Meal Plan Sept 9

There's quite a few people who I follow on facebook who also meal plan each week.
I love looking at their ideas and reasons for doing a meal plan.
My main motivation for doing so is because it saves me time and it saves me money. It saves me time because I can start to prep in the morning and there are no mad dashes to the supermarket after work. It saves money as I am one of those people who always gets a couple more things than what is on the list.
Another fantastic thing about doing up a meal plan each week is that the rest of the family know what's for dinner too - It saves the nagging voices of starving* children asking me twenty times "What's for dinner". They simply go to the fridge and look at the list that is written up there.
(*I'm going to make a big assumption and presume that people actually know that my children are NOT starving, and that it's just a figure of speech)


Monday

 Home Made Pizza
Ive really only put this picture for ideas. We all have different pizza toppings in our house and this is always a winner


Tuesday

Chicken Schnitzel and potato salad
I actually don't make the schnitzel in the picture and in fact the link doesn't take you to a recipe. Essentially I set up 3 plates - one with plain flour, one with a lightly whisked egg and one with breadcrumbs, mixed herbs and finely grated Parmesan then simply dredge the chicken through all 3 in order. Then I use cooking spray and lightly fry them. They are delicious and I try to make leftovers as they are even better cold


Wednesday

Beef and Rice Noodle Stir Fry
I usually add extra vege's to this one. Things like baby corn, capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower or mushroom work well.


Thursday

 Spinach and Feta turnovers
To add some extra flavour I generally add some cheddar, nutmeg and paprika to the mix. Yum

Friday

Beer Batter Fish and chips
Can't go wrong with fish and chips!

Recipes - Middle eastern chicken with chickpeas

Middle eastern chicken with chickpeas

 

Ingredients

500g            Chicken breast fillet, diced (I normally  don't weigh; just do 2 average size fillets)

                     Cooking spray (or 2 tbs oil . I simply prefer cooking spray)

1                   Red onion, sliced

1 tbs            Cumin

2 tsp            Paprika

1 tsp            Lemon zest/rind finely grated

1/2 tsp        Tumeric

400g (1 tin) Baby corn  , drained                 

400g (1 tin) Chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup        Pistachio kernels (unsalted)

1/2 cup        Orange juice (or the juice or of orange)

60g               Baby spinach leaves (I normally don't measure this, but use a couple of handfuls)

1/4 cup        Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped      

Method

 

1. Spray a wok or frying pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about three minutes. Stir in the cumin, paprika, turmeric and lemon zest and cook for another minute.

2. Add the chicken to the pan and stir-fry until nearly cooked through (the chicken finishes cooking through when you add the other ingredients)

3. Add the baby corn, chickpeas and pistachio kernels. Stir fry for approx 3 minutes or until the chickpeas are warmed through

4. Add the orange juice and baby spinach leaves. Stir fry until the leaves have just wilted.

5. Stir in the parsley. Serve with couscous

 

 

* Adapted from a recipe from a Family Circle cookbook 'Quick Short Chicken recipes'

 

Meal plan June 17

I am loving doing up this meal plan each Sunday.
The best thing about it is that it takes out the worry (ie. staring at the fridge and cupboard) all week about what to make and consequently we eat better (not that we eat bad normally). Also, it saves money as I don't find myself at the supermarket every second day.
I used to do a weekly meal plan a few years ago but just got bored of doing it. I am anticipating that I will get bored again eventually but the difference this time will be that I have a record of what I did so, essentially, I can just start again from my first meal plan.

This week we have the school athletics carnival on Wednesday so, from that day, I am making meals that I know will be eaten as I anticipate that there will be some tired kidlets


Monday










http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22910/speedy+fried+rice
An easy start to the week. Yummy

Tuesday

http://asunshinyday.com/slow-cooker-coconut-cashew-chicken/
This one looks really good. I haven't made it before but I figure you can't go wrong with cashews! I will probably add some vege's to the slow cooker at some stage - maybe baby corn, capsicum and spinach leaves. And I plan to serve it with noodles (only because we are having rice the night before)

Wednesday

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/19828/individual+chunky+beef+pies
Another recipe that I haven't tried before. I am thinking that I'll do mushroom for the adults, and carrot and potato for the boys as mushrooms are not on their favourite vegetable list.
There's quite a few suggestions in the comments section that I am going to have a good read over before I start this one.

Thursday

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Curried-Sausages-L602.html
The picture I've posted and the picture that comes up from the link do not match. It's a pinterest thing but I like the picture above better than the one on the link - simple as that.
This dinner will be yummy with mash

Friday

http://pinterest.com/pin/486036984755614949/
I think I could make this recipe with my eye's closed. Its almost foolproof.
Foolproof risotto is what it should be called.
It's originally from a Family circle cookbook - Quick short Chicken recipes.
I generally do pumpkin and spinach instead of leek. I also add pine nuts and bacon or ham if I have it.
It is super easy and super delicious.

Have a great week.
The full link (board) of what I am making is here:
http://pinterest.com/jenstrongy/this-weeks-dinner/

Recipes - Cheesy chicken rissoles

Cheesy chicken rissoles

 

Ingredients

500g            Chicken mince
1                   Zucchini, grated
1                   Carrot, grated
1                   Onion, finely chopped
2                   cloves of garlic, finely chopped
150g            Mushrooms, finely chopped
1                   Egg
3/4 cup       Breadcrumbs
1 tbs             dried herbs (parsley or mixed). Fresh would be better, I just didn't have any
2 tbs            Mayonnaise (whole egg mayo is best)
1 tsp            Maggi seasoning (optional)
6 rashers     Bacon (optional)









Method

1. Put all ingredients  (except bacon if using) in a bowl and mix until combined. Roll into 12-24 rissoles (the number/size is up to you. The size I have made, when flattened on a BBQ plate, are a great size for smaller bread rolls).
* If you are using the bacon: Wrap a bacon rasher around each rissole and secure with a toothpick. I didn't do it this time as I made smaller rissoles and the bacon would have been too much. It is best done is you are making the bigger size










2. Heat BBQ plate on high until hot. Reduce heat to medium. Flatten rissoles and cook 5 minutes each side or until cooked through.
3. Place on bread rolls and add whatever salad veg suits you (I do tomato, baby spinach leaves, cucumber and beetroot)