Our Family Meal Plan For Week of 22/04/2013 - £55 The Hectic Week Edition

We've a busy week ahead this week.  I have two school governor meetings, one APCM evening meeting, one Parent Consultation Evening, a trip to London, two work shifts and my eldest will be celebrating her 13th Birthday.  This has made compiling the Meal Plan this week rather interesting.  I needed quick, tasty and low faff meals for us all  that are also cost effective.

As usual I compared the cost of our groceries.  I purchased our shopping list from Asda on 21/04/2013 and it cost £54.95.  Our shopping list items purchased from Tesco would've cost £64.38, from Waitrose £70.45 and from Sainsbury's £70.64.

My 3 daughters are annoyed that they will be having school dinners this week but it will make life easier for everyone.  Breakfasts will be cereal or toast with a piece of fruit for afters. 

Dinners

Vegetable and Chickpea Hotpot

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pepper, diced

2 sticks celery, finely sliced

2 courgettes, sliced

2 carrots, finely sliced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

400g tin chickpeas, drained

300ml vegetable stock

Put a large casserole pot over a moderate heat.  Saute the onion and garlic until they start to soften.

Add the pepper, celery, courgettes, carrots and sweet potatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You may need to add a little water if the vegetables start to stick to the pan.

Add the tinned tomatoes, spices, chickpeas and stock.  Stir well, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Check the hotpot every 15 minutes to ensure there is enough liquid in the pot.  Check the seasoning then serve.

Honey Soy Chicken

6 chicken portions, I usually use drumsticks

2 Tblsp soy sauce

1 Tblsp honey

1 tsp tomato paste

1 Tblsp oil

1 Tblsp mustard, I usually use Dijon mustard

Make a few slashes into each chicken portion.  This will help the marinade penetrate the chicken and also help it cook faster.

Mix together all the marinade ingredients, pour over the chicken and make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated.  Leave to marinate for half an hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan.  Put the chicken into a roasting dish and bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  I usually serve mine with cooked rice and steamed vegetables.

Quesadillas

8 tortillas, wholemeal wraps or burritos (Store bought or homemade)

 1 tin whole kernel corn

 2 tins chilli beans

 1 cup grated cheese

 2 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped

 1 spring onion, white and green parts chopped

 A couple of large handfuls of grated cheese

Preheat a non-stick frying pan or sandwich press. Top four of the tortillas with the chilli beans, drained sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes, spring onion and grated cheese.  Cover with remaining tortillas to make a tortilla sandwiches.

Spray frying pan with a little oil. Cook tortillas one at a time in frying pan. Cook on one side for 2 or 3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for another 2 or 3 minutes, or until the fillings are hot and the cheese has melted. Repeat with the other three tortillas. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve with salad.

Slow Cooker Sausage and Lentil Stew

6 good quality sausages

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 stalks celery, finely sliced

1 pepper, deseeded and diced

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 Tblsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cups uncooked green lentils

2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and finely sliced

500ml  vegetable stock

In a large frying pan brown the sausages then cut each into 4 chunks.  Put the sausage chunks into the slow cooker with all the other ingredients.

Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours. When cooked serve in bowls with crusty bread rolls.

Pasties (using leftover stew)

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

1 Tblsp oil

2 onions, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tblp grated fresh ginger

1 Tblsp curry powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes

250 ml Evaporated milk

2 Tblsp tomato paste

1 Tblsp garam masala

125ml plain yoghurt

1 Tblsp sugar

Preheat your slow cooker on low.  Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions and garlic until the onions are transparent.  Add the ginger, curry powder, cumin and coriander. Cook for about a minute until the spices are fragrant.

Add the chicken to pan and brown a little.  Tip the entire contents of the pan into the slow cooker.  Stir in the tinned tomatoes, evaporated milk, tomato paste and garam masala.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, stir through the yoghurt and sugar.  Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.  I serve this with rice and steamed vegetables.

Roast Vegetable and Goats Cheese Filo Tart

Shopping List

38 items: £54.95                                                                                           

Packets and Cereals                                                                                  

1x      ASDA Smartprice Cornflakes (750g)                                                  46p  

1x      Asda Wholefoods Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                          80p  

1x      ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                                               £1.26            

1x      ASDA Easy Cook Long Grain Brown Rice (1Kg)                               £1.78            

1x      ASDA Smartprice Pasta Shapes (500g)                                             30p  

1x      ASDA Chosen by You Ready to Roll Puff Pastry (500g)                   £1.00            

1x      Jus-Rol Filo Pastry (375g)                                                                   £1.00            

1x      Asda Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)                   65p  

1x      Great Scot Green Lentils (500g)                                                          £1.29            

Dairy and Eggs                                                                                           

3x      ASDA Chosen by You French Set Yogurts Assorted (6x125g)          £3.00            

4x      ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                              £4.00            

1x      ASDA Free Range Medium Eggs (12)                                                £1.98            

1x      ASDA Greek Feta Cheese (200g)                                                       £1.00 was £1.27

Frozen                                                                                                         

1x      ASDA Chosen by You Freshly Frozen Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)        £1.00            

1x      ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)                                        75p  

Tins, Jars and Cooking                                                                             

5x      ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes (400g)                                    £1.55            

2x      ASDA Chosen by You Chilli Beans (290g)                                          96p  

1x      ASDA Smartprice Sweetcorn (326g)                                                  32p  

1x      ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g)                                                     62p  

1x      ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g)                            48p  

Fruit and Vegetables                                                                                 

1x      ASDA Salad Tomatoes (750g)                                                            £1.50            

20      ASDA Smartprice Apples by Weight (100g)                                       £2.36            

20      ASDA Bananas by Weight (100g)                                                       £1.36            

20      ASDA Carrots by Weight (100g)                                                         £1.60            

2x      ASDA Aubergine Loose                                                                       £1.00 

1x      ASDA White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                                                             £1.90            

2x      ASDA Whole Cucumber                                                                      £1.00            

2x      ASDA Round Lettuce                                                                          £1.14            

1x      ASDA Celery                                                                                       89p  

2x      ASDA Garlic Loose                                                                              60p  

1x      ASDA Smartprice Peppers (700g)                                                      £1.65            

2x      ASDA Courgettes (3)                                                                           £2.00            

1x      ASDA Spring Onions                                                                           69p  

1x      ASDA Smartprice Brown Onions (2Kg)                                              98p  

2x      ASDA Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)                                                               £2.00            

Meat, Fish and Poultry                                                                              

1x      ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 454g)                   £2.50  was £2.98

1x      ASDA Butcher's Selection Boneless Chicken Thigh Fillets (515g)     £3.58

1x      ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Drumsticks (1.1Kg)                    £4.00            

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 21 April 2013.  Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

Don't forget to check out the Meal Planning Monday linky on At Home With Mrs M.