Italian Sandwich with Carrot and Parsnip Salad and Balsamic Vinaigrette

There are actually three parts to this meal though the salad and dressing could both be bought pre-made. This requires no cooking whatsoever and is suitable for a picnic if the dressing and salad are kept separate.

Italian Sandwich
Serves 1
Ingredients

• 2 slices of fresh bread
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• sprinkling of basil and oregano
• 1 slice of ham
• 1 slice of prosciutto
• 2 slices of large pepperoni
• 1 slice of mozzarella or handful of grated mozzarella
• 1 slice of provolone

1. Drizzle olive oil on both slices of bread. Sprinkle both sides with basil and oregano.
2. On the bottom half, layer the salami, ham, provolone, and mozzarella. Cover with top layer, and serve.

Modified from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/muffuletta-sandwich/detail.aspx

The ingredients here can be swapped in and out at will. I dislike olives and Parmesan cheese so I left those two out and substituted in prosciutto. Lidl and Tesco don't appear to carry provolone so I didn't use that either. The recipe can easily be doubled and it whips up pretty quickly.

Carrot and Parsnip Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 head of lettuce or bag of mixed greens
• 3 or 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 5 or 6 carrots, peeled and sliced

1. In a large sauces, boil the carrots and parsnips for about 10 minutes until tender
2. Wash the lettuce and chop, then mix in a large bowl with the root vegetables

The parsnip is the poor, forgotten cousin of the carrot but when boiled, it tastes less sharp than its celebrity cousin. This salad gives you a good portion of greens while also including some non-green vegetables.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette 
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon English mustard
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and serve on salad

From http://www.food.com/recipe/sheilas-best-balsamic-dressing-176016

I perhaps used too much oil in this recipe but that can be fixed next time.

Thrown all together:

This was a fast and easy meal to make and is full of vegetables and protein. As salad needs to be eaten within a few days or it starts degrading, I will be making more of this meal in the future. 

Italian sandwich

1/8 of a loaf of sourdough bread at EUR 2.05/loaf = EUR 0.27 at Tesco

1/40 of bottle of olive oil at EUR 3.99/bottle = EUR 0.10 at Aldi

Sprinkling of basil and sage: EUR 0.02 at Lidl and Tesco (optional)

1/8 of a package of ham at EUR 1.89/package = EUR 0.24 at Lidl

1/8 of a package of salami at EUR 1.79/package = EUR 0.22 at Lidl

1/6 of a package of prosciutto at EUR 2.59/package = EUR 0.43 at Lidl

1/8 of a package of grated mozzarella at EUR 1.44/package = EUR 0.18 at Tesco

Total Cost: EUR 1.46 for one serving

Carrot and Parsnip Salad

1 head of lettuce: EUR 0.99 at Lidl

1/2 of a package of parsnips at EUR 1.29/package = EUR 0.65 at Lidl

1/5 of a pack of carrots at EUR 0.99/pack = EUR 0.20 at Lidl

Total Cost: EUR 1.84 for 4 servings or EUR 0.46 for one serving

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinegar, 1/20 of a bottle at EUR 1.29/bottle = EUR 0.06 at Lidl

Red Wine Vinegar, 1/10 of a bottle at EUR 1.79/bottle = EUR 0.10 at Tesco

English Mustard, 1/40 of a bottle at EUR 0.45/bottle = EUR 0.01 at Lidl

Brown Sugar, 1/100 of a pack at EUR 1.65/pack = EUR 0.02 at Tesco

Olive Oil, 1/6 of a bottle at EUR 3.99/bottle = EUR 0.67 at Aldi

Garlic Clove, 1/8 of a bulb of a pack of 4 bulbs at EUR 0.49/pack = EUR 0.01 at Lidl

Total Cost: EUR 0.87 for 4 servings or EUR 0.22 for one serving

Total Cost: EUR 2.14 for one serving