Menu Plan

Here is my new menu for this week and next week.

I a new format but with no pictures yet - still working on everything looking a bit more professional!

Menu Plan

Week 1
Monday: Nachos (beef/bean)
Tuesday: Teriakyi Salmon, sushi rice and green beans
Wednesday: Grandmas' for dinner
Thursday: Vegetable Soup
Friday: Lamb Chops and Roast Vegetables and feta
Saturday: Quiche
Sunday: Meat/Nut loaf







Week 2
Monday: Laksa
Tuesday: Enchiladas

Wednesday: Grandmas for dinner
Thursday: Pumpkin Risotto
Friday: Baked Potatoes with fridge fixings
Saturdy: Leftover
Sunday: Pad Siew takeaway

Menu Plan

Back from a swim

I have been menu planning all year long - I just forget to type them up - so here is lasdt weeks and this week's:


Monday: Involtini (based on Nigella Lawson's from Feast) and Salad
Tuesday: Chicken/Tempeh enchilada's
Wednesday: Grandmas for dinner
Thursday: Spiced Moroccan Lentil Soup (from the Thermomix EDC)
Friday: Chinese Chicken Wings/Tofu and "fried rice" (My Mum's recipe - will share soon)
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Pizza

Un-baked Pasta Bake

Monday: Meatloaf/Nutloaf - I have to remember to soak the nuts this time!

Carrot and Almond soup

Tuesday: Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Grandmas
Thursday: Carrot and Almond Soup - based on a Dr Gillian recipe
Friday: Burritos (meat and bean)
Saturday: Risotto (using the leftover soup as the stock - an idea I am stealing fro Nigel Slater)
Sunday: leftovers.

The first haircut

The extras I will make this week are:

• homemade yoghurt (the first time I will try it without the sachet but still in the easy-yo)
• Cream cheese - from the yoghurt
• Tomato sauce - again from the EDC with tweaks
• Cheese Puffs
• Apricot biscuits
• Sun dried tomato dip from the EDC (using the cream cheese I will have made)

Menu Plan

I think the last menu plan I posted was one of ones that I have actually almost followed perfectly.  I am trying to cut down on the amount of rushing in the afternoon and evening here (which is causing me to feel anxious) by sticking to the menu plan - even if I don't feel like cooking I am going to suck it up and just do it.  It has worked so far - we have eaten better, not wasted so much food and I am making inroads into my pantry!!!

Here is the menu for the next two weeks:


Saturday - at a Wedding!!!
Sunday - Nachos
Monday - Poached Eggs on Garlic Sourdough with spinach
Tuesday - Beetroot Risotto and chops
Wednesday - Grandmas
Thursday - Potato Torte (a favourite recipe from Laura Calder)
Friday - Soup or Leftovers with Salad


Saturday - Beef/Mushroom Pies
Sunday - Buckwheat Noodle bowl with Pickles
Monday - Cauliflower Cheese and Steak
Tuesday - Vegetable Lasange
Wednesday - Grandma's
Thursday - Leftovers/Freezer Meral
Friday - Roast Vegetables with Cheese and Sausages.

Menu Plan

Here is the first menu plan for 2104.  And in addition to myself being pescatarian - I am also considering following Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar plan for 6 weeks - and during the first two weeks you just cut down on your sugar consumption and really consider how  much you are currently eating.  So this menu focuses on vegetarian mains that also do not have much/no sugar in them.

This year one of my goals is to eat my way though the pantry - not all at once - just cut back on the amount of food in there - it is at capacity - I mean things falling onto your head when you open the door capacity! So after each item I will list the ingredients that I will be using up from my pantry.

Saturday - Pork Ribs/Tempeh, Coleslaw and Corn (ah - nothing in this one)
Sunday - Laksa (laksa paste, coconut cream, noodles, peanuts, fish sauce, soy sauce)
Monday - Nachos (dried beans, kombu, tomatoes, spices, corn chips)
Tuesday - Vegetable tart with cheese
Wednesday - Dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Leftovers/Quesadilla's (burrito breads, Tabasco)
Friday - Chops/Tempeh with Mashed Potato and green beans

Saturday - Fish Cakes and Cucumber salad (curry paste)
Sunday - Roast chicken and veggies
Monday - Vegetable Soup, Cheese and Bread
Tuesday - Red Lentil Dahl and Pratha (red lentils, spices, tinned tomatoes)
Wednesday - Dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Homemade Pizza
Friday - Noodle/Rice Bowl (noodles/rice, tamari. mirin, pickles)

I am also changing the day that I do my menu plan because I go shopping on every second weekend.

Menu Plan- when there it too much Christmas baking to do!

Please don't be alarmed - my child did not did the beer!

Argh!  So much to make for Christmas - so much in fact I cannot be bothered cooking proper meals - well almost.  I have tried to make this menu plan easy on me - minimal shopping and time spent in the hot kitchen away from the sparkling and Christmas food specials!.

Here we go:

16th - Monday - Poached Eggs with wilted spinach on sourdough
17th - Tuesday - Risotto with corn and prawns
18th - Wednesday - Grandmas
19th - Thursday - Vegetable Soup and Sausages
20th - Friday - leftovers (I am out with my lovey baby group Mums!)
21st - Saturday - Baked Eggs - Christmas Baking Day***
22nd - Sunday - Freezer meal (I am playing at the Church Christmas Carols)*

Can you believe this wasn't the cutest?

23rd - Monday - Pasta with fresh tomato sauce
24th - Tuesday - Laksa with prawns - Christmas Day baking**
25th - Wednesday - Christmas Day
26th - Thursday - Quesildillas with leftovers
27th - Friday - Corn fritters with smoked salmon and home made mayo
28th - Saturday - Vegetable soup and baked cheese
29th - Sunday - Home made pies (turkey/lentil)

Hates hats

*For the Carols service at Church everyone is taking a plate so I will be making two vegetable tarts - undecided yet but hopefully something without eggs as someone else always does a quiche.

**For Christmas Day I also have to bake two tarts - one will be Delia Smith's Thick Onion Tart - I make it every year and I am undecided on the other one yet (for a different household).

***I am making all of the gits for our family and friends this year and I am attempting to make a few different things this year.  I will hopefully remember to take photos of them and can share them with you.

Menu Plan October Week 3 & 4

So you remember those shaming photographs of my pantry - well for the next two weeks (and probably the rest of the year) I am going to try to use up all the stuff in there.

Here is a reminder:

This menu the ingredients I am going to try to use are red lentils (which are actually in a glass jar in another part of the kitchen!), tortillas, rice paper, rice noodles, and some beans.

Here we go:

Monday: Pasta bake with olives and pesto

Tuesday: Chops/Quorn with corn and asparagus

Wednesday: Grandma's for dinner

Thursday: Beef/Bean Burritos

Friday: Leftovers/Frozen dinner

Saturday: Fresh Spring Rolls - based on Janella Purcell's recipe (from her book Eating for the Seasons p16)
Sunday: Red Lentil Dahl (again from Janella p172)



Monday: Mexican bean burgers in lettuce cups

Tuesday: Quiche

Wednesday: Grandma's for Dinner

Thursday: Vegetable Stir Fry (page 29 - Janella)

Friday: Prawns in Chilli Oil and Turkish Bread and Salad

Saturday: Leftovers/Baked Eggs

Sunday: Healthy Fried Rice and leftover something

Menu Plan October Week 1

I have just looked at my last posting date and realise that it is July - oh my. 

While shamelessly ignoring my blog - I still have been menu planning and so thought I would slowly get back into it with a menu plan post.

Here it is:

Mexican Monday:Nachos - I know it's no real Mexican food - but it's a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge!
Tuesday: Lamb chops/Harissa tofu with corn and asparagus
Wednesday: Family dinner at Grandma's
Thursday: Red curry beef/vegetable with lychees
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Omelettes with haloumi - based on Annabel Langbein's Fresh Herb Omelette recipe
Sunday: Leftovers


Mexican Monday: Tacos - bean/beef
Tuesday: Prawn and Mango Salad - based on Annabel Langbein's Prawn and Duck Salad recipe  
Wednesday: Family dinner at Grandma's
Thursday: Vegetable Quicje
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Salad with hot smoked salmon and a Caesar dressing
Sunday: Vegetable Soup

I used Annabel Langbein's Free Range in the City to plan this menu.

The next menu plan I am hoping to only have to do a shop for fresh items as my pantry is being to look a bit hoard-y - here's a few pictures to help me do it:

Yes, that is 5 packets of tortillas!

You cannot even see the top shelf!

Menu Planning

Now that I am back at work full-time, I am finding that menu planning is saving me so much in the evenings, especially when I cannot be bothered to think anymore.

I am still only shopping once a fortnight and even though we are now buying nappies and formula and other baby paraphinalia our shopping bill hasn't risen too dramatically.

I thought that I would share how I do my planning for one meat, one meat-free and one baby meal every evening.  I know that in the past you may have seen my menu plans in the past with breakfast, lunch and dinner.   Now I only list what we are going to have for dinner.

I try to think of a dinner option that means only one extra "thing" to cook for my husband or myself.  I also try to save some of the meat he is having for a baby food concotion.  For example, if I am roasting chicken, then I will strip some of the meat off for a baby meal.


For all of the baby meals I cook in bulk.  There are a few options that he loves (anything with pumpkin is a winner) and to these I have started adding cooked beans, mince, roast chicken, yoghurt, cous cous, semolina or polenta to create a new meal.  I have also found if he doesn't like one of the new vegetable puree's I'm making - adding it to mashed pumpkin or potato is a great way to make sure he eats it.  We are up to beginning finger foods and so far skinny toast soldiers, cucumber and sticks of pear are the favourites.


Here is the dinner menu for this week to show how I set out all of the meals


Tuesday - Bruschetta - husband cooking (that didn't happen)
Wednesday - leftovers/dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Carrot and Almond Soup and sausages - steam carrots for a baby meal
Friday - Beetroot risotto
Saturday - Laksa with prawns
Sunday - Baked Eggs - roast some veggies for a baby meal while the oven is on
Monday - Burrito's (meat and bean/TVP) -

Tuesday - Nicoise salad
Wednesday - leftovers/dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Brussel sprout and caramalised onion soup - do some brussel sprouts for a baby meal
Friday - Baked potatoes with hot smoked salmon blue cheese and caramalised onion - roast veggies for a baby meal
Saturday - Chicken drumsticks/Quorn in terakyi sauce with sushi rice and edamame - save some chicken for a baby meal
Sunday - Home made pizza
Monday - Mexican burgers.


Captain Jack's Breakfast
Oatmeal with stewed apricots, yoghurt, pear and buttered toast

Captain Jack's Lunch/Dinners
Pumpkin and Cannelini bean mash
Chicken, Potato and Squash
 Penne with ricotta - blended
Apple and semolina - sweets

The last few weeks when I had extra things on in the evening we were ordering take-away so I didn't have to cook, but after bargining for 30 minutes and then having to wait another hour for it to be delievered and spening over $50 for the privlidge I have bought a few extra hings this week for the nights I don't feel like cooking.  Here they are:

• Freezer Meals
• Vacuum packed hot-smoked salmon
• Pre-made curry simmer sauce thing
• Frozen cut veggies in portioned bags
• Frozen vegetable spring rolls (so easy to stick under the griller while you do something else)
• Puff Pastry - so I can make pot pies with frozen chilli/stew in the freezer

Any ideas for easy and quick weeknight dinners?

Menu Plan

Week 1

Friday
B - Toast with peanut butter
L - Salad box with cheese
D - Fish Tacos (based on the Glamorous Housewife recipe)

Saturday
B - Muesli
L - With family out
D - Leftovers

Sunday
B - Pancakes
L - Satay Noodles
D - Burgers

Monday
B - Muffin and Coffee
L - Leftover burger patty with salad
D - Pasta Bake

Tuesday
B - Baked Beans and melted cheese on toast (macrobiotic baked beans recipe coming soon)
L - Leftover pasta bake
D - Vegetable soup and Prawn Toasts

Wednesday
B - Fruit and yoghurt
L - Out
D - At Grandmas/Leftovers

Thursday
B - Muffin and Coffee
L - Tuna Melt
D - 1/2 Roast chicken and roast vegetables

Week 2

Friday
B - Baked Beans
L - Roast Chicken/Vegetable sandwich
D - Omlettes and Salad

Saturday
B - Boiled Egg and Toast Soldiers
L - Satay Noodles
D - Lamb Chops and Avocado and Cob Salad

Sunday
B - Fruit and Yoghurt
L - Boiled Egg and Asparagus
D - Homemade Pizza

Monday
B - Baked Beans on Toast
L - Salad box with cheese and crackers
D - Prawn and Pumpkin Curry and Rice

Tuesday
B - Oats
L - Leftover Curry
D - Vegetable Soup and cheezy toast

Wednesday
B - Might be having a baby today!
L
D

Thursday
B - Toast
L - Leftover Soup
D - Take-away

 

Menu Plan

I cannot believe that I only have 4 weeks left until I meet the little person inside of me!  Here are a few shots of things I have been eating - some healthy and some necessary.

Kiwi Fruit and Blueberries

Hot Chip Sandwich

Week 1

Friday
B - Baked Beans
L - Miso Soup
D - Ginger Sweet and Sour Chicken /Tofu with sushi rice and greens - from Annabel Langbein Free Range in the City p 124

Saturday
B - Muesli and yoghurt
L - Leftovers
D - Pasta with Courgettes - Nigellissima p5 - the link has Nigella making this!!

Sunday
B - Omlettes
L - Leftover Pasta
D - Meatballs (p75 Nigellissima) /Beanballs (p189 Veganomican) with roast vegetables

See it here

See it here

Monday
B - Baked Beans
L - Tuna Melt
D - Fritters using leftover roasted vegetables

Tuesday
B - Fruit and Yoghurt
L - Tuna Melt
D - Avocado and Cob Salad (you know the one) with Sausages

Wednesday
B - Muesli and Yoghurt
L - Out - peanut butter sandwich
D - Pork Chops and Cous Cous

Thursday
B - Baked Beans on Toast
L - Leftovers
D - Fish Tacos (a cross between these from the Glamorous Housewife and Annabel Langbein’s from last menu)

Week 2

Friday
B - Date Scones and Coffee
L - Miso Soup and Brown Rice
D - Prawn Pasta Rosa - Nigellissima p34

From here

Saturday
B - Boiled Eggs and Toast Soldiers
L - Leftovers
D - Risotto (with Chorizo for the husband)

Sunday
B - Pancakes
L - Salad Box/ Salad Sandwich
D - Tuna and Bean Toasts

Monday
B - Japanese style oats (umeboshi, nori and sesame seed)
L - Chopped Salad
D - Spaghetti Bolengese/TVP with garlic bread and salad

Tuesday
B - Fruit and Yoghurt
L - Leftovers
D - Pizza - using the Delia Smith pizza base recipe from Delia's Vegetarian Collection - a great book

From here

Wednesday
B - Muesli
L - Out - Peanut butter sandwich
D - Vegetable Soup with cheesy toasts
Thursday
B - Muffin and coffee
L - Out - Shopping Day (maybe - I will be 38 weeks pregnant!)
D - Leftovers/Frozen Meal

Menu Plan

Ok, so I know I promised a Nigellissima heavy menu this time but after reading my way through it last night there were not enough recipes that I could do for the fortnight without having most of them featuring meat and spending major dollars.  I think it will take some planning to adapt the non-pasta recipes to a veggie option so maybe next time.  This fortnight's recipes come mainly from Annabel Langbein's Free Range in the City.  As she has just released a new book (I almost bought it too yesterday) I thought I should give this one a fair run before I get the new one.

From here

Week 1

Friday
B - Yoghurt and Muesli
L - Leftovers
D - Cajun Fish Tacos - from Annabel Langbein's Free Range in the City p 125

From here

Saturday
B - Baked Beans on Toast
L - Ryvitas with cream cheese
D - Wedding!

Sunday
B - Poached Eggs on Toast
L - Tuna melt
D - Orzo with roast pumpkin and curried mayo dressing

Monday
B - Oats with tamari, umeboshi and nori
L - Tuna melt with crudities
D - Ginger Chilli Sweet and Sour Chicken/Tofu with Jasmine Rice and Greens from Free Range in the City p 134

Tuesday
B - Muesli and yoghurt
L - Tomato and cheese melt and crudities
D - leftovers

Wednesday
B - Oats with banana, maple and chia seeds
L - Miso soup with brown rice bowl
D - Burgers (beef and TVP)- based on the ones from Nigella Express

Thursday
B - Brown rice bowl
L - Salad box with leftover burger patty
D - Quesadillas

Week 2

Friday
B - Toast with cream cheese and dukkah
L - Out for the day - helping set up a wedding near the DJ’s Foodhall - so something naughty for lunch!
D - Leftovers

Saturday
B - Oats with banana, maple and chia seeds
L - My Baby Shower - yummy afternoon tea
D - will probably be too full still

Sunday
B - Coffee and muffins
L - Chopped salad
D - Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi - from Free Range in the City p 192

Monday
B - Toast with tuna
L - Leftovers
D - Prawn Laksa

Tuesday
B - Boiled egg and toast soldiers
L - Ryvitas with salad and tuna
D - Tandoori fish kebabs with Basmati Rice and Cucumber Yoghurt from Free Range in the City p 169

Wednesday
B - Miso soup and Oats with tamari, umeboshi and nori
L - Ryvita’s with cheese
D - Pork Ribs with Baked Potato and Toppings

Thursday
B - Toast with jam and coffee
L - Shopping Day - out
D - Leftovers/Freezer Meal

Menu Plan

This week is a pretty busy one - I am preparing for a two week full-time teaching stint, it's our 2 year wedding anniversary and Father's Day and my brothers birthday - so there is a lot of planning which is why this menu is later than usual.

Week 1

Friday
B - Poached egg on toast
L - Tuna on bagel
D - Spaghetti with chili, garlic and prawns and salad
Saturday
B - Tofu scramble
L - Quesilldillas
D - Kedgeree - made with brown rice

Sunday
B - Muesli and yoghurt
L - leftovers
D - Roast vegetable with cheese
Monday
B - Pancakes
L -
D - Two Year Anniversary dinner - Crumb lamb cutlets, mash potato, baby carrots, green beans and Parfait!

Tuesday
B - Peanut butter bread
L - Leftovers
D  - Savoury crepe bake - vegetables and béchamel sauce

Wednesday
B - Oatmeal with chia, banana and maple syrup
L = Satay Noodles
D - Burritos

Thursday
B - Fruit and yoghurt
L - Rice bowl
D - Leftovers

Week 2

Friday
B - Peanut butter bread
L - Salad box with tuna
D - Homemade pizza

Saturday
B - Omlettes
L - Soup with cheesy croutons
D - Avocado and cob salad with sausages

Sunday
B - Crepes
L - Fathers Day Lunch - family do
D - Fathers Day Dinner - different family do

Monday
B - Oatmeal with chia, banana and maple
L - leftovers
D - Vegetable korma with basmati

Tuesday
B - Oatmeal with blueberries
L - Veggie sticks with dip, cheese and crackers
D - Chestnut and Lentil soup from Just Hungry (so good I haven't even bothered to try Nigella Lawson's version and that's saying something!)

Wednesday
B - Peanut butter toast
L - Tuna sandwich
D - Brothers Birthday Dinner

Thursday
B - Muesli and Yoghurt
L - Cheese and tomato toastie
D - Poached eggs on croque Monsieur

Menu Plan

Week 1

Friday
B - Oats with chia, coconut oil and banana
L - Leftovers
D - Out at a lovely friends place

Saturday
B - At Grandma’s
L - Rice paper rolls with satay sauce
D - Kohlrabi and avocado salad (based on this one from Golubka)

From here

Sunday
B - Brown rice bowl
L - Leftovers
D - Tuna and bean toasts with avocado vinaigrette

Monday
B - Oats with banana and maple syrup
L - Guacamole and veggies
D - Burritos (turkey and TVP)

Tuesday
B - Fruit and yoghurt
L - Leftover burrito mince with salad
D - Pumpkin soup with cheesy toasts

Wednesday
B - Toast with peanut butter and banana
L - Home made sushi (tuna and tomago)
D - Pasta with spinach and almond pesto

Thursday
B - Fruit and muffin
L - Leftover pasts-a
D - Fish pie

Week 2

Split Pea Soup from Scandi Foodie

Friday
B - Boiled egg and toast soldiers
L - Leftover fish pie
D - Chinese chicken wings/tofu and fried rice

Saturday
B - Baked Beans on toast
L - Brown rice bowl
D - Split pea soup (based on this one from Scandi Foodie)

Sunday
B - Crepe Suzette
L - -
D - Home made pies (mushroom and beef)

Monday
B - Baked beans on toast
L - Leftover soup
D - Tomato and Vodka Pasta (based on Penne Alla Vodka from Nigella Lawson)

Penne Alla Vodka from Nigella Lawson

Tuesday
B - Oats
L - Ryvitas with cheese and veggie sticks
D - Home made pizza

Wednesday
B - Baked Beans on toast
L - Satay Noodles
D - Hotdogs (Vegetarian and Beef)

Thursday
B - Peanut butter bread
L - Out - Shopping Day
D - Leftovers/ freezer meal