Meal Planning Monday (31/12/12)

Back on the weight loss bandwagon 'alledgedly' to see in the New Year with a healthy start, this weeks menu is gravitating towards slimming world. Seeing as 2012 saw me gain a stone, I probably need to read the books again as clearly whatever I was doing last year didn't work a fig....

Anyway, here's our first week and remember to check what Mrs M's got cooking over at her page.

Monday - spaghetti bolognese using the leftovers from yesterdays stew
Tuesday- a big old roast for my big old appetite.... plenty of good veg to balance it out though!
Wednesday - Beans on toast
Thursday - Pasta with whatever I can lay my hands on to make a sauce
Friday - Grace and the Husband are having pizza, I'm off over to Sharon and Tania's for a girls night in and a steaming great big bowl of homemade chili.
Saturday - Vegetable chili from the freezer and rice
Sunday - Shepherds pie

Looking at my use of words like 'great big bowl' and 'big old roast' I can see why I put a stone on this past year. Probably given a helping hand by my lack of exercise in the second half of the year.... something to be addressed for 2013 I think. I don't like to make resolutions as I rarely stick to them, but one things for sure, I need to eat less and exercise more next year. Wish me luck!

What are you putting on the table this week?

Meal Planning Monday (24/12/12)

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas..... the fridge is full, thanks to Asda home delivery (and a very random set of substitutions), the wrapping is done, and Grace is on track to experience the merriment of Santa. She's still bubbling with enthusiasm after sitting through the Festival of Lessons and Carols at our church last night, a giddy kipper indeed. I'm feeling very rotund after trying to alleviate my toddlers temptation by snaffling all the chocolate in the house she is being given, and yet there is still enough sugar in her goody box to fuel Santa's sleigh tonight. Turkey is a given this week... wouldn't be Christmas without it! So what's cooking?

Christmas Eve - a fajita bonanza.... it's going to be very messy with Grace in full control of loading her fajitas, so looking forward to our Christmas Eve tradition!

Christmas Day - turkey (of course) with all the trimmings. I'd be a fool not to!

Boxing Day - turkey, sausage and cranberry casserole - done in the slow cooker so I can sit back and enjoy with the in-laws.... hopefully!

27th - a day of rest while I ship Matt the Husband off to work and sit back and have a duvet day with Grace enjoying some of her presents. We're dining on pasta carbonara and garlic ciabatta crafted with my very own hands. Mmmmm.

28th - we're heading off to my cousin Christina's for the day so I'm sure we'll be feasting on a delightful menu painstakingly prepared by my aunty Mina, with a twist of the Greek heritage.

29th - traditional Hungarian goulash, a real belly warmer.

30th - stew and dumplings... haven't you noticed my love of anything comforting at this time of year?

So that's it. Christmas is on the doorstep, New Years Day is around the corner AND summer is on it's way! Hurrah!!! Yep, the shortest day has been and gone so I'm dusing off my flip flops and getting in the mood for better weather. Merry Christmas everyone!

Chin chin!

Hx

For more meal time inspiration, head on over to Mrs M's page here

Meal Planning Monday (17/12/12)

It's been so long since I sat and thought about the week ahead - starting a new job is soooooo tiring! Anyway, here we are a month in, and I'm getting back on track for meal planning monday with Mrs M....

• Monday - chorizo and bean chili
• Tuesday - I'm being fed at a regional meeting so there's some pasta sauce in the freeze for the Husband and Grace.
• Wednesday - Mexican rice, ham and brocolli
• Thursday - Sausage, mash, peas and gravy
• Friday - Chickpea curry
• Saturday - Bacon & mushroom risotto
• Sunday - Sausage and three bean casserole (just realised we're having sausages twice this week but my thinking cap has been filed for the week so we'll just have to grin and bear it!!)

I'm most looking forward to the bacon and mushroom risotto this week as I haven't done it before. Grace likes all the ingredients, just be interesting to see what she makes of it all thrown together in a dish!

What are you planning this week?

Meal Planning Monday

As you might have noticed I've hit the wall one way or another and it feels like ages since I've sat and thought about what our family will be eating in the week to come. Lacking the inclination to really take the bit between my teeth, I'm planning on keeping it simple:

Monday: mushroom risotto with a jamaican jerk kick

Tuesday: spagetti carbonarra

Wednesday: beans on toast - a cheat night as Grace will have had 3 square meals at nursery and I'm working in Newcastle and Manchester this week so time is short (as I'm sure by Wednesday will be patience and energy to cook!)

Thursday: brown rice with pork and vegetable ragu

Friday: sausage, egg, chips and beans... good old fashioned home comfort with a dollop of ketchup for good measure. I'm looking forward to this one the most!

Remember to head on over to Mrs M for some real culinary inspiration...

Meal Planning Monday

It's been a long time stranger! Not had much time for meal planning lately, too busy running around after toddler Grace but relaxing with my feet up after Party in the Park in Leeds yesterday, I'm pondering this weeks meals (quickly) so here it is...

Monday - leftover meatballs, pasta and brocolli

Tuesday - rice and veggies

Wednesday - beans on toast (Grace is in nursery wednesday so after two cooked meals already, this is enough!)

Thursday - leak and ham pasta

Friday - lentil curry with rice (and a batch for the freezer)

I haven't got as far as thinking about the weekend. I think we're home but can't remember without stretching for my organiser so will be ad libbing it for meals this weekend!

Ciao for now... and remember to head on over to Mrs M to see what's on the menu over there.

Meal Planning Monday (7/5/12)

Better late than never, I'm linking up with Mrs M again with her meal planning Monday linky. Not that I've given this weeks eats much thought so fingers crossed Grace and Matt the Husband forgive this lacklustre effort (and hopefully you will excuse me too!)

Monday: Mummy's lasagne bumped from last week made special with a dash of worcester sauce and a teaspoon of marmite. Mmmm. Love it or hate it!

Tuesday: leftover lasagne for Grace and me... the Husband is away in the Big Smoke. I'm determined Grace will learn to love pasta with tomato based sauces - at the moment she turns her nose up nine times out of ten.

Wednesday: quick rice, basmati tossed with whatever vegetables are in the fridge begging to be used.

Thursday: Beans on toast with an egg on the side. Quick and easy after work on the day Grace is tiredest after being in childcare for three days on the trot.

Friday: Carrot and chickpea curry with rice. Low GL, tasty and filling.

As for the weekend, we have plans so I'm leaving that open... Must dash, food to cook, treats to eat!

Ciao for now x

Meal Planning Monday (30/4/12)

I'm pretty impressed with myself this week - for acutally sticking with the meal plan. That must be a first in a long time. There's usually at least one day where I look at the menu and think to myself, nah, not having that. Well this week I am hoping to stick to plan as well... two weeks running is half way to a habit in my book.

Monday - leftover lentil 'n' veg chilli from last week and rice (Grace wasn't keen so I whizzed hers with the blender as she scoffed the lot once the lumps had gone!)

Tuesday - Spaghetti bolognese with lots of veg. Slimming world advise a third of the plate is fresh veg so this will be rammed to the rafters with just about anything I can find in the fridge.

Wednesday - Ham, mushroom and tomato omelette (I'm working in Newcastle so I'll be grateful for something super speedy when I walk in the door).

Thursday - Quick pasta - sauce will be a concoction of whatever is looking ready to roll over and die in the fridge...

Friday - Cottage Pie with green beans and probably a moat of gravy. I batch cooked this a while ago and it's in the freezer, so compliance on Friday will be down to remembering to get it out Thursday night!

Saturday - me and Matt the Husband are off to see a band in Leeds so we will be popping into one of two favourite cafe's for supper. A fantastic little noodle bar near the station where you sit at the counter and watch them cook, or the middle eastern cafe up near the Leeds Grand Theatre. Either will do me, both will blow the syn count!

Sunday - Mummy's special lasagne, taken from a recipe book bought thoughfully for Mother's Day this year. I LOVE lasagne, so looking forward to this meal the most I think.

Grace should tuck into all of these meals with gusto. And I think the only thing we're cooking with a syn count is the white sauce for the lasagne on Sunday. Not bad going.

Remember to head on over to Mrs M to see what she's got going on in the kitchen this week...

Chow for now...

Meal Planning Monday (16/4/12)

Back this week again linking up with Mrs M for Meal Planning Monday. Our food this week will be a rushed affair as I haven't had time to give it much thought since the weekend saw us housesitting four unruly dogs in the wilds of Yorkshire and I'm left feeling in need or a spa holiday or some other such relaxation extravagance. Fat chance.... next weekend will see us descending on the Aged P's in Norfolk, hence the four day week.

Monday: Shepherds pie

Tuesday: Italian bean stew
Wednesday: Chicken and veg risotto
Thursday: Quick pasta

Grace has been a particularly picky with her food this week, spitting out the carrots, picking out the green peppers, and reaching over to my plate to steal the kidney beans. Fickle child. Let's see what this week holds...

Meal Planning Monday (9/4/12)

Unable to curb the urge any longer I am jumping on the Meal Planning Monday linky hosted by Mrs M over at at home with Mrs M and with any luck it will see me being a little more motivated in the kitchen. With over a week to go until pay day, dining this week will be a frugal affair as I make the best of the stock in the cupboard and cobble together whatever I can dig out of the freezer. Friday and Saturday will see me foraging in someone elses cupboards as we find ourselves house sitting over at the Scanlons while they head off for the wedding of the year.

Monday: bacon and root vegetable stew

Tuesday: chickpea curry

Wednesday: jacket potato with chilli con carne

Thursday: quick pasta

Friday: ???

Saturday: ???

Sunday: roast gammon with onion sauce

I'm only working two days this week so I'll take leftover stew for lunches. I do love a good soup! Grace is just about getting to grips with liquid on a spoon so soup is a good option for us at the moment, filling, cheap and healthy. Bonza!