Meal plans

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Anybody want to share? In no particular order:
Brazilian stew with palm hearts - recipe from Lad Iguanas
Cauliflower cheese and jacket spuds
Nigella's fish finger bhorta
Thai green curry with tofu
Shallot tart with rocket salad
Veggie chilli

@SpaceOp thank you. I am pregnant with mr second at the moment and whilst it's killing me that mum will never know him/her I am happy she knew they were on their way!

@Cbd333 that’s a tough week in many ways, I’m so sorry for the loss of your mum.

I’m in the US so can’t really recommend brands in the U.K. but I hear toofoo is great and I have tried their smoked tofu which is amazing (and I just snack on slices straight out of the box!)

Yes - www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/the-tofoo-co-smoked-tofu/731996-583874-583875 This one is pretty nice. Cook it until it's good and crispy - it's horrible if it's still wobbly.

Mine for next week is
Friday: paella
Saturday: gnocchi with home made sundried tomato pesto
Sunday: chickpea and aubergine tagine with hummus and pitta
Monday: leftover chilli with wedges
Tuesday: blackbean and sweet potato fajitas
Wednesday: satay fried rice
Thursday: Dan Dan noodles
Friday: baingan Bharta with naan

Bit of a digression but @lastqueenofscotland reminded me, I had a recipe for Paella in the slow cooker. It wasn't that authentic but wasn't bad and was super convenient. And I've lost it. Don't suppose anyone has ideas? It's knowing how much rice/water/stock to add for a slow cooker paella that stops me from just winging it.....

Ooo I don’t use a slow cooker I use a pan and stare at it for 50 minutes trying not to touch it

Ignore the wink!

@lastqueenofscotland

Ooo I don’t use a slow cooker I use a pan and stare at it for 50 minutes trying not to touch it

See - I just don't have it in me to do that! :) Hence the slow cooker. I mean, it was pretty simple from memory - chicken, chorizo, peppers, rice, paprika, stock. It also was NOT the best paella I've ever had. But it was convenient and tasty. Must search kitchen in case it's been scrunched up in another recipe book.

@BlingLoving, in Asian supermarkets, you will have a choice of extra firm, firm, soft and silken(fresh). No specific brand recommendations.

Silken and soft are used for stews. Silken/fresh is almost curd like and is great to whizz up in smoothies or in a stew like soon dubu jiggae. Soft is great for things like mapa tofu and eating raw.
(my favourite is in a shallow dashi broth with grated fresh ginger and lemon/lime, minced spring onion, and a drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce). Firm is great for general use and extra firm for frying.

Getting to the end of my month-long plan and starting to feel a tiny bit ground down with it , so much so that DH has decided that we're on takeaway this weekend!!!

Today - Cottage Pie (courtesy of DD's GCSE Food Tech practical!)
Friday - Chinese
Saturday - Picnic Tea (so far I've got chicken wings, cheese & bacon bites, ribs from the freezer and patatas bravas)
Sunday - Roast Ham, Cauliflower Cheese, Broccoli and Roasties
Monday - Toad
Tuesday - Fish & Chips
Wednesday - Chicken Curry

I think one of the things getting me down is that the month meal-plan was supposed to run down the freezer so that I can start again with trying some new things but I've still got enough to last another two weeks and it all feels same-old same-old. Going to scour cookery books this weekend and try to inject some interest into the next cople of weeks!!!

I've reading an amusing thread about things you only see on Mumsnet but one thing was someone saying people doing meal plans doesn't happen in real life. I'm sure that's not true - I've definitely heard people talking about it in real life too.

I'm coming to the end of my 2 week plan and as I was thinking this morning about how I needed to shuffle a few things as we've had changes to the order at DS' request, I realised the real upside of the two week plan has been that I've really enjoyed not having to THINK about food for the last two weeks. I just check in the morning what we're having, take something out of the freezer if necessary, and that's it. I do find the process of doing the meal planning a bit tedious but there's no doubt that spending half an hour today is better than daily thinking about what we should have every day.

Due to the above reshuffling, we now have three days in a row where, theoretically, we are having things that fussy DD will eat. But the big question is whether she can be tempted to eat things she likes vs at least one meal of her favourite - pesto pasta!! I am thinking it will be easier on a weekend than during the week as we all eat together. If she eats "proper" food three days in a row DH and I might have to break out the champagne!

funny @SpaceOp I know a few people in real life who meal plan but prob not to the extent or with the enjoyment we do on this thread!

I feel you with having a particular child. Needless to say on my meal plan DD tends to have her own meal, the plan is for the rest of us. Hers is usually pasta pesto, ramen noodles in miso soup, a carb/protein/veg combo of her choosing that takes me minutes to put together

@SpaceOp that doesn't surprise me but this page is my guilty pleasure! I don't always stick 100% to the plan (like tonight I couldn't be arsed to cook so we're having a takeaway) but it's a good thing to try and stick to.

Chicken curry, kachumber and naan
Nachos with refried beans
Hake in a curried sauce with green beans and new potatoes
Steak pie (farm shop not home made)
Beef short ribs - not sure how I'm doing these yet but likely a side of mash or sweet potato wedges

I had a plan which had to be completely revamped due to some late night perusing of the New York Times food app. As it now stands:

-pumpkin ricotta gnocchi with hispi cabbage in browned butter
-River Cafe’s calvolo Nero minestrone
-cod, white bean, fennel, and chorizo stew
-quiche Lorraine with added broccoli
-Memphis pot roast beef
-pulled beef sandwiches using leftover pot roast beef
-Scandi style salmon, hasselback potatoes, beetroot salad
-courgette carbonara
-vegan Japanese curry

Sweet treats:
-oatmeal raisin cookies
-sour cream coffee cake

Tonight: harissa aubergine and tomatoes with cous cous
Sunday: sweet potato, parsnip and chickpea tagine
Monday: veggie haggis, neeps and tatties
Tuesday: agadashi tofu and teriyaki carrots
Wednesday: beyond burgers/sausages and wedges
Thursday: think I’ll do a chilli, haven’t had one in a while
Friday: pizza night as per

Bookmarking!

@Cbd333 sorry for your loss.

I’d love your chipotle recipe with the cheesy dumplings

Veggie haggis, must try and get some.

Sausage & red pepper tray bake
Mogul Chicken, Dahl and rice
Chipotle roast chicken and sweet potatoes
Individual Roast poussins, watercress and sweet potato
Cauliflower curry
Chick pea and veg chilli and rice
Deliveroo night

I have a great new cook book called Tin Can Magic.

Today: turkey crown that was the spare in case the fresh one didn't arrive at Christmas!
Mon: vegetable lasagne
Tues: home made Chicken nuggets and potato wedges & salad
Wed: sausage casserole &dumplings
Thurs: bobotie
Fri: not sure yet ( veggie dish of some sort)
Sat: curry night (home made)

Today -Roast chicken, roast potatoes, cauli cheese, green beans, carrots and stuffing. Found some Christmas cranberry I'd forgotten about too!

Rest of week -
Jerk chicken thighs
Tuna with mango salsa, roasted new potatoes
Soy and ginger salmon tray bake with sweet potato
Slow cooked tomato sauce with cavelo nero pasta
Cheese pie, chips and beans

@Angliski here you go!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chipotle-sweet-potato-black-bean-stew-cheddar-dumplings

I've done it as a veggie recipe (always with guacamole and sour cream on the side) and also with slow cooked pork belly strips shredded in.

Still tweaking mine but have the below so far. I'm on a special diet for long covid which is quite restrictive and I hate making separate meals so it's rather dull.

1	Parsnip (from freezer) soup creamed with mascarpone 
2	Root vegetable tagine with dried apricot
3	Chicken turmeric curry and brown rice with stir fry cabbage
4	Salmon ? (From freezer)
5	Beef stew (from freezer)
6. Either lamb pie or sausage roll and chips, Or fried egg veg and chips 
7	Jacket potato
8	Hm falafel / almond kale falafel

Salmon, mash, spinach , chive butter sauce
Mince , roast Charlotte pots, peas
Sausages and cannellini beans
Vegetable soup and fresh sour dough
Spaghetti puttanesca
Thai style broth with prawns, Chinese leaf and baby corn
Mushroom omelette with salad