please help me redesign our food -all help needed, how to get everything on a budget!

[SpandexIsMyEnemy]

the DR said today, I was boarder line depressed not so good, i'm exercising but tbh not eating very well.

I have a weakness for chocolate

we prob don't have enough fruit n veg.

but if you can help - some balanced meals high in what ever neutrience will make me feel better. but also be good for DS.

all needs to be done as usual on a budget.

current things are:-

spag bolg, (would like a sauce thou)
cottage pie
quiche (sometimes )
roasts with mum.
pasta bakes (with extra veggies)
bangers n mash (but not often)

tbh I think i've got out of the habit of cooking.

[avenanap]

Poridge in the morning with some chopped up fruit to make it sweeter is always a good start, it's slow releasing so should keep you both going until lunch.
Beans on toast is healthy, tuna pasta bake with salad and wholemeal pasta, tuna steak, oven chips and salad, steamed salmon with potatoes and green beans is very healthy.
Are these what you mean?

[lavenderbongo]

what about some home made soups packed with veggies - they taste yummy and are very cheap?

[DartmoorMama]

Add mid morning and mid pm snacks, like rice/corn cakes and hummus or fruit, helps to avoid binge eating of chocolate.

[SpandexIsMyEnemy]

ave - yeah that's the sort of thing thanks.

didn't think about the rice cakes thing - DS used to have them all the time.

I think perhaps we both need to think about snacks mid morning/afternoon as i'm sure he's hungry half the time.

I do make a chicken/beef soup but not really anything else, which earnt me a bit of an ear bashing today form dad as apparently I should cook lamb either way and freeze half as DS loves it but I hate it!

[avenanap]

Rice cakes taste like cardboard .

Ryvita with some philadelphia and ham is rather tasty. We have fruit for mid morning snack.

Just remember that you are allowed sweets, chocolates and snacks, just not all the time.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

What about this - I made this tonight as a way of making sure my lot had plenty of veg?

Cut up and boil 2 large potatoes
Slice and boil 3 large carrots

Fry one large onion, chopped, with two celery stalks, chopped, one large courgette chopped, one red pepper diced - in a large glug of olive oil. SEason with salt and black pepper.

Cook a small bowl of frozen peas.

When everything is cooked, mix it all together in an oven proof dish, then cover it with cheese sauce, and then grated cheese on the top of that.

Bake for about 20 minutes in a relatively hot oven till the top is browned and crunchy.

Serve with broccoli or some other green veg.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

What about this - I made this tonight as a way of making sure my lot had plenty of veg?

Cut up and boil 2 large potatoes
Slice and boil 3 large carrots

Fry one large onion, chopped, with two celery stalks, chopped, one large courgette chopped, one red pepper diced - in a large glug of olive oil. SEason with salt and black pepper.

Cook a small bowl of frozen peas.

When everything is cooked, mix it all together in an oven proof dish, then cover it with cheese sauce, and then grated cheese on the top of that.

Bake for about 20 minutes in a relatively hot oven till the top is browned and crunchy.

Serve with broccoli or some other green veg.

[HeinzSight]

I made butternut squash soup the other day and it was gorgeous. I made it up myself.

I used
butternut squash (funnily enough!)
sweet potato
onions
carrots
garlic
salt and pepper
chicken stock

I added some milk at the end to thin it out a bit. I also added a bit of mild curry powder to give it an extra bit of flavour.

It was lovely.

[blackrock]

We make pizzas.
Slice 4 cloves garlic and fry gently, add torn up basil leaves and three tins of tinned tomatoes (squash them in the pan. Once boiling, remove from heat and push through a seive using the back of a spoon.

Return seived mixture to heat and simmer and reduce until thick.

I use this tomato sauce in loads of pasta dishes as well as on pizza.

Tomatoes are good for you.

I snack on bananas. Bananas are great for my state of mind.

[SpandexIsMyEnemy]

thanks guys these are fab.

will they help me to feel healthier/happier and release what ever endorphines it is you need?

(tbh I think most of our meals are 'stodge' which isn't good for the boy)

[kidsrus]

cheap spag bol

1 onion
1 jar/carton passata
minced beef
garlic
oregano
basil
s&p

fry beef,strain fat off and place on dish.
fry onion when brown return beef to pan.
add passata and the rest of ingreadients bring to boil and serve on spagetti or pasta.
serve with peas.

you can use quorn instead of beef
you can add tomato puree for a stronger tomato flavour.

you can add chilli's and kidney beans
to make chilli con carne.

this is also good used under mash potato to make a cottage pie.
enjoy

my household love it!!!!!!

[traceybath]

With regards to chocolate i now buy the divine dark chocolate and have one square which i let melt in my mouth.

You get the taste (and its yummy) but don't need much.

I'd also second vegetable soups - i add cardamom and a spot of honey to mine for a change. And tomato/veg sauces for pasta - cook for a long time and then blitz.

Also roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes with some rosemary with sausages rather than mashed potato. Orange colour vegetables are good for your mood (am sure i read that somewhere).

[SpandexIsMyEnemy]

lol. I cheated - was on it when it first started out!

beans - would that be all beans? (really what it comes down to is me being a fussy lil and it now biting me on the arse!)

gonna have sooooooo much fun doing some 'inventive' shopping tomorrow.

orange things as well!

[SpandexIsMyEnemy]

ah don't be sorry - it's a fab thread glad you linked it - there's some fab recipes on there (namely the biscuits one!)

[kidsrus]

i have a veg box delivered once a fortnight and i enjoy making different meals out of it.
it also stays fresher longer.