Meal Planning Monday - 15 April 2013

Welcome to another Monday. I'm just going to gloss over the fact that my Meal Planning posts are a little sporadic lately. You can rest assured I am eating, it's just that blogging is taking a bit of a back seat to everything else that is going on lately. I spend so many hours looking at a PC writing for other people's sites that there are occasions when writing for my own is simply not fun.

Here is what I have on the menu

Slow cooker beef and veg stew with cauliflower mustard mash

Chicken and mushroom pasta with roasted vegetable sauce (Ok, I confess... Asda fresh pasta and sauce!)

Chicken breast roasted with tomatoes & served with wilted spinach

Quorn stir fry with egg noodles

Brown soda bread, egg white omelet, ham and spinach

Crumpets, Quorn sausages, baked beans, crumpets, 2 x egg whites

Quorn shepherd's pie with butternut mash

If you haven't guessed by the omission of egg yolks and significant quantities of Quorn, I am trying to shift a few kilos (plus I had a lot of Quorn in the freezer from when it was 3 for £5 last month) 

I have to tell you about my favourite new food find this week: Rankin's Brown Soda Bread. Man, this stuff is delicious. All nutty and substantial, and really delicious with savoury or sweet toppings.

My other favourite foodie find this week is A Tasty Love Story.  It's written by a Danish woman and I like it as much for the photographs and styling as I do for the recipes. This recipe for Baked Breakfast Bars is on my list of new things to bake

Have a great week! Remember to hook up with Mrs M's linky and check out more Meal Planning Monday posts. 

Meal Planning Monday - 11 March 2013

Whoops, I missed a week there, didn't I? I didn't feel like meal planning last week, but I can be rebellious like that sometimes. Rock 'n' roll. This week's plan is full of cheap healthy food because I spent the weekend in Paris eating mainly meat, cream and cakes. It was an amazing few days that involved things like this...

...and this

... and a little bit of this

This week we're having:

Slow cooker soft tacos with Quorn mince and quinoa (nicer than it sounds)

Pea and ham soup

Pot roast beef with all the trimmings

Quorn and crunchy veg stir fry

Quorn mince cottage pie with cauliflower and butternut mash

Spinach soup or risotto, depending on how I feel

The avoidance of meat and fatty foods is a deliberated attempt to give my digestive system a break. 

For more meal planning posts click on the picture at the top and go to Mrs M's linky.

Have a great week. 

Meal Planning Monday - 18 February 2013

Phew, bit late in the day to be posting considering I've already eaten dinner but Monday night is better than Tuesday, right?

Last week's meal plan was a success and I really enjoying trying the new recipes people have pinned on the shared Pinterest board. I even made pasta for the first time and it though it was hard work it wasn't difficult.

This week's menu is a little easier to plan because I am Bzzing Maggi So Juicy products at thee moment. It's the first campaign I've done and I was a little sceptical since I am not a big one for packaged spice mixes (with the exception of taco/fajita seasoning). So far I have tried Tuscan Sausage one (with a tin of tomatoes and some water in the slow cooker), Mexican Chicken which was a even with my "no sauce" eating oldest (served with Mexican rice and wraps), and Sticky BBQ which I cooked with pork because even I can't eat chicken every night of the week. So yes, I would buy these to keep in the cupboard for those nights when you can't be bothered but don't want takeaway. 

This week's meal plan is

Sausage Casserole (see above)

Quorn Shepherds Pie with Sweet Potato and cheese Topping

Maggi So Juicy Mixed Herbs for Chicken with Smashed Potatoes

Sweet and Sour Chicken with boiled rice

Savoury Mince and Veg in Giant Yorkshire Pudding

Sweet Chilli Burgers

There was a special on Quorn mince this week so between that, the Maggi sachets and the chicken breast I had in the freezer I am pretty much covered this week.

I have been busy pinning to my Sweet Tooth board. I was hoping to attend my first Clandestine Cake Club meeting but the dates have changed and I'll be away (in Paris, so I'm not complaining!) and it's my birthday next month so I am searching for something really decadent and birthday-worthy to make.

Fudge is one of my favourite things to eat but the one time I tried to make it I failed dismally. It didn't set and I ended up up warming it and serving over ice cream. This time I definitely simmered and stirred for 15 minutes but it's still kind of soft. Does anyone have any tips for successful fudge?

Remember to check out Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday linky for more meal planning posts and let me know if you have any special cake/pudding suggestions. 

Have a great week.