Meal planning, sharing recipes and ideas to make the weekly budget go further.

@Realworld10 roasts are my favourite meal. I think they're affordable, and can be simple if you want. I will soon be making roasts most weeks.

Thats actually really lovely to hear, thank you.
I don't envy you at all, having fussy eaters. Luckily for me I can work around any dislikes fairly easily.
I did find cooking a chore, but more recently I have found it soothing, knowing that I may not have loads of money, but I do have the power to feed my family well.

I think a lot of it stems from the fact that my parents had pretty much given up parenting by the time I was about 11. So to me, providing good food is important. I also associate good family times with food -.gatherings, birthdays etc, which so many of us do i guess.

Anyway, true to style, a stressful weekend (health scare) has passed and now I'm refilling my cup in the kitchen.

A much needed day in the kitchen today.

This morning I made bbq baked beans with scrambled eggs for my daughter and I. 1 onion, garlic, grated carrots, oregano, Paprika, cumin, tin of tomatoes, borlotti beans, bbq sauce.

Then I made -

Courgette and butter bean soup
Sweetcorn, miso and lime soup
Curried Sweet potato, roast carrot and lentil soup
A green goddess type of sauce (coriander, an over ripe avocado, lime juice, yogurt, chilli flakes)
Roast potatoes
Roast chicken
Honey roasted carrots
Cauliflower cheese
Peas
Gravy

We had Roast for tea, the left over potatoes are for lunch tomorrow with the green sauce, salad and feta.

The left over cauliflower will get mixed with some pasta and other veg for a mac n cheese type of tea

Soups are in the freezer for whilst we are away

There's a portion of beans and a portion of broccoli soupmfrom yesterday in the fridge too

After an emotionally draining weekend I feel better

Today has been a delicious day, despite feeling utterly awful!

Brunch was the bbq beans on toast with cheese from yesterday.

Tea was a flipping delight. I used the left over roast potatoes from yesterday, served with the grown goddess sauce, feta and crispy onions. Served with - pork mince with nasi goreng paste and mixes beans, in a wrap with a smear of mayo, some fig chutney, salad leaves and somw cucumbers i put in some left over pickle juice. It was all really tasty!

Friday is curry, tomorrow undecided.

Hello! Finally back from our holidays, where I took zero photos of the food I cooked! And tomorrow I have a colonoscopy booked due to ongoing stomach issues, so currently on a fast. Hoping to resume normal posting next week.

So, the colonoscopy found i have cancer, unfortunately. Which came as a bit of a shock! Still very much in the diagnostic phase.
Despite the shock, I did have a discount voucher for Tesco, so put in a huge order. £130 of shopping for £112. That came on Monday evening, and today I did a lot of batch cooking. Figured I woukd be grateful of some home cooked meals over the upcoming weeks.

Lunch for the last two days was the curried lentil soup I made before going away. Today it was served with sources and bacon bits.

For today's cooking I made:
green soup - leek, broccoli, spinach and 1/2 jar of left over pesto.
Roasted carrot, pepper and lentil soup
A ham for sandwiches and at least 1 tea time
Jacket potatoes
Rice pudding
Marry me leeks and bean stew
A beef, prunes and blackbean stew
Cabbage
Cous cous
Stewed fruits
Crumble

I'm off for a bath, heading out for the day to see my sister tomorrow.

Hope you're all well, and as ever, shout of you want any recipes (loose use of the word!)

That's incredibly kind, thank you.

It's been a crazy few days (literally sunday - now), so it was very soothing to get in the kitchen and just cook.

Now I know, and my family know, there are plenty of good options in the freezer and all they have to do os heat them up and add any carbs they fancy.

I'd love to see what you make, feel free to share! X

@FlorenceBlack @sashh thank you. Having an afternoon out to aemse a lifelong friend and my sister today. I expect there may be some tears, but hopefully mainly ones of laughter x

Thanks all. It was very nice to have a day out and almost forget everything for a few hours.

Photo of brunch before I went in my merry way today. Mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, hash browns, scrambled eggs, ham.

MRI scan today, ao thw lastbif my testing done for now. We had brunch out. This evening one of our older sons came over and I felt goos having had a nap. Made spaghetti bolognese, then we had rice pudding.

A couple of portions of.mince left, ao will have those with baked potatoes tomorrow for tea. I think salad for lunch.

What are you all cooking up?

My lovely daughter made brunch yesterday- hash browns and beans. It was all I really fancied.

Then tea.was a baked potato with salad and left over mince.

My husband was gigging last night, our daughter and new beau came to watch, we were all ready for something when we got in, so made pizza wraps with mushrooms, the remaining ham, sweetcorn, tomato puree and cheese. They were a good alternative to stopping off for expensive take away or crap garage ones in the way home.

Today- off to spend the afternoon with friends, not sure what we will be eating. I'm definitely packing in all the bad behaviours before next.week, when I'm sure I will be told to look aftwr myself better! Im looking after the emotional side this weekend.

I am doing okay, thanks for asking. Trying not to fall into any rabbit holes by seeing my friends and family. It's working well so far. X