Our Family Meal Plan week beginning 09/01/2017 - £54

Our Meal Plan this week is a largely vegetarian one, with the exception of a fish dinner and lunch, and some bacon in the frittata which could easily be left out.  We've some baking flour and sugar leftover from last week so I haven't purchased any, I've only purchased bread flour.

Our greens growing in the back garden are doing well with the mild and wet weather so we've got chard, kale, and spinach to use as a side dish for some of the dinners. Likewise, the fresh herbs have had a growth spurt.  I have picked some herbs and frozen them mixed with garlic and butter to dip doughballs in or spread on bread rolls, and I'm also drying some of the herbs.

It's a busy week this week, there's after school events or evening clubs on 3 nights this week, and I am working an extra shift as well.  We've a club and an appointment on Saturday and another on Sunday so the weekend is busier than usual too.  Dinners are all quick and easy, especially on those nights when we need to eat earlier than usual or I need to get dinner served before I dash off to work.

Meal Plan

Breakfasts will be porridge with homemade plum and apple compote, or wholemeal toast with spread and a piece of fruit.

Lunches during the week will be Calzone with homemade Root Vegetable Crisps and a piece of fruit, I will make two batches of Calzone to last the week.  Weekend lunches will be potato topped fish pie on Saturday, using leftover fish from Friday night, and soup with rolls on Sunday.  We need a quick lunch on Saturday as we have one morning club and an afternoon appointment, so I'll prepare the fish pie on Friday night and then just put it in the oven on Saturday.  Sunday will be a delicious vegetable soup served with homemade wholemeal bread rolls. 

Snacks will be fruit, homemade rice pudding (I will make two batches), with a little dollop of jam or lemon curd, popcorn, and scones or doughballs with garlic butter.

Lunches

(Veggie) Mince and Vegetable Calzone 

250g meatfree mince, or beef mince

1 onion, finely chopped

2 peppers, diced (any colour will do)

200g mushrooms, finely sliced

4 Tblsp tomato paste

125ml boiling water

1 tsp dried oregano, or 1 Tblsp fresh oregano

2 Tblsp fresh chives, finely chopped

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Dough:

1 x 7g packet instant yeast

1 Tblsp sugar

150ml - 200ml lukewarm water

3 cups bread or plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed herbs

Make the dough first so it has time to rise whilst you make the filling. Mix the yeast, sugar and water together then add the flour, salt, a couple of hearty grinds of pepper and mixed herbs. Mix the ingredients together well, and add more warm water or flour if necessary, until the dough mixture forms a large ball.

Knead the dough gently until it is elastic and smooth. Grease a bowl with a little oil, put the dough into the bowl and turn it n the oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 190C/170 Fan.

Now make the filling. In a frying pan over a moderate heat, saute the onion, peppers, mushrooms until the peppers and onion start to soften then add the minced beef. Brown the mince well, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the tomato paste, water and chives then simmer gently for 10–15 minutes. Remove the filling fron the heat.

To make calzone, take a small piece of dough and roll it out into a small circle shape. Put a large spoonful of mince mixture on one side of circle, leaving a 1cm clear edge. Top with a tablespoon of grated cheddar cheese. Fold the empty side over the filling to make a crescent shape then pinch the edges together to seal the calzone. Repeat until all the dough and filling has been used. I can usually get about 18 - 20 small calzone from this recipe.

Put the calzone onto lined baking trays. Brush with a little oil and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.

Oven Baked Vegetable Crisps

Snacks

Rice Pudding

600ml whole milk

65g long grain white rice

50g white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

50g sultanas (optional)

In a medium sized, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the milk and rice.  Place saucepan over a fairly high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender. This usually takes about 25 minutes. Stir the milk mixture frequently using a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.

When the rice is tender (al dente) take the saucepan off the heat and sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook until the rice pudding thickens, this should take about 5 - 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the sultanas if you are using them. Spoon the pudding into a bowl to cool and cover with clingfilm to stop a skin forming. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. To make this into more of a Mullerice type treat add some jam or golden syrup to swirl through the rice pudding. You could also add dried apricots or dates instead of sultanas if you have some in your store cupboard.

Weekend Lunches

Fish Pie

1 onion, finely chopped
1 pepper, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
600ml vegetable stock
1 tsp mild curry paste
200g rice
400g white fish, cut into rough chunks
5 potatoes, cooked and mashed
400g mixed vegetables to serve

Preheat oven to 180C.  Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in oil. Mix vegetable stock and curry powder then add to onion, pepper and garlic mixture. Add rice, stirring occasionally until rice has cooked through. Season. Add fish then put the mixture into a casserole dish.  Spread over the mashed potato then bake in preheated oven for around 15 - 20 minutes until the top is golden and the pie is piping hot. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with mixed vegetables.

Spicy Roast Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into batons

500g carrots, peeled and cut into batons

2 large onions, peeled and roughly diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced

1 Tblsp curry paste, use mild or hot

1 litre vegetable stock

400g tin chickpeas, drained

Put the sweet potato and carrot batons on to a lined oven tray and spray with a little oil to coat. Roast at 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 for about 20 minutes until cooked though and tender.

In a saucepan over a moderate heat, spray a little oil and cool the onions until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and curry paste, cook for a couple of minutes or until the curry paste is fragrant. Add the vegetable stock, chickpeas and cooked carrot and sweet potato. Simmer for about 10 minutes then take off the heat, cool slightly, and blend until smooth. Serve in bowls with a bread roll or naan bread on the side for a tasty lunch.

Dinners

Vegetable Pie

Creamy Sauce:

50g butter

2 tsp mustard powder

50g flour

600ml milk

100g grated mature cheddar

Vegetables, use what you have available:

600g frozen mixed vegetables

small bunch of chives, finely chopped

3 or 4 large potatoes or sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 min. Gradually stir in the milk until smooth with no lumps, then keep stirring until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens to a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat, then stir in the grated cheese, leaving some aside to sprinkle on the top.

Heat your oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the mixed vegetables for around 5 minutes then drain well. Add the cooked vegetables to the creamy sauce with the chives. Cook and mash the sweet potatoes or potatoes and season to taste as this will cover the top of the finished pie.

Tip the mixed vegetables and sauce into a deep ovenproof dish, carefully cover with the mash and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until the topping is golden and the cheese is bubbling, then serve.

Quick and Easy Nachos

1 onion, finely diced

2 peppers, finely diced, any colour will do

325g tin sweetcorn, drained

2 tins chilli beans

300g cherry tomatoes, quartered

200g pack tortilla chips

150g grated mature cheddar cheese, or more if you fancy

Mix the onion, peppers, sweetcorn, chilli beans and tomatoes together in a bowl. Put half of the of tortilla chips, in a single layer, into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Dollop with around half the vegetable and bean mixture then top with a good handful of grated cheddar. Repeat the process until all the chips, vegetable mixture and cheese have been used up. Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6 and bake the nachos in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and everything has heated through. I served ours with steamed mixed vegetables on the side.

Bacon and Vegetable Frittata

1 pepper diced

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

300g bacon

9 eggs

200g frozen mixed vegetables

1/2 of a butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/ gas 6.

Simmer the potatoes and pumpkin in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain and leave to cool slightly before slicing thinly.

Meanwhile, put a 25cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on the hob over a moderate heat. Dry fry the bacon for 5 minutes or so until browned. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic to the pan, and fry in the remaining bacon fat for about 5 minutes until the onion and pepper has softened.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and the softened onion, pepper and garlic. Carefully fold in the potatoes, pumpkin and frozen mixed vegetables. Pour the frittata mixture back into the frying pan and cook over a low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until it has cooked through and is set.

Quick and Easy Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry

1 Tblsp oil

1 Tblsp curry paste, I used mild

2 cloves garlic, crushed

500g butternut squash or sweet potato, cut into 1 inch chunks

400g can chopped tomatoes

400g can lentils, drained and rinsed

400g frozen mixed vegetables

fresh coriander, to serve

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add curry paste and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until the curry paste is fragrant. Stir in the butternut squash and/or sweet potato and tin of chopped tomatoes. Using the can of chopped tomatoes as a measure, add half a can of water to the saucepan. Stir to combine everything then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the butternut squash and/or sweet potato are almost soft. Add a little more water if needed. Add the drained and rinsed lentils, and frozen vegetables then cook for a further 5 - 10 minutes minutes. Spoon into bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve accompanied by homemade Vegetable Naan Bread and cooked rice.

Fish and Potato Wedges with Veggies

Oven baked fish with homemade potato wedges and steamed mixed vegetables. Served with a herb and garlic dip for the potato wedges.

Vegetable Stew with Dumplings

2 Tblsp oil

25g butter

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 parsnip, peeled and diced

2 large carrots carrots, peeled and diced

1 swede, peeled and diced

2 leeks, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

1 tsp mustard

2 Tblsp plain flour

1 heaped tsp vegemite (optional)

500ml vegetable stock

400g tin haricot or butter beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper

Dumplings:

250g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

125g butter, diced

2 tsp diced mixed herbs

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.

Put the oil and butter in a large flameproof casserole dish over a moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for couple of minutes. Add the potatoes, parsnip, carrot, sweede and leeks. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, over a moderate heat until the vegetables start to turn golden and soften slightly. Reduce the heat slightly and ad the garlic, thyme and mustard. Add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, ensure the vegetables are well coated in the flour. Add the vegetmite, stock and tinned pulses.

Bring the mixture to the boil, cover with a lid then put in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 - 50 miutes. Whilst the stew is cooking prepare the dumplings. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. stir in the herbs and a little salt and pepper. Add a 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, just enough to form a stiff dough.

Divide the dough into walnut sized balls, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge until ready to use. When the stew has baked for 40 - 50 minutes in the oven, remove from the oven and add the dumplings. Ensure the dumplings are partially submerged in the stew. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on the stove top/hob, over a moderate heat, for around 20 minutes until the dumplings have risen and are golden on top. I usually serve this stew with steamed greens.

Rice and Vegetable Bake

200g cooked white or brown rice

1 onion, finely diced

1 pepper, deseeed and finely diced

1 chilli, deseeded and finely diced (optional)

300g frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and cooled to room temperature

200g strong mature cheddar cheese, grated

6 free range eggs, lightly beaten

200g plain natural yoghurt

lots of freshly ground black pepper or a pinch or two of cayenne

Grease and line 23cm square cake tin. Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan.

Put the rice cooked rice in a large bowl with all the vegetables and mix well. Mix together the eggs, 3/4 of the cheese and yoghurt, pour over the vegetables and rice in the bowl then thoroughly mix until combined. Season well with lots of black pepper. Spoon the mixture into your prepared cake tin, sprinkle the leftover cheese on top, then bake for 40 minutes until the top is lightly golden and there is no wobble of the bake if you gently jiggle the tin. Serve slices with sweet chilli sauce and steamed greens or with spicy tomato salsa and salad greens.

Shopping List

43 items cost £53.83 purchased from Asda on 08/01/2017.

Packets and Cereals

1x  Mornflake Superfast Oats (2Kg)                             £2.18

1x  ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                    £1.20

1x  ASDA Smartprice Sultanas (500g)                          88p

1x  ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)                 45p

1x  ASDA Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)              65p

1x  Island Sun Popcorn (500g)                                     75p

Frozen

3x  ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)              £2.31

1x  ASDA Meat Free Mince (454g)                               £1.50

1x  ASDA Cook from Frozen Pollock Fillets (1Kg)          £4.00

Tins, Jars and Cooking

1x  ASDA Smartprice Sweetcorn in Water (326g)          35p

1x  ASDA Smartprice Strawberry Jam (454g)                29p

1x  ASDA Smartprice Lemon Curd (411g)                     29p

1x  ASDA Green Lentils in Water (400g)                       55p

1x  ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g)   39p

1x  KTC White Kidney Beans in Salted Water (400g)     33p

1x  KTC Chick Peas in Salted Water (400g)                  33p

2x  KTC Chilli Beans in Spicy Tomato Sauce (400g)      66p

2x  KTC Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g)     66p

1x  ASDA Curry Paste - Balti (200g)                             £1.00

Dairy and Eggs

5x  ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)     £4.95

1x  ASDA Smartprice Butter - Salted (250g)                  99p

1x  ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)     45p

1x  ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)             £2.00

2x  ASDA Mature British Cheddar (350g)                      £3.00

Fruit and Vegetables

25  ASDA Bananas by Weight (200g)                           £2.10

2x  ASDA Carrots (1Kg)                                               90p

2    ASDA Leeks by Weight (300g)                                90p

2    ASDA Parsnips by Weight (250g)                            50p

2x  ASDA White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                                £2.50

1    ASDA Butternut Squash by Weight (1.2Kg)             90p

2    ASDA Sweet Potatoes by Weight (500g)                 £1.00

1x  ASDA Garlic Loose                                                20p

2x  ASDA Plums Ripen at Home (400g)                        £1.00

1x  ASDA Brown Onions (1Kg)                                     67p

1x  ASDA White Mushrooms (400g)                             £1.00

5x  ASDA Smartprice Apples (500g)                             £2.50

1x  ASDA Cherry Tomatoes (365g)                              99p

1x  ASDA Mixed Peppers (700g)                                  £1.20

3x  ASDA Sweet and Juicy Sweetclem (900g)               £3.00

1x  ASDA Swede                                                         50p

Snacks and Sweets

1x  ASDA Smartprice Tortilla Chips (200g)                    46p

Meat, Fish and Poultry

1x  ASDA Smartprice Middle Bacon (350g)                   £1.33

Drinks

1x  ASDA Italian Roast and Ground Coffee (227g)        £2.00

Prices were those shown on My Supermarket, and are correct as of 7th January 2017. Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

I purchased my shopping from Asda, had I shopped elsewhere my shopping would've cost:

£61.87 from Morrisons
£65.79 from Sainsburys
£66.14 from Tesco
£81.83 from Ocado
£88.22 from Waitrose