2024 meal planning

[Lastqueenofscotland2]

Anyone else starting to think about getting their arses back in gear?!
Mine for the next week
Tomorrow: baked Camembert with nice bread (not quite over Christmas yet!)
Saturday: Thai green veggie curry
Sunday: NYE - will be sitting in with a dog terrified of fire works, might just order a pizza
Monday: Tuscan bean stew and sourdough
Tuesday: west African peanut stew
Wednesday: some sort of pie with all the leftover veg
Thursday: gochujang tofu

What are greek topped fries? @lastqueenofscotlandagain ? Sounds interesting. Maybe that's what I shoudl do with my potatoes this week!?

I am actually feeling a bit inspired as having been watching Jamie (again) and also Masterchef! So while I'm not quite at meal planning point yet, I'm already considering things like an aubergine schnitzel (version of Monica's carrot schnitzel on Mastershef) and Jamie's grilled salmon for next week.

It's a lazy tea I do very occasionally, fries and top them with:
whip some feta, parsley, dill, olive oil and yogurt for the "sauce", fresh and sundried tomatoes and olives.

I like the sound of Greek fries.

Next week I want to try a homemade version of Wagamama’s yasai itame.

Also, I’ve finally ordered an air fryer. Will it transform my life?! I’m thinking of trying tofu in it and also haloumi. Any ideas for vegetarian recipes in it? It’s a Ninja dual one.

I've had a couple of weeks of freezer dinners, fine dining with visitors, and back to freezer dinners with work load.

So Monday night was leftover cooked chicken tossed with mushrooms in white wine and cream over tagliatelle.
Tuesday was a chicken tikka masala on rice (with puppodums as it was so depressingly bland).
Wednesday was spaghetti Bol (last one from previous big freezer batch).
Last night, I made avocado and prawns in seafood sauce after a drinks reception (didn't want proper food).

Tonight I am out with friends for a farewell dinner and need to get organised tomorrow for a more normal week ahead. Which will probably include 1 chilli night, salmon and spinach, and a stir fry night at least. And I am home home on Thursday until Sunday so I don't need to worry about those (although that points to a need to empty the freezer more before the weekend - to have space for a couple of good steaks and some other bits).

Sounds really good. I have been toying with doing some smashed roast potatoes with my pile of new potatoes so maybe this is a good topping.

tonight - fancy steak sandwiches on ciabatta with caramelised onion and salad
tomorrow - out. Maybe smashed potatoes and whipped feta for kids!
mon- beef stir fry with leftover beef from the joint I am making steak with
Tuesday - attempting aubergine schnitzel with butter bean hummus and wedges (Bit worried about whether I should slightly pre-cook aubergine first before flour/egg/breadcrumbs and frying. Any thoughts?0
wed: Jamie Oliver no cook tomato pasta.
thurs: fish - either miso salmon or fish cakes.

Afternoon All. I've loved reading up this thread. Our home situation is going to change so I'll be home first (around 4) and OH will be home and typically hungry when he gets in at six pm. Previously we have both been wfh full time.

So, it's over to me to do the weekday meals. We will eat/try anything, so would you kindly ping me back your "Greatest Hits" for midweek meals for a couple? Thank you!

@SpaceOP and @Lastqueenofscotland2 on fries or potatoes both sounds brilliant. Am defo doing that this week as well!

Today: ras el hanout roadted cauliflower, harissa seitan and cous cous
Tomorrow: steak and mash and cabbage (vegan steak for DS and I)
Monday: Tofish and chips (fish fingers for DD)
Tuesday: African Peanut Stew
Wednesday: salmon, rice and green beans
Thursday: aubergine puttanesca and spaghetti
Friday: loaded Greek roast potatoes

Today:
B: Bacon and mushroom roll
L: Ham salad sandwich
D: spaghetti bolognaise, salad, garlic bread

Monday (fast day)
B: Last of the breakfast muffins from the freezer (never again!)
L: mushroom soup
D: Chicken fajita (singular 😒)

Tuesday
B: Porridge
L: Jacket with cottage cheese and coleslaw
D: all-day breakfast

Wednesday:
B: crumpets
L: cheese and ham paninni
D: Tuna pasta bake

Thursday
B: Boiled egg
L: crumpet/wrap pizzas
D: Salmon, vegetabkw rice, barbecue sauce

Friday (fast day)
B: Banana pancakes
L: Thai pumpkin soup (I hope we like this as we have many pumpkins to use up)
D: goulash from freezer

Today- Cottage pie, green beans & broccoli.
Monday - Jacket potatoes with cauliflower cheese and leeks
Tuesday - White chicken chilli with rice
Wednesday - Lamb kofta with tabbouleh and tzatziki
Thursday - Steak ramen
Friday - Tavuk kapama and salad
Saturday - Trying out a 7 layer taco dip thing I think, or curry if I get home later than planned
Sunday - Roast chicken dinner as I want the carcass to do chicken and rice soup.

I also have some Swiss chard which I've never cooked before if anyone has any ideas before I just cook it like I would spinach or kale.

Today: vegetable and feta omelettes

Monday: veggie shepherds pie from the freezer - should have had this last week but plans changed

Tuesday - we’re going to try making a version of Wagamama’s Masai itame

Weds: pasta pesto with trimmings as desired- mine will be baby spinach, sweet drop peppers and feta

Thursday - veggie burritos

Friday - vegan ramen soup with Itsu gyoza

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie We used to do itsu gyoza a lot. Post school snack. Salady-lunch, with a stir fry for dinner. I must get back into it. Especially if I can cook them in the air fryer (or rather, if DS can - he loves gyoza but I suspect he'd destory them if he tried to cook them on the stove).

@Devastatedandblue welcome. Most of us have similar things that come up a lot - most likely because they're the easy/reliable favourites. Stick around and I'm sure you'll get ideas.

@SpaceOP I’ve finally ordered an air fryer and it should be arriving this week. I’m excited to hear that I can put gyoza in there.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I think you can. I haven't done it but I don't see why not and I'm sure I've seen people saying on here that they've done it. Only possible downside is it might be more evenly browned - DS will like that but I always like the one side being less browned! (although I'm too lazy to do the half fry/half steam option that is the "proper" way).

I also can't believe you don't have an air fryer already. You liek feta if I recall.... baked feta in the air fryer is amazing and quick and easy. And roasted tomatoes and onions at lunch, on couscous with feta... in the winter it's practically at least a weekly lunch for me and DH!

Love baked feta and will definitely be trying that!

I like them browned on all sides, so will give them a go.

Thanks for all the tips!

The air fryer has just arrived and it’s a beast! Next week’s meals will be brought to you by Ninja, if I can work out how to use it.

I ended up not dreadful but a bit different to my vague plans.

Sat - feta chicken thighs, baked courgette, lemon pepper/garlic baby roast potatoes
Sun- pasta with meatballs and roasted veg in tomato sauce
Mon - tuna steak with steamed potatoes, steamed broccoli and spinach
Tues - chilli and rice with fresh guacamole
Tonight - chicken tikka masala and rice and puppodums

Apparently tomorrow is shepherds pie (DH defrosting what I cooked for him).

Fri/Sat no idea yet
Sun I'm back here - not a lot in fridge (and shops closed when I get back) but will probably bring something back with me or do chorizo potatoes
Mon/tues have evening events so freezer meals
We'd probably out with Dept manager from home (the joy!)
Thurs - fall in a heap when mgrs gone - probably eat out
Fri - go food shopping (1st chance since I return) and see what's good

Just think of it as a smaller, more efficient and quicker oven. And you're laughing. Like with a regular oven, you hvae to learn your own one - mine runs really hot so things definitey cook quicker than in other air fryers.

I seem to have slipped back into 5 day meal planning and shopping. Not sure why. Slightly annoying but trying to go with it. So night is the last of last week's 5 days with Aubergine schnitzel with a butterbean hummus, wedges and some salad. (I've have emergency pork in case it's a dsiaster and everyone refuses to eat it!).

Then, in no particlar order except fish on the day it arrives in my farm box:

Fish - it's "white fish of the day" so I assume I'll just flour them, fry, and serve with wedges and veg
Tomato, chorizo, chilli and aubergine pasta
Chicken salad with garlic bread
Pork steaks (assuming they don't get used tonight!) with sauteed leek, cabbage and red onion and probably more potatoes
Possibly fish cakes

Oh, and I did the Jamie Oliver no-cook tomato pasta yesterday - it came out really well. I recommend it. Still need to do the miso salmon - maybe next week.

What farm box do you get @SpaceOP ? I’m looking for a sustainable, British caught fish delivery

@Citygirlrurallife
I use Field & Flower (I think I have a code if you want to go that route). Originally meat but they have a small selection of fish which, when I've tried, have always been good. I just looked on the website and the catch of the day, which is what I've ordered, apparently comes from the Brixham Fish Market. If that means anything to you?

Needless to say, the boxes aren't cheap. Sigh. I don't buy a lot because of that - but if I win the lottery, I'll be getting all my meat and fish from them! I find it really good. Customer service is pretty good too which I like.

Thanks @SpaceOP I did breakfast pastries in it to test it and then yesterday did the tofu for yasai itame. Tonight’s test is garlic bread. I’m really impressed with it so far.

Hallumi in an airfryer is brilliant. As is tofu.

Mine this week

Friday: quesadillas
Saturday: creamy gochujang pasta
Sunday: baked Camembert
Monday: harissa chickpea stew and roasted cauliflower
Tuesday: paneer masala
Wednesday: out
Thursday: onion bahji burgers

Sunday: roast (chicken for DH and DD, mushroom Wellington for DS and I)
Monday: aubergine and bell pepper bimibap
Tuesday: spaghetti and meatballs
Wednesday: tofu stir fry
Thursday: I’m out, African peanut stew for the others
Friday: pizza night