Family Meal Plan For Week Of 24/09 - £62

I am relying rather heavily on my slow cooker this week as I need a week of low faff comforting dinners because the weather has turned colder and there are a few school related events that we need to attend in the evening.

Our breakfasts, with the exception of pancakes on the weekend, will be cereal with fruit for afters.  Lunches will be Savoury Swirls with crudités, fruit and yoghurt with a small baked treat for afters.

I will be baking all our own bread, wraps, etc and also some cupcakes, muffins, flapjacks and other baked treats to see us through the week.

As usual I used My Supermarket to complete my shopping and compare the cost of the items I require at the major supermarkets.  The cost of my shopping list at Asda this week was £62.24 and was delivered on 23/04.  The items on my shopping list would've cost £71.87 from Sainsbury's and £74.48 from Tesco.

Honey Mustard Chicken One Pot

1 Tblsp oil
500g diced chicken breast
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 Tblsp wholegrain mustard
1 Tblsp honey
500ml chicken stock
1 Tblsp cornflour
2 handfuls frozen mixed vegetables

Heat oil in a medium size frying pan, over high heat. Cook chicken in 2 batches, until browned. Remove and set aside.

Add garlic, sweet potato, mustard, honey and 375ml (1 ½ cups) chicken stock to pan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return chicken to pan and cook for further 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

In a jug or bowl, combine remaining ½ cup stock with cornflour then add to chicken with the mixed vegetables. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until sauce thickens and sweet potato is tender.


Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry

2 Tbsp dried garlic granules
2 tsp hot curry powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp brown sugar
400g can chopped tomatoes in juice
400g can coconut cream
3 cups cooked or tinned chickpeas
500g pumpkin chopped into 2cm cubes

Add the dry ingredients to the slow cooker, stir to combine.  Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and cook on high for 3 hours.


Sausage and Bean Hotpot

1 Tblsp olive oil
500g good quality sausages
1 onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 peppers, diced (any colour)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
250ml chicken stock
2 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tblsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 170°C.  Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat.  Add the sausages and brown all over, this should take about 2-3 minutes.  Remove the sausages from the pan and  set them aside.

Add the onion, carrot, peppers, celery and garlic to the casserole dish. Saute for 5 minutes or until the onion starts to soften.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stock then bring everything to the boil.  Return the sausages to the casserole dish and put the lid on. Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 170°C. Remove the casserole dish from the oven, stir through the beans then bake for another 5 minutes to warm through the beans.  Check the seasoning and then serve with crusty bread and steamed greens.


Macaroni Cheese with mixed vegetables


Slow Cooker Beef Curry - makes enough for 2 nights

1kg diced stewing beef
2 Tblsp mild curry paste
250ml beef stock
125ml coconut milk
1 pepper, diced (any colour)

500g sweet potato or pumpkin, peeled and diced
300g packet of spinach
cooked rice to serve

Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown in a dash of oil in a hot frying pan. Transfer to your slow cooker.

Mix together the curry paste, beef stock, coconut milk then pour over the beef. Scatter in the sweet potato or pumpkin, and cover.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-5 hours. Stir in the spinach leaves, cover and cook a further few minutes until the spinach has wilted. Serve with steamed rice.


Chili Bean Stew

1 onion finely chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced finely
2 carrots finely chopped
1 pepper, diced (any colour)

1 clove of garlic, crushed
250ml vegetable stock
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp dried coriander
¼ tsp ground cumin
440g can chopped tomatoes in juice
440g can mixed beans

Add all ingredients to slow cooker, stir to combine, cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours or until the onion is tender.

Check the seasoning and then serve with crusty bread and steamed greens.

Lunches

Weekdays – Savoury Swirls with crudités, fruit and yoghurt

Weekend - Twice Baked Potatoes, Baked Beans with toast


Shopping List

Cost of 38 items: £62.24 from Asda using My Supermarket and delivered on 23rd September2012.


Packets and Cereals
1x ASDA Smartprice Cornflakes (750g) 46p
1x ASDA Smartprice Crispy Rice Cereal (440g) 70p
1x ASDA Smartprice Porridge Oats (1Kg) 75p
1x Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (1Kg) 88p was 98p
2x Asda Wholefoods Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg) £1.20
2x ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg) £2.56
1x ASDA Smartprice Plain White Flour (1.5Kg) 52p
1x ASDA Easy Cook Long Grain Brown Rice (1Kg) £1.61
1x ASDA Chosen by You Wholewheat Fusilli (500g) 95p any 2 FOR £1.50
1x Asda Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g) 64p

Tins, Jars and Cooking
1x ASDA Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (4x410g) £1.42
4x ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes (400g) £1.24
2x ASDA Cannellini Beans in Water (300g) £1.28
2x ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g) £1.40
1x ASDA Mexican Style Bean Mix in Water (400g) 53p
1x Kingfisher Coconut Milk (400ml) £1.40

Frozen
2x ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) £1.50
2x ASDA Chosen by You Diced Casserole Beef (454g) £5.00

Dairy and Eggs
5x ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L) £5.00 was £1.18
1x Stork (500g) £1.09
3x ASDA Chosen by You Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt (6x125g) £3.00
2x ASDA Chosen by You English Mature Cheddar (400g) £4.00 any 2 FOR £4.00
1x Suffolk Farm Medium Free Range Eggs (6) £1.00

Fruit and Vegetables
2x ASDA Spring Greens (500g) £1.94
20 ASDA Smartprice Apples by Weight (100g) £2.00
20 ASDA Bananas by Weight (100g) £1.36
20 ASDA Carrots by Weight (100g) £1.60
1x ASDA Smartprice Mushrooms (750g) £1.15
7 ASDA Red Onions by Weight (100g) 63p
1x ASDA White Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.50 2 FOR £2.50
12 ASDA Butternut Squash by Weight (100g) £1.28
15 ASDA Sweet Potatoes by Weight (100g) £1.92
1x ASDA Celery 89p
1x ASDA Garlic Loose 27p
1x ASDA Smartprice Peppers (700g) £1.37
1x ASDA Spinach (350g) £1.50
1x ASDA Green Beans (240g) £1.00

Meat, Fish and Poultry
1x ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 454g) £2.00
1x ASDA Free Range Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets (450g) £3.70

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery websites, and are correct as of 23rd September 2012.