Menu Plan

[mama_bel]

I love to menu plan. Honestly, I enjoy it. I look at what ingredients I have at hand (fridge, freezer, pantry, garden) and plan for a week at a time. I get my shopping list from what I don't have for the menu.

I write it up on our family to-do page sometime before Monday morning. I then post it to my cooking blog (http://belcooks.blogspot.com/). I know, I know, but I told you I enjoy it! :wink2

I'm just sitting down to plan this week's menu and wondered how many of you are also menu planning regularly? I'll be back later to post mine...

[Merlion]

oh god i miss this thread it was my salvation when i had no idea what to cook for the day

[marmee]

I'm here again!

This week :

MON - Baked potatoes pumpkin and sweet potatoes, and a cheesy vege bake (spinach, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower) - been to the markets today - cheese sauce in TMX (yummo)
TUES - Shepherd's Pie (TMX) and salad
WED - Spinach and pumpkin quiche and salad
THURS - Spag Bog (TMX)

That's as far as I have this week :)

[bubbalove]

Saturday- Tuna and lemon fish cakes
Sunday - pumpkin and bacon pasta
Monday - spag bol
Tues - veggie stew and rice
Wed - savoury mince
Thurs - fried rice
Fri - eggs of some sort - quiche, scrambed, boiled: will see what the kids feel like

I love menu planning too! I just feel much more organied, and as it is,I don't get in the door until after 5pm, dinner at 6pm, kids in shower at 7pm... I have to be organised!!

[Joey]

I am hopeless with it lol. I like the idea of it but still at 3pm or thereabouts everyday I start wondering what to cook- and often ducking out to the shops. I must get it together.

[littlemissnaughty]

Yes I menu plan, but a bit swaped with study lately so just letting DH work it out. Blows the budget a bit.

[Eilleen]

5 meals this week:

Spaghetti
Patis Manok (Filipino chicken dish consisting of chicken, ginger, fish sauce, water and leafy greens)
Roast chicken
Roast lamb
BBQ

The ingredients/leftovers for all the above will also be made into:
Chicken rissoto
Meat pies

Look forward to reading everyone elses!

[ali_celt]

You know I was thinking the other day that I don't menu plan, because I never write anything down, nor do i really shop to a list.

But having said that - I think I tend to carry it in my head. Because I never ever rush out to the shops in the afternoon in a panic.

I like going to the stupidmarket and buying meat on special, doubling up tins of things on special, and pottering around with other bits n pieces. I rarely ever impulse buy stuff that we won't use OR stuff that's treat food, coz I know the budget won't cover it.

I think that I shop with our basic menu in my head, and work around the few basic dishes we always have, depending on what meat is a good bargain that week.

It has gotten a little more complicated lately with some of the dietary changes we have made but it's not too bad.

This week will no doubt go something like this - rice and steamed veg tomorrow (coz we had chicken tonight and I don't like to eat meat every night).

Tues - GF sausages, mash and steamed veg.
Wed - Something with veg and lentils etc, probably involving corn chips (possibly the baked beans I made last week - see preserving blog for info LOL)
Thurs - crap night for cooking as DH is home too and somehow nothing ever gets done then so probably rice and veg again with some salmon or tuna
Fri - something chicken, depends on the weather. LOL Quite liked baked chicken thighs in the homemade chinese plum sauce i preserved last year (veg and rice vermicelli, i reckon!)
Sat - I wanna play with polenta on Sat, fry some up and see how it goes. again! with the veg sides LOL
Sun - hrm. I'm thinking.... GF snags again.

I have all these things in the fridge. Will need to buy more broccolli but that's it.

We kinda eat plain in this house, as DH is very much a plain meat and 3 veg bloke. Master 6 likes everything separate on his plate thankyou very much and hates sauces. Master 5 is a carbohydrate king which is why it sucks so much for him to be GF right now. Master 14 will eat almost anything but still tries to avoid his broccolli. And my nickname is garbage guts.

[mama_bel]

I love how you can use your leftovers for meals, Eilleen. We eat ours for lunch.

Monday - Potato Bake (slow cooker), boiled eggs (TM), salads
Tuesday - Curry (TM), rice, dessert (fruit and TM custard)
Wednesday - Corn Chowder (TM), bread rolls (TM), dessert (TM mango ice-cream)
Thursday - Pasta with mushroom sauce (TM), steamed vegetables (TM)
Friday - Omelette with potatoes (TM), salad
Saturday - stir-fry (TM) & rice
Sunday - Black bean patties, sauce (TM), salad (TM), flat bread

Other cooking and baking - brownies (TM), rice milk (TM), butter (TM) etc

* TM means using the Thermomix to prepare/cook that item

[Stardust]

I hear you on the food issues Ali!
I love menu plans. Makes life so much easier.
Am still working on this weeks but so far
MON Sausages and mash
TUES Pasta
WED Chicken wings and fried rice
THURS Spring rolls
FRI Casserole

Ah Bel, your food always sounds so yummy!

[Merlion]

not too sure what days these relate to but here is menus

tuna mornay (possibly tomorrow)
meatloaf
spag bolganiese
lasagne with leftover pasta sauce
chicken curry and rice

[Aine]

i need need need this to help me with inspiration

[mama_bel]

You can do it, Mon. What's on the menu there this week? Thinking up meals each day is my nightmare, that's why I menu plan. So, totally worth it! :)

[Aine]

well so far we have lasanga and spag bol friday night is pizza night sat is homemade yiros so they are taken care of. I have sound a nice chick pea burger that i want to try and a pumpkin spinach ans ricotta bake but that will just be for me as im the only one that likes pumpkin....

[Merlion]

okay tuna mornay is made and all that needs to be done is chucked in the oven.

meatloaf is tomorrow.
sat: pizza

[michelle_j_r]

i am just starting to menu plan again now that we are back in a house and not living out the back of a cafe with free food!!! LOL!

I am also keeping a diary of what i have cooked so i can refer back to it for a re-run of manu ideas.

[mama_bel]

Yay! I am so glad you're all joining me. I had a busy afternoon so we're doing TMX mashed potato instead of slow cooked potato bake. Oh well, better for my hips! :p

[SeaStar]

yes, I need to get back into this too, I am on a weight loss mission again and am trying to avoid starchy carbs for dinner. I will have a think tonight while I am at work I need protein and veg meals and being vegetarian I have fallen into the trap of too much rice, pasta and bread to fill up on. I am limited to one serve of carb at breakfast and lunch only, should be interesting!

[emd]

Right, this is my menu plan for the rest of this week:
Tuesday: Leftover vege lasagne from last weekend's family reunion.
Wednesday: partner is cooking - bet he cooks a piece of meat and nothing else. So I'll do some quick salad on the side, and a cheese sandwich for me.
Thursday: Noodle and vegie stir fry
Friday: vegie and pasta bake

[SeaStar]

Here is mine:

tues - veg sausages with salad and light fetta,
wed - Tofu with Bok choy, carrot and beans in Garlic.
Thurs - Four bean salad.
Fri - curry with chickpeas and veggies.
Sat - lentil patties with salad.
Sun - Roast Tofu, pumpkin, red capsicum, spanish onion and Tomato.

[mama_bel]

Yum, I'm coming to eat at your place SeaStar! We had a lentil/chickpea/veg curry tonight. It's a Thermomix recipe from the Budget Busters booklet and the whole thing is done in under 20 mins. Cooking time is 16 mins - it's amazing! I made it early and kept it in the Thermoserver. Immi cooked some rice and green veg whilst I was milking. Love it!

[SeaStar]

Yummy Bel, its lovely having helpers in the kitchen! My Imogen is always around in preperation aswell.

[mama_bel]

My Imogen is 13, so can make whole meals herself now. :) Yeh, it sure beats cooking all by myself all the time!

[Merlion]

oops beef caserole and mashed potatoes today

[Nyree]

sat is homemade yiros

Mmmmm....haven't done those for aaaaaaaaaages. Thanks for the inspiration :)

Our local market has Australian green prawns for $6.99/kg tomorrow only, so I think I'll be heading down early to grab some. Might re-create the marinara I made the other night - homemade pasta & all ;) (bread & garlic butter made totally from scratch, too - :wub TMX)

[mama_bel]

Oooh, I was heading to SeaStar's to eat, but I might have to go further and eat at Ny's instead. Yummy!

[Hailstorm]

:2lol Bel you're such a dinner floozy!!

I totally SUCK at menu planning, like really really suck, whenever I write up a plan majority of the time I don't feel like eating what I'vwe had planned for the day and this week Veg went to the market so I'm not sure what's in the freezer,it's like a lucky dip :rofl tonight I'm gonna make Shephard's pie provided I can rope someone into getting me some frozen peas and corn :2lol

Tomorrow will be steak and vegies I reckon :2lol see told ya I suck.

[mama_bel]

It's okay, Kyls, it's not for everyone. Sometimes I don't feel like having what's on the menu so we swap meals with another day. It just fits that I menu plan, shopping list, shop and that's it for thinking about food for a week, yk?

[Pinky]

I did this for two weeks and really liked it.. but haven't done it since.

I should get back on it.

[Hailstorm]

Here's the perfect oppurtunity Pinky!!

[SeaStar]

Mon - pumpkin and leek fritatta with salad.
Tues - Basil and zuchinni soup.
Wed - Shepherd bean pie.
Thurs - Soya burger patties with salad.
Fri - Red lentil stew.
Sat Yellow curry Tofu and veg.
Sun - Beetroot and chickpea salad.

[mama_bel]

We're having a busy, busy week so I kept it as simple as possible this week...

Mon - steamed potatoes, eggs, salads
Tue - quick curry & rice
Wed - baked beans/eggs on toast (or something)
Thu - pasta & broccoli sauce, tomato salad
Fri - homemade pizzas
Sat - eat out at festival
Sun - no idea!

[SeaStar]

Ooh I want to eat out at festival!!

[Sam]

I really need to get back to planning our meals. I used to be oh so organised, don't know exactly where I fell off that wagon!!

I might just set myself a goal to plan for the next week using up whatever we have in the fridge/freezer/pantry and not buy anything else. We're going away so I don't really like to leave perishables to go off while we're away.

Stay tuned...

[mama_bel]

Go Sam! You taught me, remember? Your files are still downloadable from my blog!

At the festival I'm 99% sure I'll have Hare Krishna for tea. YUMMO, I look forward to it at any festivals or concerts I go to. If I'm lucky I'll have it Friday and Sunday nights too, but not sure what the other 10 people who'll be in the house this week want to do yet!

[mumofmany]

I love menu planning - and do it weekly.
Here's ours for the week

THURS - spinach, mushroom & pine nut baked risotto
FRI - quick chicken curry
SAT - pasta w/- spicy meatballs & tomato
SUN - grilled rump & salad
MON - egg & vegie stir-fry
TUES - bacon, lentil & tomato soup
WED - grilled chicken & steamed vegies

What festival are you going to Bel? I love Hare Krishna food!

[mama_bel]

I'm going to the Yungaburra Folk Festival - west of Cairns in Far Nth Qld. It's near where I live. :)

I'm also going out for Chinese on Friday night whilst my sisters (who are visiting for a few nights) take care of the kids. We never get babysitters, I'm so excited!

[Moneypenny]

I thought I would revive this thread because I need to get WAY more organised with meals. I found something that ex-h was good for and that was giving me a break to get the meals done

So, this week
m - Meatballs and pasta (throw in some blended veges and beans ;))
t - Derby night Toasted sandwiches
w - Tuna mornay
t- Sausages and veg with pasta
f - Spag bog and veg
s- ex-h to cook (so that means takeaway prob)
s- home pizza

Extras for shopping list
Sausages, pineapple, tomato paste, pizza bases

[lizlea]

excellent S! I will be back once the kidlets are off to school

[cherish]

the kids and I sat down this morning to plan..

m- homemade salad hamburgers
t - chicken and vegie risotto
w - at their dads
t- chicken and vegies
f - homemade pizza (and movie night)
s - with their dad
s- pasta- spag probably

so I have mostly everything I need- except fruit and vegies.. and pizza base.. and buns for burgers tonight.. easy!

[cass]

I use this (Word) document. I print out one each week and put it on my fridge. Then I scribble and make notes over it as needed.
I usually put the new one on the fridge about Thursday/Friday, so there is mostly always two up there.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASLuQwf2LvI4ZGNxbXB2cTRfMzZmbjVqZ2JnNw&hl=en


It is handy because it allows my hubby to help out easily. E.g. I had written 'Cornmeat and roast veges for Sunday lunch', and then scrawled the ingredients out underneath...My husband went out to buy the meat on Saturday, and he was able to write his own list of the other ingredient.

I don't fill in all the cells either.
E.g. Breakfast throughout the week just has a big cross through it (cereal and toast don't need writing down), but on the weekends my husband does a cook up, so I make sure I have written it in, to get the ingredients.

[emd]

I don't plan what to have on specific nights, I just have a general plan for what meals we can do for the week and then decide on the day which one we're having. Based on what I feel like doing, or what is about to go off if it's not cooked up.
To make it trickier this week, I'm refusing to food shop. So we have to get by with what's already in the house. And we can't afford to eat take-away.

This week's dinners til Sat night:
Curried eggplant with quinoa and poppadums
Pizza (home made base)
Goat and vegie casserole for the omnivores, toasted sandwich for the herbivore
Lamb sausage and chips for the omnivores, asparagus with poached egg for the herbivore
Vegie lasagne with multigrain tortillas instead of lasagne sheets
Teriyaki vegie stir-fry with noodles and prawn crackers

[mama_bel]

Same, Em, my food shop for the week was $1.69. We have fresh milk daily, if we run outta bread someone has to bake it. :) I'm not buying any food until next Monday.

Monday: Slow cooked mexe bean bake, corn chips, salad
Tuesday: mashed potato, boiled eggs, green salad, coleslaw, beetroot salad
Wednesday: Coconut chicken & rice
Thursday: Pasta, steamed vegies, bechemel sauce
Friday: Butter chicken, rice, steamed greens
Saturday: Pasta, tomato-based sauce, side salad
Sunday: Slow cooked potato bake with either steamed veg or salad, depends what's left

So we're having chicken twice, which is really rare here! And using the slow cooker twice this week. The Dad's working nights, so the whole cow/bath/dinner/cleanup etc early evening thing is my responsibility... Sigh.

Baking will be buttermilk scones, snacks for The Dad to take to work...

[mama_bel]

Okay, I did cave and buy some cheese (bulk - I grate and freeze) and some fruit, so I spent more than $1.69 on groceries! But I'm still on a use-it-up quest, so we'll see what this week brings. I need potatoes. Other than that I'm not sure...

Monday: vegie curry, rice, broccolini and dessert (yoghurt & fruit)
Tuesday: zucchini slice with salads
Wednesday: baked beans on toast, eggs etc
Thursday: pasta with tomato/vegetable/lentil sauce
Friday: stir fried vegies with rice
Saturday: tuna patties, boiled eggs, salads
Sunday: soup, bread rolls, dessert

Baking will be buttermilk scones we forgot last week (there was a butter cake instead), and something for Thursday's outing...

[mama_bel]

Am I in here on my own?

Monday: stir fried veg and rice
Tuesday: pasta & mushroom sauce (tmx) with steamed vegies
Wednesday: slow cooked mexe bake with salad
Thursday: mashed potato, boiled eggs, salads
Friday: tuna patties, boiled eggs, salads (missed last week)
Saturday: BBQ - out
Sunday: curried lentils and veg, rice, yoghurt, steamed vegies

Baking: unsure... Immi wants to make bikkies.

[boy wrangler]

Hi! You're not here on your own, I've just discovered IP, but love menu planning! Makes life (and shopping) so much easier!

We've only got a short week this week because we're going away for the weekend, so only have to plan up until Thursday. So our week looks like this:

Mon - slow cooker beef casserole
Tue - slow cooker veg and lentil curry
Wed - slow cooker lamb shanks
Thur - meatball pasta

I'm trying to use up all the wintery, long cook cuts of meat that are left in the freezer so that over summer we can use the bbq more and not heat the house up cooking inside. also, i love my slow cooker! bel, how do you do potato bake in the slow cooker? sounds interesting!
We have lots of veg as a side dish every night because DS1 (2.5) would much rather eat his veg separately then all mixed up. So the curry will have veg in it, as well as some steamed veg on the side!

I used to have a "control journal" fly lady style, and every week I'd print out a page similar to cass's but since the move we haven't connected our printer up so I've got a little exercise note book type thing that I use every week. The problem with the book is that it sometimes goes missing and then I'm in a panic!

[marmee]

Am I in here on my own?




Nup! I am baaaaaaack!

Monday : Spaghetti Bolognaise (made with lentils, not mince) and garlic bread and green salad
Tuesday : Moroccan Lamb (Thermomix) with couscous (rice for the wheat-free) and pappadums
Wednesday : Steak diannes with mashed sweet potato (TMX style - yum!) and huge salad - lettuce, red cap, mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, tomatoes, cucumber, alfalfa
Thursday : Mushroom and Asparagus risotto (TMX) with green salad
Friday : Tacos - make your own
Saturday : I want to do a curry - off to the TMX thread....

[michelle_j_r]

i did a curry the other night in the TMX, just a potato and spinach and chickpea curry. Was nice.

[marmee]

Excellent! can you whisk on over to the TMX thread now :)

[bugboy]

I have to say I was using this thread even before I reintroed myself on IP. Thanks to your inspiration Bel I have been doing a monthly meal plan and not only has it saved me $$$ but evenings are SO less stressful......now all I need is a TMX :2lol
Will be back to post my meal plan when the next one starts. :)

[mama_bel]

Oooh, I'm still planning, even when I don't post here or on the blog...

Mon: pasta & tomato based sauce (sauce in tmx) & steamed veg
Tue: mashed potato (tmx), boiled eggs, salads
Wed: slow cooker pasta bake, salad (mama out - take a plate - ummmm?)
Thu: stir fried veg (tmx), eggs (varoma - tmx) with rice
Fri: potato/veg pie (filling tmx) & steamed carrots & greens (varoma - tmx)
Sat: homemade pizzas (base dough tmx)
Sun: roast veg, salads (tmx)

[marmee]

OK - here we go again,,

Mon : Make your own salad - lettuce, tomoatoes, boiled eggs, beetroot, cheese, carrots, mushrooms, 4 beans, cucumber, red capsicum, bread rolls, homemade mayonnaise

Tues : Apricot chicken TMX style

Wed : BBQ, salad and BBQ potatoes

Thurs : Curried sausages and rice

Fri : Tacos

Sat : Taking sandwiches out to the soccer

Sun : Haven't got that far yet :)

[mama_bel]

I'm still planning every single week...

Mon: pasta & white sauce & veg
Tue: mashed potato, boiled eggs, salads
Wed: stir fry & rice
Thu: BBQ - rissoles for some, fish for others & salads
Fri: slow cooked mexe bake, salad, chips, sour cream etc
Sat: roast veg & salad
Sun: pasta & tomato-based sauce

[marmee]

Bel - can I have the slow cooked mexi bake recipe? Sounds perfect for my son's 9th birthday. I want to feed about 14 people though....

[mama_bel]

It'd feed 14 if you had plenty of other stuff for 'on the side'. What you do is just layer mexe beans (or chili con carne) with mountain bread and cheese. About as 'wet' as you'd make a lasagne. You can do 2 layers of mountain bread with some cheese "glue" in between because one piece seems to go soggy and disappear. So: beans, bread, cheese, bread, beans, bread, cheese, bread, etc - as many layers as you can to fill up the slow cooker. Cook till it's done, turn to Keep Warm. Serve with corn chips, salad, avocado, sour cream, etc.

Sorry I don't have a recipe. I make the mexe beans using the chili con carne recipe in the EDC but with double the kidney beans and no mince. I used to use tinned Chili Beans (Amy's Organics) and also baked beans.

I love slow cooker recipes, totally take the pressure off that milking/bathing/washing-in busy time of day.

[marmee]

Thanks, Bel. So - not cheese sauce, just cheese? Sounds very easy. Will give it a test run before birthday.

[mama_bel]

Yeh, just grated cheddar. Or if I want to use less cheese, I put some parmesan in there as it has a stronger flavour but less oily when it melts. I've also used ricotta. Basically anything goes. :) I also put grated veg in the beans mix - carrot, zucchini, choko, eggplant - whatever needs using up. But the beans mix is wet enough to not need cheese sauce, just grated cheese is fine.

[michelle_j_r]

i also still menu plan in some form every week but just never seem to get around to posting it.

this week was something like-
* quiche
* leftover quiche!
* homemade vegetable pasta sauce but with quinoa instead of pasta.
* vegetable udon stirfry with cashews
* olive, tomato, pesto pasta thing
* the ever versitile TMX 'salami and tomato fetticine' recipe but with made with totally different stuff- the vege cream sauce and then fresh yellow butter beans, freekah & rice
* baked vegies and homemade potato and sweet potato chips (with a great batter that i have never used before)

i think tomorrow we will do another quiche cos i just have so many eggs and it's so yummy and easy to make the pastry and the filling in the TMX.
Then i'll do a pumpkin and pinenut pasta cos i have lots of pumpkin to use up.
Then i'm going to create something with steamed vegies and quinoa i think (will look for a recipe or inspiration)

[bugboy]

I need to sit down and do this again sometime today. Trying to do a monthly plan that is flexible (IYKWIM) as it saves us so much money. Will try and get back to it after the other 5 billion things I need to do :2lol

[marmee]

Whoops! Missed coming in this week!

Monday : Baked fish, baked potatoes and salad
Tuesday : Beef Rendang (TMX) with rice
Wednesday : Chicken drumsticks with salad and fried rice
Thursday : Veal tortellini in a creamy basil & sundried tomato sauce
Friday : Homemade hamburgers and chips - all the trimmings
Saturday : Going out
Sunday : get it yourself :)

[lizlea]

oooh! I am back to planning with a big focus on using up what we have and not wasting anything. So this week was/is:

Mon - Chicken rissoles, mashed potato, corn, peas, carrot, apple relish
Tue - Caesar salad
Wed - BBQ - steak, sausages, coleslaw, green salad
Thu - Salmon and rice loaf, corn, salad
Fri - Green chicken curry and rice
Sat - Risotto stuffed zucchini, corn, salad

[marmee]

Liz - do you make your own curry base for the green chicken curry, or a store bought? Either way - I want to know what you use!!!

[lizlea]

we use a store bought one either "Ayam" brand or "Valcom" brand. Both are really good, just depends on what the shop has, which is cheaper etc. Follow the recipe on the bottle and add whatever veg - we usually use zucchini and frozen peas. Really really yum! Mind you, only my 13 year old likes it (and she loves it), I cook plain chicken, rice and veg for the younger two.

[lizlea]

btw, not really a meal thing but I just made muesli bars with the idea of trying them out as a school lunchbox thing. And they are YUM!!! Recipe from the simple savings book but I modified for what I had.

[michelle_j_r]

i'd love to make muesli bars! share, please!

[marmee]

Yes - please...share the muesli bar recipe now!! Just become my personal recipe book please :)

And thanks for the green curry tip. I will give that a go. I tried one once and it was horrible. Bought the paste and used my own recipe. Will buy your brands and follow thier recipe next time :)

[Stardust]

Fri-Roast with vegies
Sat-? Supposed to be away but up in air now
Sun-Same as sat
Mon-Pasta/lasagne
Tues-Eggs, salad
Wed-Chicken wings
Thurs-Roast carrot and garlic pasta
Fri-Chicken and mayo salad

[mama_bel]

I made the cup-a-soup mix from the SS book, with some alterations, and the kids liked it. We have them when camping usually, even though they're blah. I get some from the organic supplier, but they're still a bit blah. At least I know what's in this mix!

I'm trying to hard to use everything up in our fridge and pantry. There's bits and pieces of everything in there! I have a big pot of pasta sauce on the stove - grated vegies, tomatoes, lentils etc. Smells good!

[marmee]

YUM! Dinner was yum tonight :)

[lizlea]

ok, muesli bars:


1 1/2 cups rolled oats (recipe says use toasted muesli, but I just used rolled oats)
2 1/2 cups rice bubbles
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup crushed nuts (any)
125g butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup choc chips (optional)

Mix oats, rice bubbles, coconut and nuts in bowl. Put butter, honey, peanut butter and sugar in saucepan and stir over low heat until melted. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. Pour melted ingredients into dry ones. Leave to cool at least 20 minutes then stir through the choc chips. Mix well. Spread into lined baking tray (around 28cm x 36cm). Pack in tightly and smooth surface. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars. Keep in fridge up to 3 weeks.
(recipe from The $21 challenge book).

[mama_bel]

How do you think they'd go as lunchbox fare, rather than in the fridge, Liz?

Pasta sauce was nice, we had it on rice. Our menu's mixed up this week, but looks a bit like this:

Mon: TMX curry, rice, steamed green beans
Tue: TMX creamy tomato/mushroom fettucini with steamed veg
Wed: leftover buffet ;)
Thu: veg/lentil sauce on rice (TODAY)
Fri: TMX gnocchi & ? sauce
Sat: homemade pizzas using this base recipe (http://belindamoore.com/pizza-bases/)
Sun: falafel, TMX hommus, salad, flat breads, etc
Mon: udon noodle omelettes & stir fried veg
Tue: mashed potatoes, boiled eggs, salads

[mama_bel]

The week ahead...

Mon: udon noodle omelettes & stir fried veg
Tue: mashed potatoes, boiled eggs, salads
Wed: quick curry & rice & yoghurt & steamed beans
Thu: zucchini slice (http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2008/08/zucchini-slice-vegetarian.html) & green salad with tomato
Fri: Gemuse Eintopf (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/06/gemuse-eintopf-one-pot-vegetable-meal.html), carrots, peas, tomato
Sat: tuna patties, boiled eggs, salads
Sun: BBQ meat (for some), potato bake (slow cooker), salads

Desserts: bananas & custard, yoghurt & berries.

Baking: muffins, bread rolls (lunch), snacks for Dad's lunchboxes

[marmee]

Us...

Tues : Crumbed chicken, corn cobs, mashed potatoe, carrots, broccoli
Wed : Friends over - BBQ, potato back, salad Dessert = strawberries and icecream
Thurs : Pasta carbonara (TMX- style)
Fri : Homemade pizzas (TMX bases - yummmmmmmmmm) - prawns, bacon, ham, tomatoes, pineapple, asparagus, chickpeas, mushrooms - whatever else we have sitting around - make it yourself
Sat : Rolls out to the open area cinema
Sun : TMX Mushroom risotto and salad

[Indigo]

Getting lots of inspiration here. We have been meal planning for a while but I've hit a rut and have been doing the same meals every week!

[mama_bel]

Our summer menu is boring, Indigo. I've been looking for new ideas too...

[Indigo]

Our summer menu is boring, Indigo. I've been looking for new ideas too...

DS has a wheat and dairy allergy, DH is a carnivore, I mostly eat vegetarian meals - so things are tricky!!

We have been having:

Scrambled eggs and organic baked beans on spelt
vegetable stirfries with tamari/honey on brown rice
Bean Enchiladas on corn wraps with salad
lentil curries with rice and coriander
bean & vege nachos (freedom foods organic corn chips) with salad and guacamole

we do these every week! once a week the kids have a meat meal - organic lamb chops & veges and DH and I will have a hot curry later on.

[lizlea]

Indigo all those things sound great! Maybe you could just find a few more meals and add them to the rotation so you have longer between each one? All the different restrictions in your family certainly make things tricky. What about pizza? Is there something you could use as a base without wheat? Then you could make a meat and a vego one.

[mama_bel]

We haven't had enchiladas or nachos for ages - good idea, Indigo!

Lately we eat:
various curries with rice (lentil, vegetable, chickpea, etc - very occasionally chicken for some)
pasta with lentil and veg sauce (very occasionally beef bolognaise sauce for some)
pasta with white/cheese sauce and veg
risottos
potatoes in their various forms with boiled eggs and salads
patties and salads (though it's been ages - should do patties again)
pizzas (homemade)
veg stirfry with or without egg and rice/noodles
flat bread and mexe beans in slow cooker (layered like lasagne) - could do in oven

We all eat fish (once every couple of weeks or less), most of the family eat our own chickens (roosters) about three times a year or I buy organic free range once or twice a year. We have biodynamic beef from time to time but only half the family eat beef. Otherwise our meals are vego, but do include dairy and/or eggs quite often (because we have our own cow and chickens!)

Lately I'm trying to include heaps of fruit and veg into our days - more fruit platters and vegie sticks and fruit salad and side dishes of vegies and/or salads. Especially fruit and veg we grow here!

[Indigo]

I love doing pizza, especially with fresh pineapple - we have oodles of basil and oregano ATM, the hard part is the cheese! The kids loathe goats cheese. They can handle 1 meal a week with a small amount of dairy so we might have a pizza night.

I've almost convinced DH that we need a thermomix!! I think it will save me so much time, as everything I've done in the past has been from scratch - wheat and gluten free bread/baking etc

mama bel patties are a great idea!! Would be a good way to get more fish into our diet...yaye some inspiration!!

[Phoenix]

Getting inspiration as I don't usually do a list for shopping or menu but now I am wanting to do this better so that I am more mindful of our waste.

[marmee]

Oh I wish I culd menu plan at the moment. With all the crap going on here, my planning is shot!

One day I will venture back in here - hopefully sooner rather than later ;-)

[mama_bel]

Monday: slow cooked homegrown chickens in sauce, rice, steamed homegrown vegies
Tuesday: mexe-bean (TMX) enchilada wraps, corn chips, salad, etc
Wednesday: mashed potato (TMX), boiled homegrown eggs, salads
Thursday: out - take-away
Friday: out - BBQ
Saturday: pasta with sauces from the freezer (previously made in TMX) - lentil bolognaise and beef bolognaise
Sunday: tuna patties, boiled eggs, salads (mashed potato for patties in TMX, boil eggs in TMX)

[Indigo]

hmmm I'm unorganised this week - so much going on!

So far:

Monday - Organic Chicken with coriander,lime and garlic saucey marinade, salad & brown rice DESERT! : Whizzed frozen banana (ice-cream) with raw 'ice magic' choc topping
Tuesday - Red Quinnoa, vege & tuna patties with salad
Weds - bean enchilada's with salad & cottage cheese

[Phoenix]

I have:
Monday- Steak
Tuesday- San Chow Bow
Wednesday- Roast lamb

[lizlea]

this week at our house:

- roast pork, roast vegies, apple sauce
- burritoes with red kidney beans and salad
- lemon chicken and potato bake and veg
- egg and bacon impossible pie and salad
- salmon lasagne, peas and corn
- bbq - steak, sausages, salads
- chicken cacciatore and vegies

[marmee]

OK - tonight I got off my butt and cooked the TMX Moroccan Lamb (we love it) with couscous for those of us who can have wheat and rice for our DD :)

Tomorrow night I am thinking spaghetti bolognaise - making up a big batch so I can freeze some to use on those days where cooking just seems so hard.

[mama_bel]

Busy week ahead and The Dad is on night shift...

Monday: vegetable curry (TMX) with rice and yoghurt and steamed broccoli
Tuesday: pumpkin soup (TMX), bread rolls (TMX dough), dessert (yoghurt & fruit)
Wednesday: making potato/corn/leek pies for LETS shared meal, taking the kids
Thursday: Vege lasagne & salad
Friday: gnocchi (TMX), simple tomato sauce, salad or steamed veg on the side, parmesan
Saturday: homemade pizzas (TMX dough)
Sunday: ? patties, boiled eggs, salads, flat bread

Baking etc: yoghurt, custard, muffins for Thu, cookies for snacks

[boy wrangler]

The plan for this week is:

Monday: spinach and zucchini quiche (making 2, one for us, one for a pg friend at playgroup who is going through horrid morning sickness)
Tuesday: pasta with sauce from the freezer
Wednesday: spicy chickpea ragout
Thursday: baked fish parcel with garlic, chilli, ginger, soy etc, steamed rice and veg
Friday: chilli con carne for DH and I after the boys are in bed. It's almost like date night!
Saturday: Pasta with lentil sauce
Sunday: BBQ

I also need to make ice cream, do some baking and make muesli.

[Indigo]

This week for us, busy week as DH is working away and I need to organise DD's birthday party for saturday (and make the food!)

Monday - Quinnoa/butternut/spinach/tuna patties with salad
Tuesday - Bean Nachos with guacamole & salad (freedom foods corn chips GM/gluten free)
Wednesday - Organic Chicken Stir Fry with veges, tamari, honey, garlic & brown rice
Thursday - Vege pasta with salad
Friday - Kids - organic lamb & veges DH and I: Spicy lentil curry with yogurt & coriander

Thats as far as i've got so far..

[marmee]

Monday - Quinnoa/butternut/spinach/tuna patties with salad


Sounds yum - got a recipe?

I have to get back into the groove...here is this week's so far...

MONDAY: Silverside with parsley sauce, baked pumpkin and potato and carrot, green beans and cob of corn
TUESDAY: Mango chicken with rice (cheat - a friend has made it and frozen it for me)
WEDNESDAY: Pasta bake with veges and tomato style sauce
THURSDAY: Spaghetti Bolognaise frozen

I am trying to freeze as much and as often as I can to help me through my current journey. When I can cook, I will cook. But I know that Tues and Thurs are going to be very draining and busy days - so freezer it is :)

[Rinelle]

Wow, people have such interesting and different menus! Ours are pretty boring and standard I must admit, but since I'm trying to get back into menu planning, I thought I'd come in here and write them down anyway.

Monday: Risoles (pre-made and frozen) and steamed mashed potato, peas, corn, carrots and pumpkin
Tuesday: Home made, gluten free pizza with bacon, cheese and pineapple
Wednesday: Stew made with leftover bbq sausages, and possibly some leftover stew, with peas, corn and carrots, probably served with mashed potato
Thursday: Scrambled eggs with bacon pieces
Friday: Rissoles and veg as above
Saturday: Stew as above
Sunday: Pancakes and jam

[mama_bel]

It's interesting to see the different things people eat, huh? Gives me some good ideas.

Marmee, I think you're doing great. I have gone through many freezer phases in my life. Since getting the TMX I don't use freezer meals so much 'cos I can make dinner so fast.

[Indigo]

Marmee I can give you a rough guideline for the patties, you can alter it depending on how many you are feeding, we are a family of four and this feeds us well.

1 cup red quinnoa, cooked
1 tin tuna
half a medium sized butternut cooked and mashed
chopped parsely
as much spinach/silverbeet as you like
sometimes I grate a zuccini in
garlic
salt and pepper to taste and sometimes a sprinkle of organic stock powder
1 egg
Mix all together, sometimes I add breadcrumbs into the mix, or roll in breadcrumbs of choice (we use brown rice crumbs by organ??)

My kids devour this! It's great because neither of them will eat raw spinach or cooked spinach for that matter, but they love these everytime!

We have this with a raw beetroot/carrot/feta salad.

[Indigo]

Forgot to add the weeks baking!

Spelt banana muffins
Raw bliss balls with dates & almonds...these are almost gone already :laugh

[mama_bel]

I'm feeling so uninspired this week...

Monday: stir fried veg, rice
Tuesday: pasta with sauce from the freezer (mama out)
Wednesday: patties, flat bread, salad
Thursday: curry, rice, yoghurt
Friday: chilli beans, flat bread, salad, etc
Saturday: pasta with cheese sauce, veg
Sunday: BBQ fish & salads

[Indigo]

I was feeling like that last week Bel, DH was away and it was a mission to prepare a nice meal by thurs/friday...

This week:
Monday - Tuna & Lentil Patties with Rainbow Salad
Tuesday - Bean Taco's with salad
Weds - Chicken Rice Wraps with salad and rice (DH is cooking! I am scared :laugh but very excited to have a night off!)
Thursday - Kids Baked Beans & eggs, us - spicy lentil curry
Friday - Bean Enchiladas with Salad
Saturday - Organic Chicken & vege stirfry with lots of snow peas from our garden!!
Sunday - Lime & black pepper fish, salad & crumbed zuccini

[Indigo]

Also baking for this week (I really need to do it now! otherwise DD will only have fruit & veg in her lunch box!!)

Spelt Bread, Brown Rice & Miso Sushi - for playgroup and big day on Weds, Raw Bliss Balls, Carrot Loaf..

[michelle_j_r]

Ratatouille with a parmesan cheese crumble on top.
vegetarian sausage rolls (maybe not a full meal for your lot but it was all i bothered with)
tuna rissoles
Pirogi (this is for tomorrow- i'm going to try to fill them with some pesto i made yesterday) and cos i liked the flavour of the ratatouille so much i am going to make a similar sort of thing as a vege base for the pirogi.
Vegetable Curry
Potato and Leek Soup
Fettucine with pesto (might make some fresh bread).

[mama_bel]

Yum, Chelle!

Just got home from camping. Had a big lunch, ice-cream stop and lots of fruit all day so those who wanted to eat had baked beans and cheese on toast or in wraps tonight. I had wine. LOL

Tuesday: (home late) creamy mushroom veg pasta and side salad
Wednesday: mashed potato (TMX), boiled homegrown eggs, salads
Thursday: stir-fried veg & rice, and stir-fried beef, and omelette strips - asian buffet for the vego and not ;)
Friday: homemade pizzas
Saturday: pumpkin and lentil soup, bread rolls, dessert (crumble, custard?)
Sunday: vegetable curry, quinoa, yoghurt/raiti

[michelle_j_r]

i might make a pumpkin and lentil soup too this week. start making my way through all these pumpkins!

hey, Bel, you know any good recipes for jerusalem artichokes? Feel free to stick it here or in the recipe thread or someplace if you do (i'll see it where ever it goes.)

[Mercurious]

Owwww I wanna menu plan and cook in the thermomix too!

I have 3 things to consider - Me being vego, DS needing some meat (or so I believe), DD not liking vegies unless they are well hidden and needing food that isn't impossible to eat with teeth missing.

Our regular week kind of looks a little like this (well this is probably based around DS who eats normal, DD and I sort of based loosely around it).

Sausages with mash and vegies or baked beans
Spaghetti bol or lasagne with carrot and zucchini hiding.
Fish and salad
chicken snitzel and vegies/salad, or in a sauce with rice (dd won't eat rice)
our something different is handburgers or burritos
in winter I make a big pot of soup which DS and I will eat
Easy night is pies (when DD isn't here) or pizzas (which is an expensive one so we should make our own).

I'd like to make more stirfries, my ratatoille bake, and more vegie curries.

[boy wrangler]

I always forget this thread! I menu plan every week though. If I didn't I'd wander aimlessly up and down the aisles of the supermarket.

Tuesday - baked fish with homemade chips and steamed vegies
Wednesday - sausages with mashed potato and steamed vegies
Thursday - Moraccan Lamb Soup
Friday - homemade pizza
Saturday - baked beans and eggs (boys) and chilli con carne for us once they're in bed
Sunday - chicken chasseur

[mama_bel]

*bump*

[Savannah]

A good plan Bel.

Well, I know we're having marinated pumpkin and salad tonight. I will think about the rest of the week and post back later.

[JAHJ]

Oooh, marinated pumpkin sounds nice. Care to share a recipe? Pretty please?

[mama_bel]

I'm halfway through a plan... Nice easy week as we're out a lot.

Monday - BBQ King Salmon, steamed sweet potato & choko from the garden, frozen peas (+ lemon from the orchard & chili sauce)
Tuesday - baked beans and homegrown eggs on English muffins
Wednesday - mashed potato/pumpkin & steamed veg with white sauce (again, lots from the garden, cow)
Thursday - wholemeal spelt pasta with lentil bolognaise sauce
Friday - homemade pizza
Saturday - vegie curry & rice
Sunday - vegie burgers with wedges

I haven't missed planning our menu for as long as I can remember. I don't know what we'd do with no plan!?

On nights when it all goes pear-shaped, we have baked beans or eggs, defrosted meal from the freezer (soup, curry or pasta sauce normally), leftover buffet or one of the quick Thermomix meals - I think vegie curry is quickest (rice in rice cooker, curry in TMX) - all ready in about 20 mins, incl. prep and clean up! We used to have a take-away place 2km away, but it burned down, so it's now a 25km round trip to take-away, and even then there's little to choose from!

[michelle_j_r]

i don't think you can get a quicker meal than that CT&SF recipe, and that's my "damn it all to hell what can i eat" meal.

we are having pumpkin soup tonight cos i am making a double batch to swap for some milk from the dairy this arvo as well.
don'y have a plan so far but let's have a think. if i write it here i won't lose it.

Fri & Sat- just me, kids with their Dad.... maybe some Dahl and homemade bread.
Sun- ratatouille with cracked wheat and parmesan crumble
Mon- baked vege (pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots) with mashed potato and steamed brocolli. (might do some bacon for the kids)
Tues- will do a vegetable and freekah version of the CT&SF
Wed- vegetable soup. (from My Way of Cooking- it's a great recipe)

[Indigo]

I reeeally need some inspiration! I've been baking heaps for school lunches but have been feeling BLAH at dinner so havn't been planning. Things run much smoother here when I have a plan!

[mama_bel]

*bump*

I'm trying to make dinners a bit more interesting. We've been eating the same stuff all the time and it's BORING!

Monday - slow cooked pasta bake & steamed greens - zucchini, squash, choko
Tuesday - vegie burger wraps, fruit yoghurt for dessert
Wednesday - the Dad at work, all the rest of us to a shared meal at LETS - pastry scrolls, homemade bread plaits and curried vegetables will be our contributions
Thursday - slow-cooked Italian lentils, mashed potatoes, steamed greens (garlic butter choko, leafy greens and beans)
Friday - pumpkin lasagne and salad
Saturday - eat out - hot chips or pizza or something, local 'show' is in town
Sunday - BBQ King Salmon, potato salad, green salad, cherry tomatoes

[michelle_j_r]

i don't have a plan for this week. Feeling a but ho-hum about dinner at the moment so just popping in for inspiration...
pumpkin lasagne recipe please!!

[mama_bel]

It could be something like the one below, or something completely different! I only have labna (yoghurt cheese), cream cheese, yoghurt, parmesan and cheddar (ONLY, lol, we love cheese) - so it'll be different in that way at least. Also, a ton of spinach to use up, so I'll add that.

PUMPKIN LASAGNE
lasagne sheets
500g chopped pumpkin
olive oil
medium onion, chopped
clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup mozarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated
Cook & mash pumpkin. Add olive oil, onion and garlic. Place a layer of pumpkin, lasagne sheets, half the ricotta… Then lasagne sheets, tomato paste, etc, etc until ingredients are used up and dish is topped with cheese.
Bake at 180 degrees C for around 35 minutes or until pasta sheets are cooked through.
*Tip* Frozen pumpkin, cooked and mashed when in season, is fine for this recipe too!

[Phoenix]

Since we are going to be living a fair way from a local shop I am going to have to get used to planning a lot more. I have been doing well lately but still have last minute duck outs to the shops for ingredients.

[michelle_j_r]

ok, here's mine for the week.
Thurs- Pumpkin lasagne
Fri - left overs
Sat- Tomato and Spinach Dahl (or some other similar Tomato/Spinach lentil concoction)
Sun- Going to try a cheese souffle inside a pumpkin. Mercurious talked it up and it sounds pretty darn tasty.
Mon- I have eggplant so will prob do Ratatouille.
Tues- homemade Pizzas
Wed- either Potato Soup or Minestone, with bread & rice dumplings.

Actually, just remembered that Meditteranean Chickpea recipe with pumpkin and eggplant, i might do that on Monday instead....

[mama_bel]

It's been a month since I posted, but I plan every week without fail and have done for perhaps a decade!

It's "use it up" week here. I'm buying some bread, fettucini, sour cream and not much else. I might need some cheese by Saturday night.

Mon: TMX Cooking Class (Masterchef Challenge) for all the girls and I, boys home with Dad have baked beans + eggs on toast
Tue: Slow-cooked Pot Roast with vegetables
Wed: TMX quick curry & rice
Thu: pasta with white sauce and loads of steamed veg, side sald
Fri: Chilli Con Beans as wraps with salad & avo
Sat: extra kids - massive vegetable pasta bake, side salad
Sun: Beef Stroganoff (for those who eat it), mashed potato, steamed vegies

Bake: for Thursday afternoon, picnic lunch Tuesday, Dad's lunches

[marmee]

Yeah - I plan every week too

This week:

Monday : Taking children to the local Thai $8.80 special night for a celebration
Tuesday : Spaghetti Bolognaise and apple crumble for dessert
Wednesday : Vegetable curry and rice
Thursday : Mum's for dinner
Friday : Chicken nuggets and chips

[Savannah]

Mon - Spag for DH and DD, fruit for DS and I
Tues - Pumpkin, sprouts and green salad
Wed - Zucchini slice and salad
Thurs - Vegetable curry
Fri - Homemade pizzas
Sat - Dinner out
Sun - no sure yet...

[marmee]

Mon - meatballs in tomato sauce + pasta
Tues - lamb and chickpea stew with couscous (rice for the wheat-free)
Wed - crumbed chicken, baked potato, baked pumpkin, baked sweet potato, beans and carrots
Thurs - left over lamb and chickpea stew (making big batch)
Fri - Homemade pizzas - sweet potato mash, ham, chickpeas, roasted capsicum, mushrooms, pineapple, asparagus, avocado, sour cream, chicken - make your own :)
Sat - San Choy Bow
Sun - Easy peasy

[mama_bel]

Just the kids and I (and an extra kid or two sometimes) for evening meals this week...

Mon: open burgers - half vegie patties, half beef, salad, rye bread, ice cream for dessert
Tue: vegie stirfry & rice, yoghurt for dessert
Wed: beef stroganoff, mashed potatoes, steamed vegies (beef optional) - we missed this meal last week
Thu: spaghetti with tomato/lentil sauce with lots of grated vegies in it, parmesan cheese
Fri: mashed potato, boiled eggs, garden salad
Sat: mama working & not home - baked beans/eggs on toast, leftovers, etc
Sun: vegie curry, rice, plain yoghurt, steamed greens

Bake: for Tuesday afternoon, picnic lunch Thursday, Dad's meals for work

[lizlea]

bit of an oops with the bill paying this week means we have NO money till next week. Plenty of fruit and veg and the pantry pretty well stocked so I am having a use it up week.
Tonight we had meals from the freezer - chilli con carne, noodles, soup.... Now I need to plan the next few days with what we have.

[mama_bel]

I *love* use-it-up weeks. Even if I don't need to do it, the week before our monthly pay goes in, I use-it-up! I hope you have fun and don't feel to deprived. Do you have chocolate in the house? Eeek.

[lizlea]

luckily, yes we have choccy! But I did borrow $20 from Ash for a couple of essentials - like choclate!

We are well stocked up so it is not too dire. So, the rest of this week is:

- bean tacos with salad
- chicken cacciatore, pasta, veg
- tomato/veg sauce and fettucine
- chicken, potato and lemon bake, vegies
- bacon and egg pie (with bread base) and salad

[mama_bel]

Sounds yum! How do you do the bread base for the pie?

[lizlea]

easy - just take 8-10 slices of bread (depends on the size of the bread and size of the dish), wholegrain is good. Cut crusts off (feed to hungry children or chooks), roll evenly flat with rolling pin. Line base of greased dish, making sure not to leave any gaps. Yum and easy!

[mama_bel]

Just the bottom, or up the sides too?

[lizlea]

I use a flan dish so it only has shallow sides, but yes, up the sides too

[marmee]

Yum Liz

[mama_bel]

Monday: Pumpkin risotto (http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-chive-risotto-thermomix.html), side salad and caramel custard (http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=2882.0) with bananas
Tuesday: T-Bone Steak & onions & gravy in the slow cooker (for the carnivores), mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables
Wednesday: Mama out (taking bread to a meeting), baked beans and eggs on toast for the family, with fruit yoghurt for dessert.
Thursday: TMX stir fry and rice, with Varoma omelette
Friday: Tuna patties, boiled eggs, salads
Saturday: Spelt pasta bake with TMX cheese sauce and side salad or steamed vegies
Sunday: Father's Day - out all day - vegetable curry (TMX) and boiled eggs with rice and yoghurt and steamed greens on the side

Our best TOOL (http://belindamoore.com/toward-organic-or-local-challenge/) meal will be Tuesday's - local steak, local potatoes and onions, and homegrown vegies. Our chooks are also laying really well, so we're having a lot of eggs this week.

Baking etc: sourdough bread and rolls for lunches, yoghurt, corn chips, lunches for the Dad and a new lemon cake recipe.

[Stardust]

Yum Bel!

[Phoenix]

Do you stick to your day plans, obviously there are certain dinners that are better on busy days, but how do you know that you will feel like that dinner on that day?

[mama_bel]

It doesn't matter what I feel like, normally, I just cook it (or someone does)... LOL But yeh, I sometimes do swap for that reason. With the busy days, I normally know in advance and put easy meals on those days.

[boy wrangler]

Me too, so if I know we're going to be out in the afternoon I'll plan for something in the slowcooker or one of DH's dishes cause he's normally home by about 4 so he can get it on while we're out and then we come home to dinner cooked! Yay!

Sometimes I forget to take meat out, or can't be bothered cooking what's on the plan so I just swap it for another one on the plan or something easy from the freezer.

[mama_bel]

Monday: Mexican Quinoa (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/02/mexican-quinoa.html), BBQed beef sausages (for some), side salad
Tuesday: Pumpkin Soup, Pizza Bianca & caramel custard (http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=2882.0) with bananas
Wednesday: Bean Patties and salad as wraps
Thursday: Sichuan Eggplant, Garlic Rice, steamed pumpkin & beans from the garden
Friday: Mashed potato, boiled eggs & salad
Saturday: Pumpkin risotto (http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-chive-risotto-thermomix.html) & side salad
Sunday: Varoma meatballs with tomatoey sauce cooked under, wholemeal spaghetti, cheese sauce & steamed greens for vego's

Our best TOOL (http://belindamoore.com/toward-organic-or-local-challenge/) meal will be Thursday or Friday.

Baking etc: sourdough bread, pizza and rolls for lunches, kefir, yoghurt, soak/cook/freeze beans (use instead of tins), corn chips, carrot/choko slice, honey sesame delights...

[boy wrangler]

I just had a panic, thought I'd lost my menu plan! I crazily write it on the shopping list, so putting it here will mean if it gets lost I have another copy somewhere although I do always try and get it on the blog.

Monday: pork sausages, mashed sweet potato and steamed veg
Tuesday: pasta with lentil sauce
Wedensday: Morroccan fish stew with quinoa
Thursday: Veg and noodle stir fry with boiled eggs
Friday: Lamb chops on the BBQ with steamed veg and mashed potato
Saturday: pasta primavera
Sunday: Roasted pumpkin risotto

Lunches: veg noodle soup, zucchini pancakes with roasted tomato relish
Baking and extras: banana cake, cheese muffins, sourdough bread, something apple-y cause I just got heaps of throw-out apples form the f&v shop

[mama_bel]

Roasted tomato relish sounds yum, bw.

[michelle_j_r]

i have not checked this thread for a while and logged on to Bel's post #127 and it said
Sunday: Father's Day - out all day and i thought "oh, crap!! is it!!??" :2lol phew!

i'm searching for inspiration. I have a couple of meat eaters in the house for a few days this week so i think i might do a venison and potato stew of some kind one night.... not sure about the rest... i've have a browse.

[Zenifa]

DH has gone to townsville for a few days, so meal plan changed so I have minimal cooking this week.
Mon & Tues - organic chicken & vego pesto pasta bake
Wed & THurs- spinach and ricotta pie
Fri - (DD2's birthday dinner at her request) - Fish and chips and salad
Sat (going to a friends house for dinner, so no cookiing yay!)
Sun - DH will cook either a BBQ or a roast.

Lunches will involve leftovers, sandwiches or salads
Baked some lemon curd danishes with berries, lemon cupcakes, chocolate teddy bear cake for DD2's birthday and will use choc cake leftovers to make a trifle dessert.

[Savannah]

I am back on the meal planning bandwagon. I have been working on my organisational skills and menu planning is a part of that.

Thurs - Pasta dish of some sort
Fri - Mango and avocado salad, steak for DH
Sat - Vegetable sticks, mountain bread crackers, homemade dips
Sun - zucchini salad - zucchini, fresh greens, pinenuts
Mon - Chickpea and curry vegetables with rice
Tues - Wraps
Wed - Vegetable noodle salad

[boy wrangler]

sounds lovely Sav!

I can't live without my menu plan, except I always forget this thread! I can't wait to get back home tonight and planning again after a week away!

[kateking]

Trying the menu plan this year!!!
Thurs : Bangers and mash
Friday; Pasta with a veg sauce
Sat: BBQ Salmon, Salad
Sun ; Homemade Burgers on wholemeal rolls, heaps of salad
Mon: Tandoori Chicken Kebabs, spinach leaf salad, yoghurt dip, Naan
Tues; Take away Pizza (Mummy going to pictures with girlfriend!)
Wed: Lasagna
Feeling quite inspired I'll let you know how it goes :)

[mama_bel]

I think you'll love it, kateking. :)

Mon - jacket potatoes with bolognaise sauce from the freezer, chickpea salad for the vego option, and green salad & coleslaw
Tue - spinach fettucini with more bol sauce from freezer, and white sauce with green veg for the non-beef-eaters
Wed - veg/lentil curry, rice, yoghurt, steamed greens
Thu - quiches & salad (extra kid tonight)
Fri - mystery! can't decide...
Sat - out for tea
Sun - spinach & ricotta parcels with salad

[elflyn]

I need to menu plan, things always run much more smoothly when I do, but I seem to lack essential motivation/time to actually do it. So... as one of my NY resolutions is to overhaul our family diet/eating. I hope to plan a little more regularly.
I have one small problem atm.. I killed my oven on Boxing Day so everything has to be stovetop cookable till it is fixed.
Mon - Corn rissoles/patties and salad.
Tue - DP out (my birthday) leftover curries and rice. Spaghetti bolognaise for the two littlest.
Wed - Homemade hamburgers
Thu - Zucchini pasta (I need a meal I can prep at lunchtime as we are at swimming from 3 to 5 pm)
Fri - Freezer surprise sausages and salad
Sat - Chicken stirfry
Sun -Fish from a box and salad (hopefully oven will be fixed otherwise not sure)
I will also grocery shop this week probably Wed so I reserve the right to change the menu a little depending on specials and how big a shop I do. Meaning if I am shopping for more than 3 hours I might get takeaway fish and chips on that day. :)

[Savannah]

You can get fish that you grill/pan fry from a box, if the oven isn't fixed. :)

[mama_bel]

All fish can be grilled, pan fried, BBQed, steamed, stir-fried in wok etc. And if you want a baked effect, you can use a frypan and alfoil, or baking paper and a lid over it. :)

I hate it when my oven breaks! Happened to me last when I had 2 loaves sourdough, 2 pies and something else, all lined up on the bench! Luckily I have my own electrician in the house. ;)

I don't need to buy ANY groceries this week, based on the menu above. Gotta love that!

[elflyn]

Haha Bel I hope yours is better than mine.....
I used to have a resident electrician, every time I went out I would come home to find all the covers for the light switches missing. Also my dishwasher had an extension cord running across the kitchen because the electrician couldn't put in another power point. In the end I got his apprentice to do it!
Thanks for the tips about cooking fish in the pan. I might try it anyway as it is so hot/humid atm.

[mummaPJ]

Hey Tigersmum, just realised your birthday is a day before mine! Cool.

Monday: filled roll type thingies (homemade subway)
Tuesday: baked fish and salad
Wednesday: Im on strike
Thursday: homemade Pizza
Friday: scrambled egg with bacon bits
Saturday: cold meats and salad
Sunday: Bacon cabonara

[elflyn]

Cool another Cappy. Have a great day!
xx

[milkymumma]

PJ, I notice you're on strike tomorrow. Would you like to put in a request for a birthday dinner delivery? Thea does all the work ;)
I'll msn you in case you don't see this

[kateking]

Just thought I'd pop in to say that I love menu planning it is awesome and so much easier to budget.
I have switched meals around on my plan but have stuck to the meals on there. Only two nights to go and I get to post another one!!
I'm an addicted converted menu planner :)

[cef77]

Hey mumma, you share your birthday with my Mum :) She will be 60 tomorrow and I can't be there to help her celebrate.

I am in serious need of menu planning. It is one of those things I have been meaning to do for AGES! Time to bite the bullet and just do it! Time to go back to the beginning and have a read of the whole thread.

[mama_bel]

kateking, I knew you'd love it! cef77, even if you can only do part of the week at first, jump right in...

[boy wrangler]

cef, if jumping in is just too much for you, yanno, baby steps and all that, maybe you could just plan and shop for a list of meals for the week and then decide in the morning what you all feel like from the list. Have fun! :)

I personally can't live without my plan!

[mama_bel]

Meal swapping from the plan is certainly okay. Just make sure you have the meals to use the most perishable stuff early in the week, so nothing is wasted. :)

[kateking]

2nd week yippee!
Thurs: Frijole tacos with heaps of salad & "stuff"
Friday: Fish and chips at the beach
Sat: Homemade Pizza (healthy Veg ones)
Sun: Roast chicken and veg
Mon: Cold leftover roast chicken and salad wraps
Tues :BBQ Steak/seafood and salad
Wed: Tandoori Kebabs chicken, yoghurt dip salad and Naan etc

Off to "shop" it now!!!

[mama_bel]

Bumpity-bump! How'd it go, kateking? Are you still planning?

Mon - Sausages, potato salad & homemade salsa (half vegie sausages, half meat)
Tue - mashed potato, boiled eggs and salads (bean, coleslaw, green)
Wed - mama out - FFY*, baked beans, eggs, leftovers, etc
Thu - pasta with lentil bolognaise & cheese
Fri - dahl, veg curry, rice, yoghurt, raita
Sat - quiches & salad
Sun - roast chicken, roast vegies, peas, gravy

Bakings - muffins, something to take to homeschool group Thursday arvo

* Fend For Yourself

[boy wrangler]

Thanks for bumping this Bel! I still plan every week and have just started a linky-thing on the blog for others to share their meal plans! It's happening tomorrow if anyone is interested ;)


Monday:
Random Recipe (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/09/random-recipe.html) - Pot-roast Meatloaf (Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food p161) with mashed sweet potato and steamed veg
Tuesday:
Butter chicken (slow cooker) with brown rice and steamed veg
Wednesday:
Pasta Prima Vera (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/10/random-recipe-review.html)
Thursday:
Pork sausages, mashed potato and steamed veg
Friday:
Felafel with flat bread, salad and yoghurt sauce
Saturday:
Veg and noodle stir fry with boiled eggs
Sunday:
Some sort of roast, maybe chicken or beef
Extras:
wholemeal bread
mini cheese muffins for the freezer for morning teas
zucchini slice for the freezer for lunches
muesli (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/05/calm-in-kitchen.html) (this has been on my list to make for about a month and I must do it this week!)

Edit: please excuse the links and things, I copied and pasted this from the blog. Next time I'll do it before I put all the links in. I can't remove them now!

[mama_bel]

please excuse the links and things, I copied and pasted this from the blog. Next time I'll do it before I put all the links in. I can't remove them now!

The links are great, leave 'em in!

[Pixi]

I'm new on here, but I love to Menuplan too!

We have SO much food in the freezer that we need to use up!

This week we are having:

MON - Baked fish with Lemon, Coriander and Cherry tomato dressing with steamed vegies

TUES- Mushroom pie with steamed Vegies

WED - Stirfry with chia and quinoa and homemade honeysoy sauce.

THURS- Pasta Napoletana with zuccini, mushrooms, olives, spinach, basil and fresh tomatoes cooked in slow cooker.

FRI- Tuscan Chicken (Chicken with creamy herb sauce with Red capsicum and sliced zuccini and pasta)

SAT - we're out that night, so whatever food they have at the party.

SUN - BBQ, if anything. It's DD's birthday so will be having a big bbq lunch..

thats ours for this week, I wonder what I'll find in the depths of the freezer for next week! :p

I love finding new recipes and this thread is very inspiring!

[lizlea]

haven't posted here for a bit, but I am still menu planning most of the time. This week here:

- Mon - chicken and mushroom pie, mashed potato, carrots, peas
- Tue - bean tacos and salad
- Wed - steak with balsamic mushrooms, corn cobs, salad
- Thu - pork chow mein - pork mince, noodles, lots of vegies
- Fri - morroccan lamb filo parcels, salad
- Sat - roast pork, cauliflower cheese, potatoes, beans, carrots, apple sauce
- Sun - chicken something - not sure yet, will see how much is left of the veg and salad things by then.

[mama_bel]

Sounds YUMMY Pixi and Liz!

Anyone else menu planning?

[marmee]

Me! Me! Me! Always...but over the past year my menu plan often gets mixed about and not stuck to. There have been times I have not felt like cooking - so didn't. And times I have had someone pop in for a meal so I have changed what I was cooking. Or someone has invited me over...you know! Much more flexibility in my life these days. So I menu plan..and then see what happens!

This week..

MON : I went out with a friend late afternoon - so the babysitter heated up left overs for the children and I had a cup of tea!
TUES : Slow cooked beef and vegetables over pasta...then icecream cones :)
WED : Apricot chicken and rice
THURS : Left overs
FRI : Nachos
SAT : Mango and beef lettuce cups
SUN : To use one of Bel's terms - FFY :)

[boy wrangler]

My plan this week is really not exciting at all! We're eating from the freezer and pantry so they'll be less stuff to move/give away and we're leaving for a long weekend in Brissie on Thursday so it's only 3 dinners this week!

Monday: Sausages, mashed sweet potato, steamed veg
Tuesday: Steak, potato wedges and steamed veg
Wednesday: lentil sauce and pasta

[mama_bel]

Oops, week's half gone nearly, but I have a plan...

Mon - stir-fry vegies and rice, frozen yoghurt & blueberries for dessert
Tue - Pan-fried Spanish Mackeral and a big green salad
Wed - mashed potato, boiled eggs and salads
Thu - pasta with cheese sauce and steamed vegetables
Fri - potato bake in the slow cooker & steamed vegetables
Sat - LETS movie with Mum or FFY* with Dad
Sun - pumpkin soup, bread rolls & something yummy for dessert

Baking - savoury scones, fruit muffins, bikkies

* Fend For Yourself

[Merlion]

I really need to revive this thread. I used to go to Bel's cooking blog to get ideas but now i can't access it anymore. Anyway need to menu planM: subway as Liam was a nightmareT: either chicken & corn soup or meatloaf with breadW: whatever wasn't made on tuesT: beef casseroleF: homemade pizzasS: who the heck knows I have feeling we are supposed to be going out for dinner but can't rememberS: creamy mushroom & chicken pasta (that is if bel can send me her creamy mushroom sauce recipe)

[Phoenix]

I haven't meal planned in ages, not having an oven made me very uninterested in cooking.

Monday- pasta (it failed because I burnt it)
Tuesday- Quiche, Mushroom and Bacon
Wednesday- Chicken with spice coating and salad
Thursday- Sausage soup
Friday- Unsure, will come back
Saturday- As above
Sunday- As above

[Merlion]

It's chicken & corn soup tonight & meatloaf tomorrow

[Savannah]

I have just got back into meal planning as I'm making two meals each night and I'm trying to use similiar ingredients so I have less prep to do. It's sort of working. I make a salad based on the vegetables used in the other dish.

M - Casserole
T - Leftovers
W - Zucchini slice and salad
Th - Homemade pizza
F - Meat of some sort for DH, salad and potatoes
S - Dinner with friends
S - Indian night - rice, lentil dish, toasted moutain bread and homemade chutney

[mama_bel]

Good idea, Sav!

Merlion, all the recipes can be found here (http://belindamoore.com/recipes/). :) The cooking blog was not updated forever and ever so I parked it.

We have been having really busy times and I am out every day for 2.5 weeks and at least 2 nights a week as well. I know, it's madness. But it's all good things so I'm happy.

So people are eating lots of leftovers and I've been freezing portions of meals (leftovers from bulk cooking) in smallish containers as well. Each mealtime is a like a buffet - leftovers with something fresh cooked (like a pkt of spelt pasta or simple things like that), and some fresh salad ingredients or cut up fruit etc. It's working okay. The in-between nights we have had:
pasta, curry, enchiladas and all the basics, potatoes/eggs/salad, quiche and all those other basics!

[Merlion]

Thanks bel. I spent ages going through all my posts looking for ur recipe.

[Merlion]

Butter chicken with naan or rice tonite, beef casserole tomorrow & creamy mushroom sauce with pasta sun depending if we don't go to my in-laws

[mama_bel]

Menu Planning for a busy week....

Mon - beef shepherd's pie and veg lasagne (homemade from the freezer) with side salad
Tue - Asian-style chicken soup and TMX 'fried' rice
Wed - potato bake & salad (mama out)
Thu - Ratatouille, bread rolls or couscous and boiled eggs
Fri - BBQ/bonfire birthday night - sausage sandwiches, coleslaw, chicken, bread, etc
Sat- curry (cauli/chickpea), dahl from the freezer, rice, yoghurt
Sun - lentils & rice with steamed veg on the side, yoghurt/mint sauce if required

[boy wrangler]

I've been planning too, I'll be back when I can find the bit of paper its all written on :blush

[lizlea]

doing my plan right now, before I go shopping - just checking in here for some inspiration

[Phoenix]

I am planning this week, have to have it done by tomorrow.

[boy wrangler]

well my initial plan has changed now because the pork mum roasted last night was enormous so we're having to have that as leftovers! A short week for us.

Monday: pork and chorizo risotto
Tuesday: Pork, roasted potatoes and steamed veg
Wednesday: boys - eggs and vegies grown up - laksa
Thursday: Butter chicken in the slow cooker

[marmee]

Monday was chicken green curry with rice (children had chicken drumsticks)

Tuesday : has become one of the children's favourite nigths. We call is make it yourself night. I get all the ingredients together and they pile it on their plate....tonight it is hot dogs with choices of cheese, bacon, sauces, cherry tomatoes on top. Sounds grose...but they like it. I have plain old hotdog and chew through my pain :)

Wednesday : Baked fish with potato bake and salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red capsicum, snow peas, cucumber and carrot.

Thursday : Children will be with grandparents as I am off to see Carl Barron!! yay

[Phoenix]

Thursday would be my favourite Marmee! :)

[marmee]

:) Pity you can't just whip it up, hey? ;)

[soulmama]

Carl Barron??? I love his comedy... too bad he looks too much like my ex for me to actually watch though. :p

:rofl

[Phoenix]

I thought the same thing C! :2lol

I have finally meal planned for the fortnight-

I don't really go by days but here is the list

Homemade sausage rolls
Fried rice
Family meat pie
Pizza
Chicken Burgers
Curried Sausages
Mexican Chicken
Pesto Penne Pasta
Chicken Schnitzel and homemade chips for treat night
Silverside and baked potatoes
Lasagne

That is 11 dinners, we will have left overs from silverside, lasagne, curried sausages and meat pie on the other nights.

I have also planned snack baking-
Apple bars
Zucchini Slice
Guac with corn chips
Zucchini and cheese scones
Jam drops
Savoury muffins

YUM!!

[boy wrangler]

yum indeed Em!

[mama_bel]

Yummmy Em!

Tonight's Asian soup and 'fried' rice were a hit! I cooked 3 skinny homegrown roosters from the freezer into stock, took some meat off them for the soup and rice, and still have half a big noodle bowl of meat left for lunches or something. Everyone loved it, except G who stirred too much chilli paste into his soup, LOL. I did a Vietnamese cooking class recently, and was inspired by the class with how I did the soup. Simple but YUM.

[mama_bel]

Mon - vegie curry, sausages for those who eat them and rice or quinoa
Tue - baked and steamed vegies with cheese sauce
Wed - vegie bake/moussaka style thing with side salad
Thu - mashed potato, boiled eggs, salads
Fri - pasta & lentil bolognaise
Sat- Meals from the freezer, defrosted - probably shepherd's pie and veg lasagne
Sun - Meals from the freezer - probably dahl & curries with sticky rice

[marmee]

Bel - can I have your lentil bolognaise recipe please?

[marmee]

This week

Monday - Lentil patties with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce, salad and potato gems

Tuesday - has become "crazy night" as we are out at sport until 5pm and then out again at 5.45 for sport until 7pm..sp Tuesdays are going to be easy nights dinner between 5 and 5.30....this week, bread rolls and crisps!

Wednesday - friends around for BBQ of steaks and sausages, potato bake, salad and a homemade lemon and passionsfruit delicious and icecream

Thursday - Salmon and Rice cheesy bake with salad

Friday - Nachos

[mama_bel]

Marmee, it would go something like this:

3+ cloves of giant Russian garlic, chopped finely
2 brown onions, diced
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
3 cups water with 1 tbspn Vegetable stock powder (Massel)
2 heaped tbsn tomato paste
3 x 400g tins diced tomatoes
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp dried Italian herbs, or more fresh, chopped very finely
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Put all ingredients into slow cooker. Stir. Cook on high for a couple of hours, checking that the lentils are softening. When lentils are the right texture, turn to low.

That's one version. Another version would be saute onion and garlic (and mushrooms if you like em) in a saucepan. Add grated zucchini and carrot (more zucc, less carrot). Add tin/s of brown lentils, tomato puree/diced, bit of tomato paste, season and herbs to taste...

Just basically exchanging lentils for mince. If your family don't like lentils, just use 1/4 lentils, then 1/3, then 1/2, then 2/3 and so on till you've converted them! LOL

Red lentils (dry) cook the fastest. Brown lentils are good if you soak them overnight (dried ones). Brown lentils also come in tins, ready cooked. I have not tried green or other lentils for pasta sauce.

I am just doing this week's menu right now...

[michelle_j_r]

having someone else cook for me for 11 weeks has totally spoiled me. I need to get into my menu planning routine again!! but not tonight. CBFed. I did a bulk grains order today so when that arrives i'll look at what meals i want for the next fortnight and get fresh vegies to suit.

MUST GET ORGANISED!!!! :whip

[marmee]

Thanks Bel xx

This week was and is very uncreative....

MONDAY - I went out to dinner. So the children had left overs - some had tacos, come had tuna casserole
TUESDAY - is crazy day. Salad plates for us tonight
WEDNESDAY - school disco night in two instalments - so macaroni cheese night and we will all eat on the run when we ae free
THURSDAY - Pies and mashed potato and veges cause I have a big day

Crazy week!

[mama_bel]

Mon - slow cooker potato (& other veg) bake, grilled eggplant and salad
Tue - spicy meatballs/lentil dish from the freezer - served with rice, boiled eggs and tomato wedges :)
Wed - bean enchiladas, salad etc (missed this version of mexican last week)
Thu - pasta alfredo, steamed veg, side salad - maybe meat for those who eat it
Fri - out - dinner & movie for all
Sat- stir fried veg & rice with omelette
Sun - roast chicken, vegetables, gravy (missed this one last week)

Other cooking/prep - yoghurt & labeneh, get new-to-me kefir grains going, food for 2 lunch outings!

[boy wrangler]

I've just drastically changed the way I menu plan!! We've started getting organic boxed fruit and veg, and every week it's a bit of a gamble as to what is in there. I pick it up on a Thursday so will plan a Fri-Thurs week depending on what is in the box.

The rest of this week is:

Monday: silverbeet and feta filo triangles
Tuesday: Homemade pizza
Wednesday: chicken burritos
Thursday: sausages with mashed potato and steamed veg

Lunch: roasted root veg (sweet potato, carrot, turnip and beetroot) with couscous, beetroot leaves and spinach
Baking: Blueberry and oat muffins and some sort of biscuits

[marmee]

Yummm BW - I would drool to be at your home this week...

For us...

Monday - DD's 6th Birthday and I am not sure if the children will be hme for dinner...if they are, it will be late so will have toasted sandwiches on stand by
Tuesday - Crazy night...but trying to get baked fish and frozen chips into us :)
Wednesday - sausage casserole with masked sweet potato, green beans and carrots
Thursday - out for SIL's birthday
Friday - no idea - children won't be here
Saturday - my man will be cooking :)
Sunday - see saturday ;)

[mama_bel]

Monday - pumpkin, spinach and ricotta (all homegrown) lasagne, with side salad
Tuesday - vegetable curry, steamed greens, rice, yoghurt
Wednesday - steak (for 3), boiled eggs, mashed potato, salads
Thursday - pasta with cheese sauces - one with bacon, one with broccoli
Friday - dunno - leftovers/freezer food/beans on toast/whatever
Saturday - out at a festival - hare krshna food, YUMMMO
Sunday - use-it-up meal - roasted veg medly, ratatouille or something!

Baking etc - make something for Tue night meeting and Thu arvo outing...

[boy wrangler]

Sunday - broccoli casserole
Monday - beef strog, mashed potato, steamed veg
Tuesday - chinese takeaway for my brother's going away dinner
Wednesday - grown ups will have chilli con carne once boys are asleep, boys will likely have eggs or pizza or something easy
Thursday - roasted veg, chickpea and cous cous salad
Friday - veg and noodle stirfry with boiled eggs

Lunches - spinach and feta filos
Baking - mini cheese muffins, some sort of biscuits

[Merlion]

I swear I did menu plan here for this week & can't find it grrrr need to find it

[boy wrangler]

Everything from the 6th October was lost in the crash Merlion.

[Merlion]

Ta I thought I was going crazy when I couldn't find it

[Merlion]

Menu plan for this week:-
Mon - tuna & corn pasta bake
Tues - brown butter broccoli, pine nuts and basil pasta (Curtis stone recipe)
Wed - Chilli corn carne (curtis stone recipe)
Thurs -
Fri - take away night
Sat - possibly takeaway as I will be baking all day for the school fete cake stall

[mama_bel]

We were away - eating BBQs, salads, a bit of pasta... And then:

Thursday: filo zucchini & feta pie, salad, potatoes
Friday: homemade pizzas
Saturday: yummy curry, rice, yoghurt
Sunday: patties & salads
Monday: stirfry veg, egg & rice
Tuesday: pasta bake
Wednesday: mashed potato, boiled eggs, salads
Thursday: curries, rice, yoghurt, steamed greens
Friday: pasta & lentil sauce & parmesan, side salad
Saturday: BBQ meat, veg, salads
Sunday: mexican fiesta (no idea - but it'll have chili in it, LOL)

[marmee]

This week :

Mon - Homemade pizzas
Tues - Toasted sandwiches - crazy night
Wed - Lamb chops, potatoes, broccoli and carrots and corn cobs
Thurs - Spaghetti Bolognaise
Fri - My son is making kebabs and we will have fried rice with them :)

[boy wrangler]

Monday:
Broccoli casserole with steamed veg
Tuesday:
Zucchini slice with salad
Wednesday:
Boys - eggs and veg
Grown ups - chilli con carne
Thursday:
BBQ
Friday:
Mushroom risotto


Saturday:
Chickpea casserole (requested by Archie, no idea what I'll actually make though)


Sunday:
no idea yet!

Extras:
Bread, yoghurt, chicken stock, beef stock

[boy wrangler]

This week we're having:

Monday:

Roasted pumpkin risotto
Tuesday:
Buckwheat pasta with bolognese sauce
Wednesday:
boys- eggs and toast
adults- chilli con carne (we didn't end up having it last week)


Thursday:
Pumpkin soup with cheesey muffins
Friday:
gluten-free pizza
Saturday:
BBQ


Sunday:
Random Recipe (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/09/random-recipe.html) - Eggplant Parmigiana from Rose Elliot's Classic Vegetarian p74

Extras:
gluten-free bluberry muffins, gluten-free bread, chicken stock, muesli (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/05/calm-in-kitchen.html), yoghurt, ricotta (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2011/11/organic-homemade-ricotta.html)

[mama_bel]

Monday: dutch potatoes, corn on the cob, boiled eggs, salad
Tuesday: pasta with broccoli sauce, roast pumpkin, diced cuc & tomato salad
Wednesday: mashed sweet potato, steamed zucchini & carrots, mushrooms
Thursday: beef curry, dahl, rice, yoghurt, steamed green beans
Friday: pasta with 2 sauces - beef and lentil bol & parmesan
Saturday: leftovers/eggs/beans/freezer/out - bit of everything!
Sunday: BBQ fish, potato, salads

[boy wrangler]

Monday
Random Recipe (http://vic-homerevolutions.blogspot.com/2010/09/random-recipe.html) - Chinese Chicken Hotpot with steamed veg
from Donna Hay's No Time To Cook p96


Tuesday
Roasted Red Capsicum with buckwheat pasta from here (http://www.towards-sustainability.com/2009/04/roasted-red-capsicum-pepper-pasta-sauce.html)


Wednesday
boys - eggs
adults - chilli con carne (we've been trying to have this for three weeks now, plans always keep changing. This week definitely!)


Thursday
GF pizza, no idea on toppings yet


Friday
Sweet potato and chickpea red curry with brown rice and steamed veg


Saturday
BBQ


Sunday
GF bean burritos

[lizlea]

bw won't your kids eat chilli con carne? its a favourite here

[marmee]

For us...

Monday - Chicken burgers with choice of toppings - avocado, lettuce, tomato, grated carrot, sweet chilli, sour cream, cheese, egg, bacon served of course with a few chips and on turkish bread

Tuesday - Crazy night Toasted sandwiches

Wednesday - TMX fettucine pasta

Thursday - Bolognaise in baked potatoes with a salad

Friday - Mums for dinner

Saturday - nibblies sort of stuff as we decorate the tree for Christmas...things like party pies, dips, chicken wings, crudites....

Sunday - homemade beef pies with salad

[boy wrangler]

Liz - I'm not sure if they'd eat it or not. We've never offered it to them as it's our "get the boys to bed and have chilli on the lounge" meal and they know that it is so they probably wouldn't eat it even if we did offer it! :2lol

Marmee - great idea with the nibbles while decorating the tree, we'll be doing that the following Saturday!

[lizlea]

Fair enough - ours is spinach and ricotta canneloni!


This week here:
Mon - enchiladas & salad
Tue - chorizo, mushroom and spinach pasta
Wed - dh out, one kid out - rest of us will pick a meal from the freezer each
Thu - pad thai
Fri - lamb steaks, corn cobs, veg
Sat - not sure yet - we were going out but that has been cancelled

I like the nibblies with the tree decorating too but I am just ignoring that december is so close atm....

[boy wrangler]

I'm a bit torn - our TMX should be arriving early this week so do I do a normal plan or plan TMX meals? Or wait til it gets here and then play? Or plan dishes that I want to do with it? Argh, the decisions! :2lol

[marmee]

:)

You are going to want to play!!!

This week for us...

Monday - make your own salad - lots of choices including chicken and ham, boiled eggs, usual salad ingredients all chopped up on platters, cheeses, sauces, baguettes and rice cakes...

Tuesday - crazy night. Toasted sandwiches

Wednesday - Shepherd's Pie and left over sald stuff from Monday night

Thursday - Sausages, potato bake, broccoli and carrot

[mama_bel]

Yeh, leave it open to play bw! :) You could list your must-try meals as a reminder though! :)

Another flat-out week for us...
Mon - meat & veg lasagnes (make enough for leftovers)
Tue - leftovers or eggs on toast or soup from the freezer
Wed - potato, sweet potato, steamed veg
Thu - mexican - chilli beans, wraps, nachos etc
Fri - pasta with lentil bol from freezer
Sat - curry, rice, steamed greens, yoghurt
Sun - leftovers or eggs or beans on toast or veg slice from freezer

I am out 5 nights this week - argh!

[mama_bel]

*bump*

New Year. New habits? I'm just writing mine for the coming week and wonder what everyone else is having? :)

[boy wrangler]

I've done mine but its on my new planner under the calendar and I'm trapped here with a FAKing baby. BBL to share. Thanks for the bump!

[cherish]

i so need to do this.. will be popping in from now

[boy wrangler]

This week we're having:

Mon: quiche - one Lorraine, one veg with yoghurt dough from Nourishing Traditions
Tue: DH's birthday dinner - he'd like a meal of nibbles (Seinfeld anyone? :2lol) so we're having cheese platter, chicken kebabs on the bbq, spring rolls, dim sims, rice paper rolls and tiramisu for dessert
Wed: GYO after being at Seaworld all day
Thur: zucchini and pea risotto
Fri: bean chilli tacos

[Merlion]

Well after Christmas & new year pigging out & not having to cook G wants healthy food so I thought I better menu plan:-

Mon:- Quiche - didnt happen as I made a roast beef with veggies
tues:- tomato soup chicken with broccoli
wed:- salad platter (baby spinach, tomato (fresh/sundried), carrot, corn kernels, boiled eggswith either BBQ chicken
thurs:- spag bolg (will cook it on wed and put it in the fridge as we are going to be out all day thurs)
fri:- omelettes
sat:- chicken potato curry with rice
sun:- laksa

[mama_bel]

Mon - vegie soup (made on homemade chicken stock) with a ton of homegrown veg & herbs, fresh baked bread rolls (it's cool here, and most of the family have a cold :(
Tue - roast beef, mashed potato, steamed veg, gravy
Wed - meat & gravy pie + veg & white sauce pie (using up leftovers) & fresh steamed veg on the side
Thu - fish curry, veg, sticky rice (Quirky Jo's TMX recipe based on a cooking school day we spent together)
Fri - pumpkin risotto & salad or veg
Sat - BBQ beef (?), potatoes, eggs, salad
Sun - veg curry, rice, steamed greens, yoghurt OR stiryfry veg and rice

[boy wrangler]

We're changing when we're grocery shopping as E now does dancing on Saturday mornings so DH drops us off at dancing and takes the little boys grocery shopping. Bless him! :) So I now have to have the week planned by Saturday morning!

This week:

Lunches:
Monday: Brown rice salad
Tuesday: Sandwiches on homemade sourdough
Wednesday: brown rice salad
Thursday: Zucchini slice and salad
Friday: cheese and salad wraps

Dinners:
Saturday: pizzas on sourdough bases
Sunday: Roast chicken, roast potatoes and steamed veg
Monday: chicken risotto
Tuesday: boys - eggs and toast, adults - chilli
Wednesday: Zucchini slice and salad
Thursday: Sausages, mashed potato and steamed veg
Friday: Felafel, salad, hommus, sourdough flatbreads

Baking and Extras:
Chicken stock
sourdough blueberry muffins
soaked pikelets

[Phoenix]

I have been really shocking at planning and cooking dinners, everything is last minute and we really don't have all the ingredients because I haven't bothered.
So here is me being motivated again, I am going to plan on Wednesdays and shop Thursdays. This week because I am behind, I will be shopping tomorrow until next Wed.

I will post once it is done.

[Phoenix]

I have done it. Phew!!

Baking-
Muesli Biscuits
Wholemeal apple muffins

Lunch for me-
Minestrone with lentils and Zucchini
Roast cinnamon pumpkin salad
Carrot, tomato and basil ricotta wrap
Low cal creamy cauliflower soup

Dinner
Meatloaf with broc and zucch cheesy bake
Chicken drumettes with capsicum sauce and Pilaf
Mushroom pasta bake
Meatballs Napolentana
Chicken with mustard sauce, roast toms and asparagus
Spaghetti bolognaise with lentils
Beef with creamy mustard mushroom sauce and beans
Caramelised pork with sweet potato mash and apples
Chicken rice paper rolls
Chicken and guacamole wraps
Pizza
Roast Pork

I usually don't plan lunch meals which means I usually don't eat it. Hoping to change that by planning, cooking and freezing small serves.

[boy wrangler]

I've been having trouble sticking to my menu plans so posting here to keep me on track! Plus to get everyone else who's planning to post theirs for inspiration!

Sunday: Pasta prima vera or a very loose interpretation of it. I posted what I did in the "oh my gosh it's dinner" thread

Monday: Roasted pumpkin risotto

Tuesday: regular Tuesday dinner at mum's!

Wednesday: TMX noodles with veg and boiled eggs

Thursday: TMX chicken tikka masala

Friday: boys - fish fingers and veg, adults - chilli con carne and veg

Lunches:
sushi, TMX noodles

Extras:
bread, muffins for lunchboxes, apricot bliss balls, date bliss balls, ice cream, cucumber pickles, something to use the 3kg of red onions I got at the F&V today

[Savannah]

I have fallen in love with my slow cooker. I made apricot chicken the other night, so easy. Chicken, apricots, onion, ginger and tomato paste. It turned out really well. Do we have a thread for slow cooker recipes?

[Merlion]

Mon:- Curtis Stone Chilli Con Carne with Spiced Pitta Chips (http://m.coles.com.au/mt/recipes.coles.com.au/recipes/852/chilli-con-carne-with-spiced-pita-chips/?un_jtt_redirect)
Tues:- homemade Haninese chicken rice
Wed:- some kind of curry (maybe beef)
Thurs:- leftover minestrone soup from the freezer
Fri:- takeaway night
Sat:- my besties engagement party but kids are not invited so some kind of food freezers for them

[mama_bel]

How's everyone going with the menu planning? I can't not menu plan, would be a disaster here if it wasn't planned out. Just did ours this morning, did the groceries after that, and all set for the week...

Mon - Chicken Curry (TMX) and rice (rice cooker - simple, yum and not many dishes = winner)
Tue - wholemeal spelt spirals and veg/tomato sauce, parmesan
Wed - mashed potato, steamed veg, sauce
Thu - bean enchiladas, nachos, salad, etc
Fri - grilled fish and salads
Sat - eating out, leftovers, take-away - everyone's doing different things
Sun - roast beef, veg, gravy

[boy wrangler]

I'm not planning this week! Argh! Hopefully it doesn't descend into chaos!

We're going Failsafe from next Monday so this week I'm planning on using up things from the freezer and pantry we won't be able to eat while we're Failsafe-ing. Curries, pasta sauces etc etc.