A-Z Simple Living: M = Meal Planning

Meal Planning is something that I have let slip lately, right when I needed to be doing it the most. Life was very busy at work for me this past month, and I just did not have the mental capacity to do any more planning other than getting through each day in one piece. Now that I have a two-week break from the chaos, I am busy cooking and planning ahead, so that I can start back at work organised and on track...with healthy home made lunches frozen in advance, and dinners planned or prepared.

Early on in my blog I used to do a Monday Menu Planning Post and I have decided that when this series finishes I will go back to doing that. If I am accountable then I tend to follow through, and it was a great way to share a weekly recipe. Part of my recent motivation towards menu planning was a post I read at Flying Drunken Monkey about Cassie's top 5 reasons for meal planning...I thought I would share them with you here because they make perfect sense:

1. It Saves Time
Spending half an hour each week to complete your list, and check out the pantry, does save time because you don't have to waste time thinking each day what to cook, and rummaging around for ingredients you don't have.

2. It Saves Money
This is definitely true and the main reason for meal planning. Check your pantry first to see what ingredients you have, plan a menu, and make a shopping list...and stick to it.

3. It Makes Cooking Interesting
This is a great point. Planning ahead helps you avoid the 'same same' trap where you rely on the fallback meals...ours is spaghetti bolognese but I think the kids are finally a little tired of it. Yay!

4. It Improves Your Cooking Skills
This is a positive point I had not thought of before. By increasing the variety, and if you prep ahead of time (in my case, because I work full-time), you can stretch yourself to be a little more creative in the skills department. eg. pre-preparing a lasagne for the week.

5. It Helps You To Be Healthy
If you know what you are eating for the week you can ensure that it is healthy food...and the temptation to buy takeaway is reduced if you know you already have an easy meal planned for dinner.

I would also add another reason to this list. My kids like to see what they are having in advance. If it's one of their favourite meals they look forward to it...and I know that I am cooking things they all like each week....I had them make a list of everything they wanted me to cook. With fussy teenagers with ever changing eating habits, this is really important to me.

If you are thinking of meal planning, or even if you already do so, Cassie has the best Weekly Planning Schedule I have found - free to download! It is in excel format so you can input everything in your computer and print it out each week to put on the fridge. Makes the task of planning your week (including your meals) just a little bit easier :)

Do you meal plan? Or are you like me and do it for while, then lose track?

Monday Menu Plan - Golden Squash Chutney

I can't believe it is already December. We were away for the weekend so I will need to search the cupboard tonight for our Christmas tree and decorations. Now that we have a puppy I think the tree will need to sit on the ping pong table - she has a fetish for paper so Christmas presents would be way too tempting! I hope you are enjoying your Christmas preparations and that your house is looking festive. I made another beautiful chutney for my hampers (Simple Living Christmas), this time using the golden squash from my garden and thought I would share the recipe with you.

This is my menu plan for this week:

Monday - Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Tuesday - Tuna Mornay 

Wednesday - Chilli Beef Stir Fry with Quinoa

Thursday - Vegetable Lasagne

Friday - Steak Burgers

Saturday - Chicken Parmigiana and Potato Bake

Sunday - Rippa Rissoles and Mash

Golden Squash Chutney

I googled a few recipes and devised this one using the ingredients I had at home already.

Ingredients

500g squash - I think any squash or even pumpkin would suit this recipe. I left the golden skins on.
2 Green apples
1 cup cherry tomatoes (or two small tomatoes)
3 medium onions
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (this ingredient absolutely made the recipe!)
2 1/2 cups of malt vinegar

Chop the squash, apples, tomatoes and onions and place into a large saucepan with all the remaining ingredients. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring constantly.

Pour into warm sterilised jars and seal. This is a beautiful, fragrant chutney that is the perfect accompaniment for ham or chicken. We have been having it with cracker biscuits and cheese whilst enjoying a red wine or two.

This is only the second chutney I have ever made. The Spiced Beetroot and Orange Chutney I made for hampers was also really yummy. So, the savoury items on my list are turning out well so far.

Are you starting to bake for Christmas? What's for dinner at your house tonight?

Sharing my menu plan with Becci's Domestic Bliss.

Monday Menu Plan - Almond Pesto

This week was a little disorganised due to after work commitments and I didn't stick to my plan every night. A couple of nights we had leftovers which has kept the freezer meat supply up. I am making home baked gifts for Christmas (Simple Living Christmas) so this did push the grocery bill up to $190 this week. I am aiming to buy the ingredients over the next four weeks to ease the expense a little. This is my menu plan for the week:

Monday - Beef Lasagne and salad
Tuesday - Ginger, Chilli and Cider Chicken with Vegetables
Wednesday - Chicken Burritos with Salsa and Sour Cream
Thursday - Beef and Vegetable Curry with Quinoa
Friday - Pesto Chicken Pasta
Saturday - Roast Pork
Sunday - Chicken Schnitzel with Potato Bake

I made the lasagne today from Annette Sym's Cookbook - Symply Too Good To Be True no 1. So, I am already prepared for dinner tomorrow. Yay! I was going to feature it as my recipe this week but the photos were really ordinary so I am going to showcase something else I made today....Almond Pesto.

This is one of the basil plants I have and I let it go to seed so I can grow some more. I have had this plant for well over a year and it just keeps producing.

Each of these little pods holds four seeds. I put off harvesting the leaves as I was not sure what I wanted to do with them. I tossed up freezing or drying but then Paul brought home something he was given by a client...and I was inspired:

Excellent ingredients for a pesto but I did not have pine nuts so I wondered if I could substitute almonds. Of course I can...Google says so :)

I put 3 tablespoons of raw whole almonds and 3 cloves of garlic in the food processor and ground them for about a minute.

I then added 3 tablespoons of chopped basil, 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and  5 tablespoons of the beautiful olive oil.

Voila! About 125g of my very own almond pesto and to be honest....I prefer it to the pine nuts. The almonds add more texture and that wonderful almond flavour. Can't wait to try this with some chicken and pasta. I can see my menu plan might change this week.

Have you substituted and created something better than the original before?
What's for dinner at your place this week?

Linking up with http://beccisdomesticbliss.blogspot.com.au/.

Monday Menu Plan - Chilli Squash

I have kept my meal plan pretty simple this week as I have a lot of things to catch up on at home. Yesterday I cooked a big batch of chilli con carne  in the crockpot (my favourite thing to use on a busy weekend) and will use that for my lunches as well as a base for meals early in the week. To make the chilli I just chopped up all my leftover vegies (cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet potato, onion), then added 500g lean mince (raw), a tin of kidney beans and a tin of lentils, a packet of chilli con carne mix and water. This simmered on low all day and is really flavoursome. It is not a hot chilli so the kids will eat it too.

Good news on the budgeting this week too. As I have been regularly harvesting from the vegie patch I was able to keep my spend down to $140. For two weeks now I have come under budget. The big difference has also been utilising everything and cutting down on wastage. I am horrified at the amount of food we used to toss away because it went stale or was forgotten at the back of the fridge. So, I have now paid the $200 deposit for a getaway for Paul and I....a Christmas surprise for him. Here is my menu this week:

Monday - Chilli Con Carne
Tuesday - Swagman's Roll with mashed potato and vegies
Wednesday - Chilli Burritos with salsa and guacamole
Thursday - Creamy Tomato Chicken with Potato Bake
Friday - Lemon and Pepper Prawns with Quinoa
Saturday - Braised Steak Casserole with rice
Sunday - Chicken Parmigiana with salad

Chilli Stuffed Lebanese Squash

Last night I did not stick to the menu plan. Instead I got creative with my beautiful squash.

First I cut it in half lengthwise and scooped out the soft centre with the seeds (which I have put out to dry and store).

I then spooned some of my chilli mixture into the centre and covered it with low fat grated cheese and parmesan cheese.

I put the half squash on a baking tray and used half an onion to keep it steady. 

It took around 40 minutes for the squash to soften in a moderate oven. The squash was firm so if you like it soft and squishy you could bake for longer.

I then cut it into slices and served it up with some potato bake. 

What's on the menu at your place this week? Have you tried anything new?

Menu Planning Monday 7

Welcome to the start of another week. We are expecting storms here in Gympie so I am cooking ahead just in case we lose power. Last week's menu plan was great, utilising the dahl I had made the week before, and I stuck to my budget of $130 grocery spend this week, making up for the $20 I spent over budget last week. The kids enjoyed the menu and didn't even query the extra beans and vegies in the dishes. I am not a great food photographer so please excuse the photos:

Monday - Chicken Curry

I used 500g chicken breast and 500ml of the dahl. To this I added a tin of coconut cream and some massaman curry paste. That's all. The rice took longer than the meal to cook.

Beef and Bean Burritos

I made a double serving of the mexican mince to be used over two nights. I used 1kg mince, a tin of canneloni beans (I would normally use kidney beans but did not have any), 1 litre of the dahl mix, a tin of tomatoes and a packet of mexican seasoning powder (burrito). I placed the mince on wholemeal wraps with cheese and toasted them in the sandwich maker. Served with salsa, light sour cream and avocado.

Mexican Chilli

The same mince from last night served with corn chips, avocado, salsa and light sour cream. I melted the cheese on the chips and mince, in the microwave.

Shepherds Pie

I browned 500g mince, added 500ml of the dahl, gravy powder and water. Then placed in a casserole dish with mashed potato, bacon and cheese on top.

 The boys loved this!

Beef Casserole

This was my favourite for the week. I browned 700g rump steak and an onion, then added 1 litre of dahl and gravy powder with 1 cup of water. I let it simmer on low for about 30 mins and served with rice.

So, there you have it. Five meals from one crockpot of vegetable leftovers. Now, this week's menu:

Monday - Coconut and Peanut Chicken with Couscous
Tuesday - Beef Tacos
Wednesday - Chicken Burritos with sour cream and salsa
Thursday - Spaghetti Bolognese
Friday - Lemon Pepper Fish with chips and salad
Saturday - Corned Beef with Mashed Potato and Vegies
Sunday - Almond Crusted Chicken with salad

I just had to share this fancy omelette with you - Zucchini Flower, Spinach and Parmesan. Beautiful combination of flavours. I just chopped the Zucchini Flowers and Spinach with some spring onion (all from my garden), cooked in butter then added the eggs (beaten with a little water). Yum!!

I hope you have a great week and share some yummy meals with your family! Would love some suggestions for my menu next week.

If you have a menu plan why not link up with Becci's Domestic Bliss. There is a great recipe for a cheap chow mein on her site today. I think I may be changing one of my planned meals for the week :)

Menu Planning Monday 6 Chicken Avocado Carbonara

Welcome to another new and wonderful week! Last week I stuck to my menu plan but I did go a little over on my grocery spend. I am trying to keep to $150/week and I spent $170 but that included re-stocking of breakfast ingredients and the meat specials were good so I bought over two weeks worth of meat. So I am aiming for a $130 spend next week. Taking that into account I am pleased to say that I have now put away $100 towards our holiday.

I honestly don't know how I used to spend $40 week on fruit and veg. This was just over $20 at my local farm fresh supplier.

When I arrived home with the groceries on Friday night I decided to make another dahl from my leftover vegetables, and then utilise it in my menu plan to make five separate dishes which I will post the recipes for next week. This will save me time in food preparation, and I found it quite a versatile base when I made it last time. Here is the dahl-based menu plan:

Menu Plan

Monday - Chicken Curry with Rice
Tuesday - Mexican Chilli with Corn Chips and Cheese
Wednesday - Beef and Cheese Burritos with Salsa and Sour Cream
Thursday - Shepherds Pie and Vegetables
Friday - Beef Casserole with Mashed Potato and Vegetables
Saturday - Lasagne with Salad
Sunday - Fishermans Basket with Chips and Salad

My Crockpot Dahl

Fill one third of your crockpot with leftover vegetables. I had broccoli, pumpkin, potato, carrot, an onion, button squash, some bok choi and spinach leaves, and a couple of over-ripe tomatoes.

To this add a large tin of chopped tomatoes, two cups of lentils or dried soup mix, and herbs  and spices - garlic, indian curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and coriander. You can use any spices you prefer. I wanted a spicy dahl but not too hot because I don't want to overpower my dishes. I used about a desertspoon of each spice.

Then add water to the fill line and mix. Cook on low overnight or for approx 6-8 hrs. This is the end result.

It doesn't look beautiful but tastes delicious just as it is. I have a large crockpot so it filled four one litre containers:

All ready to go. I have placed two in the freezer and two in the fridge. Not sure how much I will need for each recipe but two containers may be enough.

Chicken Avocado Carbonara

This was Paul's favourite dish of the week. My kids don't like avocado so I prepared a carbonara and dished theirs up before adding the avocado. Two variations of the same dish. Theirs was served with pasta:

It's hard to see the cream sauce in the photo. If you have never made chicken carbonara before, you will find that it is a quick and easy meal to prepare after work. You will need (Serves 4-5):

500-700g chicken breast, chopped

Pasta - fettucine or penne work best

4-5 rashers of short cut bacon

Small tub of light cream

Parmesan Cheese

Cornflower and a small amount of water

Garlic - 2-3 cloves

Oil

Boil water and add pasta. Chop garlic and bacon finely and fry in a pan with a dash of olive oil.

You only want to cook the bacon gently, not until it is crispy. Remove from the pan and fry the chicken until almost cooked.

Mix cornflour and water, add to cream and stir. Add the bacon and cornflour cream to the chicken and cook until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked and tender.

Pour over pasta and combine. Top with parmesan cheese. For the avocado variation, add the avocado with the bacon and cream mixture. It will cook and soften and add a slightly green tinge to your sauce. Yummy!

There you have it, a recap of my grocery spend, a plan of attack for this week, and last week's most popular dish.

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Linking up with Becci's Domestic Bliss.

Menu Planning Monday 5

Well, another week has passed so quickly. I decided to peruse my cookbooks for this weeks menu plan, and I shopped for it on Friday. I only spent $130 which is well below my goal of $150 so will see if I can last out the week without having to spend any more. I am back to work today (groan) but did achieve one of my goals which was to experiment with some lunchbox friendly recipes to reduce the cost of store-bought items. I will feature two of the recipes this week - Spinach and Carrot Slice (using my home grown spinach of course!) and Pizza Flavoured muffins.

Menu Plan

Monday - Meat Loaf with Mashed Potato and Vegies
Tuesday - Lemon Chicken with Quinoa
Wednesday - Creamy Avocado Chicken with Pasta
Thursday - Tuna and Tomato Patties with salad
Friday - Thai Beef Curry with Rice
Saturday - Chilli Prawns with Salad
Sunday - Baked Tropical Chicken with Roast Potatoes & Vegies

I am already set for tonight with the meatloaf prepared and in the fridge, ready to pop in the oven when I get home from gym tonight.

Spinach and Carrot Slice

You will need:

I bunch of Silverbeet or Spinach (approx 3 loose cupfuls, when chopped)
4 Eggs
1/2 x packet french onion soup mix
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated low fat cheese
3 cups grated carrot
1/2 onion finely chopped
3/4 cup self-raising flour
Cooking Spray
Extra 1/3 cup grated cheese

Remove stalks and chop spinach. Then place into bowl with a little water and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Drain and squeeze to remove all water.

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs then add french onion soup mix, garlic, parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated cheese and combine well.

Add in grated carrots, spinach, onions and flour. Stir well until combined, then place into a greased ovenproof dish.

Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for approx 40 mins a moderate oven or until browned on top and cooked through. Serve hot or cold.

Pizza Flavoured Muffins

You will need:

3 cups self raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
150g ham chopped
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste or pasta sauce
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Place the flour, baking powder, 1 cup of cheese and ham into a bowl. Mix to combine.

Place the oil, tomato paste, egg and milk in another bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into muffin pans. Mine are medium sized and I used cases. This mixture made 16 medium sized muffins. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake in 180 degree oven for 30 minutes or until browned on top and they spring back when touched lightly in the centre.

It was a pleasure packing the boys lunches with some home-made and home grown produce. The boys want me to make meatlovers pizza muffins next time - with salami and bacon, so will experiment some more.

Hope you have a great Monday!