that add a 'wow!' factor.

Wallet-friendly more-ish Crispy, crunchy Fruit & Nut Flapjacks

The nuts and fruit don't need to be expensive - the flapjacks are a great way to use up whatever's left in your cupboard  after Christmas.

67 added cranberries, candied ginger from syrup and almonds but raisons, dates, dried apricots etc will do.  Almonds can be replaced with another nut or mixture of nuts.  

Follow the instructions carefully and you'll end up with wonderfully crispy 'jacks studded with surprises.

Cost £3.50'ishs (3/25), depending on cupboard stores, more with organic oats. (2/25) 

Makes: 24'ish

Ingredients:

227g/8oz oats (half jumbo, half porridge oats), organic if budget allows

170g/6oz Demerara sugar

min 160g/5.6oz, max 170g/6oz butter (depending how buttery you like your flapjacks)

   Note: 67 has not yet tested this recipe with plant margarine but often substitutes Tomor plant butter in baking with no change in taste or texture 

generous handful dried cranberries

2 large bulbs candied ginger from syrup, drained of syrup

handful coarsely chopped almonds or mixed nuts

Method:

    Equipment: 2 baking trays of 33x23cm/13x9in 

    OR 1 baking tray of equiv 33x23cm/13x9in plus a heavy weight

These steps can be completed ahead of time: 

1. Line baking tray with greaseproof paper
2. If using dried fruit, add to a small bowl; pour over boiling water, rest 5 mins, drain on a paper towel; cover and set aside
3. Chop nuts coarsely; set aside
4. Cut balls of ginger into 1/4 inch/1/3cm slices and cube coarsely; seoarate, cover and set aside

To bake

1. Preheat oven to 165c/330F
2. Melt dairy or plant butter over a low heat in a good sized pan; as soon as most of the butter is liquid take pan off heat
3. Mix sugar & oatmeals; pour into the pan of melted butter; mix until amalgamated; set aside 1/2 cup of buttered oatmeal
4. Mix cranberries, candied ginger and nuts into the pan of flapjack mix; stir well, distributing as evenly as possible 
5. Pour into the baking pan; spread evenly with a spatula, building up the edges slightly; if any bits of fruit are poking above the top of the flapjack mix, push them down and cover them with some of the the buttered oatmeal you have set aside.  
6. Scatter over the rest of the unused oatmeal.  Press down gently.  (This will prevent the pieces of fruit drying out.  )
7. Cover with a second layer of greaseproof paper; fit second pan of same size or a heavy saucepan on top, press down hard, using hands if necessary.    
8. Check that the oat layer is even, especially in the middle
9. Bake 15-20 mins until lightly brown - it could take as long as 25 mins
10. Remove from oven; cool a few mins in the tin; with a sharp knife, mark out  but don't cut squares or rectangles (67 cut 4x8 pieces)
11. Cool on a baking rack
12. Once completely cool, separate into individual pieces 
13. Serve OR store in an air tight tin with greaseproof paper between layers
14. The flapjacks will last 3 weeks but usually go quite quickly

Comments:

'I'm sorry to say they are already finished...they were absolutely delicious and, clearly, difficult to pace.  Thank you so much again.' Jack Ransome, young optician extraordinaire, not long installed on South End Green not far from M&S

'... the flapjacks are very tasty and the butteryness was so nice; even with my teeth, it was not too crunchy; they're just right.'  67goingon50's handyman 

Tips:

• don't fancy fruit and nuts?  try adding chocolate chips before spreading on tray

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission

Valentine's Day 2025: Archive Favourites

Vegan Lemon Mint Angel Cakes: Sensationally Wow! Easy butter-free indulgence, wallet-friendly 

Think they look boring?  Have a bite and be transported!

Budget Creamy Fresh Fruit Puddings:(dairy free option): Simple dairy or plant yoghurt pudding with knock-out inexpensive glaze over fresh fruit

Ultra yummy, healthy & inexpensive

Low Sugar Chocolate Truffle Mini-Bricks: (dairy free option): easy peasy

Max flavour, less guilt

Triple Chocolate Brownies with Truffles:  for chocoholics, and how!

A favourite since posting years ago
(untested dairy-free option)

 PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT

                                              
This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.